At wits end

Daisygirl

Morning all

I hope you might be able to help me, my dog is so destructive, nothing is safe :mad: He's 15 months old and has worked his way through the house and garden but last night was the last straw, came home from work to find that he has eaten the brand new, only out of the box lawnmower! He hasn't actually eaten the whole thing (wouldn't put it past him) but has managed to eat the cable and cord so that I've no hope of ever starting it. He feels that he has to eat or break everything he comes in contact with.

I'm just looking for advice, how to I get him to stop??

portgirl123

sounds like you have a very bored dog. How long is he left alone for? where is he left?

Daisygirl

He's on his own for 5 hours during the day... I've bought him loads of toys, balls, teddies, chew toys and of course he eats his kennel a bit every day..
He's left alone in the back garden. He also has a cat to taunt him ..

Toulouse

How much exercise is he getting? What breed is he? What food do you have him on?

seamus

+1 on the bored dog. Toulouse's questions are relevant too.

You should be making an effort to get the dog out for 3 short walks per day minimum. Even if this is just a ten minute stroll around the local estates, the dog will be more stimulated than sitting in the back garden for most of the day.

Ideally the dog would get 2 short walks + one long walk every day. It sounds excessive when you write it down, but in reality when you get into the groove, you find that it's about 90 minutes of your day that you probably would have spent on the couch anyway. And there's nothing like a ten minute stroll before bed to clear the head.

Our ten minute walk in the morning is just that. Shoes on, lead on, ten minutes and you're back. It doesn't actually take any time out of my day.

Daisygirl

I walk him every morning before I go to work, about 2 miles and I bring him for a good 4 or 5 mile walk in the evening and between that we play fetch with him. I feed him Bakers puppy food, but a lot of the time the food is still there when I get home. He likes to eat with company, like if we're eating that's usually when he eats

He is also near the end of his "great escape" he's digging a hole into the neighbours.. he'll be in any day:o

seamus

What breed? Sounds like plenty of walking.

Have you ever left him in the house during the day or has it always been the garden?

And where does he sleep at night?

endabob1

seamus wrote: »

+1 on the bored dog. Toulouse's questions are relevant too.

You should be making an effort to get the dog out for 3 short walks per day minimum. Even if this is just a ten minute stroll around the local estates, the dog will be more stimulated than sitting in the back garden for most of the day.

Ideally the dog would get 2 short walks + one long walk every day. It sounds excessive when you write it down, but in reality when you get into the groove, you find that it's about 90 minutes of your day that you probably would have spent on the couch anyway. And there's nothing like a ten minute stroll before bed to clear the head.

Our ten minute walk in the morning is just that. Shoes on, lead on, ten minutes and you're back. It doesn't actually take any time out of my day.

This (unfortunately) is the best solution I've found, short one early in the morning after which he eats and sleeps, long one early evening after which he eats and sleeps, short one last thing at night after which he goes to bed for the night.
Exercise more often than not is the answer imho, also socialising. We take our lad to a puppy day care (I know, I laughed too) where he gets 5/6 hours mixing with other dogs, it makes a big difference.
He had been digging like crazy in the garden, it's calmed down since we adopted the 3 walk strategy, still not completely gone but he's a lot less destructive when he's been out for a wee run and a good sniff.

Toulouse

I'd get him off the Bakers if you can and onto a good complete food such as Arden Grange, Robbies or Luaths. Protein should be between 18% and 22%

Is he neutered?

Daisygirl

Hi Seamus,

I've been told he's a cross between a border collie and bernese, he has short legs and a big body. I've left him inside on a few occasions but again his destructive streak meant that he couldn't be trusted inside, he tore up the carpet on the stairs.
He has free run of the house when there is someone there, the back door is always open and he sleeps inside every night on the landing.

Endabob1 - he loves his walk and he does get great exercise, including a run around in the green. He's a very social dog and mixes well with other dogs. As for sleeps, he seems to be tuned to only sleep at bedtime, 10pm - he's out for the count!

Toulouse - He's not neutered.. I haven't had the heart to do it. You don't recommend Bakers? Why??

Cú Giobach

Daisygirl wrote: »

Hi Seamus,

I've been told he's a cross between a border collie and bernese, he has short legs and a big body. I've left him inside on a few occasions but again his destructive streak meant that he couldn't be trusted inside, he tore up the carpet on the stairs.
He has free run of the house when there is someone there, the back door is always open and he sleeps inside every night on the landing.

I have exactly the same cross, he's 4 and looks like a relatively stocky collie.
As with all collies and most collie X's he need a lot of mental stimulation to keep him sane. Collies don't entertain themselves very well and do need and thrive on directed activities, instead of just walking him, you could try a good game of fetch or hiding things and getting him to find them included in the walk.
It's quite important on the walk to make sure he follows you instead of letting him do his own thing, as this will give him him something to concentrate on and will tire him out much better than if his mind is all over the place sniffing this and that.
Unfortunately 5 hours a day alone will result in a very bored collie no matter how much you walk him, remember these dogs were bred for a full days hard work in the fields, and to follow human commands very precisely.

You really should stop leaving out food for him during the day and get him to eat at certain regular times, and go through a little routine of getting him to do something before you give him food, eg sit, lie down etc (he will love it trust me)

ISDW

Get him off the Bakers asap, especially the puppy food, at his age he should be on big dog food:D Bakers is full of additives - if you fed your kids McDonalds every day, would you expect them to be a bit hyper? Same thing with the dog.

