As most people post on this board about behavioural problems I thought I'd let you all know how much Holly has improved and what she's learnt over the last 6mths.

She is such a friendly little dog, who loves the children and has stopped growling at them - we kept scrufing her whenever she growled at the children and got the kids to do nice things for her (feed her and give her a bone at the weekends).

She's very nosey and isn't scared of people or dogs any more - we kept ignoring her whenever she acted scared and she got over it fairly quickly.

She's stopped jumping up at people when they come to the house - we now get her to stand/sit whenever people arrive and it's only when she's quiet that she gets attention.

She goes in her pen whenever she's told and will wait in there until we tell her to come out - we don't have to shut the door anymore :)

She walks to heel without pulling - putting her on a half check chain and turning across her worked really well.

She's not possessive over her food/toys any more (she'd started to get a bit funny about things) and the children can now take things away from her without any problems at all. It's not unknown for Issy to sit beside Holly's food bowl and take the kibble out whilst Holly is eating. She holds a tiny bit of food in her hand and Holly very gently takes it from her :)

We've even managed to stop her jumping on the furniture - much to the relief of any visitors we have :D It took over 2hrs of telling her "away" whenever she sniffed at the furniture but she's not bothered since that day.

Everyone that knows Holly says what a happy little thing she is, and how she's quite well behaved for a spaniel :D

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that's helped me with the various problems that we've had with Holly. If it wasn't for all of you we wouldn't have such a happy, child safe puppy and we certainly wouldn't be planning on getting another dog.

Thanks again,

Fiona
x x x

Fiona

Thats nice to hear thats she getting on so well especially with your Children :)

Tracy

Fiona, it's lovely to hear how well Holly is doing now. Bet you're glad you persevered! :D :D
LynnT

It is nice, as it shows how not letting problems get out of hand and nipping them in the bud, will get you the required results!

Hi fiona,
its lovely to hear that she`s doing so well , gives me hope for our little fur ball :)
Another dog ? when, where, what, how ????.Must admit to have been thinking along those lines my self, though hubby isnt to impressed.He keeps saying i want everything...yep thats me:) :)
chrissy xxxx

Fiona,

Thanks for the update! I was just thinking about Holly the other day and wondering how you were getting on, as we hadn't heard anything for a while. I even thought, more generally, how we often hear when things are going wrong with people's dogs and puppies but not when they are going well! Then you posted this!! Either great minds think alike or fools seldom differ ;) ;p

Glad she's getting on so well, it fills me with determination to persever with Kaiser, especially when I'm tired and I find myself thinking 'Oh, letting him get away with it once won't hurt' Oh yes it will!!!

Linda & Kaiser

Iknow exactly how you feel and in the end persaverance does pay off.

My main problem now is i have 2 chihuahua puppies that find it easy to climb the stairs in my house... :-) But cannot get down... :-( i spend the whole day going upstairs and retrieving them...

needless to say it keeps me fit.

Put their food at the bottom of the stairs and DON'T go and get them ...they will learn to come down ;)

Melody

I agree, im to soft... cant stand there wining when they realise they cant get down... i'll try deffinately try the food at the bottom of the stairs though.

thanks for the tip

I'd be a bit worried about them falling, they are so small. I would put a barrier at the bottom of the stairs and stop them going up in the first place particularly as they are puppies and coming down stairs will not do their shoulders and front legs any good at all.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Just to add the chihuahuas are not baby babies, they are 5 mnths old... But the stairs are mount everest to them...

thanks though

I wouldn't let my Griffs regularly do staircases until they are at least one because of the damage it can cause to their front.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

Well done fiona,what a little sweetie you have now .You don't want to come round and
sort Zac out do you ,Freddie is getting better all the time .Pat xx

Glad she has improved Fiona...I wish my two would !!!! :D I wouldn't swap them for the world!!! But give me a bag of CHIPS !!!! :D :D

Natasha

Hey Fi, glad to hear it's going OK. It's a steep learning curve with a new puppy, with many worries along the way, or so it seems at the time :) But a little common sense, some valid advice, and plenty of perseverence, and it usually comes right 99% of the time. As I've said to you before, sort the bits and pieces out early, and you'll end up with a well rounded dog that is a pleasure to own and take anywhere. And it looks like you're well on the way to achieving this, well done.

A lesson to us all, let them get away with chasing the hoover/barking at the TV/eating the mail etc. and you make a rod for your own back!

Hi Fiona, wow it was so pleasing to read your list of triumphs with Holly, I have followed her progress on the board over the months. Give yourself a great big pat on the back, I know she has driven you nearly OTT at times, but it has all been worth it. Well Done.