Cocker Spaniel Dog Training 5 Steps To Teach Your Puppy

by Terry Smith

Home at last from the breeder or rescue centre and that new addition to your family, that little bundle of fluff is now your responsibility. The next few days and weeks will determine whether your new Cocker Spaniel puppy will become a good natured, well behaved, lovable pet, or a nightmare, an unruly “wish we hadn’t bothered� pain in the butt problem.


OK. So not everyone wants to train their new Cocker Spaniel puppy to Show Dog standard but the very same basic requirements are needed from your Cocker Spaniel puppy as are required in the first instance of the top dogs. Those show winners across the world were puppies once and had to be trained from day one.


I’m sure you want a Cocker Spaniel puppy (and eventually a grown dog) that is well behaved and is a credit to you and your family. No-one wants to get close to a dog that just will not do as it’s told and is obviously out of control. If you agree with me, then the training starts today.


Let’s get one thing clear straight away. From my experience and observations of other dog owners, the first to be trained is YOU! Often it is the owner that determines whether training the Cocker Spaniel puppy will be successful or not. If owners (and their families) praise naughty behaviour they undo any good work achieved so far. Even laughing when the Cocker Spaniel puppy is being naughty convinces it that its actions are approved of. YOU as owner, or family member must be prepared to accept this new responsibility for the outcome of YOUR Cocker Spaniel puppy’s upbringing.


OK. Let’s take a look at our 5 easy steps. They are listed in no particular order of importance.


Socialization Your new Cocker Spaniel puppy (I shall assume it is a she) needs to know her name as soon as possible. She will not respond to any command or come when called unless she recognises the name you have given her. Obviously choose a name on day one, and use it as often as possible when speaking directly to her. Changing it at a later time will not help. At meal times, tap a spoon on a glass or rattle a few beads in a can when you call her. She will associate the sound with food and slowly you can forget the spoon/rattle sound. Stroke her and praise her when she comes and use her name often.


Get her to “sit� before giving her the meal. Help her to understand the “sit� command by pressing down her rear end until she sits. Praise her, use her name the reward her with the food. Use the same approach to reinforce all the necessary commands. Keep a few treats in your pocket to reward her when she does as you want. Do not however, reward bad behaviour. If you get frustrated and give up and worst still give her the treat anyway, you are lost and will have to retrain her from scratch again.


Toilet Training Toilet training should start as soon as the puppy is home. A dog can be with you for 10 to 15 years, maybe even longer. Good toilet training at the puppy stage is essential for peace of mind and indeed hygiene in later years. Take her to the area you have designated as the toilet area and praise her when she performs. First thing in the morning is a crucial time as is immediately after meals or when she has been having a nap. Stay with her while she performs so that you can lavish praise for the action you want. If you see her sniffing the floor and circling, you can take it as a sign that a walk to the toilet area might be a good idea; now!!!


Use “encouragement� words as she actually performs, (we used “be quick� with our dog) so that she will start to know what is expected of her, both in your own garden or out and about. Luckily puppies are creatures of habit so by teaching them well early on you will avoid horrible messes later on.


I must warn you about how you may upset toilet training. Do not: • Punish her for any accident indoors (she may become frightened to toilet anywhere if scolded) • Overfeed or feed the wrong diet; keep to a regular timetable • Wait for her to tell you she needs to go out, establish a regular routine. • Expect her to get through the night at first; your routine must include at least one garden trip • The next stage is toilet training out on a walk. She may wait until she gets home cos that’s what she’s been taught. But by using your “encouragement� words when on a walk, she will start to understand what is required of her.


Crate Training A lot of people don’t use a crate but for transporting your Cocker Spaniel puppy it is almost an essential requirement. Don’t ask me how but when she has to go to the vet, she knows and can be as awkward as any youngster. A crate helps contain any reluctance to go, and also, should you have an accident in your vehicle, a crate contains your loved pet and she won’t end up loose running free down a freeway.


A crate is also an ideal “own space� unit for her. A space that she can retire to when she wants to take a nap (or get away from the unwanted attention of the kids). Make sure the kids know this is her space and she should be left alone when there. Put a familiar blanket or toy in the crate to show her this is her place. To help her accept the crate, give her a small treat to encourage her.


Collar and Leash Training When young, a puppy has no idea what a collar or leash is for and will think they are a new form of play. Introduce both items indoors perhaps, while she is housebound awaiting those necessary injections. Put the collar on, loosely and let her get used to it. She will try to take it off; if she does put it back on a little tighter. Don’t soothe or laugh or discipline her; just ignore her and let her get used to it. Let her walk around with it for a while then when you think the time is right (when she looks comfortable) attach the leash. Once again let her walk around with it until she looks comfortable. Do not let her chew it or make a game of it. Do it once and she will associate the leash with playtime; not good when you want to walk sedately down the road.


Noise Abatement Training Puppies, in fact dogs in general, can be noisy. They howl; they bark and they whine. Your Cocker Spaniel puppy is in a brand new world where everything is new and somewhat frightening. She will want reassurance from you in all sort of situations, and when she is frightened, she will whine etc. A puppy is very like a new baby; she makes these noises when she has a problem. Make her comfortable and check whether she is Hungry, Thirsty, Frightened, Sick, wants a toy, or wants to go outside. Make sure your Cocker Spaniel puppy is happy being left on her own, otherwise she is likely to become noisy every time you have to leave her. You could close her crate door while you are in another room for a short spell to get her used to being alone. We found that when we had to go out, a treat given to Pippa as we left the house calmed her down while we are out. It soon becomes a routine that avoids the situation where a dog barks continually while you are out, annoying neighbours and stressing your loving pet unnecessarily.


So there you are, 5 basic training ideas to help settle both you and your new house pet into a routine that you can both enjoy and develop. Your Cocker Spaniel puppy will now be able to attend more formal training if you wish, from local training classes, or from web based training systems. Keep the training going, either to reinforce these basic training units, or to expand the achievements of you and your pet in the dog training world. Obedience training, agility training and competitive activities can enhance your dog’s life as well as provide you and your dog with very enjoyable experiences.


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