5 month old destructive behavior...when does it end?
|
|
| well there is hope - just not an instant fix. training can take years. in the meantime if he is confined I don't see how he gets in so much trouble. you may have to leash walk him instead of turning him out - or at least watch him while he is out. I still have weeks when that is our option too. |
| He is walked 1x or 2x day |
| 5 Months? You've got a ways to go. I have a 2 year old male rescue OES, Toby, and I'm still waiting for him to stop destroying things. Yesterday we left him in the house for 30 minutes with my 5 year old male and when we got home, Toby had knocked over the trash, peeled a roll of toilet paper off the holder and eaten a box of energy bars that I thought was far enough back on the kitchen counter that he couldn't reach it.
Some dogs seem to just get into stuff to punish their owners when they are left behind. He is trying to train you but is coming to the conclusion that humans are a stubborn and un-trainable breed. |
| I really don't think this is a "breed" issue. It's a puppy issue. He's a puppy. 5 months is pretty young to expect all of his puppyness to be over. |
| Yes it ends, but you must realize you have a dog/child. You are expecting adult dog behavior and it just won't happen for 6+ more months. (In sheepies it may never happen. No, they do grow up but remain clowns and require a laughing audience, not scowling)
Housekeeping goes out the door with pups. So just relax and enjoy the mess. You will no sooner clean it up and it's messy again. Sheepies either fit people who are perfectionists as they must tend the hair!!!! or those who can laugh at muddy paws on the bed comforter, nose snot on the glass doors, toilet paper run thru the house.......all antics and fond rememberences. Puppy needs exercise before the class. Coming from a car (with all the new sites) into a room with other puppies.....of course they are hyper! Husband's frustration with the puppy isn't helping. The upright has to be calm and quietly assertive--Leader not drill sargent. Your other two dogs are smaller so mature faster......I realize the TB isn't that much smaller. So the sheepdog will be silly for quite more time. You expect these chewing setbacks.......I have furniture with "rememberences" from a 1982 sheepie. The world is not over because the leg or bookstand is a bit chewed. But the world without a sheepdog comes away too soon. |
| By no means am i suggesting that i expect adult behavior from my 20 week old puppy....I totally understand that....I was just inquiring whether or not the chewing, etc. continues into and thru adulthood....wondering if sheepdogs continue to be chewers....it took my Tibetan a year to outgrow that stuff and my weiner even less (although she still likes a good headband now and then!) Having a big dog is new to us so we're just trying to figure it all out....my husband does need to chill out and let go of his expectations that the house is going to be perfectly clean and in order with Sam around:) |
SamsMom wrote: I was just inquiring whether or not the chewing, etc. continues into and thru adulthood....wondering if sheepdogs continue to be chewers....
I have three OES. One never chewed a thing even as a puppy. The other two are rescues: One is a 6 year old who I've had for a year and has never chewed anything. Another is a 5 year old who I've had for 8 months and chews everything. He acts like a puppy in every way. 
I've had a few other rescues come through who were not chewers as adults. My experience is the majority of them grow out of it. |
I think you've hit it, your husband is the problem! 
Yes, chewing will continue until all the teeth issues are over.....18 months. Encourage toy chewing, Kongs with peanutbutter also takes their concentration. After that, chewing is more a mind numbing exercise, when they are anxious, bored, etc. So keeping hubby calm will keep the pup calm. Keeping the puppy active will feed Sam's brain and body and reduce the need to chew. Actually some chewing is good for the teeth, just not on the furniture. You'll have to impress on Sam what is chew material and what is not. Our Abbott and Sam chewed the firewood stack. I appreciated the kindling, but feared major vet bills. Phew, nothing happened. |
I appreciate your insight...I guess the end result is I need to get rid of my husband:0  [/img] |
| Samsmom:
I do sympathize with you. Heart loves tearing toilet paper and sometimes using my dining room legs as chew toys...
She is crated when we are gone, but she does her worst damage when I am in the room..... I need to pay more attention 
AHHHH!!!!!The joys and tribulations of puppyhood.....AND teenagehood~~~~~~ ( I will let you know when the chewing ends...we are 15 months into it and counting...... |
| I have a not quite six month old sheepie who chewed a hole in a wall this weekend. Not a corner or a baseboard, but rather right in the flat part of the wall.
Now we know what our studs look like. I guess that's a good thing. I feel your pain. I cannot leave Hudson out of my sight for more than ten seconds. He steals everything. He chews it and swallows it. (Read: vet bills!) So, I have no advice, but I do feel your pain. Maybe we can be "destructive puppy buddies?" Take care and good luck! |
| You could try Bitter Apple spray on things he likes to chew that he's not supposed to. Our dog had a favorite spot he liked to chew on the baseboard trim. We Bitter Apple Sprayed it every once in a while and that took care of that.
Sorry about the chewing trauma. That stinks! 
-crustybirds |
| Have you tried him with the bacon flavoured nylabone?
