Suggestions for my destructive dog.

[VickiVM]

We have a lab mix, Lilly, we got last October when she was 9 weeks old. Within a week after adopting her from the shelter she was diagnosed with Parvo. My husband had lost his job earlier in the summer and we had just buried another puppy approximately 6 weeks prior to getting Lilly. We were not in a position to pay for her healthcare, so the animal shelter kept her in their hospital, at no cost to us, and nursed her back to health. She came home after a week of only iv fluids weighing just a little over 4 lbs. We love her very much and my husband is especially bonded to her.

She behaves ok in the house and responds well to our commands. But we couldn't leave her alone for an extended period of time. She goes after the cat often (but the dumb cat seems to enjoy the attention - doesn't run away when he has opportunity). She's very loving and loyal. She's probably about a year old now.

But she's ultra destructive in our backyard. Has destroyed it - constantly digs everywhere. Chews on the wooden fence (we've had to replace 2 boards). She's dug up the TV cable (luckily we have a dish, but who knows if the neighbors are having problems...). Chews on anything and everything. A regualr Marley.

When she's in her frenzy in the back, she will not respond at all to us. We don't want to use any physical tactics, but can't seem to get her attention enough in the backyard to get her to respond to any of our commands. She understands 'leave it' and 'no' and 'out' in the house, but is deaf to us when she gets outside.

Any suggestions??

 

[Aimeedyan]

How often is she walked? What kind of games do you play in the backyard with her? How long is she left out unsupervised?

My dogs, and many dogs, become destructive if bored. Mine go outside unattended to potty but if I am not going out with them to play fetch, they come back in fairly quickly because they have a tendancy to create their own fun.

Do you not crate her when you're gone from the house?

 

[Nette]

Two words: Dog Dazer... it's just basically an electronic dog whistle. But our super stubborn 14 week old puppy actually responds to it. or rather, she quits whatever she's doing at the time we set it off.

Good luck. I know exactly how you feel. I spent all morning out in the TX heat "dazing" my puppy every time she even started to paw the ground.

 

[VickiVM]

How often is she walked? What kind of games do you play in the backyard with her? How long is she left out unsupervised?

My dogs, and many dogs, become destructive if bored. Mine go outside unattended to potty but if I am not going out with them to play fetch, they come back in fairly quickly because they have a tendancy to create their own fun.

Do you not crate her when you're gone from the house?

We don't walk her enough...actually she's over 45 lbs of sheer power and will injur my kids if they attempt to walk her. When I walk her, my hands are raw because of how hard she pulls. But my husband and I did commit to walking her more because I know she needs to expend her energy.

When we're at work and my kids at school, she is left outside all day. During this summer, she's in and out throughout the day - we bring her in when it gets too hot (we've had triple digits all summer long).

No crate, I know this is a hop topic, but no crate. We will leave her sometimes in our bathroom (we have a large tiled bathroom) if we're going to be gone for a few hours like to church.

 

[VickiVM]

Two words: Dog Dazer... it's just basically an electronic dog whistle. But our super stubborn 14 week old puppy actually responds to it. or rather, she quits whatever she's doing at the time we set it off.

Good luck. I know exactly how you feel. I spent all morning out in the TX heat "dazing" my puppy every time she even started to paw the ground.

Can I get this at PetsMart? I was kinda thinking of a whistle just to get her attention, then rewarding her with treats when she stops the destruction.

 

[crz4mm2]

She's bored. She needs attention, not to be "superior" but when she is left outside all day, she is sure to get into trouble.
She's lonely.

 

[Papa Deuce]

A good puppy is a worn out puppy... especially Labs. Labs are really "puppies" until they are at least 2 years old, usually.

Get this dog worn out so that it has no energy to be destructive.

Also, in some cases give it chew toys.... remove from the dog's mouth what you don't want it to have, and give it something that you do want them to have.

Labs need things in their mouths... most retrievers do.

Good luck.

 

[VickiVM]

She's bored. She needs attention, not to be "superior" but when she is left outside all day, she is sure to get into trouble.
She's lonely.

I'm curious, what do dog owners do with their dogs when family is at work/school?

 

[Papa Deuce]

I'm curious, what do dog owners do with their dogs when family is at work/school?

Well, mine walk around the house and do what they choose, but they never do anything wrong. We actually have one large dog crate in one room, and my Golden actually PREFERS to lay in there. It is so funny / cute... When I leave for work in the afternoon, and nobody else is home, she runs to her crate and goes inside and lays down without my saying a single word.

