:rolleBelieve me when you have a 1 stone pup hanging on to ya plates its very difficult to ignore

Tried ignoring him, he's very persistent, he just loves playing but with our fingers and ankles instead of toys, however I was getting the moss out of my lawn this afternoon and found that he was helping me out, so as the weathers nice I be taking him out there to help with the gardening.

Being a cocker he probably enjoys this due to his breed, he was also chasing the hoes around the garden, whilst it was going off, lol.

Saying No just excites him more, my little girls just loves him and refuses to leave him alone...Ive tried the ouch and he doesn't even recognise that. It's like he knows what im trying to do and just ignores everything....

Also my husband wasn't as keen on getting him as I was and he got the right hump with him earlier as he bit his ankles, he was not impressed. I like the idea of teaching him sit though, sounds like a very sensible plan.

Ah yes I can imagine! Oscar is only 2.2 kg so I guess it's easier for me but when he really sinks his teeth in, it's SHARP. He hangs on to the bottom of my dressing gown in the morning. I have to half-drag him along.

One of the good things about these forums is we learn from each other and different ideas, we can't learn if we don't discuss them.

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Used in the correct way and at the right time a remote spray collar is not an aversion technique, and I'll tell you why.

Go and see these collars being used, they are an aversion, they are not used the way you use them, they are used as a punishment. Owner buy them and don't read the instructions, only enough on how to spray the dog, when the dog is doing something the owner doesn't want, he sprays the dog. This isn't reinforcing a behaviour, it is punishing the dog for doing something the dog doesn't understand is wrong.

Most owners don't bother to find out how these gadgets work or how to use them, some have a remote in their hand so they press the button.

I read dogpositivetraining's posts, I find them interesting in how she uses various gadgets and the different training methods, even if I don't agree, I am still learning.

Yes, this is what I do. I orginally started giving him the chew straight away to distract him but he'd rather bite (play!) with me. The 30 secs really gives him time to stop playing so roughly and then he gets a toy or a chew and lots of praise and attention. He's learning quickly and he's very happy. We're having less of the need to ignore him for 30 secs as he is understanding what too rough is.

Whatever method you decide to choose it is important to observe the results you are getting, much is written about consistency in dog training, I would agree with this, but only if the method is working, if you are getting the wrong results, doing it consistantly will just increase the amount of wrong results.

If you get an excitable reaction when you say no, the chances are you are saying it in an excitable tone, your voice needs to be more neuteral, but this is easier said than done, when you have a puppy hanging off you.

It is incredibly hard for new dog owners to impliment training techniques, when we got our first pup many years ago, we were probably dreadful owners, everything was a major drama. All the pups we have got in the last few years have been wonderful, but I put this down to us being better and more relaxed, not the dogs.

We do all have to start somewhere, I wish you the best of luck with your pup.