What to do with a dog that tears everything in sight?

Nicoleeee

My new dog is a little over a year old and we've had him for a week now. He is a VERY large, energized, and fluffy Akita and means no harm.
As soon as we got him inside the house, he started ripping and shredding things like the decorative pillows, throwing papers around, and just making the house look like a tornado had just hit. We tried enforcing that acting in such a manner isn't preferred but he never seems to comprehend.
He never seems to calm down, either. He's always jumping around, running people over, which makes matters worse. It also doesn't help that we have a 5 year old living in the house whom he can just crush in a matter of 5 seconds.
I really want to avoid giving him away at all cost. I can't even fathom the idea.

What would you suggest?
Thanks!

Answer
You should buy a crate large enough for him to just stand up and turn around in and keep him in there when you can't keep a constant watch on him. Make it his safe place. Don't use it as a punishment.

Also, how much exercise are you allowing him? You should be taking him for at least 2-3 walks per day and an at least an hour of playtime, outdoors, each day as well. During this time you can play fetch, and work on training techniques. You should be working on the basics such as sit, stay, lay down, etc.

A bored dog is a destructive dog.

I'm having some inside dog problems.?

Foxworthy

My dog is an outside dog and i recently trained him to be i an inside dog (via not peeing or crapping anywhere, completely calm, obeys commands), but there is one more things to scratch off the list.

1: my room mate just has to have her little square pillows on the couch. PROBLEM: My dog thinks her pillows are chew toys.

if anyone can help me with this, respond. please.


-Jeff "Foxworthy" Koen

PS: BLAM >:( (from newgrounds.com)

Answer
You could try getting some of that "bitter" spray that makes the object taste nasty. However, I had a lab (and I tired every single kind of spray out there) and he just thought it was sort of like icing on a cake. Yum!
Some dogs are just chewers. You are not going to be able to avoid that. So instead you need to adjust your way of doing things to protect the dogs and your home (a pillow is full of fluffy stuff that can cause obstruction when eaten - very dangerous for a dog)

Give him a bed of his own, on the floor in the main living area - then tell him the couch is off limits. If he's not on the couch, he won't be able to get at the pillow.

Don't get him any cloth chew-toys. To a dog that regularly gets fabric chew-toys, that pillow is nothing but a great big chew toy that, for some reason you are not sharing. They don't get it.

Offer him other toys. If you catch him chewing on the pillow, say "no" in a very stern voice. Then hand him something that he *can* chew on. Take him over to his bed and praise him when he chews on the correct object.

Lastly, consider crating him when you are not home to make sure that he is not chewing things. While some owners find this cruel, dogs actually like their crate, considering it their own special little den.

Good luck to you! On both counts - the dog who is still learning and the roommate who won't budge on decorative pillows. :)

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Help! My dog chewed up my new chair!?

blondepega

My new puppy chewed a 1 inch area of fabric off the rear, bottom corner of my expensive leather rocker recliner. The dog is older and knows better than to chew furniture now, but I'm left with a small, ragged area on my otherwise like-new chair. In lieu of reupholstering, which costs a forturne, I want to find a metal corner piece for each rear corner to cover it up and balance it out. I've looked at upholstery sites and can't find anything. I don't know what you'd call such a piece but I know I've seen them as embellishments on upholstered chairs and couches. Short of hammering in separate little decorative upholstery tacks in my own design, does anyone know where to find what I've described or have any other ideas for how to hide this unsightly mess?

Answer
Excessive Dog Chewing is one of the biggest complaints of most dog owners.

Puppies are notorious chewing machines.

What's worse is without correction, you'll eventually have a full grown dog that can really destroy anything left unattended.

You need to understand that your dog's chewing habit is simply part of his nature. Your job isn't to get your dog to stop chewing. Your job is to teach him to chew the right things...

... specifically, a chew toy.

Puppies will chew on anything and everything because they are teething. When you catch them chewing something they shouldn't be (shoes, furniture, the remote, etc.), use the "No" command and replace the item with a chew toy. Once you dog starts chewing the chew toy, use the "Good boy" command to praise him.

