Advice re an intermitently destructive lab-?collie? cross of about 10 mths?

Question

Have tried spray, Kong, toys, bones. He is OK then not OK. he pulls books from the bookshelf and chews them despite being left with toys. Gets taken out 2-3 times daily. Husband ready to get rid of him but i think we should persevere as he has had a disrupted life so far. when not caught chewing he is a delight.

Answer 1

Sounds like he might have separation anxiety...Is he only destructive when left alone? Despite leaving toys, does he chew up the house instead?

The best thing to do is crate train him - It's a lot safer for the dog and will save you a fortune!

Answer 2

Dogs will still have that strong urge to chew until the age of about 3 yrs old. It's because the adult teeth will still be moving and shifting into proper place within the jaw line and so the urge to chew will still be present as a result. When my Eskimo was a pup, she was a terribly destructive chewer. By the time she was 3 yrs, she was fine after that.

Crating your dog when you cannot supervise is going to be a big plus here. It keeps the dog from getting into things. Try putting some peanut butter deep into your kong and this will likely keep your dog occupied for a long time trying to get it all out. I also buy bones and knuckles at the pet supply store regularly for my dogs. A new one will keep them interested for days.

Try doing some activities inside your home with your dog to occupy him as well. Even just working regularly on some basic training will give him something else to focus on than being destructive.

Not sure what kind of "collie" your dog is mixed with, but if it happens to be a Border Collie, this behavior is not unusual for a bored dog. BC's are very smart and bore easily, which usually results in them finding ways to entertain themselves... and that is often destructive behavior in the end.

I firmly believe in utilizing a crate until puppy is old enuf and trained well enuf not to behave this way. Remember, your dog is still a puppy and there will be some time before this behavior passes, but you can work to discourage it in the mean time and try activities to distract your dog.

Answer 3

Yes, classes and extra exercise are very important. Crating can sometimes be effective but since this sounds like a rescue, they sometimes freak out when being put into a kennel YET AGAIN. You certainly can give it a shot. Begin slowly and be very positive. Don't just push him into a kennel, lock it and walk away. Leave it open for a while in the living room with blankets and toys and treats. Toss in a cookie now and then to introduce going inside. After a week or so close the door and immediately open it. Do not make a ton of fuss, stay quiet and gentle. This is supposed to be "normal stuff" and so we must act normally, right?

Until you decide if crating will or won't work, limit your dog's access to tasty books and other no-nos. Puppy proof the entire house, especially the area you are using to secure the dog in. Using baby gates works well as your dog is able to see through the gate and watch you. Get the dog used to being restrained behind a few baby gates while your home doing errands and every once in a while, when the dog is quiet, throw in a cookie and walk away. Quiet, calm and gently positive.

Keep absences short and don't make a fuss leaving or arriving back. Stay calm with no eye contact or petting or soothing for 5 minutes when you've come home. When you leave, just leave. Nothing needs to be said. When your dog sees you're relaxed and in control, he will follow suit.

The worst thing sometimes for a rescue dog is to leave them shut up in a room by themselves. It causes them incredible anxiety and they cannot see or hear you. Try the best you can to imagine how incredibly FEARFUL your dog is. He doesn't value books or china or couches or shoes. Those are human inventions. If he's chewing on inappropriate things, it's because he's excruciatingly afraid of being alone and has very little self confidence. So he will seek out things that remind him of you and, since he doesn't have fingers, will begin to gnaw away at them. He's just a dog. He's really very uncomplicated and honest.

The best thing you can do for your dog is to set him up for guaranteed SUCCESS.

- Remove temptations.
- Limit access.
- Stuff those Kongs like never before.
- Keep absences uneventful and emotionally neutral.
- Increase or maintain high level of exercise.

BE CONSISTENT!!!!!!!!! No sudden changes in the rules. You make the rules and you must stick to them no matter what. Routines make dogs very relaxed and happy. Just like little kids. That goes for everyone in the house. Do not waver!

Answer 4

With collie in him he sounds like he is bored - not cause he doesn't get enough exercise but because he is not mentally stimulated - they are very smart dogs. My collie went through a similar phase at that age and the thing that made a big difference to her was finding a good training class and working her there - she loves it and thrives on it, if we miss class for more than a couple of weeks she starts to get bored and gets naughty and slightly destructive - the classes make a huge difference.
Persever with him for at least another six months to a year - he is currently going through a teenage phase and will improve, especially if being mentally stimulated. You could also consider crate training him, so that when you are out he can't damage your things. Get a crate that is big enough for your dog to stand up, turn around and lie down in, and then a little bit bigger. Put a nice bed and some toys in. Start feeding him in the crate and put him in for short periods of time, gradually increasing the length. Make this his area, and allow access even when you are home. He should be happy being in the crate and it is somewhere safe that he can be left alone.
go to www.obedianceuk.com, they have a list of good clubs all over the UK.

Answer 5

The nipping is also normal puppy play. Get her some puppy friends to play with. That cannot be that difficult if you work in a feed store. that is the quickest way to teach a pup. Let the other pups teach it not to bite so hard. This is why pups should not leave mama til they are 9-11 weeks... they are pretty much out of that stage by then. Puppy play dates... even if they are older. My big dogs correct pups quick & it only takes once or twice usually. THEY do not hurt them.

Answer 6

It's a phase that they go through at about this age. Crate training is the best deterrent to a distructive dog. If he is doing it while you are home and you don't want him crated if you're there, (this is what I do with my dogs) put him on his leash, and attach the leash to your belt loop. He cannot get out of your sight to chew stuff that he ought not. This is a great way to bond with him as well.

It's kind of inconvenient, but you don't have to do it but for a couple of weeks, and it's a great training method.

Answer 7

My 2 dogs are the same if I go out and leave them roaming the house. I have a large dog cage and they both go and get in as soon as I put it up. Although with my family they don't get left alone for very long.

Answer 8

I have had a couple of dogs like this over the years and found they usually grow out of it.We used to give the dog a large cardboard carton when we were going out and found the dog concentrated on that.It looked bad when you come home but in reality took mins to sweep up and cost nothing.

Answer 9

In any given situation, focus on what you do want your dog to do instead of on whatever he’s doing wrong. Learn how to train your dog https://tr.im/q7CMV

For example, suppose that on many evenings, your young dog gets busy looking for trouble just as you’re digesting your dinner. He grabs a boot from the mat by the front door and gallops through the house with it. You yell at him and take it away. He grabs its mate. You yell and take it away. He heads for the kitchen and starts checking out the counters in case something tasty’s been left behind. You chase him away. And on and on, until you’ve lost your temper and torn out clumps of hair you can ill afford to lose.

Answer 10

I was at the end of my tether with our collie didnt want to take him back so I bought a dog cage and only put him in it when we went out,,, or if he was naughty and he soon learnt which was the nicer,hes now ten years old and im glad of that cage.............