UKC

We have a 12 week old Cocker Spaniel and need to travel abroad for a Funeral in January (5 days away due to flight availability). 

We have options for him to stay with friends/family but I wondered whether a trainer whom takes dogs into their home could be a better option to ensure training continues well and our family's homes don't get torn to pieces at he approaches peak teething age approx 16 weeks at time of travel  - though we've not had issues with this and he's fairly well crate trained.

I've reached out to a few places but not had much luck yet (short notice & a lot of places shutting up for Xmas now). 

I'm based in Skipton but would travel to find the right place.

If anyone could recommend anyone (I know it won't be cheap) then I'd love to hear some options. 

Hmm,  up to about 20 weeks Monty (my WCS) didn't chew anything really either.... now however he's a pain for it (9 Months) and isn't allowed anything soft as he just chews it and eats it no matter how "Durable" the toy.

I can't recommend anyone remotely near your area I'm afraid, but I know firends who had very good results for residential training, but they were VERY careful to make sure they knew what methods were being use and they were trusted. 

There appear to be quite a few places (especially "Gun Dog"  trainers) that use old style crueller methods so make sure you get personal recommendation and check accreditation etc

Maybe I'm being harsh, but isn't that the sort of thing boarding kennels are for?  Mine went quite happily to kennels when I was away.  Admittedly he wasn't a puppy but I reckon its easiest when they are young to get them used to things.  

Maybe things will get worse then haha! That's a good point though, I guess there's so much variation in trainers. 

And I did think about kennels, but I think that whilst he's so young more stimulation and a nicer environment etc would be better. He'll definitely be in them when he's older but I wouldn't choose them now (unless I didn't have options like family available). 

I don't think training it to use a gun will help things, if you can't sop him chewing stuff, imagine the damage it could do with an AK47!

It's the only way he's going to get the birds he keeps chasing off after!

To be fair, he's generally very good. with a couple of exceptions. 

His biggest crime was when I made the mistake of trusting him for 5mins and left him in the lounge while I went upstairs to the loo. He chewed through my router's internet cable.

He doesn't touch the furniture at all, but he has chewed the bottom of a bookshelf I built from cheap pine in his "safe area"  however a diluted (1/3) apple cider vinegar spray seems to have solved that habit.

He has been through several beds though, and the current one only survives because I've pinned it down and covered the edge so he can't get started chewing it.

I have to say the "Yakers" yak milk chews are brilliant as an distraction/alternative... genuinely long lasting. 2 hours or so a day of hard chewing for monty and a large one lasts at least a week, and when it gets small so you might worry about choking pop it in the microwave for a minute and it puffs up like a honeycomb and is an extra special treat when it cools. They are pricey, (£10 for extra large) but cheaper than new furniture

This is a few of his other crime sprees (that didn't really matter) Books are now removed from his "safe zone" until he grows up a bit more. You can see the damage he did to the shelves in it too.

Our's likes some of our chairs, but luckily they're cheap wooden fold-up ones from ikea and giving him a stick seems to help stop it.

We've not had bed chewing yet but I'm sure it'll come! 

I'll have a look at those, thanks! It sounds like they're recommended from 4 months so I'll hold out a little in case it messes with his teeth. A few of the dental chews that he's now allowed have been lifesavers recently!

Your dog looks lovely! Though very mischievous