Slip Collars for training dogs are an effective way of developing your dog’s behaviour and obedience. There are three main types of slip collars and each one should be used properly to get the results you want without harming your dog.

Slip Collars (Choke Chains)
Perhaps the most common slip type dog training collar, a slip collar is designed to allow the trainer to quickly close and release the collar around a dog’s neck. Dogs learn to not repeat a behaviour when they feel the chain close.

A slip collar for training dogs must be put on a dog properly, with the end coming from the lead around the back of the dog’s neck. This allows the chain to quickly slacken when released. When training, quickly tug then add slack to the lead whenever you need to correct behaviour.

The consequences of not using a slip collar properly can be disastrous. Do not pull too hard on the lead, just enough for your dog to take notice. Also, you should not keep pulling on the lead for an extended period.

Prong Collars (Pinch Collar)
Similar to a slip collar in design, prong collars have prongs on the inside of the collar. When the lead is tugged, the prongs pinch the dog’s neck. Unlike a slip collar, a prong collar has a limit to how much it will close around a dog’s neck.
I consider these to be barbaric and I do not recommend them

Although it is often stated that a prong collar, with a limited circumference and by evenly spreading pressure all around a dog’s neck, is at least as safe as a slip collar, I think this is untrue since it is very easy to damage a dogs neck by misuse of a prong collar.

E-collar (electronic collar)
An e-collar looks similar to a regular dog collar, but it is equipped with an electrical system that can deliver a sensation to the dog. Using a remote control device, a trainer can deliver a small charge through the e-collar whenever behaviour needs to be corrected.

An e-collar is an ideal way to train your dog off-leash. Incorrect behaviour is addressed immediately, so your dog quickly and easily learns the correct action, without needing a lead on which to tug.

In all cases, it is important to only use dog training collars only when training and while you are paying close attention to your dog. Leaving a training collar on when you are not working with your dog could lead to serious accidents. Each time you finish training, remove the training collar from your dog and replace it with the regular collar.
On the whole I suggest that the careful owner could use a slip collar for training dogs as the alternatives can be disastrous if the dog is unattended.
REMEMBER you must NEVER jerk a slip collar when the dog is wearing it.
An e-Collar is preferable and your dog will quiclkly get used to it.

Cute Cocker Spaniel Puppies Video
Thanks to Lorraine65 and Youtube for the Video

 Stop My Dog Barking !

Read more about Barking Relief

Are you extremely frustrated and tired of:

Being kept awake at night by your dogs continuous barking ?

Being embarrassed while walking your dog ?

Complaints from the neighbors ?

Being afraid someone will call the police ?  

Get More Details Here

Every dog barks, that is how they communicate a message. They bark for various reasons: to greet, to alert, to friends,out of boredom, to attract attention or when they are excited.

Although some barking from is acceptable, too much barking is certainly not acceptable, especially for your neighbours and excessive barking will eventually leading to complaints

This is the Number One Problem that most dog owners meet.
Most dogs bark excessively while their owner goes out.
In fact the owner may not realise the extent of the problem and they may even have the idea that their dog does not bark at all.
Why not cut off problems at the pass (as they used to say in cowboy movies) by asking your neighbour if your dog is being a problem by barking.
It is better to find out now than by having an irate neighbour screaming at your door when you come home late in the evening.
At least you can start to do something about it.

Click Here For More Details

Dogs usually bark because they are lonely or bored (how would you feel for instance if you were cooped up in a chicken-wire cage for several hours with nothing to do and no-one to talk to ?).

Your dog is also basically a pack animal – and you are the pack leader.
When you go away you are leaving him/them leaderless and they will try to talk to other dogs to reinforce their own security.

Other reasons for barking are :
Intruders(what it seems to the dog) these can include passing dogs, dogs nearby barking, big birds or visitors.
Scary objects that suddenly appear (like the leather handbag my wife recently bought !) can also trigger off a barking episode.

Dog get bored easily and need to be played with regularly – and when you do have to go out always leave them with safe toys to play with.This will cut down the boredom factor.
Do not give them too large a treat when you go out - a friend of mine did this and returned to find out that his lovely labrador had choked on the treat.

