becw Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi everyone! I have two gorgeous pups, 14 and 15 months old now - but still carrying on as if they were 14 and 15 weeks!! Most dog behavioural type stuff I'm pretty ok with - we've got clear rules and boundaries and if they go outside of these they know there are consequences. Generally they are very well behaved boys. We have a massive issue though - they are the worst for not only tearing washing off the line, but also proceeding to shred it into tiny little pieces! My boyfriend has lost many a business shirt and we've sacrificed a few beach towels to this crazy fate!! They are exercised no less than 90 minutes a day - nice cool early morning walk and late evening before dinner time. So I can't imagine that they are anxious about being under exercised. They also get a few trips to the off leash park every week and a swim in the lake thrown in here and there in hot weather. I'm also home a lot in between times - so they get a lot of attention through the day most of the time. They really aren't left to their own devices more than about 3 hours through the day, and then overnight. I'm reaching my wits end with this issue. I completely understand that my Mastiff, Arnie, is a medium energy dog and needs to be entertained and kept challenged. We work really hard to make sure he gets what he needs in this regard! Our Lab, Jeff, is low energy but by default gets the same engagement as Arnie - so neither should be acting out like this. What can we do to control/understand the behaviour better? Any suggestions would be most appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 You could try some water filled balloons tied to the line ( but I bet your dogs really love water ) Is it possible to only hang your washing out when they are not free or just prior to going for a walk then it will be dry when you get home? I know that it is a very expensive and frustrating problem but washing blowing in the breeze is very tempting to puppies and you have 2 very big ones going through the teenage period. Good Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becw Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 You could try some water filled balloons tied to the line ( but I bet your dogs really love water ) You guessed right, they are both such water-hounds!! I've tried crating them when I hang it out but it just makes us all miserable - it's too hot but there's no space inside the house for their crate so it's got to be outside when I'm not home (all our rooms are tiny, and the crate has to be huge to fit both of them!). But with them in the crate, I just worry the whole time they are out of water etc (even though they're in the shade) and I end up rushing home to rescue them, to find that my Mastiff has been off his nut the whole time and has not stopped barking!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) so neither should be acting out like this. why not? Theyre young dogs, they have unchanneled drive and you're making assumptions. Labs are not a low energy breed, who in the world told you that. They are a retriever! You're mistaking walking for engaging the drive in the dog and challenging the brain. what do their brains do? Out of 24 hours a day they get 2 hours of dedicated exercise NOT purposeful mental stimulation. If I put you on a treadmill for 2 hours a day then did not much else you would be bored too. Take the washing off the line if you're not there. Remove temptation. Meanwhile http://www.aussiedog.com.au/ also if you're home a lot start doing some games with them, hide food in a sand pit, hide toys in a cardboard box, teach them some basic tricks, tracking, searching, obedience etc anything. Edited January 31, 2011 by Nekhbet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagersmum Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Only hang washing when you're home. Else have you looked at installing a fence around the clothes line? I can partition my backyard into sections on days I have to go out with washing on the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) What training do they do each day? What interactive toys do they have (aside from the clothesline)? Why do they pull the washing off? because it flaps and moves, and triggers their instincts. It's the grab/rip/tear of an imitation hunt . It is something to do and work at,and enjoy. and.....because it's there,and easily accessible! ...and you're correct - they aren't really pups anymore. Edited January 31, 2011 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becw Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Labs are not a low energy breed, who in the world told you that. They are a retriever! You're mistaking walking for engaging the drive in the dog and challenging the brain. Ummm...actually, I think each dog is an individual - there are high energy dogs of every breed and low energy dogs of every breed. Perhaps Labs in general are not low energy - but mine is. He is very relaxed and it is very clear in the way he engages with other dogs he meets and his behaviour overall. Sorry - I should have been more specific. They get their two 45 minute walks, plus I interact with them through the day including 15-20 minute obedience session per day where we do some basic stuff (mainly what we learnt at puppy pre-schoool). Perhaps we need to move onto more advanced stuff? We also play lots of fetch, and do some scatter feeding and generally cruise around our yard like 3 crazy loons during my down times with work - a few hours a day probably in total. But yes, perhaps it is just a case of removing the temptation - I worry that I'll literally never be able to hang washing out again and have the dogs in the yard! They are well worth it though. Sweetest boys in the world. Edited January 31, 2011 by becw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spotted Devil Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I simply don't give my dogs the opportunity so they don't learn how much fun it is. If it's hot, hang washing out in the evening and bring it inside in the morning, provided the dogs sleep inside. My washing line is happily out of dog access areas but I have also used portable clothes airers and just kept them out of the way - spare bedroom, deck - whatever works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janba Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Grabbing the washing and having a good game of tug with it is self rewarding and as such will be a very hard habit to break. I would fene the clothes line off so they can't get to it or only hang out washing when you can supervise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charli73 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 14 and 15 months???? they are still puppies!! Id expect them to take stuff off the line and chew them.. my girl destroyed things until she was at least 3... I could only now maybe leave washing on the line (maybe not all day) and not have her rip it down but would start with an old towel to see if she has a go... She used to take my expensive bra's off the clothes horse inside and destroy them and even now takes them but just carries them around and doesnt eat them.. Id just stop hanging things up until theyre a bit older... