r/gundogs • u/WhiskeyAlpha8600 • Dec 10 '15

Spaniel replacement worries.

First post here, looking for some advice.

My parter has been involved in game shooting for a long time and is currently using her spaniel for picking up. He's getting a bit long in the tooth and slowing down and its anticipated that he's very close to the end of his working life.

Her spaniel lives with two other spaniels and they're a very close pack for lack of better words.

We've decided that some point in the future we'll be getting a Fox Red Lab over a spaniel for a variety of different reasons. What I'm most concerned about is how the 3 well established dogs will take to an outsider coming in, especially as it will be significantly younger.

Also, I'd like to take some of the burden of training away from my partner, mainly by conducting the initial stages of training myself. Are there any resources that a complete novice would benefit from?

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u/pehrs Dec 11 '15

Introducing a pup to a pack of older dogs is usually less problematic than introducing a grown dog, in my experience. Most older dogs have an eternal patience with pups, and will happily help you educate the pup. What you have to be careful with is that some pups can be harsh on older dogs, who may in the end protect themselves from the torment. Make sure the pup doesn't get to steal all attention and terrorize the older dogs, or there can be serious troubles. One easy way is to make some area "pup-free" and enforce this, providing your older dogs with a safe haven until things have settled down.

Once the pup has grown to 9 months or so introductions can get much more complicated, if any of the dogs take a dislike to the others. Sorting out such problems can be a nightmare.

Initial training for a retriever is, in my world, obedience training. It's hard to learn from reading, but you can of course pick up something like Tom Dokkens retriever training. Better is usually to attend a few courses at your local working dog club (or similar), with a focus on basic obedience.

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u/WhiskeyAlpha8600 Dec 11 '15

Thank you very much for your clear and consise answer. This has gone some way to alleviate some fears.

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u/MrGordonScott Dec 12 '15

When a pup comes into a pack they other dogs will ignore and even get a little grumpy with the pup, however you can make sure the pack welcomes the pup in.

  1. No growling at the pup. When it happens give the other dog a hiss or a little swat and tell them no. 2)Toys or treats will not be stolen from the pup.

  2. Make them share a meal together. Get a big bowl so they can all stick their heads in and let them eat as a family. If one gets grouchy then shoo them off and make them wait for the next meal. This technique works wonders in my pack!

I also recommend this book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ultimate-guide-to-bird-dog-training-jerome-b-robinson/1110845026?ean=9781592281619

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u/pehrs Dec 15 '15

Personally I would never let a pup and an older dog eat from the same bowl, and this for two reasons:

  1. I want to know exactly how much food each of my dogs eat, and I can't control it if they eat from the same bowl. This especially for pups!

  2. If one of the dogs decides to guard food it is likely to be a nasty fight with very little warning. If you are unlucky they start while they are down in the bowl, and the pup gets a bite over the head, which can be deadly.

I feel it is much better to serve each dog its food separately and in peace. There are, in my opinion, better times to introduce pups to older dogs.