Working cocker spaniel grumbling
Working cocker spaniel grumbling
Hi, our field cocker is 2.5yrs old, intact. He is an overall superstar, however he has one thing that he does i’m not sure how to deal with. I’ve always picked him up since he was tiny, but about 6 months ago, he started to grumble or growl, initially if my husband was nearby. Now, it has developed into the low growl, if we bend down to snuggle or something. Happens if husband does it too. It’s like our WCS suddenly was uncomfortable with being approached, but when he approaches the humans and comes in hard for aggressive cuddles, right up in your face, he’s perfectly fine. We have a Springer & a GSP too & have always approached them for cuddles and scratches and loves which they happily accept, but the WCS starts to shake and growl. Otherwise he’s very normal & active & playful. Tons of exercise. Other people pick him up when husband takes him to work & he doesn’t grumble then I’m told. My husband recently responded by gruffly “noooo” & physically dominating him, like holding him down for a moment but I hate the negative and rough reaction. I feel like it’s a display of anxiety from our WCS’ and negative reinforcement isn’t solving it. Husband is from an old school game keeper family that were rough on dogs & says he never had a bad dog until I came along (22 yrs ago, mind you). But i don’t think being tough on our little guy is the solution, it hasn’t been so far. Any ideas what is causing this? How might we train him so he no longer growls under these circumstances? Do you think him having the snip will help? Thank you for any advice.
Re: Working cocker spaniel grumbling
Hi, first thoughts, he might be in pain due to injury. Or you may be holding him in an uncomfortable way when you pick him up so adjusting your hold might be more comfortable. It could be that you or your husband accidentally hurt him one time so it’s become associated with a bad experience. Or he just doesn’t like being picked up, so if it’s not essential then don’t do it. For the times that you have to you could start building pleasant associations around being picked up. Start by pairing putting your hands in position with a tasty edible reward and then, with lots of repetitions, gradually take a bit of weight and then increase it so you are lifting him fully upright. Then repeat it in different locations, the same as you would when training any other behaviour. And I don’t believe giving him the snip will make any difference at all.
Other than that, he simply might not enjoy you touching or disturbing him when he is resting. Or you might inadvertently surprise him and cause an adverse response. Not all dogs are the same in this respect, as with people, so it’s no use comparing him with your other dogs. Some dogs don’t mind ‘being surprised’ when they’re resting but others are genuinely frightened by an unexpected hand coming down to touch them. My current dog has to be made aware if Im about to stroke her when she’s resting otherwise she wakes with a start. I don’t like being disturbed when I’m sleeping or resting so I try not to disturb my dogs when they re doing so.
As regards positive punishment, which I’m presuming hasn’t worked because you’re still asking questions, by its very nature it only suppresses these behaviours and so the underlying emotion is still there. Your dog is trying to tell you that he is not happy with something you are doing to him and if you start punishing his only way of communication then you might well stop the low ‘warning growl’ but what’s left to communicate with !
Other than that, he simply might not enjoy you touching or disturbing him when he is resting. Or you might inadvertently surprise him and cause an adverse response. Not all dogs are the same in this respect, as with people, so it’s no use comparing him with your other dogs. Some dogs don’t mind ‘being surprised’ when they’re resting but others are genuinely frightened by an unexpected hand coming down to touch them. My current dog has to be made aware if Im about to stroke her when she’s resting otherwise she wakes with a start. I don’t like being disturbed when I’m sleeping or resting so I try not to disturb my dogs when they re doing so.
As regards positive punishment, which I’m presuming hasn’t worked because you’re still asking questions, by its very nature it only suppresses these behaviours and so the underlying emotion is still there. Your dog is trying to tell you that he is not happy with something you are doing to him and if you start punishing his only way of communication then you might well stop the low ‘warning growl’ but what’s left to communicate with !
Re: Working cocker spaniel grumbling
Thanks for taking the time to respond!