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 14 and 15 months???? they are still puppies!! Id expect them to take stuff off the line and chew them.. Not here .. I would expect them to have learned otherwise well before that age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becw Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) 14 and 15 months???? they are still puppies!! Id expect them to take stuff off the line and chew them.. my girl destroyed things until she was at least 3... I could only now maybe leave washing on the line (maybe not all day) and not have her rip it down but would start with an old towel to see if she has a go... She used to take my expensive bra's off the clothes horse inside and destroy them and even now takes them but just carries them around and doesnt eat them.. Id just stop hanging things up until theyre a bit older... Bahahahaha!! Little Jeff did this when he was just a pup - anything I left on the bed was promptly inspected on his rounds in the house and if there was a bra there he'd carry it round till he settled on his bed. He only stopped doing it when we moved about 6 months ago. They never used to be this bad - I could leave a load on the line all day and come back with it intact. Since I started working from home, they've started ripping it off. I'm wondering (and this has just clicked...) if maybe they don't like being outside now that they're inside a lot more than they used to be? Does this make sense? I used to work full time so they'd be out all day till I got home, but now they might spend 30-40% of the day inside during the day, plus the evening... Edited January 31, 2011 by becw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker girl Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 I simply don't give my dogs the opportunity so they don't learn how much fun it is. If it's hot, hang washing out in the evening and bring it inside in the morning, provided the dogs sleep inside. My washing line is happily out of dog access areas but I have also used portable clothes airers and just kept them out of the way - spare bedroom, deck - whatever works. me too!!! All our washing is dried on our front veranda on airers. Out of 6 dogs (over a period of several years) we haven't "lost" any washing to our dogs, only the occasional blanket that has been put out to air........where the dogs can reach..........and that is our fault for leaving it within reach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 that age is not a puppy puppy anymore. Puppy school stuff is just basic manners and repeating the same thing every day is boring. There is a difference between a truely low energy dog and a calm, well mannered one. If he's ripping washing off the line he's more high energy then you think he is. Remember too, dogs can learn they only get so much from a person and wont push for more hence you can be lulled into a sense of the dog not requiring more then they actually need. I see a few dogs that have been conditioned like this. Push the right button wih them and they're completely different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog in WA Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 14-15 months is a long time to have this bad habit engraved into them. It will take a good break to stop it, for the next 6 months Id hang the washing somewhere else, or hang only when I was out there the whole time. Then hang it high and tight so, doubled over/doubled pegged so it cant flap at all. After a while the habit will hopefully slowly break and Id try going in for a coffee or a shower after a good mental stimulation session and leave it out slowly increasing the time. Are they only doing it morning or afternoons or middle of day? Ive had dogs that would leave it between say 11 and 3, but you leave it unsupervised from 3.30pm it was fair game, just need to work around it dont give them ANY chance to get near it. If it cant be hung on an indoor line overnight/day or somewhere else then hang the washing out just before your morning walk, it gives it an hour and a half, the dogs should leave it for a short while after the walk if they are supervised, then if not properly dry give them something to do even a bone. If its a fun game for them its not something they will just 'get over' for a while, gonna take a bit of creativity from you for 6 or maybe more months to break this habit they have got into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Don't hang the washing on the line unless you are home to observe and stop them. Buy a bottle of tabasco, mix with water, and soak an old article and leave it on the line when you are out - or home if they do it when you are home. The tabasco will cause them some grief, and they will stop. Not nice, but neither is eating your clothes, and it is difficult to stop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inevitablue Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 When I had this problem, I figured I had to make the experience unpleasant. I tried the tabasco sauce, but found out he quite liked hot stuff. So I hung a towel up, just within jumping height and sprayed half a bottle of Bitter Bite spray along the edge that was grabable. When I came home from work the towel was on the ground. I repeated for the rest of the week with some sacrificed T shirts, jeans etc, but nothing was ever touched again. Certainly took away the pleasant experience of pulling clothes off the line, and i was never seen as the 'bad guy' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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