I think it is because she thinks she is supposed to go there, because when she was a puppy we put her in her cage when we were not at home.

 

[NikiM20]

My dogs are left in the house. I do not leave them out unsupervised longer than 10-15 mins. I know you said no crate, but try one and give him a kong stuffed with treats and he would be fine

also with the walking try a pinch collar , they look awful but is more humane than a choke chain. My great Dane has one and my dd is able to walk him even though he weighs twice as much as her

good luck

 

[CathrynRose]

I'm curious, what do dog owners do with their dogs when family is at work/school?

Charley has full reign of the house. We don't crate him when we leave. We don't use a crate at all.

OP - have you tried a Gentle Leader type collar, for walks? We were able to 'teach' Charley on one, and now he is a dream when we walk him, and no longer need the Gentle Leader. He used to also pull until your hands would be aching and raw.

You've got to find time to wear her out. She needs to be walked, played with and made tired.

 

[clutter]

She needs a brother!

Anyway, I've always left my dog confined to a less destructible room when I work. With commuting, I work long hours, so I would have someone come in to potty/play/walk during the day. Now my dd comes home from school.

 

[quentina]

I'm curious, what do dog owners do with their dogs when family is at work/school?

Doggy day care for us. Minnie is a 4 month old golden retriever. I do not feel comfortable asking her to "hold it" all day when we are gone.

Day care is well worth the money, she loves it and she gets socialization with lots of other dogs.

 

[IDoDis]

We crate our Shelties when we are at work during the day. They seem to like being in their crates and will go in them at times even when everyone is at home.

One time their crate doors didn't get latched by mistake, so they were free to roam the house all day. They pee'd & pooped on the carpet (never do this when we're home), and tore up a 500 page Stephen King library book. The book was in shreds and was spread out all over the house! It took us a while to figure out what book it was because it was in a million pieces everywhere! I can only imagine them playing tug of war with that book in every downstairs room. What a sight it was when we got home.

 

[HelenePA]

I'm curious, what do dog owners do with their dogs when family is at work/school?

Leave it in the house.

How about playing fetch with it to tire it out before going for a walk. She needs to get rid of some energy!

 

[VickiVM]

Doggy day care for us. Minnie is a 4 month old golden retriever. I do not feel comfortable asking her to "hold it" all day when we are gone.

Day care is well worth the money, she loves it and she gets socialization with lots of other dogs.

Sounds great, but not affordable for us.

 

[VickiVM]

Leave it in the house.

How about playing fetch with it to tire it out before going for a walk. She needs to get rid of some energy!

We don't abandon her altogether - she gets played with a lot in the house. We have a long tiled entry hall way that we throw a ball back and forth to her.

We have actually thought about getting her a playmate...

 

[Papa Deuce]

We don't abandon her altogether - she gets played with a lot in the house. We have a long tiled entry hall way that we throw a ball back and forth to her.

We have actually thought about getting her a playmate...

IMO, this is a bad idea UNTIL you get one dog under control. Dogs learn from each other.... so now what if this 2nd dog learns the destuctive habits of your first dog?

If I can be honest, and not spiteful, I'm not sure you are ready to handle a dog like you describe.

BTW, I am a very experienced dog owner.... have owned a few lab mixes, a Golden Retriever, my Aussie, a German Sheperd, a St. Bernard, an Irish Setter, a Boxer, a few mutts... and my next dog will be a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

When she's in her frenzy in the back, she will not respond at all to us. We don't want to use any physical tactics, but can't seem to get her attention enough in the backyard to get her to respond to any of our commands. She understands 'leave it' and 'no' and 'out' in the house, but is deaf to us when she gets outside.

Any suggestions??

Like what do you mean?

 

[VickiVM]

IMO, this is a bad idea UNTIL you get one dog under control. Dogs learn from each other.... so now what if this 2nd dog learns the destuctive habits of your first dog.

If I can be honest, and not spiteful, I'm not sure you are ready to handle a dog like you describe.

That's why the 2nd dog has been only a thought. And you may be right about being able to handle her, but we have her now and we'll do what we need to to stabilize the situation. We've come too far with her to give her away.

I'm going to try the whistle that someone suggested earlier. If we can just get her attention outside, then we may make some progress. She's responsive in the house, but goes wild outside. But we all know she needs more walking.