Puppy advice, please!!

LoraF83

I used to be a dog trainer (positive reinforcement) and I think your dog is doing these things because it gets your attention. Good attention or bad attention, dogs are like kids.....they just want your attention. And even if it gets him smacked and yelled at, you're still talking to him and touching him.

He needs distraction. Go to a pet supply store and get a kong toy. You fill it with treats (bones, peanut butter, chicken stock & then freeze, etc) and the dog has to work to get the food out. Start him in some obedience classes too. Being able to give him a command instead of yelling at him will go a long way towards correcing the behavior.

Also, every bad behavior needs a replacement. Instead of taking off with your things, why not teach him to fetch and return a ball? Or bring in the newspaper? He needs something to do! Mental and physical stimulation are super important.

Good luck!

tequila09

They make anti-chew sprays that may work. My puppy is like immune to them though.

You can try a squirt bottle. Put it on the stream part and if they do a behavior you don't like spray their feet or body to get them distracted.

Also, we've been told not to use the kennel as punishment. Especially if that's where they sleep or need to be when you're away. The kennel should be a happy and safe place for them.

This!!!! Though I can't use the spray shampoo on my dog now because she's traumatized from the spray bottle

korsicash

Dogs do not feel guilt, it is a human emotion. He knows you are mad. You have made it okay to chew cloth by giving him cloth toys. Dogs are black and white. If one cloth is his and okay to chew on the rest is too. Make sure all of his toys look different and are of different texture than the things you do not want him chewing on. Then same as when kids are little if you can not be looking at him have him contained. Also sounds like he has a lot of pent up energy take him for runs and lots of walks the more tired he is the better he will behave and have and outlet for that destructive energy.

wild_wild_life

You are getting some great advice here. The point about exercise is really important.

He has no way of knowing what is appropriate to chew and what is not. Your job is to teach him that in a gentle yet firm and consistent way. Make sure he has plenty of appropriate chew toys. When he's chewing on those, praise him. When he tries to take anything else into his mouth, gently take it from him, tell him no, and replace it with something appropriate. He'll learn. Punishment is not required. When you can't be there to monitor him, keep those things out of his reach as much as possible.

arctiknitter

I strongly suggest that you look into a dog training class that you can do with your dog. You've gotten many good tips from people here, but it's very helpful to have a chance to practice with a dog trainer. And it's fun.
I had many bad habits to unlearn from watching my father use physical force on our pets and the best thing my husband and I ever did was to take several training classes with our pets. We have happy well behaved dogs (three big ones) and we are happy and know how to behave as pet parents now.
Please look into a local dog training class.

_the_feniks_

Bitter Apple spray works pretty well.

tabbydog

You shouldn't smack him, or put him in his kennel. You should take the inappropriate item from him and give him one of his own toys. You should also lock the doggy door if he takes off outside with your things! You can re-open it after he has learned better. Lots of exercise too should help. He shouldn't be teething any more at his age, so likely he is bored. Exercise will help that. Take him for long walks or take him running, or get a neighborhood kid to come run with him during the day.

Homer3D

A couple of things.

It is almost impossible to teach a dog what “NOT” to do if you don’t let him know what he “CAN” do. I like to teach a dog the difference between right and wrong, which is acceptable behavior and what is not. Like jumping on the sofa, not acceptable. Laying by our feet while we (the humans) sit on the sofa, acceptable.

You can punish him for doing something wrong, like chewing your clothes, but you must also reward him for doing something right. You must also remember, to him it is a game. So if he is chewing your clothes and you go to pull it from him, well now it is a game of tug and war. Which is fun for him and he is going to want to do it again. When he “plays” with your clothes, correct him. When he is playing with his toys, reward him (play with him, give him a treat, etc)

You will need to start with some conditioning. A sound plus act that will tell him what he is doing it wrong. Cesar Millan’s favorite ways is that “SHHH” sound he makes with a 3 finger claw like tap to the hips. You can also use a spray bottle/water gun combined with a word/phrase. What you are basically doing is changing the dog’s mindset so his focus changes from “play time” to “I need to pay attention”.

