Springer Spaniels

Your New Puppy

So you have your new springer spaniel puppy and the whole family is excited I am sure you have picked wisely and your Springer Spaniel will be a great addition to your family. I am sure you agree with me a Springer Spaniel puppy is very cute, however you may have some questions or would like some guidence we are here to help. It is important at this stage you put in rules and don't let them get away with murder, habbits that start at this stage are harder to get them out of later on in their lives.

No matter how many books you have read in preperation for a new puppy it is always a shook to the system and is sure to turn your life upside down - don't worry there are good times to - I wouldn't be without my Springer Spaniel.

Bringing your new puppy home

The early stages of your puppies life are some of the most important I would say between the age of 3 and 16 weeks your puppy is going through a vital learning period, which will have an impact on the rest of its life. This is a period whereby the puppy learns important lessons that will influence it. It is therefore important that when you bring your new puppy home you continue the gradual process of socialisation that the puppies mother and littermates started, without doing too much and making your puppy stressed and creating future problems. It is important that you begin the process of socialisation, gently integrating your Springer puppy into your family and teaching it to relate to people and other animals through pleasant encounters. I would highly recommend that you take your puppy to a puppy class even if you have no plans to go through a complete course, the puppy class is basically socialisation and teaches your dog how to interact with new people and other dogs - I have taken mine to a kennel club approved club and the course they outline is really good.

Things you can do to limit the stress of bringing a new puppy home

Avoid sudden loud noises such as slamming doors, children screaming, parties etc
Initially limit the number of people that the puppy comes into contact with, remember your puppy has been taken away from the only things it knows and needs to get used to its new enviroment and family - they can seem very shy to begin with.
Don't allow children to over-handle the puppy or disturb it when it is resting or sleeping, ideally have a child free zone that your children know is off limits, if you are crate training your puppy then this is ideal, teach your children the crate is off limits so that the puppy can have some time out if needed. We know it is hard as I am sure your children have been dying to get this puppy home but it really is for the best.
Provide a warm comfortable bed that your puppy feels snug and secure in, somewhere warm and quiet, ideally give your puppies new blanket to the breeder a few weeks before you collect your puppy, then at least the puppy will have a familiar comforting smell. Don't buy an adult bed and expect your puppy to sleep in it, start off with something snug and secure like a cardboard box. If you are crate training and you have purchased a large crate, section it off so the puppy has some security, a big space is a lonely space.
A toy is a good thing to be left in the crate home I would avoid tennis balls as if you springer is anything like mine they wont last five seconds a small tug toy is a good idea.
Many people say you should make your puppy sleep in the place you want them to sleep as an adult which is fine if you are happy with that, but it is easier said than done, this is your call really and down to personal preference I have always allowed mine to sleep where ever I am in the first few months.
Provide your puppy with lots of contact with you while it is awake. If you do have a job then try and take time off to introduce your new puppy to your lifestyle, springers get bored easily and should not really be left on their own all day.
Don't use physical punishment of any kind with your puppy, they can pick up on the changes in your voice so a stong "no" is enough to stop a puppy. Striking a puppy can not only affect their socialisation skills, but can also physically injure your puppy, they are delicate and easily injured. i have never seen the need to be agressive towards a puppy they respond much better to treats rewarding them for good behaviour, dogs read peoples faces and will soon pickup from your face and sound what you mean.

Teaching Right from Wrong

Your 8 week old Springer Spaniel puppy has just come into your home, you have taken the puppy from its natural enviroment so it will no longer learn the lessons it's mother and brothers/sisters would tech it so it is upto you to teach your puppy.

Nipping/Biting - One of the most important things that a springer spaniel puppy learns from the litter is the strength of a bite, when 2 of them are playing and one nips the other too hard it hurts and the injured party will let off a loud yelp, instinctively the the other dog will stop nipping, and then normally the puppies will get on with their game but be more gentle. you can replicate this as most puppies will respond you you "yelping" loudly when they play bite you, but you must be loud and do it as soon as the teeth touch your hand, I know you think you sound stupid but it is the best way to stopp nipping which WILL happen. Stop interacting with the puppy immediately, ignore it and walk away from the game. If this does not work, or your springer spaniel puppy thinks it is great game then try spraying your hand with a bitter bite spray available from your pet shop, play with your puppy, offering your hands, the puppy will be put off your hands by the taste and decide that game is no fun anymore.

Some top tips for preventing nipping

Don't use your hands to play with your puppy, use a toy so that the hands are never part of the game
Handle your puppy as often as possible and ask friends and family to help
Make sure your puppy is not bored, a bored puppy may nip to get attention - in my experiance that means if they are awake then they want to play.
Don't smack your puppy for biting - a loud yelp is much more effective
Don't wrestle with your puppy, and don't teach children to wrestle, play safe games that don't make rough and tumble fun, remember as your Springer gets bigger, heavier and faster this game will not be enjoyable, especially for children.