So how do I stop my dog barking ?. The easiest way to stop a dog barking is to control his barking while you are still at home.
Lets face it – you are not going to be able to stop a barking dog while you are out of your house.

Cocker Spaniel Fun

Here are some suggestions on how to stop a dog barking.

1. Put your dog indoors and then try to set up a reason for your dog to start barking. Get a friend or neighbour to ring your doorbell or knock on your door.

2. Your dog will rush to the front door and start to bark loudly.
Now approach your dog, grab his/her collar and give the command QUIET – no shouting please, it does not help – your dog just thinks you are joining in the noise.

3. If he/she stops barking, then Immediately praise and give him/her a reward. You have a very smart dog there so cherish and cuddle him/her.

4. Usually however, the dog does not stop barking so it is time to show the dog what you mean .
As he/she continues barking, using both hands close his/her mouth and wrap your fingers around his muzzle – use both hands makes it easier, and give the command for him to keep QUIET. (do not shout at the dog)
Give lots of praise and a treat if he/she stops.

Most dogs are able to learn the QUIET command with repeated training like this.
You may have to set up several situations to enforce this training.
Just set up similar situations to get your dog to bark and repeat training whenever possible.

Still Barking after a lot of QUIET training sessions ?:

If the problem still persists then your dog might still be barking noisily and upsetting your neighbourhood when you are not at home. Then you will need to get a piece of training equipment known as a bark collar (or an anti-bark collar) to help train him/her.

There are several types of bark collars on the market. Some of these collars send an electric shock to your dog when he barks.
I have to say that I do not approve of these or any device that may cause harm to your dog.
They are certainly effective but there is a safe alternative which makes a high pitch sound or emits a squirt of citronella which is annoying but safe for your dog. (Dogs hate citronella)
These Collars will usually solve a problematic barker without harm to your pet.

I personally recommend the high pitch sound or citronella collars. They are very effective and more humane dog training tools.
There is a better solution that is more effective than my methods -
It will Teach you how to stop your kennel dogs to stop barking,
Offer you seven proven ways to prevent barking in the future,
Stop you worrying about losing your dog because he barks too much.
Here is the wonderful easy solution to dog barking:

Its the very BEST Solution to a barking Dog

Get Barking Relief Now

 

 

Basic Spaniel Training

So You want to train Your new Puppy !

Well that is the best idea you have had since you bought a Spaniel .
Here is how to do Basic Dog Training.. Dog training can be taught by an obedience instructor, or you can train your Spaniel yourself.

Dog training from an obedience instructor varies in price and it usually takes place in a class with other owners and dogs. Some Educational Institutes offer dog training courses.
If you do the dog training yourself, it is of course free and you can do it at home. If you do choose to do the dog training yourself, it is best to get educated on dog training.
you can get training Videos or books to help you with this.
A list of Resources follows this article.

You will have to teach three basic commands. These are: sit, stay, and come.
How To teach Your Dog to Sit:
To start this dog training, you will need some dog treats.

Always do dog training in quiet surroundings so your dog does not get distracted.
Tell your dog to sit repeatedly as you hold the treat just over their head. This way the dog has to look up and may sit on his/her own to reach the treat.
Many Puppies and young dogs at this point decide to stand on their hind legs to reach the treat.

If they do this or do not sit then gently push their rear down.
When they sit, praise them a lot and reward them with a treat.
Remember – all dogs love treats.
This kind of dog training works because the dog constantly hears "sit" and will learn to associate the command with sitting and receiving praise.
Practice this until your dog always sits on command.

How to Teach Your Spaniel to Stay:

This is sometimes a difficult part of training your Spaniel.
You can incorporate this with your pet the command come .
Sit your dog in an area with no directions to the dog..

Keep repeating the word STAY as you back away. Begin by keeping eye contact with the dog.
If the dog gets up, Say Firmly NO and begin again.
Dog training does take a while.
You could get a helper to sit with the dog to help reinforce the dog to stay the first few times.
This may take a while until your Spaniel gets the idea.

Once you have made progress with this part of dog training, you then start by walking away with your back turned.
This may take a while to learn as the dg will think you are ignoring him/her. Dogs will often get up to follow you at this point.
Tell your dog NO firmly and start the dog training again by repeatedly telling your dog to stay as you walk away.