Physical exercise is important too. A dog that young will need at least 1 hour of walking/jogging a day (depending on the breed). Don’t forget about mental exercise as well. Get a kong toy and put a treat in it and watch him spend hours trying to figure out how to get it.

Also, do not use the kennel as a punishment. That should be his “house” and a place he feels safe. With my dog, when it is time for bed all I say is “bed time” and he runs over to his crate and lays down. This is how you want your dog to feel about his crate and not fear it.

asasser2002

It sounds like he may need more physical and mental stimulation. They make puzzles for dogs now and all kinds of treat holders where the dog has to "work" to get the treats. I've trained dogs like this to run on a treadmill also.

arickim

Since we brought Chili home(he was a few months old and not 6 months) he has had his own pair of shoes to chew on, socks to chew on, and toys. He has never went for anything other than his own stuff, but does like chewing on the way.

delilah47

Positive reinforcement is the only way to go with animals. Kudos for adopting from the shelter. Maybe your puppy was disowned for the same behavior he's showing you. Sometimes a basic training class is all it takes to learn how to manage your pooch. Every dog and owner should attend one, the younger the better. Good luck!

lmeslie

Dogs do not "feel guilty"...they only become afraid of you. Smacking is not a form of communication in the dog world, so he/she does not understand what or why you are doing it, and all you are doing is losing your dogs trust in you. Kennel should not be used for punishment, they need to be there so the dog feels he has a safe place to go. As some other people have said, try giving him more exercise in the form of walks or jogs, and us the distraction method just as you would a baby. When he grabs something of your to chew on, tell him no and as you grab it from him, replace it with one of his toys.

This is so true...we have worked a lot with a dog behavior specialist for our dog and she's doing amazing now! I suggest hiring a professional and stopping the punishment immediately. The behavior will only get worse (proof is that you have been using punishment and the behavior is getting worse). Dogs love any attention so the attention your dog gets from you for being destructive is reinforcing as well, even if it is negative attention. I can't stress exercise, positive reinforcement, and hiring a professional enough.

SyntonicGarden

Raising a puppy is awesome, especially when they become well-behaved dogs. Patience is important, since the pup can tell when you're stressed and might not know how you want him to react.

1) Learn about the breed if you can. I have a herding dog who damn near killed me trying to herd me down the stairs when she was a puppy. Once I figured out what she was doing, it made it easier to address it. If you have a breed that's more likely to chew, knowing is half the battle.

2) Puppy-proof your home, just as you would child-proof it if the dog were a child. Use baby gates. Get trash cans with lids. Put your hamper in a closet if you can.

3) As another person suggested, products like "Bitter Apple" work wonders. You spray it on things like your dirty socks (if that's what the pup goes after) and it keeps them from chewing. (Spray the baby gates and trash cans with bitter apple too)

4) Research "crate training" since the crate / cage can be used constructively instead of as punishment. This will make things easier down the road, since the dog will be bigger and more difficult to get into the crate when you need him in there. It'll also help with "potty training" If you crate train and train them not to destroy his home, he'll be less likely to destroy yours.

5) Teach the pup the type of behaviour you want him to learn. Many pet stores have obedience classes that help with that. Once the dog knows what's "good" behaviour, it'll be easier for both of you. And use puppy size dog cookies or individual pieces of kibble and pet him as rewards.

6) Exercise, exercise, exercise! Puppies are high energy and a LOT of work. They need a lot of time outside. They also have teeny tiny bladders and intestines, so like babies, they eat a lot and make a lot of poop. Sometimes, they'll act out as a way of saying they need to go out.

7) Age appropriate toys. Rawhide might be too hard for little puppy teeth. Nylabone makes a puppy bone. Kong makes a puppy treat that you can fill with peanut butter. Be careful with things like tennis balls, especially if unsupervised, as an ambitious pup can devour half of one when you're not looking. (Only need to learn THAT lesson once, while mopping up bright yellow puppy puke foam and crying to the vet on the phone.)