CRATE TRAINING

Before you bring your puppy home you must decide where your puppy is going to sleep. Some people prefer their puppy to be in the kitchen or utility room where it is easy to clean up after them. However if you are going to have your puppy sleeping upstairs with you, or in a carpeted hall etc, then an indoor kennel is a good idea - i personally think this is a great solution regardless of where your puppy sleeps. The benefit of a crate is that it can help with house training, seperation anxiety and also offer your puppy a secure and safe environment in which to sleep. I have found that my springer spaniel likes her crate she knows she is safe apart from a couple of accidents as a puppy she never uses her crate for the toilet and goes in there for bed it is her safe place, as a pup it is also easy for you to know they are safe in the night you can close the door and you know they are not getting up to no good or causuing harm to themselves. For you puppy to be relaxed and enjoy its crate you must introduce it carefully. When purchasing a crate get one that is large enough for an adult Springer to get up and turn around in, also get one with a removable base that is easy to clean. Some have one door, but a two door one is best as you may have to put it in different places throughout the crates lifetime so keep your options open. Chose one that is well made, won't rust and is easy to collapse, carry and store away. One big advantage of a crate is that it can be moved about, therefore enabling you to allow your puppy to sleep in its crate beside your bed for the first few weeks, and then be gradually moved to a better location, wherever you chose, hall, kitchen etc. Cover the carte with a blanket to make it snug and safe, Springer puppies love a den ad will feel very cosy if the crate is dark and warm.

Introducing your puppy to the crate - I always suggest that you should give your breeder a small towel or blanket when you go to chose your puppy, this means when you go and collect your puppy the blanket will smell comforting when you take it home with your new puppy. Put the blanket into the covered den, leave the door open and let your puppy investigate. If the crate is positioned where you are during the day, and you have not provided another bed then the puppy will more than likely go and sleep where is feels most secure, in the snug den with the blanket. I also put a jumper of mine in the crate so they can smell me. Don't keep the puppy in the crate for long periods as the puppy may then go to the toilet in the crate and you do not want that to happen.

Springer Spaniel House Training

Housetraining is one of the most vital lessons a springer Spaniel puppy can learn in a home, because a puppy that is not housetrained early can go on to be messy all its life when with a bit patience all can be sorted, house training problems are one of the reaons puppies are given up and unrehomable, simply because some basic rules weren't followed when you got your puppy.

Puppies are small, and therefore so are their bladders, be prepared to take your puppy out at least once an hour sometimes more.

Here are some simple ideas of when your puppy my need the toilet

When they have woken from a sleep
They have just been fed/had a drink
They have been playing and been distracted for a while
They have just been for a journey in the car (this one is important as you might want to make sure you toilet your puppy before taking them straight into someone elses home, or you may not be invited back)
Set a routine for yourself and it will be easy to stick with they wont get it straight away but will help leter on in life.
First thing in the morning - As soon as you get up not once you have been to the loo, brushed your teeth etc... straight away you puppy will get up and want to go. Go outside and wait with it until it has finished so that you are there to praise it. I put a phrase to it so when the puppy is weeing i say "hurry up" this is great as you puppy gets older you can let it out and say "hurry up" and it does the business, it saves waiting for them to smell everything before going to the toilet.
Don't make a big fuss of your puppy when you wake them, Springer Spaniels are well know for wetting themselves when excited and a full bladder first thing in the morning is just waiting for an excuse.
At least every hour - a good idea is everytime a television programme ends, or the news comes on the radio.

This may seem like alot but if your puppy doesn't have the opportunity to soil the house then they are less likely to get into the habit. One thing that can make housetraining difficult is the smell that remains in the spot where they last had an accident, which means they will continue to go in the house if your carpet smells like their toilet area. If they do make a mess get it up as soon as possible I also find the sprays found in pet shops help stop a repeat incident in the same spot.

Don't leave your puppy outside alone, go out and with it. Take a few rewards in your pockets and lavishly reward your puppy for everything.

Other Tips that may help

Do not punish your springer spaniel puppy for having an accident in the house, they are only puppies, its the same as children and you don't smack your child when they fill their nappies. Punishment will only make matters worse, and some dogs can even see this punishment as a form of attention and toilet in the house all the more and that you dont want.

If there are accidents in the house then put the puppy where it can't see you cleaning the mess, if its a wee, absorb as much liquid as possible as quickly as possible, either cut up old towels, or buy those liquid absorbing cloths from DIY stores. The urine will seep into your underlay and that were the smell lingers, so the quicker you can lift it the better. For poo's, if you are lucky, you should be able to lift them with kitchen or toilet paper, one suggestion is to take it outside and place it in the area of your garden you want your dog to use, this will encourage your puppy to go in the spot. I found the best way then to remove the smell was to buy an odour destroying solution from the pet store.

When training your puppy is you encourage them to use a certain spot of the garden each time then they will more than likely always go in the spot, it makes your garden easier to clean.

If your puppy uses slabs, gravel or bark chips to wee on then use a weak solution of biological washing powder in a watering can to wash the slabs, this takes 1 minute and will keep your garden smelling clean.

Bitches urine will destroy your grass so if you are really proud of your lawn then restrict your puppy at an early age, a sand or bark area will be fine.

Remember if mistakes happen it wasnot your puppies fault, you didn't let you puppy out in time.

A crate is a good way of housetraining your puppy as they are less likely to toilet in their bed at night.

Got a question? Don't forget to visit the Springer Spaniel Forum.

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