Adult dogs will chew for an array of reasons. A common reason is simply boredom. Yes, your dog can get bored.

With an adult dog, buying treats like pig ears, bones and of course chew toys is a nice solution.

Watch you dog closely when you start giving him these treats. A tendancy towards territorial behavior and aggression can occur.

Remember that you should still praise even adult dogs when they are chewing on the right things.

Crate Training, which is addressed on other pages, is a preventative measure when it comes to dog chewing while you're out of the house.

You should consider this as an option but be wary that adult dogs will resist crate training. Crate training puppies from the start is the best way to implement this strategy.

If your dog is too old for crate training or you just want another option, you can restrict your dog to certain rooms when you leave.

Fencing off your dog in the house is an easy alternative when you go out. You can buy room divders or expandable fences at most of your larger chain stores.

As with all other training strategies, consistency is important. Correct your dog every time. Use positive reinforcement and monitor your dog's chewing behavior.

Take care and remember that patience is the key to success.


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What to do about misbehaving dog?

K

My dog is 5.5yrs old and usually perfectly well behaved. She is left out in the house with our other dog, free to roam except the bedrms. We moved about 2months ago so I know some of her behavior may be anxiousness while they're alone, but she's even done things while we've been at the house. She's gotten into the trash, eaten fish food, torn up firestarter logs, eaten from the cat box, chewed up decorative stuff, ect. Before you say it's because I left those things out where she could get them you should know that for the last 5yrs she never got into ANYTHING. I spent so much time training her as a puppy and she knows what things are hers to play with, so this new behavior is really frustrating. I usually recommend for people to give their dogs lots of play time to help with destructiveness but I do that for her (fetch, time in the yard, and walks) and she'll still be destructive. Since this started I've made sure to put everything where she can't get it and there haven't been any problems in the last few days but I still think it's odd of her. Any suggestions or ideas about why this is happening or what to do about it?

And if you're wondering why I keep saying it's her and not possibly the other dog is because our other dog is the laziest boy ever. He never wants to play, he gets tired on walks, and he doesn't chew bones. I mean literally he won't touch a rawhide, greenie, or anything... he's an oddball lol. Plus, I've caught my girl destroying stuff a few times already.
She was crated the first yr as a puppy but after that I began allowing her to stay out and she never had any problems. I would hate to start crating her again when I know she's a good girl. I'm hoping this is just a phase because we moved.... anyone agree?

Answer
Moving house is a big change for your dogs (maybe made one of your dog felt insecured) so that might be why she was doing like this. Best thing to do is, crate her when you are out of house.

EDIT: You can do re-crate training with her only for temporay till she is housebroken in NEW house, you seemed did well for first time before you moved, its good idea to do it, as it prevents her do trash out of your new house and the dog can feel abit more secure in crate.

good luck

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Need help arranging furniture in a large living room...?

dog crates decorative image

.KNL.

We have a fairly large living room. Furniture consists of a couch, love seat, large round coffee table, large decorative table, hide-away entertainment center, and a recliner.
The problem is that I have pretty terrible vision, and even with glasses I can't see the television from more than six or so feet away, and I have a hard time with even that. There is a hallway from one wall, the kitchen behind the living room, and the door to the office on the next wall, so we only have two walls to work with, and it's frustrating! I kinda don't want the couch just floating in the middle of the room, but I'm afraid that may be what has to happen.

Does anyone else have any ideas or advice?
We also have a HUGE bedroom that only has a bed, dog crate, dog bed, and two night stands in it, which leaves a HUGE space full of nothingness. (Our clothes and closet are in the master bathroom). Ideas to make it look less empty and huge??


Thanks in advance! :D

Answer
I'm not sure if you're prepared to buy anymore furniture..if you are..a large library table or writing desk may be in order..to put behind the floating couch..if you can't see the tv..the room won't be very functional...if $ is an issue...you can find lovely pieces of furniture at garage sales..resale shops..etc..all they may need is a coat of paint or some elbow grease..we recently downsized and our old house had a huge living rm and master bedroom too..i used 2 sofas..one placed.. "floating",if you will..in the center of the room...i put a large "ladie's writng desk" behind it..used it to display pictures..some bric a brac..etc..maybe you could do the loveseat and recliner on one side of the room..the tv..and entertainment center on one wall..and the couch floating..with the large decorative table placed behind it..the round coffee table..maybe in front of the couch..between the loveseat and recliner you could consider a round, skirted table..these can be found fairly reasonably or even made with an old barstool and a round wooden top nailed to it..you could make or have made a round tablecloth that would blend with whatever fabrics you may have..In the bedroom..again..i would consider adding a dresser..or chest of drawers..or both..go to garage sales and try to find something that is sturdy and simple..you can do all sorts of things with paint..you can, again, use a skirted table..maybe add a chair from a garage or resale shop..and voila!! I am assuming that you do not want to spend much $..so these are all thrify ideas..good luck to you..I have found that the most charming houses are those that required some imagination to put together instead of just throwing $ at them..

Are Chihuahuas good dogs?

Lucky Ninj

I probably wouldn't get one anyway, considering my love for big dogs, but it seems a lot of people here have these little creatures that remind me slightly of aliens... no offence :p

Just curious, are they good dogs? Like, are they obedient, easy to train, generally healthy, very loyal, etc.

Answer
They're more like cats than aliens. Yet they're not like cats either - they're sort of cat-dogs . . .

I wasn't into small dogs either, but my partner moved in with one. I'm still more of a big dog person, but the Chihuahua gets along great with my Lab. The Chihuahua is totally alpha . . . well, after me . . . but the Lab doesn't have a prob with it.

Chihuahuas are good dogs, but they are different. All breeds are somewhat different. It just depends on what you want. Yes, they can be trained - and potty training is more difficult than with other breeds, even other small breeds. Chihuahuas' bladders are smaller than big dogs' are, so they're on a different potty schedule than you may be used to.

They like to play, and they're very active, even until they're quite old. But when they're done with your agenda, they're done - they won't play as long as you might want, like Labs. They live longer than big dogs, up to around 20 years. They can be stubborn, and they're terriers, of a sort - so they aren't going to be as easily trained as herding or sporting dogs.

They are lap dogs, which might be why I think of them as cat-like. They like to sit quietly on your lap (once they're older), and they like to play with tiny, lightweight toys. They like having your personal attention. They're inquisitive and alert. They are affectionate, but mostly attach themselves to one person only.

They don't KNOW that they're tiny. They have the "Don't mess with Me!" attitude of an Akita or Rottweiler, when faced with someone or something new.

As a rule, Chihuahuas haven't been bred into bad health - yet - but you do have to be careful to get one from a reputable breeder. Fortunately, they are an old breed, and the AKC breed standard allows a wide range of differentiation, so they haven't been culled for many so-called "defects" - which I think has allowed them to thrive and not have had health problems bred into them in exchange for "decorative" traits. In other words, I mean they haven't been bred for a particular color or size, in general, so they haven't accumulated many health defects from inbreeding.

Chihuahuas seem to be registered more often with CKC (Canadian), instead of AKC. I'm not sure why, but I would - cautiously - be okay with CKC certification. Even if you don't plan to show your dog, certification can be worthwhile. The breeders have to keep and provide records that prove they follow certain standards. However, that is not a guaranteed thing - you still have to check and make sure the people you get them from aren't running a giant puppy farm, or just dishonest.

And, they have some benefits that big dogs don't have, which surprised me. They're really easy to bathe, and you can bathe them in the kitchen sink. If they have an accident, it's only a _tiny_ mess to clean up. They can't pull you down the street, or yank away from you if they see a squirrel (although they might try). You can carry them around in a puppy purse, and dress them in cute, tiny clothes (which I have learned to appreciate, and count as a plus). They are guy/babe magnets. They eat a lot less than big dogs, and use a small size Flexi-lead, crate and other less expensive accessories. A "long walk" for them is a lot shorter than a "long walk" for a big dog, when you're pressed for time; and if you want to keep walking when they're tired, you just pick them up and carry them. They take up less room on the bed. Sometimes smaller really is more convenient.

If you can't tell, I really adore the Chihuahua, and actually now we have three. We got a girlfriend for my partner's boy dog, and they had a puppy. The puppy has attached to my partner and the girl has attached to me. My Lab and she have worked out their differences, and understand their places in the pack. The cat hasn't come around yet, but I have hopes. Good luck :)

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Need help arranging furniture in a large living room...?

dog crates decorative image

.KNL.

We have a fairly large living room. Furniture consists of a couch, love seat, large round coffee table, large decorative table, hide-away entertainment center, and a recliner.
The problem is that I have pretty terrible vision, and even with glasses I can't see the television from more than six or so feet away, and I have a hard time with even that. There is a hallway from one wall, the kitchen behind the living room, and the door to the office on the next wall, so we only have two walls to work with, and it's frustrating! I kinda don't want the couch just floating in the middle of the room, but I'm afraid that may be what has to happen.

Does anyone else have any ideas or advice?
We also have a HUGE bedroom that only has a bed, dog crate, dog bed, and two night stands in it, which leaves a HUGE space full of nothingness. (Our clothes and closet are in the master bathroom). Ideas to make it look less empty and huge??


Thanks in advance! :D

Answer
I'm not sure if you're prepared to buy anymore furniture..if you are..a large library table or writing desk may be in order..to put behind the floating couch..if you can't see the tv..the room won't be very functional...if $ is an issue...you can find lovely pieces of furniture at garage sales..resale shops..etc..all they may need is a coat of paint or some elbow grease..we recently downsized and our old house had a huge living rm and master bedroom too..i used 2 sofas..one placed.. "floating",if you will..in the center of the room...i put a large "ladie's writng desk" behind it..used it to display pictures..some bric a brac..etc..maybe you could do the loveseat and recliner on one side of the room..the tv..and entertainment center on one wall..and the couch floating..with the large decorative table placed behind it..the round coffee table..maybe in front of the couch..between the loveseat and recliner you could consider a round, skirted table..these can be found fairly reasonably or even made with an old barstool and a round wooden top nailed to it..you could make or have made a round tablecloth that would blend with whatever fabrics you may have..In the bedroom..again..i would consider adding a dresser..or chest of drawers..or both..go to garage sales and try to find something that is sturdy and simple..you can do all sorts of things with paint..you can, again, use a skirted table..maybe add a chair from a garage or resale shop..and voila!! I am assuming that you do not want to spend much $..so these are all thrify ideas..good luck to you..I have found that the most charming houses are those that required some imagination to put together instead of just throwing $ at them..

I'm having some inside dog problems.?

Foxworthy

My dog is an outside dog and i recently trained him to be i an inside dog (via not peeing or crapping anywhere, completely calm, obeys commands), but there is one more things to scratch off the list.

1: my room mate just has to have her little square pillows on the couch. PROBLEM: My dog thinks her pillows are chew toys.

if anyone can help me with this, respond. please.


-Jeff "Foxworthy" Koen

PS: BLAM >:( (from newgrounds.com)

Answer
You could try getting some of that "bitter" spray that makes the object taste nasty. However, I had a lab (and I tired every single kind of spray out there) and he just thought it was sort of like icing on a cake. Yum!
Some dogs are just chewers. You are not going to be able to avoid that. So instead you need to adjust your way of doing things to protect the dogs and your home (a pillow is full of fluffy stuff that can cause obstruction when eaten - very dangerous for a dog)

Give him a bed of his own, on the floor in the main living area - then tell him the couch is off limits. If he's not on the couch, he won't be able to get at the pillow.

Don't get him any cloth chew-toys. To a dog that regularly gets fabric chew-toys, that pillow is nothing but a great big chew toy that, for some reason you are not sharing. They don't get it.

Offer him other toys. If you catch him chewing on the pillow, say "no" in a very stern voice. Then hand him something that he *can* chew on. Take him over to his bed and praise him when he chews on the correct object.

Lastly, consider crating him when you are not home to make sure that he is not chewing things. While some owners find this cruel, dogs actually like their crate, considering it their own special little den.

Good luck to you! On both counts - the dog who is still learning and the roommate who won't budge on decorative pillows. :)

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