General Chat

As some of you know we got a Cav. King Charles puppy for daughter 21st Birthday, dog - Poppy is now 4 months old and we are having a few problems, I know quite a few of you have dogs, so thought you might be able to give me some advice. Poppy is chasing her tail (she's been wormed regularly at vets) when she's in her crate. is this just frustration or what? also she keeps chewing her puppy pad up when we go out of the room, even for a very short time, (we've tried ignoring this - it's v difficult, also one book we have says a spray from a kiddies water pistol should stop this - it does but only for a short while). We've been unable to get her outside for toilet training as the weather here is so bad (about 1 metre of snow) Any advice will be gratefully received. Otherwise she's an adorable and v. affectionate dog.

Sounds like boredom. Get a rubber Kong different sizes) smear inside with Marmite/bovril/honey and pack with biscuits. Keep quite for ages (unless like us you have a pack leader who went to the top of the stairs, dropped it down and at the bottom all the bikkies fell out! Is the pad the sheepskin type blanket for bottom of cage? Take it out. She won't come to any harm lying on the tray. Good luck.

As Chris says re Kong,

re toilet training , train her to newspaper near the door and then when the weather is ok move it out side till she gets used to going out

a Kong is a rubber toy with a hollow centre Sandie , you can pack it with dog biscuits/treats and as they chew it and roll it around the treats come out slowly. If you google 'kong for dogs' you can see what it's like :)

Some people use a large crate / cage for their puppies until they are trained,
I have this from a site

"Why use a dog crate / cage anyway?

A crate helps address many of the problems that cause stress and anxiety to pet owners. They serve a useful purpose to prevent (and rectify) problems associated with destructive behaviour and fear of strangers or other types of people. They help with house training, with visitors who are afraid of dogs and of course when travelling with your dog"

not used one myself.

Many Thanks to you all for your help and advice I knew I could rely on you doggie lovers to come up with some helpful tips. Yes Chris I've heard of the Kong. will try to get one for her , - I had to laugh when I read what your dog had done with his, - intelligent or what? Her pad in the bottom of her crate is a puppy pad for toilet training, she also has an igloo type bed in the crate to sleep in. She gets plenty of time out to play with us and her toys, but I cannot let her have free run of the house as I have a 10 year old cat as well. Rambling Rose: I use the puppy training pads, but will do as you suggest, moving them nearer the door, Thanks for your help. Sparkling Sandie: You can buy different size crates for the size of dog you have from most of the big pet shops, we have quite a large one for a small dog, which gives her plenty of room to move around, also gives her a safe place to retreat to. The lady we bought Poppy from suggested we get a crate. They're made of
metal with a plastic tray in the bottom, with two opening doors.(like a wire cage) I'm hoping she will eventually be able to settle in a pet bed without the crate, but at 4 month old she's still into chewing everything in sight and jumping all over the furniture.

one thought, i wouldn't put a puppy toilet training pad IN the crate...a dog will not normally soil the area where they also sleep, so it should really be outside of the cage or I think you may have more problems in getting her to go outside when you can do so?

Oooooh i so agree about the crate. I have had 3 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.They are such loving, affectionate, adorable. little attention seeker's and no offence honestly..........but should sooo not be put in a crate. Of course all puppies chew things and chase their tail from time to time. But i think in this case, it is out of frustration. I do understand about the cat, so over all, not an ideal situation. Roll on the better weather, because one thing CKC love to do is, aim to please. x

Re the cat, I understand that it may be annoying for the cat to have a bouncy young pup around... but having had both cats and dogs at the same time, the sooner you let them 'settle' the pecking order between them the better friends they will be lol... the cat may well aim a good right paw at the upstart pup and it will be the last trouble they will have with each other as the pup will recognise 'authority' lol :) (obviously be at hand to intervene if necessary) .

Like others I always used newspapers and a bottle of soda water (to wipe up any little tiddles) - cover floors with newspaper and each dayor two take some away - after about 2 weeks or so no problem. I agree they will NOT soil in their bedding area and should not be encouraged so to do. Take her outside every hour or so - she will learn to ask or run to door.

