lonny663 Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 ;) Please help!!! We adopted a 2 year old beagle (Toby, male) about 3 months ago. Have had a few minor personality differences and have changed his diet from a High energy complete food to a "regular" complete food and everything has been reasonably OK until 2 days ago............Toby started taking clothes off the clothesline............How can i put a stop to this.????????????????? Thanking you all in anticipation of your advice!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicko Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 There is no way of roping of the area where the clothes line is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Ok here's the thing: Clothes on the clothes line hang down at a dogs eye level and flap around in the wind, which can kick in a dogs prey drive and cause them to start this habit. Preventing access to the line would be the easiest way to guarantee 100% success. Fence it, move it, put chicken wire on top of bricks around it etc. If you can't do that you could try pegging the clothes horizontally rather then yertically so he can't reach them, or a bad taste on the clothes. Also look at what the dog has to do in the backyard and what kind of enrichment he gets from toys, excersise, interaction etc. If there were things to do that were more fun than pulling washing off the line, your dog would do them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Also look at what the dog has to do in the backyard and what kind of enrichment he gets from toys, excersise, interaction etc. If there were things to do that were more fun than pulling washing off the line, your dog would do them. Quoting my own post for emphasis ;) This statement is particularly important because pulling washing off the line can be a sysmptom that your dog has a need that is not being met, IE he may not be getting enough excersise, stimultion etc. If that is the case then you can stop this behaviour (pulling washing off the line) using a preventative measure like moving the line, but you will not meet this need and a new outlet will be found, perhaps barking at birds, digging up your garden etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonny663 Posted November 15, 2005 Author Share Posted November 15, 2005 Thanks for the suggestions. Roping off the line isnt really a viable option as this would reduce Toby's yard area by about 40%. Whilst he has several toys etc I do think it is an attention thing. We take him for a good walk a minimum of 3 times per week and between the kids, hubby and myself Toby gets at least 1 hour of undivided attention per day...........I think we need to think of some stimulating mind/ energy activities for him for when we are at work. He is alone for about 6 hours, 3- 4 days per week........... Any ideas anyone???????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne_Fury Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 Hi Loony Speaking from experience (I have a beagle cross who is nearly 10) it sound like the exercise that you are giving him is not enough. I also have a dalmatian, and both of these dogs need a really good walk at least once a day, or at least a run in the park. My boy started escaping when he was bored which is not a good situation for anyone so I know how you feel. One thing I would do would be to increase his stimulation as Haven said while you are away from home. Instead of giving him his breakfast (assuming that you feed him in the morning) in a bowl, scatter it around the yard so he has to hunt for it. Kongs and other treat device toys are great and we all know how much beagles love food ;) Also Aussie Dog have some great toys that are virtually indestructable for dogs to play with while their owners are away at work. There is one called home alone which is a great toy! They aren't the cheapest, but they are excellent quality. If you do a google search I am sure you will find them on the net. Also give him a large meaty bone (I normally give my boys a bone 2 a week) that he will spend hours chewing on waiting for you to get home. If he still persists in taking the washing off the line I would hang something on there that tastes disgusting. When my dalmatian was a baby he took the clothes of the line, only my clothes mind you, I was told that he could smell my scent on my clothes, and the vet told me to hang an old towel or an old t-shirt or something on the line with chilli sauce or tobasco sauce or something all over it and the dog wouldn't rip the clothes off again. Good luck with your boy! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReXy Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 hi i know ur frustration as soon as i read your post my lab boy started doingt his when we were living at my mil place lol only probelm was he was only taking her clothes of the line .lol bad dog.... i think his problem was an attention thing and as we walked him more and had more stimulating things to do he was fine , when we moved in to new place (currently) he stated to do it again. i brought a home alone from aussie dog yes they are expensive but imo well worth it, he also has kongs balls all sorts of toys scattered around the yard but 1 thing i have done is to change them regularly. so he doesnt get bored with them also bones and chew toys raw hides.. but the most important thing i think is attention from u and excersising, c.f has sugested some great things, good luck with your boy let us know how u get on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonny663 Posted November 16, 2005 Author Share Posted November 16, 2005 ;) Thanks for your ideas.........Toby has some toys, but I will definitely invest in a few more in particular so that i can rotate them a bit for him.......even if they are expensive it will be worth it. Will also increase his exercise to at least 5 days each week and I have only been giving him 1 raw meatless bone each week, so I will increase that to 2. He gets fed his complete food, half a cup in the morning and 1 1/2 cups at night..