i have a question...?

Question

my siberian husky has many problems and i want to know how i can correct them.
1. she chews pens, pencils, DVDs/CDs (if theyre laying around) flashlights, and almost anything that she can reach on coffee tables that isnt paper. she even ate my sunglasses! and she always seems to chew on things when im not home, so i cant catch her in the act and whenever i get home, she has this guilty look on her face like "i know i did something wrong" and then i disipline her with hitting her on the nose and saying a very firm "NO." and almost every day i come home and find something chewed up. i try and make sure theres nothing on the floor but idk how she manages to get somethings but she does. my mom says shes doing this out of boredom, and i believe her.. but everytime i get her a new toy, she chews it up and i end up cleaning it up. when my sister had her (then she gave her to me after two years) she even chewed up WINDOWSILLS! i need advice please. shes about 4 years old.

*my mistake.. that was her only MAJOR problem.*

i cant use a crate because i think thats just cruel.

like evilgrl said... no what i put on things she chews on (i even put tabasco sauce on it) and she still chews it.

Answer 1

Crate the dog while away and train it the house rules. The dog suffers from anxiety of being left alone. Crate it.

Answer 2

This is a very active breed, needing lots of exercise, and is a breed that is very unhappy left alone. An unhappy Siberian can be quite a destructive dog, so proper training and housing is necessary. Right from the beginning, obedience lessons are a good idea, so that owner and dog understand the boundaries and each other. This is a breed that thrives on positive training methods, and often is unfazed by negative methods. Finding a good trainer can be almost as challenging as finding a good dog.

Those interested in learning about the breed should visit the SHCA website, www.shca.org, and read “So You Want A Siberian Husky” and the other very good articles about the breed. If, after careful consideration, the decision to get a Siberian is made, please use the Referral Directory to find SHCA members nearby and go visit them and ask questions. They can help determine if a Siberian is the right choice.


That's how Sibes are. I love the breed but would never have them because with my work schedule I could never provide enough time for one. Try obedience and follow what the club advises and you too can have a happy, health, Husky

Answer 3

Crates are not cruel. Trying to punish a dog in the way that you describe is, though. Punishing a dog for an act that was committed even 60 seconds previous to the act of punishing is a spectacularly ineffective way to solve the problem. She has no idea what she's being punished for when you get home - she just knows that the presence of chewed objects + you = she gets punished.
Crate her, or confine her in a sturdy X-pen, for her safety. Do this before she chews an electrical cord and dies. Do this before she starts to be aggressive towards you. Take a training class so that you understand how to communicate with your dog in ways that don't intimidate and scare her. This is surely better for you both than painting everything you own with tabasco sauce.

Answer 4

Well, I help run a sheltie rescue so we've had 100 of dogs come through our house. The best thing is to find very durable toys, toys made out of canvas material, etc.. that way they will lats longer. I think that you need to positively reinforce her when she doesn't chew things. Personally we dont advise ever hitting dogs, so you could probaly just tell her no, very strongly and she'll get the point just the same. If she is young, around 3 or less, she is chewing because she's teething, which means her teeth hurt, and chewing helps make them feel better.

I think she's going through a lot of stress, so you should take her to the park, or walk or play with her, to let her know you love her no matter what. The next time she chews something, take her over to it, show the chewed item to her tell her no. put her in a quiet time situation where you dont acknowledge her, dont look at her, and a while later give her love. She will eventually get over her emotional problems this way, and hopefully that means the chewing will stop.

Answer 5

This is a problem typical of the Siberian Husky breed; they love to chew!

Keeping her in a crate when you aren't directly supervising her is really the best option. I know you think it's cruel, but your dog doesn't. If done right, dogs view their crate as thier "little home" and they actually enjoy the time spent in the crate. With an older dog, you have to take crate training slowly; start by feeding the dog in the crate with the door open. After a few weeks of this, start closing the door while she's eating, then let her out when she's done. Gradually increase the amount of time she's in the crate and start giving her a bone or toy when she's in there. Over a few months, she will start to view her crate as her little space where she's free to chew. Don't leave her in there for more than a few hours at a time, and be sure to give her lots of love and attention when she's not in the crate.

Another option is to keep her in a dog run or pen in the yard when she's not being directly supervised. I really don't like this option because it's so easy to forget about a dog once you start to leave them outside, and if your dog could voice her opinion, she'd rather be inside with you, even if that means being in a crate every now and then.

A lot of her problem is probably that she's bored. Since she's your dog, it's your responsibility to care for her. Huskies need lots of exercise every day, so be sure to take her out on long walk (45 min to an hour) once a day. If you do this, you will find that she'd rather sleep when inside since she will be so tuckered out.

Make sure she's a part of her life. Devote an at least an hour a day, just to playing with her. Train her in basic obedience so she is a more well mannered dog.

Appropriate discipline is also an important part of being a responsible dog owner. Dogs don't understand punishment after the fact; even though she looks guilty, it's only because of how you are reacting to her. She doesn't associate the punishment with the crime of chewing when you weren't home. For discipline to be effective, you need to catch her in the act of chewing. Keep her crated when you aren't watching her, and when you see her start to chew on something inappropriate, say "no" in a stern voice, and give her something appropriate to chew on.

You need to make sure she has a ton of toys laying around. I know, she's just going to chew them up, but that's what dogs do. Chewing is a psychological need for dogs; they are going to chew no matter what you do, and it can either be on toys or it can be on your sofa legs. Try Nylabones or Kong toys; they are sturdy and don't make a mess.

If you don't feel you can learn to crate her or otherwise confine her when you aren't home, then this problem will nearly certainly continue. Crating really isn't cruel; I crate my Corgi puppy at night and when I'm not home, and he just sleeps in his crate. He doesn't view it as punishment. He just thinks it's naptime.