Re the garden - you may have to create a dog safe hard area for him to lark about in. Don't forget to heap praise on his good behaviour, and just remove the "Fun" factor on the things you don't wish him to do. It just sounds like he is exploring materials when he is bored, you may have to involve him more in your daily chores. |
| Charlie is almost 7 months and continues to get into mischief. We have found he LOVES BOXES!!! Whenever we catch him chewing something he isn't supposed to, we give him a box! It doesn't matter what size...he just loves to chew them up. He started out gnawing on them but now he tears them up. Today, we got home from work and found he had hauled a whole case of Fuse drinks (the kind you get at Sam's Club) from the garage into the backyard. How he did that, I can't even imagine. He got the plastic wrapper off them, spread the bottles all over the yard, and thoroughly enjoyed the box! We're all just in the mode to gather boxes from work, any shipments we get, whatever. We have quite a stash in the garage and ration them out as needed. It's pretty funny.
The mischief does end, to a point. He still has his days but they are more spread out. Hang in there!! They are so fun!! (Charlie's our first OES too and we love it!!!!!!!!) 
 |
| Can you crate him when not under supervision???
He can't chew up stuff if he is not able to get to it! Just a suggestion.. |
Donner's Mom wrote: Can you crate him when not under supervision???
He can't chew up stuff if he is not able to get to it! Just a suggestion.. Great idea. We have one like that - and not an OES. She is our adopted as a young adult coonhound. If we aren't right there, in her crate she goes. Eliminating the opportunity to get in trouble is part of the training. All the behaviors you described are know as self rewarding - the dog gets their own reward just by doing them. Being vigilant *most* of the time really isn't getting you or I anywhere, because the one time you have them get away with it sets you right back and you lose the progress you made earlier.
She is my husbands dog, and we both do the same with her training. She has made a lot of progress this past year, her main issue remaining is food on the counter and stove. I actually purposely leave stuff out that tempts her if I know I am going to be right there and can catch her as she thinks about it! We have conquered the chewing articles she isn't supposed to - that was a tough one, as she had no clue what toys were. She had the puppy mentality in a strong adult chewing body. Not a fun combination! |
| You could always tether the dog to yourself. I didn't do that but I always had my eye on Laika. She never chewed on a thing. Because I stopped it before anything would happen.
If I leave her alone now at home she doesn't touch a thing. My cats make more of a mess than she does. |
| Puppies don't begin to get adult teeth until they are 6+ months...you can't expect them not to chew...it's the stage they are in..you can monitor them, correct them, and make sure they have something like a nylabone to chew on...telling them what they can and can't chew is part of the training. They also have spray that will discourage them. My OES never chewed much but then at 12 months I came home one day a she had chewed on the wooden part of the glider...then never chewed another thing? We had given her lots of nylabones and chew toys when she was in the puppy stage. Puppies are frustrating at times but just as cute and lovable...training is on going...Rosie is 8 and we still correct on her on some things..she has always been persistent thru the years...we never feed her food when we eat but she will always check to see if we have changed our minds. She is loving the extra treats as we are training the puppy...she is making sure she does everything right...a treat everytime she goes out! Wow, Mom this is great! |
| At 5 months old he is still very much a baby.
Think of him like a demented toddler running around with scissors. I'd suggest giving him nylabones, and wet frozen toys to chew as often as possible. Maybe more activities too? A walk around your neighborhood might be more fun for him than just running in the yard? I would definitely crate him ANY time you aren't able to watch him, for your sanity and his safety. |
| It's comforting to know others are dealing with similar issues! Sam is a big love! I just don't want him to love my furniture so much!!! |
| Our 8 week old puts everything in his mouth right now. I've found the Victoria Stillwell (from It's Me or the Dog) noise, like a loud "AH AH!" to have worked amazingly well to stop him and then I put a toy in his mouth and praise him for chewing the toy.
Like with all my dogs though, I expect to lose one book and one shoe by the time Owen grows up. That's been my track record per dog so far! |
Charlie's Fam wrote: Charlie is almost 7 months and continues to get into mischief. We have found he LOVES BOXES!!! Whenever we catch him chewing something he isn't supposed to, we give him a box! It doesn't matter what size...he just loves to chew them up. He started out gnawing on them but now he tears them up. Today, we got home from work and found he had hauled a whole case of Fuse drinks (the kind you get at Sam's Club) from the garage into the backyard. How he did that, I can't even imagine. He got the plastic wrapper off them, spread the bottles all over the yard, and thoroughly enjoyed the box! We're all just in the mode to gather boxes from work, any shipments we get, whatever. We have quite a stash in the garage and ration them out as needed. It's pretty funny.
The mischief does end, to a point. He still has his days but they are more spread out. Hang in there!! They are so fun!! (Charlie's our first OES too and we love it!!!!!!!!) Oliver is now nearly 4 and his first love is boxes
We have moved house 4 times since we have had him,and he thinks its christmas and birthdays all rolled into one
We moved only last week,and every time we emptied a box he would take it to the garden and shred it |
I love that!! I guess there's no hope of outgrowing it?? The other day, the UPS guy brought a box to the door. My daughter brought it in with Charlie jumping all over her to get to the box! When she set it on the kitchen table to get it away from him, he stood up to the table! Addiction maybe?? (Kinda like I am with Diet Coke Lime??!!  ) My husband especially loves it when it's time to mow the lawn! He spent a considerable amount of time cleaning up the box mess, then the poo, THEN he could mow! |
| Boo, our Tibetan Terrier, takes all kinds of things out of the recycling in the garage....his favs our the plastic milk carton, oj container and of course boxes with previously held treats in them!! My husband comes home from work and says our front yard looks like we're a bunch of hillbillies!! |
| When I took Simon to puppy classes one of the things the trainer said that stuck with me and helped me was that most people "get rid" of their dogs when they are between six months to a year. This is when they become deaf and forget everything you have worked hard to train into them.