One more thing to add - There are situational behaviours that can be good and bad, which can be confusing for the dog. If you don't want the dog to beg at the table when company is over, don't feed the dog from the table, period. The dog can't tell when it's ok and not ok to beg at the table. If you don't want the dog to chew your $150 pumps, don't teach him to chew on old shoes when he's a pup.

And when all else fails, when you're completely frustrated, remind yourself that he really is cute and really just wants to be loved.

blair_bear

Have you tried those rawhide bones?

I have, but he doesn't chew on them--he just buries them.

rawhide isn't really great for dogs, I use bully sticks instead.

vltaylor35

i think he needs more exercise. i hve 2 one year old cairn terrirs and one does the same thing if she misses a walk or i try to shorten a walk. despite being very smll my 2 need about 2 hours exercise a day

NotReadyForMomJeans

Our trainer told us to use an empty pop/beer can, throw some pennies into it and tape off the top. When the dog did something wrong we'd shake the can (which he HATED). He quickly learned which actions brought out the can, so he stopped. This only works if you catch the dog doing something wrong...doing it after the fact would only confuse it

iLoveMyPitbull1225

I have a 13 month old Pit Bull puppy and he is much like your description, but gotten much better. Here are a few suggestions:

1) keep a spray bottle of 50/50 vinegar and water in it, and spray him when he does the bad act, along with a firm ( not a yell) NO. They never forget this feeling or smell.

2) When he does this he is likely bored, or wanting your attention to play or something. Puppies need stimulation and chewing is an outlet. keep him as active as possible when possible. A GOOD PUPPY IS A TIRED PUPPY trust me. We took my pit camping this weekend for just two days and he slept for about 12 hours striaght when we got home...he missed his couch and the AC.

moving on..

3) Stop the behavior as soon as you see it happening, and replace it with a toy that he IS allowed to chew on. He might come
to learn what he can and cannot chew on. praise him for doing the right thing.

hkevans724

I have a dog (a mutt) I got from the local humane society about 5 months ago. He's just over a year old, so he still acts pretty puppy-ish, which I understand. He loves to chew on things, so I make sure he's got plenty of toys--his "baby" (a teddy bear), balls, chew toys, etc, but lately he's been getting more destructive--taking books off the bookshelf and ripping them up and taking my clothes outside to chew on. Usually he only does it when I'm not paying attention, but this morning he ran into my room with me standing right there, and grabbed some clothes off the bed and ran out the doggy door with them! He gets punished for being destructive (smacked and put in the kennel), and he knows it's wrong because he gets a guilty look and runs away from me, but he keeps doing it. I take him on walks and play with him in the evenings. Any advice on how to get him to stop??

He probably just loves you and wants your attention. Some dogs are needier than others. Spending some more time with him

PeaceCorpsKat

I am sooo lucky my dog never did this... Anyway, try doggie Day care, so he has the ability to burn off his energy in the day. Give plenty of good chew items, and keep others out of reach. Kennel him when you aren't around.

DieselGrrl

Have you tried re-directing his behavior? I was always told that if you see them being destructive, to correct their behavior by re-directing it. With my dog, if i saw him licking table legs or doing anything close to chewing or being destructive, I would "pop" his nose or behind, not hard mind you, just enough to get his attention. and say "NO". Then offer him something he is allowed to chew on. Once he began chewing on that, I would re-inforce the behavior by praising him for chewing on the correct thing. This may not be the exact way to do it, but I can tell you that my dog has never chewed up or torn anything he wasnt allowed to. But he does still lick the table legs, LOL. Consistency is key when dog training. Good luck and I hope this helps!

Katanthus

I wouldn't use his kennel as punishment... it should be his safe place, because if you ever need to crate him, he will feel he is being punished.

He has a LOT of energy... take him for a long walks.

Use a low serious voice when telling him off, high pitched, tells them you are out of control... "NO" Don't tell him off hours after you find the problem..he doesn't know what he is being told off for.

Always praise good things.. "good sit" "good stay" or whatever.

llahairdna

It sounds to me that he has a lot of pent up energy and so I would suggest taking him for some power walks and make sure that his mind and body are being exercised. At that age, but still have the puppy tendencies, the best thing that I have found in my experience are walks. Wear them out!