When your Spaniel has mastered this part, you can teach it to come.
After your dog has stayed, tell it to COME Have a happy voice and pat your knee as you say COME Your dog should respond to this dog training right away and you may then reward it with a treat.

Always use praise instead of punishment with dog training. Dogs respond best to positive dog training, rather than negative. With all of this in mind, you should be able to teach your dog the 3 basic commands.

Follow all of this advice and you should soon have a more obedient dog that is very praiseworthy and you should then be able to control him or her much more easily. (remember to take lots of treats with you though !)

Resources:
I only Suggest the following 2 resources - becaues THEY WORK !
This is the BEST Clickertraining course around.
This is what Professional Dog trainers use to train any kind of dogs !
It comes with a 56 Day Moneyback Guarantee.
Did you know that there are 4 important secrets about training dogs (or any other animals), that can make YOU capable of solving every behavior problem you will ever meet - and teach any new behavior or trick you can imagine?

Did you know that regardless of whether you have just gotten your first puppy or whether you are already an exerienced dog owner or trainer - learning these secrets could change your life?
The Four Great Secrets of becoming a great Clickertrainer
------------------------------------------------------------
Secrets to Dog Training
A comprehensive ebook that teaches you how to solve over 25 dog behavior problems including numerous photos and step by step instructions (260 pages, this is your essential reference).

A 30-minute downloadable video puts you right in the picture with the help of professional dog trainer Dave Johnson. You’ll see real-life examples of Dave’s top tips on screen as he shows you exactly what to do to train your dog effectively.

Real-life case studies

Secrets to Dog Training

Spaniels Ticks and Fleas
How to Control Fleas and Ticks with Frontline

No matter how carefully you groom your spaniel, sooner or later he or she is going to get fleas or ticks. Fleas spread either from other dogs or cats or from carpets (even if they are not your carpets... remember fleas can JUMP !)

Ticks are usually found in long grass or on trees and get onto your pet by dropping onto the animal and scampering on to an exposed area of skin.
The first time I found my puppies had Ticks was when I found a tiny tick crawling across the back of my neck !
I soon found a few more attacking my little spaniels.

For years I tried many sprays and powders and I discovered FRONTLINE - a liquid spray that you lightly spray on to the dog (avoiding the eyes and mouth and ears though)
This comes either in a larger dispenser or in sealed blister packs each of a single dose. Do Not overdose - read the instructions first.
To use the blister packs is simplicity itself.
You simple break off a small corner of the pack ,part the dogs fur just at the nape of the neck (there is an illustration that shows where to squeeze the green liguid onto.
Its fairly important to keep your pets separate to prevent them from licking the fluid off each other.
I found my spaniels went a bit dozy for a couple of hours after the application but they soon cheered up after that.
You only have to make one application per dog and this seems to be active for the whole of the tick season.
We seem to have had a huge increase in ticks this year and I think this is due to climate change.
Frontline seems to kill fleas outright and acts as a systemic cure that discourages ticks and other bugs.
Tiny Ticks just curl up and die and bigger ones (I have not seen one since applyig Frontline) are alleged to be easier to remove.

Ticks just fall off when spray with Frontline and you should collect them on a piece of card or in a plastic container and dispose of them. I tend to kill them to prevent their return.

The really unpleasant thing about ticks is that they have a sort of beak that digs into the dogs skin and if you try to pull them off the head can get lodged under the skin causing a nasty infection.

I thoroughly recommend Frontline to you -it's available from your Vet or by mail order I thoroughly reccommend the new version where you just put one drop on your pet's skin and this is sufficient to protect him or her from fleas and ticks for quite a long while.)

It certainly beats twisting off those nasty little (and sometimes not so litle) ticks !

Ticks can spread diseases including Lyme Disease so always spread an antiseptic cream on the area where a tick has bitten your dog.

My VERDICT : ***** 5 Stars

Spaniel Dental Care

Most People do not realise that dog dental care is just as important for dogs as it is for human beings.
You go for a check-up every 6 months but your poor spaniel has to wait until it hurts.
Just like you,your spaniel has teeth that can gather plaque after eating. When this plaque builds up and hardens it becomes a coarse brown substance called tartar.This usually starts at the edge of the gums and grows down the teeth.