Have you tried feeding him in a kong? If you mix his food up with something,maybe a tin of sardines, and then stuff a giant kong with it, put it in the freezer overnight, then give it to him as you're leaving in the morning, it should keep him busy for a while. It will also tire him out mentally, as you seem to be doing the physical stuff with him.

moving_home

I would take him off the Bakers. My mam usually feeds red mills but ran out and bought baker’s one day and it sent the dog crazy! I mean pure hyper cos it is full of colours. It is worse than pedigree imo as my mam fed her dog pedigree a couple of times when she ran out before and it didn’t send the dog half as mad.

Try to get him onto a better quality food depending on what you can afford… if you want to post your food budget people can recommend the best food in that price range…there are higher quality foods available in the €40 bracket which is what I assume a 15kg bag of bakers costs.

You need to switch gradually though (over the space of about 10days) to avoid giving the dog an upset tummy. Give about 75% of bakers 25% new food then gradually increase the new food and reduce bakers.

Toulouse

Bakers just isn't a good food and puppy foods tend to have high protein whereas your dog is a big boy and doesn't need it anymore. High protein foods can contribute to behavioural issues. Steer clear of supermarket brands which tend to have lots of colours and additives to make it look pretty for consumers so they think they are buying the best food and get him onto a good complete food such as the ones I've mentioned above.

Neutering is not a heartless thing to do, it is part of being a responsible owner and as well as preventing unwanted litters and also your dog going missing when there's a female in heat nearby it has lots of health benefits too. It prevents alot of prostate problems and also removes the risk of testicular cancer. Have a read of this http://www.dogsindistress.org/neutering.php and please strongly consider it. It's a very small op for a male dog and can make a big difference.

seamus

Daisygirl wrote: »

Toulouse - He's not neutered.. I haven't had the heart to do it.

He's a dog, he doesn't have an ego. He doesn't know what his balls are or what they're for, and he won't miss them when they're gone. From his point of view, he'll be a little uncomfortable down there for a couple of days and after that it's business as usual. He won't be pining over missed opportunities

I do understand, but you have to remember that a dog has no idea what biology is or what it does. He won't resent you for being neutered any more than he would resent you for getting a mole removed.

Toulouse gives a good link with the massive number of health benefits to getting the dog neutered.

moving_home

You can get these treat balls that you feed the dogs kibble in so I would recommend getting a large one of these and give it to him when you are leaving him alone. It will take him a good while to eat the food and also he will have to think about how to get it out rather than just eating straight from a bowl.
I love watching my dog nudge it around the garden trying to get all the food out! It’s just another way of stimulating them.

This is the one I have
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_toys_dog_training/kongs/kong/139263

Chris_Heilong

Sweeping statement yes but I think Collies(and Collies mixes) are a bit too much dog for most households and I am always concerned with the amount of house hold that get one without knowing the amount of stimulation it needs each day, I always though they would make good sled dogs as they are just balls of energy bouncing around the place and IMO could out stamina any other breed, even a husky.

who the fug

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Sweeping statement yes but I think Collies(and Collies mixes) are a bit too much dog for most households and I am always concerned with the amount of house hold that get one without knowing the amount of stimulation it needs each day, I always though they would make good sled dogs as they are just balls of energy bouncing around the place and IMO could out stamina any other breed,

And to smart to pull some loafer around on a sled

Jackasaurus rex

I had problems like that with a terrier I have. didn't matter how much stimulation he received. if something was there that he would enjoy wrecking he would wreck it. solution: leave him his toys and such but put anything you dont want them at out of their reach. pain in the hole but had to be done

Cú Giobach

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Sweeping statement yes but I think Collies(and Collies mixes) are a bit too much dog for most households and I am always concerned with the amount of house hold that get one without knowing the amount of stimulation it needs each day, I always though they would make good sled dogs as they are just balls of energy bouncing around the place and IMO could out stamina any other breed, even a husky.

My routine with a Bernse-CollieX and a GSD-CollieX is a 4 mile trot next to me on a bicycle to the beach, an hour or 2 retrieving a tennis ball (with a throwing stick), swimming, walking the cliffs, all mixed up with commands Lie Down, Sit, Stop, Crawl at a distance and close up, and then the 4 mile trot home.
On the bike I can sit back and with the GSD-Collie as lead (she obeys Left, Right, Straight On, Stop , etc) they will pull me along.
This only just keeps them quiet and during heavy weather after 2 days of just "regular" walking they start acting up, getting very hyper playing with each other and remodeling the garden.

I would pity those two dogs living in a household with just a short walk and run around a park, they would really go insane.

wendyjohnson

My dog when we first got him used to enjoy chewing cords and cables. Being a stealthy chewer, I would only discover his handy work when I am trying to use the said equipment. There were quite a few times when I had to explain to the IT department what happened to my notebook charger.

In addition to all the other awesome advice, I would say try to take your dog to some basic training. I find it to be a very good way to bond with my dog teaching him tricks. I heard agility training also helps. It keep their mind focused.

I also got him a puzzle toy similar to this one to keep him occupied.

Good luck!
Wendy

Lady Lainy

I'd agree, get he neutered, and take him off bakers. there are ALOT of additives in bakers...additives which are actually banned in alot of countries in Europe.
The toys alot of people have mentioned are Kongs, you can prob pick them up cheap on ebay. you can cram it full with dog nuts.

Original function..the Bernese in him are endurance dogs designed to pull sleds. and the collies are naturally high intense energy and intelligent. so you got high energy dog than can go for hours and hours. School holidays will be starting soon, are there any students living near by that you'd trust to be a dog walker?

If your based in dublin take a look at DTI Doggie Daycare. great for hyper active dogs. they get to run around all day playing with other dogs. If your down in cork, there is Creedons Doggie Daycare.

You can also get bitter spray in most pet shops you can spray on things to deter them from chewing.