Red Fox

MRB, have you tried a chain leash? Sprenger make some very nice, high quality ones http://www.fordogtrainers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82&products_id=2283

Have a look at these, they are roofed pens. http://shop.vebopet.com.au/store/120x120x100-pet-dog-exercise-pen-run-kennel-enclosure.html Good quality and very secure. I have one for my Mali. Well it is, you just don't give her a choice. A dog confined to a pen with a bone has one choice - bone or nothing. A dog free to roam the house has lots of choices, including your couch.

$1200 for a good pup is nothing. I refuse to discuss the purchase price of my dogs with 90% of people, particularly the pup as she's female. When I'm asked 'how much did you pay for that' I tell them the truth - not enough. When I ask if I'll breed her I also tell the truth - maybe, but probably not. I've no intention of breeding her for the sake of it. Perhaps if I can title her to Sch3 I may consider it, if I can find the right male. Considering it cost me around $150 per month just to get her to the city for a weekend of training, plus all the work put in, training equipment costs, future trial entries, the cost to keep her, feed her, the testing involved if I did decide to breed her, stud fees, possibly the cost of importing semen and AI.... yep HEAPS of money to be made there. :p Personally there's no end to what I would pay for a good working dog if I had the money. And a good pet is just as valuable. It also makes me angry when people whinge about the 'price' of rescue animals. Add up the cost of desexing, vaccinating, micro-chipping, worming and feeding that dog or cat for a few months and see if you still think it's a "rip off" :rolleyes:

And for those people unable to carry pepper spray? Pepper spray is illegal to carry here so obviously that's irrelevant, but there is advice on using your voice and body language to drive off a charging dog.

I suggest you read this article; http://leerburg.com/dogattack.htm

There's always the option of a crate attached to a small pen, either indoors or outside.

I agree! Sounds like an excellent place to train.

And your dogs behaviour could be as simple as you allowing it. What have you done to teach her any differently? You've been given plenty of suggestions in this thread and the majority of the behaviour you describe (chewing your shoes when you leave them on the floor the night before, dragging tea towels into the loungeroom when you're not home, chewing cords left within reach, etc) all sound pretty damn normal IMO. Confinement is only a 'band aid solution' if you treat it as such.

Please explain what you mean by this? You do these things for the dogs own safety, just as you would with a toddler, it's common sense. Ever considered the danger of an intestinal blockage, poisoning or electrical shock from chewing something inappropriate?

I'm curious to see if there are any underlining problems, as there must be some reason she is so destructive (both when alone and when people are home). I actually started the thread to find out the process of what happens (ie they come into your home? Watch your dog?). I have no idea as I've never heard of the concept before DOL. Im not here for advice to stop her chewing, all of it is bleeding obvious, I actually came to ask about the behaviorist process as id already made up my mind to consult one. Telling me to confine her and put things away is a bandaid solution, Huski answered that question very clearly in the first reply. Because you have allowed her to. But anyway...

Donatella, what do you think a behaviourist is going to tell you? Do you seriously think they wont recommend confining your dog? Dog training is not magic, it's common sense. If you want to see a behaviourist then do so, it appears to me that this whole thread is simply fishing for approval which is really unnecessary. I'd think Crisovars point is exactly as stated...

Depends. You can use a leash to restrain the dog and create opposition reflex (ie you pull back he pulls forward) OR you can use the leash to control the dog whilst teaching an alternate behaviour - dog lunges > dog gets corrected > dog is calm > dog gets rewarded. Either way, dog does not get to jump all over guests. Personally I'd be crating the dog when those 'certain people' came over. Sounds like your guests could do with a little training too. Try asking them to ignore the dog completely and see what happens. ;)

It's response prevention, stop the unwanted behaviour then teach them what you want them to do instead. If they get frustrated then I suppose it's just something they need to get used to, but I'd be looking to give them more appropriate means to achieve drive satisfaction instead. Do you use them for behaviour modification Aidan? Just to clarify, I'm not looking to use one on my dog, just curious. Plenty of pet owners rave over them and I can see how it would stop a dog who simply pulls ahead out of excitement, but it was Nekhbets comment that got me wondering if they would have any effect what-so-ever on prey driven behaviour, and if anyone had tested the theory out. Of course the dog needs an appropriate outlet, or you'll have your hands full lol. By 'frustrated' I meant would it create opposition reflex, ending up with backwards pulling rather than forwards? Hope that makes some form of sense? I have too much time to think about crap like this on my morning walks.

It would be interesting to know. I wasn't really referring to your dog Weasels, But it was something that I was thinking about this morning when my pup flew at a bird, hit the end of the leash (self corrected I guess) then re-focussed back on me again... A front attach harness is not going to take drive out of the dog via correction, but a dog can't chase things if it spins around everytime it hits the end of the leash either. So was wondering if it would reduce the behaviour in any way, shape or form, or whether it would do nothing at all? Then again I have had very little sleep and the brain is a bit scrambled today.