Hope I've been of some help...

Answer 6

1) Put your stuff AWAY where she can't get it.

2)Either crate her or confine her while you are not home. You think it's less cruel to hit your dog and be mad at her every day than to confine her to a safe place so she can't get into trouble? Now she is stressed because she knows that when you come home you're going to be mad at her and hit her, so she chews to relieve the anxiety.

3) Take her out for lots of exercise before you leave. A tired dog is a good dog.

4) Take her to obedience class and teach her things. She needs something to do. If you don't have time to work with her mind, then you don't have time for her PERIOD and should find her a home where someone can tend to her needs.

Answer 7

First off, never, EVER hit your dog. This can make her snappy and fearful. Basic obedience training should be used as a starter, and don't leave any items around for her to chew, apart from her toys.
Is she left alone for long periods? This is not ideal as it is clearly making her stressed and insecure.
Boredom plays a big part in her problem so make sure she has plenty of walks and exercise.
Make sure she has her own bed/basket and goes to it when asked. Point to the basket, entice her to lay down then give her a favourite treat when she obliges. (Chicken, or liver baked with garlic works wonders) She should use her bed as a retreat and a place to relax when she is alone. Try to get her to stay in her bed for a while whilst you are in the room eating/reading/ watching TV etc.
Does she sit & stay on command? To make her sit, kneel in front of her and simply say 'sit' - do not push her down but simply wait until her bottom hits the floor! immediately pet her and give her a treat. When she sits on command, treat her again. Very soon she will sit as soon as commanded. Use the same method for sit & stay. Have her sit at the far end of the room. Stand a few feet away and call her to you and give her a treat. Gradually move further from her until you are right at the other end of the room, or hallway. Then you could try the same method outside or in the park. Outside, take a whistle and blow this when you want her to come to you. Immediately give her a treat when she comes. If she has a tendency to run off, put her on a long lead, whistle, and bring her to you. Treat her as before.
As for the chewing, ideally, you could place her in a room and observe her through a window or some other means without her knowing. When she starts to misbehave, blow a horn or make some loud, sharp noise to make her stop in her tracks. This may not be possible without hidden cameras and sophisticated alarm systems.
Alternatively, choose a time when you have some hours, or a couple of days to spare when you will be around the house. Place her in the designated room with some toys, put your coat on or let her see that you are preparing to leave but do not speak to her or make a fuss. Leave the room but return after a few minutes. Do not fuss her or make a big thing of your return. Go about your normal ways for half an hour or so then leave the room again - returning after five or ten minutes. When she seems relaxed upon your return, space out the absences and stay out a little longer each time. This may take some patience and possibly take up most of a weekend but try to persevere.
If you can catch her attempting to chew the windowsill or going for something - block her by standing between her and the object of her attention and distracting her. Make sure she has toys of her own and if you do catch her with one of your possessions, use a treat to make her swap to one of her own toys.
More exercise and less stress should alleviate the problem. Im not sure how old you are but your parents may need to help you.
Good luck!
If you can get any books/dvd's by Victoria Stillwell, these would help you enormously. Her series 'Its Me or the Dog' was onUK tv)

Answer 8

There is nothing cruel about crates. Dogs think of them as their own private bedroom and are perfectly happy in them. My dogs go to their crate when they are tired or just want to relax for a while. They have 3 couches to pick from, but they prefer their crates.

Naturally, you never use a crate as punishment or confine your dog in it while you are home.

If you refuse to use a crate, then you are just contributing to the problem, because the dog certainly doesn't understand what you want her to do.

You would have half the problem solved if you took her for a good hard run and play every day. Sibes are a working breed, and were never meant to idle around. A bored dog naturally chews, since she has nothing else to do. As the old saying goes " a tired dog is a good dog".

Answer 9

There is no advice to give you because you know the answer and do not want to use it. The ONLY answer, if you do not want your things chewed, is a crate.

The dog is not feeling guilty when you come home she is just reacting to you, by the time you get home she has already forgotten what she did during the day. Basically you are hitting the dog for nothing. You can not correct a dog for anything if you do not catch it in the act!!!!!

Answer 10

For a start you need to make sure that you do not leave ANYTHING lying round, as one day you may come home to a very sick dog if she chokes on something you have left laying around.
Secondly, punishing her when you get home and find your items distroyed, WILL NOT solve your problem.
Boredom, is the key to most of your problems i think as well as training or lack of it.
Whenever you go out you need to make sure she has something to chew like a 'kong' stuffed with meat or something simlar. (i have always given these to my puppies and they are virtually indistructable).
Before you go out you need to take her for a walk to use up some energy (by the time she gets home she will be ready to go to sleep), if you are out all day you need to make sure that someone takes her out (even if it only for 10 mins twice throughout the day) this will just keep her mind occupied along with a filled 'kong' before they leave her.
I apreciate that you dont like crates but i would sooner come home to my dog in a crate, than lying on the floor needing vet attention due to having swallowed something.
i hope i have not affended, i just want you know how dangerous things around the home can be for a dog who chews.
( my little yorkie had to have a 3 hour operation to have a large rubber item removed from his bowel)

Answer 11

Use a crate dear its not cruel. Its only cruel if your dont let her out when your home. Dont punish her when you get home because its too late she isnt really sure why you are upset with her.

Buy her rawhide pig ears, chew ropes, to help with this. Buy a book huskeys for dummies or training for dummies. It has alot of usefull info in them. And are very reader friendly, They break it down for you . Play with her with the chew ropes when you can and yes try to keep your stuff up so she will want to chew on her stuff. Or get a kennel outside for when your gone, She would do fine outdoors when needed , they like the cold. Or lock her in the laundry room or bathroom.

Once she learns she should stop