As a high energy bird dog, they say that Llewellin Setters take about two years to calm down and to transition from hyper, bouncy puppies, into calm, mild-mannered adults. This statement was directly in line with my experience with young Indie.
I must admit that Laura was my saving grace with Indie as a year-old pup. Indie had a jumping problem, and a hop-on-the-couch-and-lick-your-face problem, and frustrated, I had no solution. That is until Laura came over with a small spray bottle full of water. The next time Indie jumped on me, I sprayed water in her face. Sneezing and pawing at her snout, she didn’t know what hit her. Until she jumped again and I sprayed her again. That’s all it took for Indie to never to jump, swat, bite or lick again.
Even today when she’s being unruly I’ll reach for the spray bottle on the coffee table and before I even touch it, she’ll back away from me like I’m a rattlesnake ready to strike.
We have tamed the jumping beast.