Irish terrier- nuts!

forestfruits

Hello all,

My parents got an irish terrier about 3 years ago and god love him but he is nuts. Most attempts at training have failed- now he is house trained, will just about sit when told to repeatedly and nothing else grabs his attention, he will again just about wait at the door to let you in before him when told to repeatedly, once in he will run laps of the kitchen like a dog possessed. He is not left on his own a lot has free run outside in a good bit of garden space, but still is virtually uncontrollable.

When taken for a walk on the local beach he will try his level best to get away and you need all of your strength to keep a hold on the lead, he goes mental if he even sees another dog in the distance, this makes it difficult to actually give him a good walk.

they also have 2 cats and 3 kitten, he has no bother at all with one of the cats or the kittens, but will do all he can to start a row with the other cat who is deaf and quite jumpy but is also quite bad tempered and will give as good as he gets. But it means the two can rarely be in the same room and as the dog has gotten older he is harder to keep away from the cat- he will sneak up behind the cat and tip him with his paw, the cat goes for him and the dog goes nuts!

Will he ever calm down- he has been neutered with no effect- he is like a dog with adhd- there is no talkin to him!!

Any ideas?

kerrysgold

How often is he exersized? Sounds like he needs at least an hour of exersize a day.

I'd also suggest training classes, sounds like you need a professional to help.

forestfruits

They had a trainer you came to the house to help train- but not much luck with that. He is getting about an hour a day, is walked and when outside tends to run around like a lunatic, chasing birds in the sky!

peasant

This might help:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055205286&highlight=nilif

Toulouse

What is he being fed on?

whitser

just sounds like he has too much energy to me. big garden means nothing, s dog wont do laps of the garden til he's tired. get him out more i'd say. free running off the lead,if possible, or maybe running beside you on a bike. irish terriers a working breed so they need lots of exercise, a half hour walk on the lead isnt really going to tire him out.
try give him some work, if you were able. that will tire him out and stimulate him. a hours ratting is worth 3 hours walking.

forestfruits

Thanks for all the help
Hes on dry food not sure of he brand- something the vet recommended.

I guess more and more exercise is the only job!!

ahaaha

im afraid some dogs (like ourselves) are just hyperactive!!! tell a your parents to read the book 'Marley and Me' - a true story revealing the tales of a family with an uncontrolable lab - it'll make you feel a lot better and give you a few laughs along the way...