Your pup is ahead of the game....one smart pup. The old saying "This too shall Pass" is true. It does get better but it will take time and a lot of patience. Simon is now two and for the most part he is a great dog and hasn't chewed anything for a long time....unless I forget to put something away, or far back on the counter or, or, or. My other dog, Garfunkel, I fear will always be a work in progress |
| Not as much with me, but when my husband and kids , come down in the morning, Sam just bites, bites, bites....maybe his way of saying hello? I tell him off or leave it, and reward him when he does....but does anyone else have any other suggestions? |
SamsMom wrote: Not as much with me, but when my husband and kids , come down in the morning, Sam just bites, bites, bites....maybe his way of saying hello? I tell him off or leave it, and reward him when he does....but does anyone else have any other suggestions?
I'd remove him to the crate if he doesn't stop on cammand immediately - he seems overstimulated. after a bit try again. |
| i was reading this post the other day and though oh my duffy is so good he never chews on something.. well this morning i was in the bed room and all of a sudden my cable went out.. i look down and sure enough his breakfast this morning was a cable wire ......so i feel your pain |
| My Dublin is about 22 weeks as well and everything she tries to put in her mouth - yet she does not swallow toilet paper or something she knows is not food (yet). She did pass puppy class a few weeks back, and now I can tell that she is testing me to see how much she can get away with. With the chewing, we stopped it by doing the "uh uh" noise or a loud clapping, and she usually stops and looks long enough to forget. With Dublin, she was getting bored with her toys, so we got her more toys that she could chew on and that she really could play with.
I feel we've almost past the chewing phase, and we are now into the jumping and countersurfing phase - both give me headaches. |
Simon's Mom wrote: When I took Simon to puppy classes one of the things the trainer said that stuck with me and helped me was that most people "get rid" of their dogs when they are between six months to a year. This is when they become deaf and forget everything you have worked hard to train into them.
Very, very true. If you want to test that statement just try taking your puppy to obedience classes on a regular basis. You think you are making great progress, they hit that age bracket & you swear their brains all just fell out of their head thru their ears!  |
spacegirl21 wrote: You could always tether the dog to yourself.
Jackson is 11 months old and has not done any destructive chewing for quite a few months. When she was only several months old though she destroyed baseboard trim, dining room chair spindles, carpets, etc. After she chewed a huge hole in a neighbors carpet one day in about 30 seconds I started keeping her on a lead attached to me and therefore she was never out of my sight. When I wasn't with her she was crated. Doing this allowed me to correct bad behavior every time it started to happen. It was tiring but after about two weeks she got her freedom back and hasn't destroyed anything since!!! (she still enjoys a nice sock or kichen towel to naw on but never rips them up)..... |
| I feel your pain!
I got Linus when he was 7 months old and had some big problems --- namely the giant hole he chewed in my kitchen wall. He's doing much better now (thanks in large part to the advice I got here). I take him for extra long walks in the morning and some evenings (depending on the heat here) and he has an arsenal of super tough chew toys. He's most appreciative when he gets a new nylabone --- and I buy the extra tough versions. He loves to wrestle, and we just finished a bout. They usually end with him sitting in my lap, kissing me on the cheek. He turns 1 next week. Our only "disagreements" now are related to the typical goofy sheepdog stuff that I secretly love, such as stealing my laundry while I fold it, or deciding to empty the garbage cans for me. Good thing they're cute, right? |
ChSheepdogs wrote: Simon's Mom wrote: When I took Simon to puppy classes one of the things the trainer said that stuck with me and helped me was that most people "get rid" of their dogs when they are between six months to a year. This is when they become deaf and forget everything you have worked hard to train into them. Very, very true. If you want to test that statement just try taking your puppy to obedience classes on a regular basis. You think you are making great progress, they hit that age bracket & you swear their brains all just fell out of their head thru their ears! TRUE, TRUE! I have a foster man who is 8 mos old and hasn't had any obediene training! He is a wild child but, a nice boy! Any puppy needs training, strucure and obedience! Oh did I mention EXCERCISE!!!!!! |
rfloch wrote: Yesterday we left him in the house for 30 minutes with my 5 year old male and when we got home, Toby had knocked over the trash, peeled a roll of toilet paper off the holder and eaten a box of energy bars that I thought was far enough back on the kitchen counter that he couldn't reach it.
He needed the power bars to get all that done in less than 30 minutes... all that work is exhausting! .... Thanks.. this post me laugh so loud, it woke my dogs up! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|