Teaching your dog to settle is crucial to giving you and your family time to switch off, host guests or work from home. Being relaxed and calm isn’t something you can ‘train’ your dog to do but comes as a product of the environment you create and from teaching them that settling is rewarding.

Spaniels are bred to hunt, meaning their brains are hardwired for sustained activity, focus and problem solving. This doesn’t mean they don’t make excellent pets, but they may need more help learning to wind down and settle than other breeds.

An unsettled or restless dog will likely show the following behaviours:

• Following you from room to room, waiting for you to do something exciting

• Nudging your hand, dropping toys in your lap, or "nuisance" barking when you sit down

• Constantly looking for movement outside or reacting to even the smallest household noise

• Aimlessly wandering the house or checking surfaces for food/engagement

  
  

Some common misconceptions of behaviours like these are that your dog is anxious, sick or unhappy – when quite often it is simply that they are under-stimulated or haven’t learnt how to self-settle.

Pay extra care and attention to them:

• When they’re going to be left alone. Spaniels are known as ‘velcro dogs’ and love to be close to their companions as often as possible due to the strong bonds they forge.

• When you know they have had a lack of mental stimulation, such as walks, games or activities at home.

• During the ‘teenage phase.” Much like human children, the teenage phase of a dog's life can be particularly challenging. This usually occurs between six to 18 months, though some spaniels continue adolescent behaviours until around two years old.

• If there has been a change in their routine or environment. Spaniels thrive on consistency and may become anxious when changes occur.

So how can you help prevent this?

Step 1: Meet their physical exercise needs

Before expecting your spaniel to settle, make sure they’ve had appropriate physical exercise. A tired dog is more likely to settle calmly. Most adult spaniels need at least one-two hours of exercise daily, split across multiple walks. However, exercise alone isn’t enough – mental stimulation is equally important and often more tiring (in a good way) for intelligent breeds like spaniels.

Step 2: Provide mental stimulation at home.

Games at home, such as hide and seek and ‘go find it’ with their toys are great for keeping your spaniel’s brain active. Hide and seek is also an incredible way to reinforce the ‘stay’ command with your dog as they wait while you hide.  

For solo dog time when you are busy or just want to relax, puzzle and interactive toys are a great option, especially those with rewards such as treat dispensers. These toys require critical thinking skills and are excellent for keeping your dog busy for a long time. They also work as helpful distractions for anything that might be making them stressed or anxious. Make sure to rotate toys as often as possible by leaving out a select few and keeping the rest hidden so they don’t become boring.

Spaniels thrive off mental stimulation, so practising training and positive reinforcement is a great way to keep them entertained and happy. Five-15 minutes of training per day can be enough to mentally tire them out and make them feel more secure at home and with the rules of the household.

Step 3: Create calm transition time

After exciting activities like play, training or walks, your spaniel needs time to decompress before they can truly settle. Avoid going straight from high-energy games to expecting them to lie quietly. Instead, use calm activities like gentle grooming, slow scatter feeding or a frozen stuffed food toy to help them wind down gradually. This transition period helps their arousal levels drop naturally.

Step 4: Reward relaxed behaviours

Like people, dogs respond wonderfully to praise and reward. Sit quietly with your dog relaxing in a separate area, such as in their bed or on a blanket nearby, and reward them when they start to show relaxed behaviours, such as lying down with a soft body posture. Do not say anything when rewarding them – simply feed them a small, healthy treat. They will eventually learn that these behaviours are good and continue to show them. By not speaking, you won’t distract them from their relaxed state.

Step 5: Create a designated settling space

Set up a comfortable, quiet area where your spaniel can retreat to relax. This could be a crate with the door left open (if they’re crate trained), a cosy bed in a low traffic corner or a mat in a room where they can see you but aren’t in the middle of household activity.

Some dogs find calm music, white noise or a ticking clock soothing, especially if they’re anxious about being alone. You can also use a covered crate or a blanket over their bed to create a den-like environment that feels safe and secure.

Step 6: Add variety to your walks

Where possible, add lots of variety to your walking routes. This will provide sensory enrichment, introducing them to lots of different sights, sounds and smells. Letting your dog experience new environments is great for mental stimulation and helps reduce stress and anxiety long-term by making them more adaptable and resilient.

Step 7: Teach gradual independence for velcro dogs

If your spaniel follows you everywhere and struggles to settle when you’re out of sight, practise short periods of separation, even when you’re home. Start by moving to another room for just three seconds, then return calmly without making a fuss. Gradually increase the duration. This teaches them that you will always come back and that being alone briefly is safe and normal.

When to seek professional help

If none of these methods work, it may be time to reach out to a qualified dog behaviourist or your local vet to see if there are any underlying causes that are making it difficult for your dog to settle and relax. Some medical conditions such as pain, hyperthyroidism or cognitive issues can cause restlessness.

With lots of enrichment, patience and reward, spaniels make incredible pets and will fill your life with love and loyalty.