Silly Cat Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 When Zorro came to live with us he was very shy and extremely well behaved. As he has settled in he has really come out of his shell. I now call him Mr Bounce because he is soooo happy. He bounces up and down on the spot when he is excited because he knows not to jump up. Unfortunately with this new happy behaviour have come a few little problems. He eats shoes and bras and anything else he can get his mouth on. We do put things away but then he chews on wooden furniture! He also digs in the garden and takes washing off the line. He gets plenty of exercise and has company nearly all the time (I am at home studying most days except one when I do voluntary work). What can we do to make him better? He has lots of toys (and I mean lots!!!) and we love having him around but it would be easier if he wasn't so out of control! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgie_cat Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 maybe work on teaching him what he can and cannot chew? I would assume this is a NO for chewing the funiture and then present him with a Kong or chew toy of some sort and GOOD BOY... good tasting chew stuff would also be an extra reward for chewing the correct toy. Store his toys in a bag with dried liver or get a Kong so you can put stuff in it. I dont know how to stop digging... but im sure that has been done lots so I would do a search in the training section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 I would suggest that you're not watching him enough to correct his behaviour. You really have to watch them like a hawk and when you catch them in the act of chewing something they're not meant to you give a firm no and replace it with something that they can chew. You say he's getting plenty of exercise but it doesn't sound like he is, how much is he getting and when? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squeak Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 How about some raw meaty bones for him to chew on? And some chew toys? And then some more raw meaty bones? By raw meaty bones I mean things like lamb necks, chicken frames and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silly Cat Posted December 1, 2006 Author Share Posted December 1, 2006 He gets an hour walk every morning and sometimes a shorter walk in the afternoon. He also runs around in the garden (often with a flower pot in his mouth - so cute!!!) He does have lots of bones but I think he could have some more. He also has a kong and a buster cube and balls and squeaky toys for outside! I think he might actually have so many toys thinks everything is a toy so I have packed most of them up and will have two or three inside toys out at a time and rotate them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel the Weasel Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Sounds like a puppy! Tigerbalm on the furniture, keep your bras off the floor and bury his poo in the holes he has dug. Worked for my crazy puppy - but they will always find other mischief to get into! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Obedience training! You need to tire out his mind as well as his body. Are you stuffing his kongs each day or do they just kind of lay around? Empty kongs are pretty boring to an intelligent animal. You might also like to google for information about settling dogs, puppy zen/massage, calming dogs down etc. Sounds as though he needs to have more routines, playtime, training time, exercise time, settle time. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Zorro is a greyhound puppy isn't he? If so, you're describing completely normal GH pup behaviour. The remedies? LOTS of exercise - walks two or three times a day as a minimum. LOTS of interactive toys - Kongs, Buster Cubes, any toy suspended from a strong branch or pergola filled with peanut butter. PUPPY-PROOF completely - nothing is sacred to a GH puppy. CONFINE him when you can't supervise - baby gates, crates and ex-pens will become your best friends, believe me! HTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Our GH where never destructive but i belive the problem is you not treating him like a dog . We all luv our dogs but they are dogs & feel secure when treated as such.I would also say hes getting mixed messages about whats right/wrong/\. For example running around with flower pot(cute) was the dog given the flower pot or did he pitch. As to chewing the furniture i dare say pup is teething badly & they will chew anything without releasing for the soothing action so its important to have variety without quanitity & obove all its time for training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 He gets an hour walk every morning and sometimes a shorter walk in the afternoon. He also runs around in the garden (often with a flower pot in his mouth - so cute!!!) He does have lots of bones but I think he could have some more. He also has a kong and a buster cube and balls and squeaky toys for outside!I think he might actually have so many toys thinks everything is a toy so I have packed most of them up and will have two or three inside toys out at a time and rotate them! Do you let him do other things that you find 'cute' such as the flower pot? General rule is treat them and give them boundaries as to how you want them to behaved as adults. How old is your puppy and what breed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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