My Puppy Is Turning My Home Into A Bomb Site

[persephone]

Large plastic crates with lids.............. sorry..I think she will use them as teething toys

How about hubby hangs a shelf or something HIGH..so she cannot reach? or keep shoes in the laundry or shed???

The harder you make the dog work to finally get to what she wants...the harder she is GOING to try NEXT time

If you progressively make things more difficult flor her, but she outsmarts you.... SHE wins, gets her reward, and learns that SHE can beat your attempts.

This is NOT a good lesson

From the first..things must be INACCESSIBLE. ie: not anywhere she can see or get them.

You are thinking along the right lines....just not permanent enough

[chloebear]

I can't beleive she just jumped into my patio, with the layout of my house I have no idea of where else I can keep shoes etc, especially with my husbands really smelly shoes.

It seems to be no matter what I do, she out smarts me, between her and the toddler I think I am going to lose the plot very soon. On a positive note OH home for two weeks, hopefully he can take some pressure of me, by making some kind of progress with her either that or we will both be driven nuts.

[poodlefan]

I can't beleive she just jumped into my patio, with the layout of my house I have no idea of where else I can keep shoes etc, especially with my husbands really smelly shoes.

It seems to be no matter what I do, she out smarts me, between her and the toddler I think I am going to lose the plot very soon. On a positive note OH home for two weeks, hopefully he can take some pressure of me, by making some kind of progress with her either that or we will both be driven nuts.

How about OH whip you up a wooden shoe box with a lid with a catch. If he's not into woodwork, a largish metal box (eg. from Supercheap Auto) would do the trick.. anything she can't open is good.

You don't need to spend up on dog toys.. for a dog like yours, old bike (or motor bike) tyres on a rope, a few tough balls, stuff they can drag around, mouth and not destroy or shred and eat easily is the go.

But you do need to spend time with her, walking and training.

[Scarlet]

Cazablanca posted the link for Auzzie toys.

Do you have anywhere strong to put up a Home Alone toy? I have seen one of these and they are great. Sounds like your dog would love it. So would mine but I have nowhere to hang one safely.

I agree with the others that 1/2 hr of training can tire a dog more than 1 hr exercise.

Also if you are going to get a lot of toys don't give them to her all together. Rotate them so she doesn't get bored. Add a few squeaky ones too.

Good luck

[chloebear]

Went to town today and got a couple of new toys for her, plus some puppy proofing items for my home. I plan to up the training to try and tire her out. I am planning to have a look at Auzzie toys tomorrow and see what I can find that might help to keep her entained. Plus tomorrow is the big clean up, to puppy proof the outside of how home as much as I can............and to start training the kids and OH to not leave things laying around (this could prove harder than training the puppy)

[persephone]

and to start training the kids and OH to not leave things laying around

VERY IMPORTANT!!

When training these ....

carry a bag full of( age related) small treats with you....things like lollies, lotto tickets, cans of beer,muesli bars and squeaky toys could work...

Also remember...time out, or refusing to cook dinner can be used as a punishment

Have fun!!

[chloebear]

Rolled up sleeves and started the puppy proofing this morning, plus she got her breakfeast in a kong, about 30 minutes and she is still trying to get all of her breakfeast out, starting to think maybe I packed it a little too well.

[Monah]

Oh dear, you poor thing. It's great that you are at home though. My'baby' is not that bad, but she does 'seek and destroy', dig (if she's able!!), has ripped out and eaten my 60 prize bromeliads etc.(while I've been with her in th garden )ust loves to do these things. Anyway, at 11 months she is getting over it, but, I still have to watch her every minute. My pup has a great temp. is gorgeous and I would walk over hot coals for her. If we are not home, she is in her crate, otherwise with a human at all times (unlesss really tired, on the couch!). I have looked at it like having a toddler, out of sight = IN TROUBLE!!!!! Please, seeing as you are home, keep an eye on the pup at all times, consistant, NOs etc. do help. Very repetitive And yes, using the brain is great. Train the pup every day, it's really worth it. And remember she's a BABY. She needs lots of training, attention and your company. I find sometimes a dog will be 'naughty' just so you'll give them attention, good or bad. My pup has her head on my lap right now, so I know where she is If I'm on here, she's with me, and anywhere else I am. Even if I have to go to the letter box etc. we make sure she is with someone, or walks to the box, or in her crate. I don't think you can blame dogs for certain behaviours, esp pups. Some are destructive and some aren't, but with constant training, they do grow out of it. I think mine will take another year or so yet

Hmm, she just took off and has opened turtle shrimps (food) all over my sons bed (he has several critters in his room), has slobbered all over his bed with smelly fish face so it'll have to be changed, AGAIN! and now she stinks like a rotton dead fish, so ANOTHER bath. There goes my Sunday morning!!!

so, we are notfoolproof here either THis has just happenend in a 30 sec. burst of energy, my son left his door open!!! Who am I to give advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you have better luck than me chloebear!!!!!!