( we were doing it the opposite way but he just got too feral in the evening) The tobasco sauce on the clotheline thing also sounds like its worth a try (especially as its only my clothes he seems to be taking !!!!!!!!) Has anyone got any ideas for some interactive games i can play with him? He seems to get over 'tug of war' and "fetch the ball" pretty easily and as this is really our first dog we are "learning the ropes" as well... Thanks again for your support.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 (edited) Wow Cheyenne, we must have some kinda mental telepathy link going on, you posted almost exactly what I wanted to say in alomst exactly the same words!!! The only thing I would suggest differently is to do the enviromental enrichment and the bad taste on the clothes at the same time. Make sure the taste is something your dogs doesn't like, don't assume that they won't like tobasco/chilli/vicks etc because I have met dogs with very unusual tastes! ETA: The aussie dog toys seem extremely expensive at first, but they are the very best. When you consider the value in terms of how long they will last (pretty much forever) and that you won't have to spend $2.00 every other week buying your dog a new toy because he is bored with the old one, they are priceless. Edited November 16, 2005 by haven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy beagle lady Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Hi, We suffered from the same prob in the early days Never leave your washing@ a level the darling beagle/s can reach it- and watch out, if these guys want something they will get it!!! After many casulaties we lay a grate (partial fencing) under the clothes line- and since that day my washing has remained beagle free!! ;) Perhaps with summer nearly here you can sit outside and play with him while the washing is drying, introducing him to new scents and games, turn a negitive into a positive. Beagles require alot more exercising than most people realise- they are such busy, intelligent dogs and need to be kept both physically and mentally stimulated. I walk my beagles twice a day, even if you are going up the street for the paper or milk bring him with you, you will be well rewarded for it. If you get some empty soft drink bottles (rinse them out and clean them, make sure they are dry) and put a small handfull of dry food in the bottle, put the lid back on as tight as possible and trhow it in the backgarden for your darling- it will keep him/her busy for quite sometime trying to get to their beloved treats! (and inexpensive for you aswell). If you have any old stockings/nylons, put a tennis ball in one and tie it so that its hangin from a tree branch (not too high up, dont want to hurt his legs with excessive high jumping) - will keep puppy busy jumping/clawing for it! Also highly recommend a KONG Ball (black or red) put some peanut butter in it and your darling beagle will be busy all morning. Being a scent hound your darling boy will thrive off all new scents he encounters and the more walks the more scents- the happier the hound. As for his food, have you tried eco-pet? or even cooking minced meat, carrot and brocolli- my guys also love cheese, apples and just about any other food group you can think of- but what beagle dosent! Basically the more you involve your beagle in your life the less destructive he will be, they are such a friendly, family loving breed and you will all benefit from more time and exercise together. Have you enrolled him in any training? my two boys have thrived since they we were all enrolled in school!! and believe me one of my beagles is extremly naughty- im sure he pretends to like the taste of tobasco just to spite me!! Best of luck with him, hope it works out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheyenne_Fury Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Haven what is it they say about great minds thinking alike . You are totally right about enriching his environment as well as introducing the yucky tastes. Great advise Crazy Beagle Lady, a lot of people don't expect Beagles to need so much attention/exercise because they are smaller. I swear if my beagle cross Murray could go for a walk, sleep and eat at the same time he would be one happy pup!!! ;) Loony, would love to see a pic of your boy, you too crazy beagle lady! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkthedog Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 how about a nice little rescue doggy friend?? ;) for company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonny663 Posted November 16, 2005 Author Share Posted November 16, 2005 (edited) ;) Thanks for the suggestions so -far, will definitely be introducing nearly all of them......... We were feeding him RC energy 4800 but i couldnt get it locally so i purchased some Eukanaba Maintainence to try and he bacame a much more placid dog overnight ( his coat improved dramatically as well) but about 10 days into the new food he is starting to do the mischievous things that we hadnt previously seen. The rescue dog friend is in the back of my mind, but as Toby is sort of a rescue dog as he was handed back to the breeder and then we adopted him so im a bit reluctant to take on another until we can sort out the problems we are having with the one that we have. We dont blame Toby for this radical behaviour as we understand these things are just his nature if he isnt stimulated enough, so we just need to gather as much info as possible to educate ourselves!!!!!!!! Will post a pic when i get the digital up and running........its out of action at the moment............. Toby has had obedience training and is perfect when on his lead, but when off the lead he is ok when he wants to be but will only be obedient if he thinks there is a treat involved !!!!!!!!!!! Edited November 16, 2005 by lonny663 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy beagle lady Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Hi Loony, I tend to agree with the advice that the others have given you, i forgot to add that last night! I actually got my big beagle charlie a christmas present 2 years ago- his name