Category / Tips

5 tips, rules, resolution and ideas for better relationship with your english cocker spaniel / learn to understand & train your dog / walking tips with cocker spaniel / Perfect cocker spaniel book and pet blog / Natalia Ashton, Cooper, sable cocker spaniel & Fred, chocolate and tan cocker spaniel / (C)
by Natalia

5 new year resolutions for the best life with your cocker spaniel

Getting back to the work mode after a lovely Christmas break always feels like a light concussion – the brain isn’t quite there, a little foggy, getting through the whirlwind of information suddenly thrown like a lonely night wanderer pushing his way through a snow storm… I am in a serious need of coffee, lots and lots of coffee… and vitamin C… Because there is no Christmas without a lingering cold in our household.

But enough about me… For the record, the first paragraph took me two days to write…

I hope you had the best holiday time with your spaniels!

Did you make any resolutions for 2020? Mine are more like a list… I use the word “resolution” as a general description because psychologically it doesn’t quite work for me compared to the lists. And Christmas break was the perfect time to slow down, think, dream and write it all down to solidify the impact on my coffee-saturated mind.

Today is all about ideas just in case you are still in the process of deciding what to do with your English cocker in 2020. The main purpose of them is to help everyone to achieve the most fulfilling companionship between the parent and the pooch, help you understand your dog – and help the dog live the best life because he feels connected to his mum and dad.

I get criticised for often focusing on the human – and not the dog, when it comes to building a relationship between the two, but I truly, sincerely believe that everything, absolutely everything in the life of our dogs starts with our commitment to them and our responsibility of understanding the true meaning of being a pup parent. Yes, commitment… much heavier than just love. Love is for the heart, senses and oxytocin. Commitment is for happiness, safety and many more other things including discipline… Not for the dog alone – but for his parents, too.

2020 looks like a such a balanced number and a perfect starting point for creating more balance for us and our wonderful spaniels, making a plan, getting committed to the plan, completing it from start to finish challenging yourself in a positive way. It would be a shame not to give it a try, wouldn’t it?

Make each walk meaningful. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 20 minute stroll or a 2 hour adventure. The point is to be focused on your dog and remember that the walks are his life. Let him explore, see each trip through his eyes, let him stop and sniff, have a play and run together, have a conversation, laugh and share a cuddle! Most importantly, put your phone away! You’d be surprised how many little things you can notice around you and how much you can discover about your cocker if you concentrate all your attention on him – and not the screen.

Discover new places. And the funny thing is that a dog can see an ordinary street as something very exciting even if he walks there every day! All you have to do is to change your route sightly – turning left instead of right, re-visiting a spot a couple of times during the same walk, sitting down somewhere just to have a quiet moment together, stopping to watch birds and people… If you can travel further – even better!

Never compare your dog to the others. It’s such a simple habit to fall into. Just because some other pooch can do something your dog can’t – it doesn’t make that dog better than yours! Focus on the positives, never call your spaniel names, even as a joke, – and most definitely never criticise them in front of other people or let others share negative comments towards your dog! People only process what they see and hear. Tell them that your dog is ab absolute dream – and they will walk away with a smiling heart.

Train with purpose. Some dogs are born to be on TV, others – search for drugs or help people in need. Your spaniel is here to live his life with you. Everything he knows and learns needs to fit into your lifestyle – not mimic some random dog who may know a super-special trick or behaves like a well-programmed robot. Spaniels are such personalities and you need to find the golden mean between keeping that wonderful charm and helping your dog to learn how to behave for the sake of safety and peace. And remember to have fun and be enthusiastic about any kind of training lessons.

Read some good books about dogs. I am a believer that the best information comes from books – and not social media. So do make a list of good titles and set yourself a goal of reading a book a month. You will be amazed how much better you will be able to understand your dog, his needs (think diet, behaviour, grooming, health) and how much it will improve your life. Perfect cocker spaniel is the best place to start. Beside all the information it contains a list of brilliant dog books to help you build a great little library.

Wishing you and your cocker spaniel the happiest, most adventurous and unforgettable year!
Christmas food as a risk of acute pancreatitis in dogs and cocker spaniels / symptoms of pancreatitis / dog blog / pet blog / Perfect cocker spaniel book and blog / Natalia Ashton (C) English cocker spaniel puppy tips, advice, training, handstripping, grooming, diet, nutrition
by Natalia

Pancreatitis | The “Christmas illness” you need to know about

Do you know that the dogs are more likely to suffer from acute pancreatitis during the festive season than any other time? Especially if they are cocker spaniels, one of the breeds genetically predisposed to the disease. The risk is even higher in dogs diagnosed with hypothyroidism, Cushing’s or diabetes, taking certain prescription drugs and those suffering from obesity and excess weight.

Christmas is impossible without special dinners and treats, most of which are very rich and not particularly dog-friendly and can lead to pancreatitis.

The pancreas is a small organ that sits in the abdominal cavity. The main function of the pancreas is to produce insulin and control blood sugar. Dog pancreas also produce special digestive enzymes.