I took him out for SEVEN miles one day, and he still wanted to throw the ball for an hour afterwards. It's amazing, because he's only about 15 lbs and his legs are short. You'd think he'd have been worn out, but no.

Whoa! Is he a Jack Russel mix? It isn't necessarily about the physical exercise, he needs mental exercise. He needs a challenge, something to focus that energy on. Training, Training, Training! You may even look into flyball or agility.

I used to have a Jack Russel, and he looks just like her, so I suspect that he is. When he wants something, his ears go up and he looks like a Chihuahua, so I think he's a mix of the two. Not sure that's a good thing. Ha! Everyone thinks he's a lab puppy when they first look at him, but he's full-grown--pretty stinking cute.

To everyone--thank you for all of the advice! As far as the kennel goes, he doesn't sleep in it (he's actually really good at night--he sleeps on my son's bed and doesn't get up until my son does, or he hears my alarm), and he doesn't stay in there during the day, so that's why I have used it when I catch him doing something bad. I'll definitely start exercising him even more and work with him on some tricks--maybe I can divert his mind from being destructo-pup.

jah0217

We train, breed, and sell dogs. My husband uses our dogs day in and day out to work cows.

The biggest thing is additional exercise. You have to remember that most dog breeds were refined for a specific working purpose, but in today's world, many don't do what years of genetic refining has designed them for.

The mental exercise can be also just as important. I had a heeler pup one time that would dig out of the kennel every time my husband took the other dog to work. We got her one of those Kong toys with the treats, problem solved! She was kept mentally active enough to not worry about being alone.

All that being said, he will still need some training to fully correct your issue. Don't go neuter your dog just to fix this, sorry, that is just ignorant and lazy. Although it may help some, him being "attached" isn't the issue, the behavior is. If you want to neuter him for a variety of other reasons, great, but not just to "fix" him.

The squirt bottle works great and hopefully that will fix it. If not, a little smack on the butt (not his face!) to get his attention is not a bad thing. What we do when we catch a dog with something that is not theirs is try to verbally stop him ("break" or "drop it"), move to the squirt bottle or spank, and then IMMEDIATELY offer them what they can have. When the "take" their toy, get very excited and praise them. Most dogs just need to figure out what makes YOU happy, and they will bend over backwards to do it. If it makes you happy when they chew on a certain thing, they will try to do it.

khk2010

Have you taken him to training classes? That would help both of you. Smacking him and crating isn't really the best corrective measure. I use positive reinforcement to work with our difficult dog. It also sounds like your dog really wants attention even if it's negative attention. There are a lot of techniques to help. Do some research.

We have a smart working dog so he needs mental challenges. We do things like put his food into an empty plastic water bottle and hide it. Have him go find it. Takes him a while to find it and them a while to get it out of the bottle. The other thing is to wear him out. Most dogs need a lot more exercise than they get. A happy dog is tired dog.

Dogs go through phases and will keep changing. At about year 2 they usually calm down and become much easier.

Dog training is a lot of work. It's hard to be patient all the time with a young dog so hang in there.

KellyMirth

I advocate a repeat of what a lot of people have already said 1.) Neuter him (if he isn't already) 2.) Daily exercise 3.) No hitting ever 4.) His crate should never be punishment 5.) Train him. Consistent, daily training (even 5-10 mins) is a huge help. Mostly what you're doing is conditioning the dog (and yourself) that you are the pack leader. Positive reinforcement is awesome, but correction (vocal is best) is acceptable as well. My favorite command of all time is "leave it". I worked with all of my dogs on this one because it is so important. To this day, any of my dogs will stop in their tracks if I tell them to "leave it". I could drop a juicy steak on the kitchen floor and they will not touch it. As for grabbing things when you're not around, honestly either keep him in your sight or don't leave stuff in his reach. Puppies are like toddlers and the house needs to be dog proofed. As he gets older, he will get calmer but without training he will never be trustworthy left alone (unless he's crated.)