On another note today we took 35 toys to Blue Cross - all sizes of dogs were catered for and they were over the moon. Have 24 dogs, some going to homes but expecting usual influx over Chritsmas so each little/big dog sould have a toy. The asked the usual had we a dog and we explained not for last 2 1/2 years - Monty came from Blue Cross at 7 wks old from a litter and lived a very happy and ruled the roost for 15 and 1/2 years.

Enjoy - our house is not the same but my OH has become my carer in the meantime.

Just see Ice Baby has said much the same and I have to agree with RR.
The longer you separate them the harder it will become and you may get pushed into a choice you do not wish. They will learn to live together - cat will spit at the pup but the cat will get out of the way quickly and safely from a lively pup who is just curious and learning about this wonderful wordl!

Sounds like very good advice Baby.

I had a cav king charles years ago and she was so cute and adorable.My baby is now a 18 month yorkie terrier that i have had since she was 8 weeks.Dont like cages.Would never ever put her in one.Boo Boo is very playful and chases her tail.We keep her in the hallway overnight with a stair gate.She has 2 beds out there and can wander into kitchen for a biscuit or a drink.She has millions lol of toys mainly squeakers that drive us mad.When she was a baby we trained her to use training pads by the back door.She learnt very quick and did enjoy last years snow.Hope you pup will bring as much pleasure as my little dog does.

Each time she jumps on furniture, lift her down and say 'NO' quite loudly and firmly and when she is good - give lots of praise and pats.

Shellie Rose, it is a long time since I had a dog and we used newspapers to train ours, I don't think you could get pads then. Not sure I like the idea of cages except for in the car or maybe left open as somewhere 'safe' for them to retreat to. What I wondered was. You said she was bought for your daughter's 21st. I assume one of you is undertaking her training. She could maybe get confused if she had two 'bosses'.

I've been looking at the site for Dogs Trust ...I blame you all LOL ! , they have 40 dogs at the rehoming centre nearest me ... have been without a dog for 8 years now, since our last died. he was a rescue dog also, had been rehomed twice before we got him, and we were 'warned' that he wasn't house trained which is why the previous two re-homes had sent him back. But within a few days he was completely house trained...all he'd needed was someone to watch him and understand when he went to a door he wanted to go out!

He never quite got over his early abuse, if you picked up a paper or towel he would flatten to the floor in fear, but he was a loving little dog in his own quiet way, and eventually learned to play a little :)

I must not look at dogs...I must not look at dogs...I must not.... lol

RR - we are dogless for past 2 1/2 years and OH is my carer. However we adopted a dog from Dogs Trust as they never put a dog down. They even have a house where elderly dogs lie on sofas and chairs and tv is left on!! We get regular letters and photos from our furry friend and when the first one passed away, we were offered another choice so he writes!

That's a lovely way of helping Chris, for the dogs that can't be rehomed due to age or temperament...that's what I especially like about the Dogs trust, :))

Perhaps it would be a good idea to get both of you trained as soon as it is possible?
Dogs need to learn manners but dog owners also need to learn how to be the pack leader. At 4 months your dog should already be aware of its position in your family "pack" ie. at the bottom.
Try and see things from a dogs point of view. Like a cat your dog is a hunter. Its sole point in life is to hunt, then eat and then sleep. I doubt you will use your dog for hunting so that needs to be replaced by lots of walks and lots of play activity. Even a little dog like a cavalier will be happy to walk several miles a day and swim whenever it can. When I used to foster Dobes for Dobermann rescue I reckoned on about 10-12 miles a day over two or three walks.
If your dog is chewing furniture it is probably boredom. I realise you may not be able to walk far right now so replace it with extra play periods. But as the pack leader YOU choose when it is play time. If the dog is getting on furniture or going upstairs then you just have to persevere and keep putting it down. Holding it (gently) by the scruff of the neck like its mother would is fine. I'm not sure imprisoning the creature in a cage will achieve much. It cannot learn from its own mistakes if it is caged all the time. Covering the cage with a blanket so it has a private space it can retreat to is a good idea though.