PLEASE HELP!! I'm at my wits end!!! Dog Trainers Only!!!?

Question

My 6 month old puppy is chewing on everything!! He chewed up my mom and fiance's Christmas presents! This dog even ate dayquil, nightquil, actafed, antibiotics, plastic, lead (pencil), ink, sharpes, you name it he's tryed to eat it.

I have tried yelling, using a newspaper to swat him, putting him outside, putting him in our tiny bathroom, putting him in his cage, shoving what he chews on down his thorat, nothing works!!! I'm desprit!! A BB gun is looking realy good right now. He knows the second I walk in the house he's in trouble, but he won't stop. The dog is driving me crazy but I won't get rid of him.

My dogs (as in 2, more than one) have too many toys as it is. They always have rawhide bones AND there's two of them!!! I'm not stupid and put the medicine in his face. It's on a table. I've had animals, including puppies, my whole life and all we ever had to do was pop them with a newspaper. As for praising them and catching him in the act i do. When I come home, and they behaved i ask for hugs and pet them and give them treats.

I never have or ever will abuse a pet. My dogs are well taken care of. If you have a problem with that you can kiss mine. We do shut our doors and maybe if you could read you would see that these items are not where he can get to them easily.

I should also ad that after i punish the pup i grab one of the toys and play with those with him.

Answer 1

Did you try plenty of chew toys!! Puppies chew everything when they are teething. I have found they like the ropes with the knots in them the best. They will hold the rope and chew the knot.

A puppy is like a baby and should not be left alone!!! What are you going to do when he chews a live power cord and gets electrocuted. When getting a puppy its just like babyproofing. Pick things up and keep them out of reach. He should be crated when you can not watch him. No if ands or buts crate him!!!

Yelling and getting upset is a sure fire way for any training to back fire. They see the reaction and think its the right thing to do. You need to get your act together and train him properly or find him another home ASAP before he is out of control.

When you are sitting around and he is playing when he grabs something he isn't supposed to chew on squirt him with water and give him one of his chew ropes. Have several chew ropes around for him.

Answer 2

I honestly don't think that she is re-homeable. Some dogs are just plain hard work, or don't have great personalities. It may be possible for you to sponser her keep at a no kill shelter. That way you wouldn't feel guilty. What worries me is that she runs away all the time. If it were just the aggression, or the hunting, those things are fixable if the dog accepts you as pack leader. But your dog doesn't. It may be that she was isolated from people as a pup so wasn't properly socialised with people , and could also have a dominant and aloof personality. Those aren't good pet qualities. No farmer wants a dog that hunts. Farmers keep livestock in those big open fields. I notice that the answer that suggest euthanasia got a thumbs down; well the reality is that the RSPCA alone destroys over 2000 dogs every week because the homes just aren't there. Only you can make this decision. You either keep her and try another trainer, or you leave her at a dog home, or you euthanase her. Whatever you decide, best of luck, and don't feel bad. You don't need anyone elses permission, and we can't see the dog to make a fair assessment.

Answer 3

You are coming at him with the wrong attitude. He is a puppy, he naturally wants to chew and some of the destruction he is causing sounds like a plea for attention.

First, provide plenty of toys and chew toys. Have pig ears, nylabones, things like that handy all the time.

You need to make this, but it's easy. Take an empty soup can and put some beads or dried beans in it. Put a cover on it;. When you shake it you want it to rattle.

Now, when you see your dog go for something it shouldn't, immediately shake the can. It will startle and distract at the same time. When you catch his attention, grab a chew toy and go over to him. In a gentle manner, take away what he was getting into and give him the toy, play with him for a minute to really get his interest.
This distraction technique works well and you must always remain calm and gentle.
Do not hit your puppy. Simply pick him up and remove him from the dangerous situation.

It is also your responsibility as a puppy/dog owner to have your home puppy proof. Medications should not even be anywhere your dog can get to, as well as most of the things you mentioned. You need to get those things out of reach for his safety.
Also take more time to play with him and praise him when he chews on appropriate toys.

Answer 4

It is natural for a puppy to chew. It you no not give them something to chew they will find something to chew.

YOU don't need a dog trainer to answer this one (but I do train dogs). The things your puppy chewed on is not a problem with the puppy but with your housekeeping. WHY would you leave these types on things out where your puppy can get a hold of them and chew on them. CLEAN your living area up first.

Second thing is go and buy him some acceptable chew toys. DO you even have any toys for him??? Really or are you just making that up???

As far as the Christmas presents......do you have a closet with a door on it? Usually when you do something as simple as putting you 'valuables' in a closet with a closed door the 'problem' of chewing stops. Oh, but closing a door takes a little bit of effort.

What would make you shove anything down that puppy's throat??? That blows me away. All of your tactics are pretty poor.....but that one by far is the worse.

Maybe you should read up on what it takes to be a some what responsible dog owner. What you have wrote, clearly states you are not very informed and you need a little education in that department. There are numerous websites out there......I suggest the ASPCA for you.


"Getting rid" of your puppy maybe a good option for you. What you have wrote can very well be perceived as abuse. Generally speaking people who abuse their pets are not good owners. DO your puppy a big favor and consider that option, while he is young and can be re-homed. Don't get anymore animals either.


I think you should take an anger mangement class.