was hamish! Beagles thrive in a pack environment and believe me the mess of one bored beagle is far worse than the mess of 2 playful beagles! They constantly play with each other and groom each other and slowly but surely my backgarden is looking less and less like the surface of the moon!! Honestly- cant go wrong with 2 puppies and there are always more puppies to be saved australia wide! If you decide to get another friend for toby it dosent Have to be a another beagle- any breed will do and what a diffrence you will see! Have you been online to the beagle clubs around Australia- they are fantastic, go to www.beagleclubnsw.org.au: and you will see the links for every other state. Best of luck again ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sorry CBL I tend to disagree, you most certainly CAN go wrong with 2 puppies. I'm not saying it's not a consideration because two dogs can tend to keep eachother occupied but as well as twice the fun it's more than twice the trouble. Getting a second dog should NEVER be a solution to a behavioural problem, very often you will just end up with two dogs that pull washing off the line If you are prepared to treat this issue in addition to getting another dog and can care and provide for a second dog and YOU actually want another dog then go for it, but not just as a quick fix, because believe me it isn't I love my two dogs :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonny663 Posted November 17, 2005 Author Share Posted November 17, 2005 Im appreciating all the thoughts and i have to agree with Haven on the concept of getting a companion to fix behavioural problems.........I dont want this to be the reason that we get a second dog. Before we got Toby we had realised that in the future we may get another dog as a companion for him but I dont think it would be fair on either Toby or the new dog if we then found we couldnt handle the two of them...........its kind of a catch 22 situation really, we are just trying to get as many thoughts as possible so we can try different things and hopefully find a good solution for all of us. As we have only had him for 3 months i guess it is a learning curve for us and Toby. He was exceptional when we first bought him home but i guess it has taken this long for him to get bored with his environment and now we have to intoduce some more things to him. When we first bought him home he didnt jump up on us and then he suddenly started it when he was still on the RC Energy 4800, then when i changed him to Eukanaba Maintainence he calmed right down and he has been on this for about 3 weeks and has started the jumping and barking and being 'hypo" again. Could any of this behaviour be food related as well ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 Sure it can, some of the additives in commercial pet food can affect dogs just like some colouring and flavouring can affect kids. Plus, you are waht you eat You may have some success with a change in diet, but I think it more likely that addressing the behaviour itself is the way to deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy_James Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Hi All! Jimmy the beagle boy was coming up to about 8 months old when we started talking about getting a second doggy to keep us, and him, company. While a motivation was to have a friend for Jimmy, it wasn't the only one. Knowing that another little beagle boy was on the way a few months later was a huge incentive to make sure Jim was up to speed with his training/behaviour prior to the newcomer's arrival . I couldn't imagine having to deal with two cheeky beagles misbehaving at once! Having said that though, some of the little cheeky things that he had been doing (like dragging rugs out through the doggy door !) have all stopped now that little Harvey has joined the family. It's almost like the spare time he used to have to think up little bits of 'entertainment' for his beautiful beagle brain have now been taken up with playing with Harvey. So glad we have two, they're a joy to watch when they're playing together - constant companions! In terms of washing on the line etc, the only real foolproof solution is to hang it away from little beagles! Just when you think you little boy is perfectly trained, they'll do something to surprise you! I wouldn't have it any other way Click here for photo of Jimmy and Harvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy beagle lady Posted November 19, 2005 Share Posted November 19, 2005 Hiya Loony, Hope things have started getting better for you?! Im glad that you have been offered so much advice for our wonderful breed and in your circumstance i will agree in hindsight that a second dog right now may not be the anser for you right now. When we got our second beagle it was not to stop destructive behaviour! but more as a companion for all- pretty similar to jimmy james. And yes-Haven you are 100 % correct: a second dog is not he answer for bad/naughty/destructive behaviour in the first! Gota fix the first before thinking about the second! Beagles do ultimatley thrive in a pack situation though and a busy beagle is a happy beagle, I wouldnt swap my boys for all the tea in china! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonny663 Posted November 20, 2005 Author Share Posted November 20, 2005 Hi everyone! We have been spending a bit more one on one time with Toby, increased the walks, introduced a couple of new toys and ive now got lots of bones in the freezer to ensure that he now gets 2 a week. He is definitely showing improvement and has calmed down a bit and we can now see that we just needed to spend that little bit more time with him and that it is important that we keep changing his environment (rotate his toys etc) and ive even manged to get the washing dry without it ending up in his mouth So far so good..............can anybody recommend a good book on Beagles ???? The more insight i can get into his stubborn/determined mind the better off we will all be Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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