zenchild

Dogs don't understand being punished. They don't hit each other so to him you're just being mean. NEVER put him in the kennel as punishment. The kennel should be a safe, calm place to relax.
The "guilty look"? That's just fear. He sees that you're mad and ears back, head down, and crouching are appeasement behaviors. He can tell you're mad and he's trying to be submissive. He knows you're angry but he has no idea why.
At a year old he's too young to be unsupervised. If you can't have your eyes on the puppy, the puppy is in the crate (with a chewy). He needs two good 30-minute walks a day (hard walking, not strolling) to get his body tired and some training sessions to get his mind tired. He's bored and he has pent-up energy. Take care of that and you'll see a dramatic change.
Give him a variety of things to chew and play with. Bully sticks are safer than rawhide (if he swallow a chunk he can get a blockage). A Kong toy is good. Put a portion of his breakfast inside, seal the end with a smear of peanut butter and freeze it overnight. After he gets a good walk in the morning, put him in his crate with his frozen Kong while you get ready. It'll keep him busy and happy.
There are a few excellent books you can read to get a better idea of why he does what he does and how he thinks. "Don't Shoot the Dog" and "Culture Clash" come to mind. Also find a training class. Besides teaching him to sit, stay, come and walk nicely on a leash, it will teach him that you are in charge (all the time, even if there are dogs over there that he REALLY wants to sniff).

KStambulic

Dogs do not "feel guilty"...they only become afraid of you. Smacking is not a form of communication in the dog world, so he/she does not understand what or why you are doing it, and all you are doing is losing your dogs trust in you. Kennel should not be used for punishment, they need to be there so the dog feels he has a safe place to go. As some other people have said, try giving him more exercise in the form of walks or jogs, and us the distraction method just as you would a baby. When he grabs something of your to chew on, tell him no and as you grab it from him, replace it with one of his toys.

This is what I was going to say also. My dogs all love their kennels: I never use it to punish them. He might benefit from an agility class or dog park where he can socialize with other dogs. If he is a high energy dog like a jack russell or herding dog, good luck! They get obsessive quite easily when they are bored.

KStambulic

Dogs do not "feel guilty"...they only become afraid of you. Smacking is not a form of communication in the dog world, so he/she does not understand what or why you are doing it, and all you are doing is losing your dogs trust in you. Kennel should not be used for punishment, they need to be there so the dog feels he has a safe place to go. As some other people have said, try giving him more exercise in the form of walks or jogs, and us the distraction method just as you would a baby. When he grabs something of your to chew on, tell him no and as you grab it from him, replace it with one of his toys.

This is what I was going to say also. My dogs all love their kennels: I never use it to punish them. He might benefit from an agility class or dog park where he can socialize with other dogs. If he is a high energy dog like a jack russell or herding dog, good luck! They get obsessive quite easily when they are bored.

Oops, posted twice and can't delete it, sorry.

CapsFan17

My parents vet gave them a book when we got a puppy and my mom gave me a copy when I addopted my mutt. Its called 'How to be Your Dogs Best Friend' by the Monks of New Skeete. It has been a life saver! I highly recomend this book to anyone who gets a dog. I even gave a copy to my sister in law when she addopted her dog.

julierogers68

I have a 1.5 yr old Black Lab and she is an eating machine, so I feel your pain. But I agree with a lot of these replies when I say that and exhausted dog is a non-destructive dog. The best way you're going to keep your pup from destroying your stuff it to keep him well exercised. If you don't have time to take him for really long walks you can try getting him mind games for inside. For example, if he's food oriented like my dog, they make games to find the food. of my savior was the purple saucer, that you put kibble inside and they push it around the house to get the kibble out. I used to give her a lot of her daily food that way. You can also try scheduling play dates with a dog he likes. I do that still especially on rainy days.

I agree, that yelling or smacking is going to be much less effective than setting your pup up for success from the start with a lot of exercise, toys that keep their mind and body active and putting away anything that really matters.

I must confess, I still have difficulty with her destroying the toilet paper every time I put a new roll on, but for the most part the saucer and a LOT of exercise saved my furniture.

Good luck!!

Julie