She was better, but still naughty. She destroyed bed number 2 and they both went on shoe and under heists. I'd also come home to all the tea towels pulled off the oven and strewn through the lounge and when it rained they both enjoyed a good old dig in the mud (but that's just a dog thing I'm sure). It was like double trouble ;) Okay, not trying to be nasty but why does she have access to those things? Why not keep tea towels and underwear out of reach? Shut the bedroom door, gate off the kitchen? I can never understand why people will moan about their dogs being destructive when the answer may be as simple as supervision, picking up your stuff, confinement when needed or even whacking up a gate and shutting a few doors. Of course you do get dogs that will eat their way through gyprock and welded mesh given the chance. But what you're describing sounds like normal dog behaviour to me... By all means contact a behaviourist but personally I don't think she needs it

what does your trainer think? Or is it a prey driven behavior? Considering he's going for moving object such as cats as well and doesnt respect your control a front harness will do little in curbing any of this at all. I don't see how a collar is going to create a negative association for him, that is such an old fashioned notion. He needs his drive decreased to a level where he will listen and be able to accept reinforcement for good behavior. Loose leash walking and focus are part of decreasing reactivity and lunging behavior, they're all tied in together. If you believe the dog reacts in fear to objects he should never be off lead anyway as his reliability will be very low. Fear is an automatic reaction. I agree. But has anyone here actually tried a front attach harness on a highly driven dog in an attempt to curb prey based behaviour - chasing, lunging, etc (not simply pulling ahead on the leash). If so what was the outcome? I'm be curious if it would work to redirect the dog in any way or only serve to frustrate the dog more (or even do nothing)? I'm thinking the latter?

Of course they do. Plenty of bored dogs and working breeds living in suburbia with numpty owners. That may not be the case with your dog but it is how many 'behaviourists' make a living... Isn't Jane Harper in QLD? I'd give her a call. *ETA http://www.dogsontrack.com.au/index.htm

She doesn't need a behaviourist, she needs a dog run. (And quite possibly more training, exercise and metal stimulation). Confine her to a smaller area with things she CAN destroy. In the house crate or pen the dog when you can't supervise her. Perhaps I should show you what my 6 month old Mali can do to a backyard if left to her own devices for half an hour. A dog run, bone, a few toys, a paddle pool and a cardboard box to mangle (along with an hour out tracking beforehand) does wonders for everyone's sanity.

Not all pounds/councils are that competent. I've picked up an un-chipped dog before causing havoc in front of my house. Vets refused to hold it as 'it may not be vaccinated'. Council wouldn't do a God damn thing besides hand me a card with the rangers number and tell me that he probably wouldn't answer now anyway so either take the dog home or let it go. Not an option at that time. Ended up walking the streets for an hour trying to find the owner before tying the dog up in a relatives yard and ringing the ranger repeatedly until he finally came and collected him. (quite a few hours later). No idea what happened to the poor thing... I've also picked up a young un-chipped pup only to be told by the distressed vet nurse to 'please take her home, she'll die in the pound tonight it's so cold'. Luckily found the owner two streets over. Who hadn't thought to contact the pound. I no longer pick up other peoples dogs.

Firm NO and a bit of a scruff (doesn't have to be excessively hard or nasty, you don't want to scare the living daylights out of him but you do want him to take notice). The dog will soon learn that the behaviour is unacceptable. Much more effective than stuffing around with time outs IMO. That part is easy - don't let him run around with the kids, only have him outside when both they and he are calm. Both kids and dogs need 'feral' time to run around. Just not together. When the kids are playing give the dog some downtime in his crate instead.

There is a seller on eBay that stocks them. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SOLID-STEEL-DOG-CRATE-SAVIC-MEDIUM-RRP-195-/130442678972?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item1e5efd52bc#ht_2310wt_905

15 degrees isn't really cold? A kennel and some thick bedding should be enough, shoes won't keep them, warm either. You could look into something like this http://www.houndhouse.com.au/Shop/Heated-Pet-Mats/

Psyllium husk will add bulk to a raw diet and is very cheap. Can't see how dry food would help with anal glands??

Not really. For a large dog up to 45kg it will cost slightly under $100 per year to use Interceptor monthly. If you use a cheaper brand and/or dose 6 weekly it's well under that and of course for a smaller dog would cost much less again. I believe the ProHeart injection is well in excess of $100 and requires a booster dose at 6 months for a puppy too?

The 6 month injection was removed from use overseas after serious reactions, including death. In Australia we use the 12 month injection... That's a good enough reason for me never to use it on my dogs! Apart from that, while it may be an 'easier' option it's actually more expensive. If you do chose to use it then at least consider giving it separately to vaccinations and/or desexing to avoid overloading the dogs system. ETA *Many vets won't vaccinate and desex during the same appointment so I'm unsure on why a vet would want to dose a dog up on Proheart at that time either?