My husband and I have a Brittany spaniel that is just over a year old we will not use shock collars.?

Question

Our problem is simple. She tears up EVERYTHING and when I say everything I mean everything. It can be toys, metal cans, logs, her dog food feeder, the kiddie pool that we give them in summertime, and TIRES! She is an amazing hunter and is exercised on a daily basis either by taking her to the lake and having her play fetch in the water or just playing fetch in the yard. We do not and will not hit our dogs. We have told her in very firm voices NO and she stops the second she sees us or hears us but as soon as we are out of sight she starts it again. She chewed her way out of her kennel {which takes up half the yard so its more like the yard is just split in half},she has a playmate {my black lab}and is in no way neglected or abused.We have brought her back into the home for the winter and she immendently went and chewed on the kitchen table chairs. She is crate trained but I will not keep her locked in it all day. Can someone please tell me how they stopped their Brittany from chewing?

Ye she hunts, yes she's had formal training.It happens in the yard, and in the house. When on the very rare occassion she escapes from the yard and brings back other peoples belonging she tears them up too. When she is out in the field with my husband she is truely a marvel to watch.But at home she's just a little devil.

OH and please do not copy and paste things you read on the internet. I have read them all have talked with breeders and other families that have Britts.

Answer 1

I went throgh the same thing with my brit.....Very good dog, loved to chew....No matter what I did it wouldn't work...I tried the water is a spray bottle, the penny in the cans thing, saying no loud and firm, nothing worked....I hate hitting my dogs as well. What I finally had to do, as much as I hated to, when I found something she chewed on(other than her toys), like a pillow or something...I would take it over to her and hold her nose right next to it and say no very loud and firm,,,then I had to tap her on the nose...not hard, but just hard enough to get her attention....about three times of that and she quit. I don't like to hit dogs....but at the same time there is a differance between a light tap to get their attention and beating a dog....some dogs are just stubborn....

Shock collars do work, in extreme cases, after you have exausted all your other options....however you have to catch the dog in the act. Same Brit...I could not get here to stop chasing rabbits when hunting....tried everything....One trip had a a buddy had a shock collar....one time and i have not had a problem since....as I both of these methods should only be used as a last resort....but some dogs are just stubborn....

Answer 2

There are various reasons why a dog chews, mainly it starts when teething between 4 and 5 months of age, and can continue up until they are a year old (even though they have cut in all their permanent teeth around 6 months of age, their jaw continues to grow usually up to 12 months of age)

It is hard to pin point exactly why your dog is being so destructive with out actually analyzing the situation. I would have other questions for you if I were the one doing her assessment, but for now obviously this problem has escalated out of control for you.
The good news is there is help out there!

First, you said she hunts,
Has she had any formal training? If not it would be a really good idea to contact a reputable bird dog - hunting trainer in your area that is familiar with the Brittany Spaniel breed. You’d be surprised at how simple tasks taught in obedience can be helpful. Surprisingly enough, teaching her how to track can be a great help, it gives her a job, keeps her focused and can be a lot of fun for both her and you as well.

Second, because you are experiencing this specifically at home, I would highly recommend you find an accredited behaviorist. Contact your local veterinarian(s) (call ALL the local veterinaries, not just one) also your shelters for a list of behaviorists in your area.
You may even need to go out side your local area to find a really good one, but a good behaviorist will come to you and are well worth the money.

I recomend that you stay away from “group type classes” although the trainer in your area may be good, it is too easy to get lost in a group class, the destructive chewing problems aren’t going to happen in a class, and her out of control behavior needs more one-on-one attention at this point in time.
Also, contact reputable Brittany Spaniel breeders - good breeders love to talk about their dogs, and can be a great resource.

Don’t stop at one breeder, trainer, or behaviorist. Talk to them all! Each one may have something different to offer that can help. You don’t have to agree with it all either, use what works or seems right for you and your dog in your particular situation.

Most of all don’t give up! It may take a while to fix this, but with consistency you can work it out. Keep an open mind – you may need to change your daily routines, with her, but being consistence in the long run, will bring many years of happy co-existence with you pup. Best Wishes - Rebecca

Answer 3

I only adopt older dogs because I don't have time for a small puppy. I have found that older dogs train a lot easier and many are already trained when you get them. Most are at least house trained and will walk on a leash. Most have are current on their vacciantions and have been desexed. They don't have most of the really obnoxious puppy habits and if they do they are easily trained not to chew your shoes or other belongings. However, you also need to realize that some of these dogs do come with some baggage including many of the things that I mentioned above that they don't do. I would call the owner and ask for a trial period of maybe a couple of days or a week to see how she works out. Keep in mind that most Brittanys are high energy dogs and require quite a bit of exercise to keep them happy. You might want to enroll in a good training class too. Good luck. These older pups need good homes too.

Answer 4

You need to work one on one with a behavioral trainer.
Check with any local dog clubs or the humane society or even pets tores to see if any one knows a behavioral trainer in your area.
They will be able to help you learn how to correct the dog to get more effective results.
Shock collars work wonders but only for certain behaviors. And you have to be watching the dog to time the correction right.
They are not cruel and really do not hurt the dog but chage the dogs focus right now from one thing to something else. If you are afraid they will hurt the dog put it on your own arm and shock yourself. I did before using one. It did not hurt but it sure did get my attention RIGHT NOW.
A trainer can help to give you some ideas on how to correct the behavior and maybe some things to help work some of the excess energy out of her. Brittanys are very very active dogs and take a lot of exercise. She may not be getting enough mental stimulation and exercise durring the day for her.
You can try bitter apple it is a bad tasting spray but you will be spraying everything in your home all the time.
Muzzles are not the best answer either asa you can not leave them on all the time. Crates are fine for when you can not watch them but the more crate time she gets the more wound up she is likely to be.

Answer 5

Ugh, it's so tough when you love your dog and they have destructive habits. I would check with your vet, Petsmart or local animal shelter and see if there are any trainers in your area. In the long run, if it helps, it would be much cheaper than replacing EVERYTHING! Behavior can be modified, the trick is knowing how to do it and a trainer can teach you the right steps. Also, someone who specialized in dog behavior may identify environmental things that are contributing to the problem. Many times we are reinforcing the bad behavior without even knowing it! A book my vet recommended to me: How To Be Your Dog's Best Friend, by the Monks of New Skeete. It's a complete dog training system that does not involve hitting or any kind of violence. It teaches you how to understand a dog's "pack" mentality and communicate in ways they understand. Similar to the Dog Whisperer. For the short term - have you tried a Kong toy filled with peanut butter? It's a great distractor.

Answer 6

The spray that you can buy is called Bitter Apple or Bitter Lime. Only the most aggressive chewer will keep chewing with this stuff sprayed on the furniture.
I'm wondering if there is something wrong with her teeth. Most dogs outgrow this once they have their adult teeth. Dogs will chew to try and work out pain in their mouths. Maybe you should have your vet take a look and make sure that everything is OK.

Answer 7

if you do not want to crate her you can get spray from pet stores that make things taste bitter or hot so she will not like the way it tastes and she may stop. or if you are home with her often put her in the crate when she does something bad. you can also buy baby gates (not just a regular one the metal ones that you can blot into the wall) and keep her in your kitchen. that way there isnt as much stuff to chew on and she isn't forced to be in a crate all day.

Answer 8

bitterapple, or applebitter. i dont remember which. its a spray that they wont like the taste of, and you can spray it on anything. other than that, you might need training.

Answer 9

http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/
the dog wisperer, is awesome...maybe you can get him to come to your house and help you...hes awesome!!