Acute pancreatitis or sudden inflammation of the pancreas can happen if a dog eats large quantities of fatty and greasy foods in a short period of time. These titbits can be a part of the Christmas dinner or even table scraps that dogs can find in a bin. The excessive intake of nutrients overstimulates the pancreas and leads to excessive enzyme production. The reaction causes severe inflammation, bleeding of the tissue and organic damage. Other parts of the body including kidneys, lungs and heart can suffer next.

The symptoms appear suddenly. The acute form of the pancreatitis can be fatal.

Even though I may sound like the one who kills the festive spirit of Christmas, I need you to remember the simple rule:

Regardless of the festivities your spaniel’s daily diet must remain unchanged, any form of treats – limited to a bare minimum, and any parts of the holiday meal – avoided completely.

The symptoms of pancreatitis can appear very suddenly and include…

… loss of appetite;

… diarrhoea;

… vomiting;

… hunched posture or “praying” position;

… dehydration;

… swollen and painful tummy;

… lethargy;

…fever.

If your dog develops any of these, take him to the vets immediately.

 

Photo credit: image by 奕茗 王 from Pixabay

How to protect and puppy proof christmas tree from dog / Perfect cocker spaniel pet blog / English cocker spaniel book, puppy advice, tips, cocker grooming, hand strip, diet, training tips, cocker spaniel puppies / (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

Q & A | How to protect the Christmas tree from my cocker spaniel puppy?

This was one of the most popular questions I had to answer since the beginning of December, so I thought we need to have a proper conversation about puppy-proofing the Christmas tree.

Christmas trees and cocker spaniels can live in utter harmony most of the time. Admittedly, we never had to worry even though my boys have always been inquisitive about things. Thankfully, Christmas trees were never on their list of objects to explore. I guess they thought that it was just another piece of furniture that we chose to add to the house decor.

On the other hand, and after I was asked the question, there were things that I’ve always done on subconscious level or perhaps because I tried to perceive the tree from the dog’s point of view – and it helped me to avoid any disasters.

And this is why I made the list to document my actions in one place…

Put the tree in a room that your dog won’t be able to access if you have to leave him on his own. Putting a puppy playpen around the tree may stop some cockers, but many dogs will just force their way through any barriers because the prize is way too good to ignore!

Fake it! Choose an artificial tree over the real thing. Just think how tempting a fir tree would be for your pup who lives to sniff and chew! Boys may even mark it… because it’s exactly the same as the  “message boards” they use outside!

Additionally, fir needles contain oils that can irritate the mouth and digestive tract and cause drooling, vomiting and upset stomach. Your cocker cannot digest any needles he swallows, which can lead to additional digestive issues and even stomach punctures. If your dog walks over them, the needles (especially old and dry ones) can cause anything from a mild irritation from the prick to an injury.

Another thing to bear in mind when it comes to the real trees is the water – it can become stale, contain chemicals and oils from the tree and “special solutions” such as pesticides, preservatives and aspirin, which are toxic to dogs.

On the other hand, an artificial tree is not that fragrant even from the canine prespective and is relatively safe unless your pooch chooses to pull the entire arrangement down for the fun of it.

Talking of the latter… Give your dog some time to get used to the tree. Put it up, make sure it’s sturdy and then leave the tree without any decorations for a couple of days. Do not attract your dog’s attention to the tree when installing it. Do not ask him to come and look at branches or sniff it. As soon as you begin to fuss over “the new thing”, it will become something enchanting for your cocker.

Inspect your artificial tree for loose needles and brittle brunches. Some materials can become fragile with age and if they fall off and get swallowed by your dog, the pieces of plastic or metal can be harmful.

Decorations need to be chosen wisely, especially if your cocker is still young. When my boys were puppies I made sure to avoid putting any bubbles onto the bottom brunches and always picked plastic, metal, paper, fabric and unbreakable “glass” decorations if they were within my boys’ reach. They never tried to steal them – it’s was my cautious paranoia that made me do it.

Some dogs do find baubles interesting: the toys move at the slightest draft, they are reflective and sparkling, the pup can often pick the changes in light when staring at them, and they look like his favourite balls… begging to be stolen and thrown around!

The only way you can decide how to avoid any potential disasters is to put a few baubles on the tree and observe your cocker carefully from nearby. If he shows too much attention, reconsider the decor. If his curiosity is mainly to do with the novelty of the object, use the “leave” word and make him forget about the tree decor completely by playing together or doing some training in the “tree vicinity”.

Also most definitely avoid tinsels unless your spaniel is completely oblivious and indifferent to the festivities. Tinsel can cause digestive blockages and injuries when swallowed, so it’s best not to use it.

Make sure that the tree lights are off if you cannot supervise your dog and the tree and there’s a slight chance that he may bite into the cable.

Last but not least are the edible decorations. Chocolate “baubles” and “stars” are toxic to dogs. Spicy cookies can cause diarrhoea and vomiting, and some may contain toxic raisins. Dried fruits may also upset digestion. And just imagine what any normal dog would do if you embellished the tree with any dog biscuits and treats… He is not going to just camp under the branches, that’s for sure.

 

For more useful tips on having the most wonderful peaceful Christmas with your cocker spaniel read my Dog friendly Christmas check list post.

 

Photo credit: image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay