Naughty Puppy

[.dodger.]

Okay people i need some serious 


Uno is a real pain at the moment and can't find anything that has helped so far.
When he gets left alone he is so destructive! He has gone through shoes, handbags, cheques,  my makeup bag and make up, the lino flooring, welcome mat, 3 mops, two brushes and now he's moved onto the dog sofa.

I used to leave him in the crate when i went to work but the biggest one i could fit into my house was not big enough to leave him for 6 hours. I've spent loads of money on toys for him but nothing seems to be working.

He stays in the kitchen with access to the conservatory with his sofa in. Every day when i leave for work both dogs have had at least a 20min walk (when i'm on early shift and at least a 1 or 2 hour walk when i'm on lates) he has a frozen kong that i made the night before, he has a kong wobbler full of treats, a treat dispensing ball, several plastic bottles, a kong wubba, a kong snugga wubba, three footballs and several other little toys. All the treats above is his breakfast so although it sounds like a lot of food i'm not over doing it Plus he always eats everything so he isn't just sick of his toys.

There has been times when he hasn't damaged anything and times when he has destroyed the place. Everything gets moved out of his way or locked in cupboards but he still manages to pull stuff off the counter and is now able to open the living room door to get into the rest of the house. Something which could be dangerous for him with Dodger being on the other side.

I just can't understand why he is so destructive. He is well walked, got plently of toys, not left alone for rediculous amounts of time?? Any ideas why? Or any suggestions on what else i can try?
 

[*Lassie*]

I just can't understand why he is so destructive. He is well walked, got plently of toys, not left alone for rediculous amounts of time?? Any ideas why? Or any suggestions on what else i can try?


you say the crate was too small to leave him in for 6 hours?
6 hours is a long time - he is getting bored, is there no one who could take him out half way through the day  to break it up for him?

[.dodger.]

No I don't have any help. One of the reasons I went from full time hours to part time is for the dogs but I can't afford to cut them down any further. So u think 6 hours is too long leave him for?

I no he's bored which is why he's destructive I just need help finding ways to entertain him. If spent loads on toys and kongs for him and they have made a massive difference but hes still not 100% all of the time. I don't want to leave him squeezed into a crate while I'm at work but I'm running out of options?

[Val]

I think boredom plays a big part in this but  also.......................................... Something which could be dangerous for him with Dodger being on the other side.

What is all this about if Dodger is good then the pup will follow my leader if Dodger sleeps chances  are so will pup.
Can't see the point in having two dogs and then keep them apart JMO

Val

[Izzie]

ok, do you do any clicker work with him before you go to work or are you leaving him with the same toys each day? have you considered alternating the toys so he has a different toy?

6 hours is too long to leave a dog imo. what training have you done with/ currently doing with uno?

[.dodger.]

He has a toy box which is in the kitchen with him and has all his toys in but each day i get out a selection of toys. So he has all his toys available but the only thing he has each day is a stuffed frozed kong and his kong wobbler filled with his breakfast. I don't do any training with him when on am shift as i have to leave work by 8am but on afternoons i do.

We do water games with his wubba wet, hide and seeks with treats around the house, and every morning they both play rough and tumble for 10-30mins so that tires them out as well ect.

He knows settle, quiet, snoozy, sit, down, leave, foot, recall, back back, healwork, ect
he knows pretty much everything dodger knows apart from one trick which I don't want him to learn.
I've just started clicker training him to put his toys away but that is only just started.

So do you mean 6 hours is to long to leave a dog or a 1yr old dog?

[Izzie]

Its a long time to leave any dog without access to the garden.

What food you got him on at the moment Laura?

[.dodger.]

They are both on Arden grange

[Mudgie]

Laura

get a dog walker to come in once a day - I dont leave nacho as long as six hours at any one time never mind every day.  Most he is left is 2 and a half or three hours.  I know you cant afford two walks a day but one a day may be doable.  Even if it is only 30 minute walk would allow them to be toiletted and get a run about.

I know really good dog walker in area that if he doesnt cover your area may know someone reputable that does.

Mudge

[Sweetypye]

I don't do any training with him when on am shift as i have to leave work by 8am but on afternoons i do.

I do not understand this statement, what has leaving for work by 8 am got to do with the price of fish?

I have to be AT work by 8 am most days, if not earlier, I get up at 5 am to train my dogs, come rain or shine, dark or light.

You are not leaving a dog in a relaxed state as he has not had time to work of physical exercise or exercised his brain.

I leave my dogs for longer than this, but they do not destroy the house because they are mentally and physically exercised before I leave them to rest.

[.dodger.]

i don't do any training with him before i go to work but he does get a walk with 90% off lead running. He also gets 10-30mins play with Dodger so yes he is physically excersised before i leave for work. He also gets left with toys like the wobbler and stuffed kongs/bones for metal stimulation.

I leave my dogs for longer than this, but they do not destroy the house because they are mentally and physically exercised before I leave them to rest.

I understand your statment and would agree if this wasn't the same for when i leave him on the afternoon shift. He has had 6 hours of the morning being walked, played with, trained ect ect. Yes when i leave him on an afternoon he is more tired out but it does not stop him chewing things he shouldn't. Not being able to go to the loo either has nothing to do with it as they are not dying when i get home.

IMO i think people have been very judgemental on here

[Sweetypye]

He has had 6 hours of the morning being walked, played with, trained ect ect.  

Good Grief, I don't know anyone who a) has that amouint of disposable time to spend with a dog or b) would want to!

Has it occurred to you that a)your dog may be OVER stimulated by all this activity and b) thus find your absence a HUGE contrast?

Also, I remember when you want for a new puppy, is this a working bred GSD?  Because if it is, this is one of the reasons they are not recommended for pets..........

[.dodger.]

i am not saying that he is excersied for the full 6 hours. I am saying that i am around for 6 hours so they get plenty of time spent on them like going out for walks or just playing with each other while i'm in the house. They do get left alone during this time.

No Uno is not a working gsd. This is one of the reasons I didn't get a working gsd.

[Izzie]

IMO i think people have been very judgemental on here

Laura, would you we rather say you poor thing, hope you sort it or would you rather have the truth?

None of these posts have said you are bad owner, everyone is trying to help you 

How old is he now?

[Mudgie]

During the week Nacho just gets walked - nothing majorly stimulating as far as mental stuff.  Sometimes play hide and seek with a ball in the evening but not every night. 

He gets two hours a day walk in winter and lots more in spring and summer because I refuse to walk in pitch black.  I dont feel safe.

At weekend he gets about three hours a day walking and 2 hours cycling per day depending on my commitments but I do try and keep weekends clear so we can have quality time together. 

Nacho is 6 now and his needs for keeping him amused are not the same as when he was younger.  I still wouldnt leave him for as long as 6 hours without a toilet break.  I wouldnt want to go 6 hours without one.  It's all about personal choice and the decisions we make for our dogs.  My decisions and choices may not be the same as others but that doesn't mean mine are right or wrong for anyone else (or theirs for me!)

What you are doing just now isnt working so you need to change stuff in order for it to get better.  If you keep doing what you have been doing you will keep getting the same results.