Socialization and obedience training recommended for shy spaniel

Dear Dog Talk: I have a couple of questions about my new Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Her name is Daphne, and she's 9 months old.

She is currently going through her first "heat cycle." I was told the week before I picked her up from the breeder that she was only 6 months old. After just a week of owning her she came into heat! The breeder is a member of the American King Charles Spaniel Club of the American Kennel Club. Was this ethical•

In addition, Daphne is doing what I think is submissively urinating. After I have been out for a couple of hours, she urinates upon my return. She also urinates in the house without reason. Once in awhile she urinates on my bed while I am sleeping. She knows the difference, because most of the time she can sleep through the night without having to relieve herself. She also knows how to go outside to the bathroom.

I have only had her 3 1/2 weeks. She has been in heat 2 1/2 of those weeks! Do dogs in heat urinate more frequently and sometimes without control•

When I brought her home she was extremely submissive. She would cower away from me when I called her name. This behavior has improved, but is still somewhat evident. I am concerned that she had previously been abused or neglected.

Another concern is her possessiveness of her yard and of me when someone comes onto the property. I fear that her barking and semi-aggression will develop into biting. She also fears going out in public, such as a walk around our town in Vermont. She is absolutely terrified. Despite all these concerns, she is the most lovable, adoring dog, and gets along very well with my mother's dog. I look forward to your feedback.

Dear Suspicious Spaniel Owner: If your breeder lied to you about how old the dog was, she is certainly unethical. Did you discover the age discrepancy when you received the dog's American Kennel Club registration papers• If this is the case you can report this breeder's behavior to the AKC.

On the other hand, if you are assuming that the dog is older because she came into heat right after you got her, you may be assuming wrong. Female dogs can come into estrus, or heat, any time after 6 months old. According to my great veterinary source, Dr. Chuck Noonan, there have been uncommon cases of female dogs experiencing estrus as young as 5 months old. I believe that female dogs do have a tendency to urinate more frequently while in heat. This is something that you can verify with your veterinarian.

Nevertheless, that does not seem to explain everything. From the description in your letter, it sounds as though Daphne is a shy dog with a submissive disposition. Dogs of this nature are often prone to submissive urination. It also sounds as though your dog is not housebroken.

I recommend that you invest in a kennel crate and go though the same housebreaking routine that you would if Daphne were an 8-week-old puppy. You should not allow her to sleep on your bed at night until you are confident that she will not have any accidents.

Submissive urination can occur when dogs become frightened or excited. This is not a housebreaking issue. Even dogs that are thoroughly housebroken can be submissive wetters. When dogs urinate submissively they are not even aware that they are releasing their bladder. To avoid making the problem worse, do not correct your dog when this happens.

The best thing to do when you come home is clip a leash on Daphne and immediately hustle her from the crate to the yard. Do not say anything or even look at her until you get outdoors. When you get her outdoors, praise and greet her.

Many dogs outgrow submissive wetting. In the meantime, you are going to have to be smart enough to avoid triggering this behavior in the house. If Daphne falls into the small percentage of dogs that do not outgrow this issue, you will have to live with it by learning to minimize accidents.

Will Rodgers once said, "I never met a man I didn't like." I've often said that I never met a Cavalier King Charles spaniel that I didn't like. It is a great breed. However, shyness is a common breed trait with these appealing little spaniels.

I believe that Daphne is barking out of fear. Fear biting is something that you do not want to allow your puppy to develop. You can alleviate her fearfulness through socialization and obedience training. I highly recommend that you get Daphne into a group training class in your area as soon as possible.