When tartar accumulates it can work its way under the gums and cause painful infections and gum disease. This goes on in the mouths of dogs just like it does in people. You brush your teeth every day, probably three times. What does your dog do?
How often do you clean your spaniels teeth ?

How to brush your pets teeth.
Veterinarians recommend that dog owners brush Spaniels teeth at least twice a week to keep the buildup of tartar at a minimum. Most pet supply stores carry specially designed toothbrushes and toothpaste just for dogs.
You can of course use a regular medium grade tothbrush and doggy toothpaste (but keep it in a separate place so you do not
mix it up with your own toothpaste ...)

Spaniels have a highly evolved sense of taste and smell which is far more acute than that of a human and the yummy minty taste that we love on toothpaste will taste truly awful to a Spaniel.If you were to try clean a Spaniels teeth with a common human toothpaste like colgate (excellent for humans) could be the last time you get a toothbrush anywhere near him/her.They really find it distasteful.A Spaniel has over 100 times as many taste and smell buds and receptors as we do.Imagine smelling everything 100 times as strongly and you will get the idea.
Use a specially designed dog toothpaste.

Dental Chews
If you do not have time to clean your pets teeth on a regular basis then dog chews can really help. . Spaniels have anatural tendency to chew and this is in fact a built-in dental care mechanism.
Dog biscuits break into small chunks when chewed and rub against the teeth, providing a cleaning service. This is not really a good substitute for cleaning your Pets teeth with a toothbrush but it is better than nothing.
There are now several brands of Dog chews that have a slight abrasive action and these usuallly work better than dog biscuits..

Does Your Spaniel have a mouth disease ?

Mouth diseases have several causes :
1: sugary foods (your pet loves them but they are NOT good for himm/her) These willl eventually cause tooth decay.
2: lack of foods that will also clean doggy teeth.
This can produce Gingivitus (an inflammation of gums leading to swollen gums that are inflamed)
This can also lead to a bacterial infection that can seriously damage your Spaniels health

Your Veterinery Surgeon and Dentistry.
In the unlikely event that your dog has to have dental treatment,most vets will anaesthetise your pet.
Dogs do not usually realise what is happening and the vet will not want to get bitten !
Anaesthesia is usually safe but there is a very small risk that your pet may not awaken again if the vet does ot properly monitor your spaniel and his/her vital signs..
It is far easier and safer for your pet if you properly look after his.her teeth properly

Spaniel teeth can be filled, capped, and even extracted if necessary, just like human teeth. The best course of action, however, is to avoid the need for such services by properly caring for the teeth of your Spaniel.. You can avoid unnecessary pain and discomfort for your furry friend and you should do so. Spaniel dental care can be very costly (possibly more than Human Dental Care.). .

Sadly when active dogs like Spaniels get quite old, they tend to suffer from Arthritis and joint inflammation..

This is partly due to their very active lifestyle - they're used to retrieving for shooting and have absolutely no hesitation in dashing into the thickest undergrowth. This is fine when they are young and active dogs but as they get older time begins to take its toll. Even dogs not used in sport will have the same tendency to dash off into undergrowth in search of an interesting smell.
(I think my own spaniels definitely live in an alternative world which is largely composed of interesting smells of greater importance than anything else)

Fortunately Science has come up with a solution that at least alleviates Arthritis and cuts down the swelling of joints.

It's called Glucosamine and while it may be available from your veterinary surgeon, it's also available from a number of mail order companies. If you find the treatment too expensive, you might want to consider purchasing the same product by mail order from a USA or Canadian source.
One of the causes of Spaniel Arthritis is obesity which puts too much strain on the joints.
A healtyhy diet for your spaniel will probably help alleviate the condition.

I would advise you to consult your vet before beginning any such treatment as he/she wil be able to advise you on the correct dosage.

Glucosamine has been successful in treating thousands of cases and this is kinder than leaving your pet in discomfort with Spaniel Arthritis.
Its easy to use but you MUST give the correct dosage to your spaniel.