My Dog Is Nuts! Help/advice Needed

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

This is a protocol for teaching a dog to relax eg training an off switch.

I haven't been through all of it but it seems straight forward if a bit tediuous. It helps to read a bit of the .doc file to find out why you're doing what you're doing - and the the mp3 files make doing it - easier.

http://championofmyheart.com/relaxation-protocol-mp3-files/

And it would definitely work the dogs mind in the same way as trick training.

And you would get a lot of exercise in the process. All that moving on your part is a way of changing the habitat or upping the distraction / difficulty ie proofing the task for the dog. But you don't have to keep finding new dog exercise areas to do it.

[dancinbcs]

Some good suggestions on here about mental stimulation and how to get her to know her place in the family.

I know nothing about Gordons but have had 3 very destructive Border Collies among a whole line of non-destructive dogs so wouldn't be blaming the breeding. I find some dogs just need to chew and destroy things, no matter what else they do in their life. The first one I had nearly drove me insane, chewing everything she came in contact with. She chewed her bedding every noght for three years and even at 12 would still chew up a pencil if she found one. I kept a sons and daughter from her two litters and neither were destructive at all. By the time the destructive grandson came along, I had learnt a lot and found the key was not to try to stop them chewing and destoying stuff but providing things they could destroy and teaching them what was their's to do with what they wanted and what was not their's was not to be touched. With a friend we bought in a bitch and she still chews her bedding among, other things, at 12 but the 3 daughters we have from her are all non-destructive angels.

I have a toy basket that they can go to and Ialways praise when they select something. The things in there are not all toys but an assortment of stuff that can be chewed or torn apart. The basket inself is pretty well chewed as well. If they touch anything else they are reprimanded immediately. Now I have a new JS puppy and he leaves the BCs for dead in the chewing stakes but he is learning to go to the toy basket, is being reprimanded every time he puts a tooth on anything else (including people) and is confined to his pen if not being directly supervised.

If you cannot watch them they need to be restricted in where they can go and what they can access. Electric fencing is useful if you need to keep them away from part of the yard that cannot have a proper fence. Crib Stop from the produce store will stop dogs chewing on outside furniture.

So provide lots to chew and destroy and remember to praise. Restrict access to everything else unless you can supervise and reprimand wrong behaviour every time.

Good luck!

[ESCS]

I have used Jane Harper and have found her to be excellent. She was worth every penny to us. Jane spent a lot of time in assessing our dog (and us as his owners)so she could accurately determine the cause of the issues we were having. She continued to give us support and advice even after we had finished our consultations with her.

We were at a loss as to what to do for our dog and she was able to put us on the right track. It made a huge difference and we have a very different dog these days.

[Mason_Gibbs]

Good luck, it certainly sounds as if you are willing to give different things a go as others have said try the clicker again