[Monah]

I can't beleive she just jumped into my patio, with the layout of my house I have no idea of where else I can keep shoes etc, especially with my husbands really smelly shoes.

It seems to be no matter what I do, she out smarts me, between her and the toddler I think I am going to lose the plot very soon. On a positive note OH home for two weeks, hopefully he can take some pressure of me, by making some kind of progress with her either that or we will both be driven nuts.

One positive thing, she's obviously incredibly smart!!!!!!!!! I'm sorry, I do find these puppy things funny, esp their faces when caught out.

[JulesP]

Something I was told when I had my very first destructive doggie (he ate a apple tree!) was not to give him lots of toys at once. If they have lots of toys laying around then they just start thinking they can grab anything and it is theirs. I was told to just give one toy.

An interesting idea I was told the other day was to tie a bit of rope around a chicken frame and tie that to a tree branch, so you have dangling chicken frames.

I know doggie is driving you nuts but it really is just fairly normal puppy stuff. My dogs are little angels but I certainly wouldn't be leaving my shoes outside. Brock (2yo) is stuffed from playing with the new puppy but he still went and dug a massive hole in the lawn! (maybe he is planning to bury puppy )

[peibe]

I used the chicken frame tied around a tree to help me deal with an over active BC foster and a destructo Labrador, kept them busy for hours

Although the BC riped her down to eat it, the Lab was not that smart LOL

[chloebear]

I love Kongs, she now gets her breakfeast packed into a kong, takes her between 30min to 90mins to get all the stuff out. When she is looking a little bored when I am inside doing different activities with kids, I use a small red kong, just fits a chicken neck in very tight - so far she hasn't worked out how to get it out, after an hour, I feel sorry for her and use a screwdriver to loosen it slightly.

I like the idea of haning the chicken frame, just gotta work out where (we don't have much like growing trees, for some reason all of us are stunted growth.

[dee lee]

YAY KONGS!!!

Wish i was the guy who invented them, can you imagine what he is worth now?! deservedly so too.

Do you freeze them? Evie's last 2 minutes unless they are frozen!

Anytime i leave the dog alone - even if i'm home but busy- i make sure i chuck her something to eat/do. She never gets fed in a bowl - its all given to her in Kongs, bones, plastic bottles filled with kibble or even a quick (frozen)chicken wing. Still get some damage but not as much as we used to, and there is no separation anxiety either, she views us going out as food time.

As for training- This week my dog has become a trick training junkie!!! I took her for a jog this morning (ouch..) but a couple of hours later she started bouncing around me! Now im not fast jogger but i was suprised she wanted a walk- then i realised she was trying to get me to train her!! Wow! maybe there is something in this training caper?! its certainly got HER mind working.

Hope this week has been a better week for you chloebear, you sound cheerier.

Dee

[chloebear]

Yep, she is getting her breakfeast each day in a kong, when i go out squash a chicken neck into a small kong (almost impossible to get out). The XXL Kong cost me $50 but well worth it I think i will get that back in no time with her current destruction rate.

[chloebear]

We where doing really well until yesterday, when she ate our industrial electrical extension cord, plus my OH replacement belt for his vehicle. He was working outside at the time and left the shed door open as he was going in and out. We also have a pair of shoes that we can't find anywhere, guessing she burried them. But on the whole we are making progress. She is also starting to become guarding with the kids when people approach our yard, stands between a stranger and the kids until I pat her and say okay .

[dee lee]

Great that she's improving!! And she is, dont get discouraged by her slip ups.

My dog is nearing one and she has gotten much better in the last month- OH even commented that he was able to leave his thongs out overnight and still wear them in the morning now!!! (Her fave toy- 4 pairs in 6 months!). She still has her moments though- ive just learnt to predict them.

I find the eternal vigilance is becoming second nature and hopefully BOTH the dog and the people in our house will learn to coexist happily in the long run. AND its finally beginning to seem that a lot of my probs will lessen with maturity and hard work. Puppies- AARGH, who'd ave em?

Oh, i forgot to say: Be careful with the guarding, we started to have dog aggression issues with that and were advised that WE should be the protectors of the dog, not the other way round.

Keep up the good work,

Dee