You are making too many excuses for your bad behaviors. This is YOUR problem.....seek help for it.


HOLY.....THIS WOMAN ASKED A QUESTION NOT TOO LONG AGO ABOUT SPANKING KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS A TIMEBOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 5

Well the first thing I would do is a little house cleaning. Would you leave "dayquil, nightquil, actafed, antibiotics, plastic, lead (pencil), ink, sharpes" out where a one year old child could get them????
Why were the Christmas presents where the dog could get to them???? A little common sense goes a long ways.
Everything you have tried so far was an attempt to teach the dog NOT to do something, why don't you try to teach the dog TO do something instead. All dogs have a hard time grasping negative concepts. You do not teach a dog NOT to jump up on the couch, instead you teach the dog TO lay down on the floor. All the way through the dogs O/B training you want to teach the dog TO do things.
Imposable absolutely imposable to teach a dog "not to pull" on a lead. You teach the dog to walk with a "slack lead", maintaining the slack is all you are teaching a dog when teaching the dog to heel.

Doesn't matter what you are trying to teach a dog, the same principle applies.

Answer 6

First of all, puppies chew. He's still teething. You need to keep him crated when you can't watch him, and you need to stop leaving things where he can get them. Give him things he CAN chew.

>>>He knows the second I walk in the house he's in trouble, but he won't stop. <<<

This is part of the problem. He doesn't know that he's done something wrong, he just knows that when you get home you're likely to be mad at him. This makes him stressed, and chewing is a reaction to stress.

He doesn't understand after the fact that it's the chewing you're mad about. You need to SUPERVISE him so that you can catch him as he's starting to chew and divert him to an acceptable object. And yes, this will take a lot of time and effort, since he's become accustomed to chewing whatever he pleases.

Next time he chews somthing, whack yourself over the head with a newspaper and repeat "I will not leave things where the dog can get them. I will watch the dog more closely next time."

And make sure he is getting enough exercise. A tired dog is a good dog.

Answer 7

Hi,

I have raised 2 dogs from pups. They bit everything and anything and at first I tried everything and anything. I found that the anti-chew spray is pretty good. Punishment just won't work and will only make the dog frightened of you. It may also be an attention seeking thing.

If you have to leave him to go out, I would try crate training or put him in a dog proof room. Somewhere where its not going to upset you too much if he chews in there. I would also try a few good quality dog toys. You can buy a hollow bees nest shaped rubber moulding, where you stuff it tight with food. The pup will spend hours and hours trying to get to the food inside. I've also found that leaving the radio on helps too, as the dog will take comfort in the voices.

Give your dog loads of positive attention when you get in. Ignore anything he may have chewed. And see how you get on

Best of luck

Answer 8

This is a no brainer and a very easy fix.
CRATE the dog unless you are supervising him.
Problem solved.

At six months he is most likely teething and will chew everything he is allowed to get close to. No matter how many toys he has.
He is a baby and they chew. Until he learns to not chew and destroy things he should be crated any time you can not watch him.
I never let my pups loose until they are about a year old aome are older. Some are crated when I lever their whole lives as they look for trouble.

Answer 9

What's the question?

I agree that everything you are doing is wrong. Each and every thing.

First, you know that your dog is a chewer, yet you leave him out to roam around and then leave things that he can destroy out for him. This is not a problem witht he dog - it's YOUR fault for leaving these things out where he can get them. Solution? Pick up your house and make it "baby-proof". Then create train the dog.

Second, one should NEVER swat at, hit, shove, or yell at your dog. You are abusing him and making him scared of YOU, not the behaviour. Again, it's YOUR fault for leaving the items out, he's just doing what comes naturally. He's a puppy. Puppies chew things. His crate should NEVER be a time out place. He should NEVER have ANYTHING shoved down his throat!!! He should NEVER hit your dog with any item, including newspaper or your hand.

Third, you need to get rid of the dog. If you are contemplating violence, moreso than the abuse you are already doing, then you need to give your dog away and NEVER get another one. If your response to his natural behaviour is to shot him with a gun, then you should not have a dog. Honestly, as a dog lover, you disgust me. Please get rid of the dog so that he no longer has to suffer abuse from you.


Edit: You are also the one who thinks that beating rodeo animals isn't abuse. Your judgement is not too great. Give the dog up. You are too violent and clueless to own it. Your dog can OBVIOUSLY get to these things, therefore it's your fault. Why can't you just understand that rather than fight us on it? As far as not abusing your dog, I recently heard something great. Someone calls you a horse once, you punch them. Someone calls you a horse twice, you get upset. Comeone calls you a horse 3 times, look in the mirror.

Answer 10

He is a puppy! When you can't supervise him put him in his crate. Swatting him or shoving something down his throat is just likely to make him scared and distrustful of you.

Put stuff away where he cannot get at it. If he is able to get at it, it is not put away properly. Meds need to be shut away in an upper cupboard. When you catch him getting into something naughty, tell him NO! and then give him an appropriate chewy.

People don't expect toddlers to automatically know how to live in a house, WHY do they think puppies should?

You said "When I come home, and they behaved i ask for hugs and pet them and give them treats"

And there is no possible way for them to know that your behavior, whether you are loving or angry, has anything to do with their behavior for the last few hours. He knows he is in trouble because of your body language, not because he chewed something up a couple hours ago.