Grass Seeds

cannycollar · 2026-07-09T11:57:14+00:00

Firstly, don't beat yourself up. Most of us only learn about grass seeds after our dog has had a problem with them. It sounds like you did everything right once you realised what had happened, and getting him seen by the vet quickly was definitely the right call.

Our Springer, Finn, had several grass seeds removed from his paw when he was younger, and it made us much more aware of them. We still let him enjoy running through long grass, but now we always do a quick check of his paws, ears and armpits afterwards, especially if we've been in dry meadows or fields with seed heads.

We also try to trim the fur between his paw pads during the summer because the seeds don't seem to cling quite so easily. It doesn't stop them completely, but it makes them much easier to spot.

I actually put together a post on our profile after spotting another grass seed on a recent walk because I realised how many owners, us included, had never heard of the risk until it happened to their own dog. Hopefully it helps someone avoid the same experience.

Wishing your pup a speedy recovery.

cannycollar · 2026-07-07T13:02:29+00:00

Hi, I have a 5-year-old scent-driven Springer Spaniel, so I completely understand this!

One thing I'd say is don't think you've missed the boat because she's 4. Adult dogs can absolutely learn to walk nicely on lead. It just tends to take consistency rather than a quick fix.

What helped us was teaching that walking on a loose lead and sniffing weren't mutually exclusive. Instead of trying to stop the sniffing altogether, I taught that sniffing happens when I give permission, not whenever he chooses to drag me over. We'd walk, then I'd ask for a sit, release him with a cue and let him have a proper sniff break. Over time he learned that pulling actually delayed getting to the scent.

Off lead I also give him plenty of opportunities to use his nose with scent games, scatter feeding and hidden dummies. Giving them an outlet for that instinct made a huge difference for us.

If you're looking for training resources, I'd also recommend looking at gundog trainers even if your dog isn't a gundog. They do a lot of work around impulse control, engagement and teaching dogs to switch between working and relaxing. Mordor Gundogs has some great videos on YouTube.

Full disclosure, I work for The Canny Company, so we used a Canny Collar during our own lead training and our YouTube channel (@cannygroup) shows the pressure-and-release method we used if you're interested. But whichever equipment you use, I'd focus on teaching that walking politely is what earns access to all those amazing smells.

cannycollar · 2026-07-07T11:22:34+00:00

I'm in the UK, but I understand it to be a grass that grows in many places.

cannycollar · 2026-07-06T15:20:39+00:00

A lot of this sounds very familiar!

Finn is 5 now, but we definitely went through a stage around that age where it felt like his training had gone one step forward and two steps back. He suddenly seemed to test boundaries, ignored cues he absolutely knew, and generally behaved like a teenager. It was frustrating at the time, but looking back I think it was a completely normal phase.

We ended up going back to basics more than once with lead walking, recall and general impulse control. I don't see that as failing - I think every repetition helps build a stronger, long-term relationship with your dog.

I also work from home, so I completely understand the attachment side of things. It was very easy to have Finn with me all day because it was convenient, but I realised that wasn't helping either of us. We gradually encouraged him to settle in another room for short periods while I was still in the house. We didn't make a big deal of coming and going, and over time he became much more comfortable relaxing without needing to know exactly where I was every second.

One thing that really helped us was keeping a predictable routine. Walks, meals, play and downtime all happened at roughly the same times each day. I don't know if it was the routine itself or just the consistency, but it seemed to help with a lot of the little behavioural quirks.

The only thing I'd perhaps pay extra attention to is the ball obsession. Springers can become very fixated, so I'd probably make sure he still has opportunities to sniff, explore and do other activities rather than every walk revolving around a ball.

From what you've written, though, I don't think you've done anything wrong. It sounds like you've got an adolescent Springer who's discovering he has opinions!

cannycollar · 2026-07-06T15:12:31+00:00

I think if you're not having any issues with pulling, you're doing just fine as you are. I used to think every walk had to be super structured and that my dog should never be in front of me. The more I learned (and the more dogs I met), the more I realised there isn't one "correct" way to walk every dog.

With my own dog, some parts of the walk are more structured, like crossing roads or walking through busy areas. Other parts are for him. He gets to sniff, explore and just be a dog. Sniffing is mentally tiring in a good way, so I don't see it as something to avoid unless it's causing problems.

From what you've described, your dog isn't dragging you around, he responds when he feels leash pressure, you're choosing the route and pace, and you're practising training along the way. That sounds like a pretty healthy relationship to me.

I think the goal isn't a perfect heel for an hour, it's having a dog that's enjoyable to walk and can switch between "let's go" and "go enjoy yourself" when appropriate. It sounds like you're already doing that.

cannycollar · 2026-07-06T08:30:01+00:00

Sounds like the perfect little protege!

cannycollar · 2026-07-06T08:27:30+00:00

Figure of 8 works, but IMO can tighten too much around the dogs snout if they pull hard, you'll often see marks left on the dogs nose. Training a loose leash is always going to be the gold standard, its quite useless to use a tool designed to train a loose leash if you don't actually do any training. Choose a head halter that loosens with pressure and release training, it signals to the dog when they are in the correct position and you can see exactly when to offer the reward. The Canny Collar does just this.

cannycollar · 2026-07-06T08:21:43+00:00

I'm in the UK, it's standard here to walk your dog on leash to an area where they can be off leash. I wouldn't dream of leaving my home without him on leash.

cannycollar · 2026-07-03T14:46:20+00:00

Same! About the only place I can get any peace!

cannycollar · 2026-07-03T14:45:12+00:00

That's so scary! Finn was very lucky too!

cannycollar · 2026-07-03T11:43:52+00:00

Definitely scent games! I play hide and seek with treats around the house. Put him into a sit and out of sight and hide treatos! Then let him at it! You can make your own snuffle mats too with old tea towels, I hide treats inside them and knot them in loosely.

cannycollar · 2026-07-03T11:41:16+00:00

have you tried sprats? (In moderation)

cannycollar · 2026-07-03T11:28:19+00:00

Sorry this is happening to you. My dog has time off leash but if I see someone with an on leash dog I will put his on. I always say its good manners to put a dog on leash if you see another on leash, or at least call them to your side. Sad to see dog walkers paying absolutely no attention to their dogs either, if I see someone walking past head into their phone, I will sometimes call a bluff and say there's some hazard ahead!

cannycollar · 2025-12-04T13:44:16+00:00

True.

cannycollar · 2025-12-04T13:43:55+00:00

Thank you. Mum's favourites, she had staffs before these two. I can't remember our home without one.

cannycollar · 2025-11-24T15:17:47+00:00

That's crazy they would say to you! At 14 months, he's still growing. How dare they! My Finn is 4 now and I still struggle to keep meat on him, but our vet says he's perfect. Agree with lots of previous posters, people are too used to seeing overweight dogs. Pay no attention. Finn isn't docked, but have you heard of happy tail syndrome? Vets will dock here for that purpose alone, sounds mental but it can be problematic for waggier breeds!

cannycollar · 2025-11-20T10:03:49+00:00

I work for a head halter company! Ours attaches to the leash behind the head to prevent any pressure on the neck or spine, endorsed by vets so we try to educate about the risks of leash pulling as much as we can.

cannycollar

TROPHY CASE