Can anyone help please, I am posting this for a friend and wonder if anyone can help at all.  She has a 7 year old Springer Spaniel who is manic, he apparently keeps trying to get his head through the cat flap and also tries to get behind the Television.

I have advised her to try "Bach Flower" Remedies as perhaps the dog is either nervous or hyperactive.  Also have advised her to perhaps try Chamomile or Lavender to calm the dog down.  Can anyone suggest anything that would calm the dog down?

Thanks for your help.

Suelab.

At 7 years old I am surprised they have not tried to do something about this before.  As it has been an issue for so long she will need a behaviourist to assess her to try and stop the behaviour.  Springers are known for their springy nature so maybe take up retrieving or agility or scent following.  Just something to redirect her and tire her out.

Emma

What is the dog being fed?  Exercise regime?  Does he get toys to keep him busy (kongs etc, things he has to work at), and does he get other mental stimulation in the form of traiing (tricks and so on)?

A good game for springers is detection work - hiding his favourite toy somewhere in the house.  it's what they're bred for - scenting out birds to flush and retrieve - so it's ideal to get their little brains working and should tire them out quickly.

I had a springer for 6 weeks (had to rehome because of my dobe boy) and he was very hard work, I sympathise with your friend!  As with my dobes, I found that training sessions were excellent for working off the energy.

I'm sure you'll get some great responses but it's a difficult one to answer with no background.  How long have they owned the dog?  Are these new behaviours?  Have any circumstances changed at home - new working hours, moved house, loss of another pet, new relationship?  Have they tried anything before?  Any medical history that might suggest behaviour changes?  Mice/spiders/flies in the house?  New pets/people next door?   Just a few questions!!

Was the dog a barker?  I'm talking to a friend at the moment who has noticed some odd behaviour from her dog.  It turns out that a near neighbour has fitted a sonic alarm type thing to deter their neighbours dog from barking.  She is looking into exactly what it is and wondering if this is the cause of her dogs mood changes

Has she got kids?  With the slippage in routines, caused by the summer holidays, I notice my youngest dogs behaviour is not quite as I'd like it.  It also seems that too much dog snogging by my daughter is giving him ideas above his station and he's making a minor bid for some extra privileges!!  Luckily they're back to school next week and we can do a bit of retraining...

> dog snogging

We do this all the time :-D We can't help our selves - OH even sings dog snog, dog snog to the batman tune. We are completely crackers! Louis does a little dance when he greets us - so we do one back to him! As I said, totally bonkers in this house :-D

Manic and springer are synonymous surely.  It sounds like he needs more to occupy him.

thay need to get him to use his brain more !!!! ,hiding things like some eles has said ,making games and rewards are the best ,it not just about going for long walks as ppl think with this breed !!! get them to work for there food to could help ! there not happy to just sit there and have a ball or tug game ,get them finding things around the home ,it will settle him good look ,my springer loves to find when playing!! x

Manic and springer are synonymous surely.  It sounds like he needs more to occupy him.

Thats what I think too.  They are a breed, that needs something to do all the time, because if not, these behaviours will emerge.

But, springers are also pups till the day they die.  So its part and parcel of the breed I think as well.  Thats why you need to keep them stimulated at all times. 

> But, springers are also pups till the day they die. 

Have to agree. Mine is nearly 6 and I'm still waiting for him to calm down. Good job I'm not holding my breath!
As for the cat flap - mine does that, but not in a manic way, he thinks it's his own personal window and just sticks his head out to see what's going on. It's quite comical at times. He's never tried to actually get through it though.

I use filled Kongs for Oscar as well as home made 'toys', like a box in a box in a box, with a biscuit in the middle. I have to be quite inventive!
Don't mean to be rude but is the dog walked routinely on a regular basis? It's just that I know of an ESS who is walked on a sporadic basis (long walks but only 2 or 3 a week) and he's quite destructive in between times, not suprisingly. I wonder if it's because he never knows when his next release of energy is coming. I think these dogs need more shorter walks rather than a few marathon walks. Not saying that this is your friends dogs problem - just a thought.

I hope she can get this sorted, good luck :-)

thats so true rachel springers need to be walked 2times aday it keeps them calmer and stil love to play in the home ,always a pup lol and thats why i love them soooooo much !!!!

whats the problem with the dog putting its head out of the catflap.  My bcs do this and watch the world go by.

We had a Munsterlander puppy that used ours as an exit - until the day he was just too large and we found the puppy wearing the catflap skipping about the orchard!!

dogs a babe ....lol i can just see it now :)