Might need a new home

[BelleMere03]

Yes, we are very cautious with her running. We weren't going to at all bc of her breed, but he follows her lead.. and it's not a whole lot. She doesn't have a lot of crazy time even at 12 months. She has a very calm temperament. She just doesn't like to be left alone. It seems like her destruction is more anxiety and frustration to me. With 3 young kids that are crazy about her she gets more stimulation than she'd like haha, this is a busy household and she's in the middle of it all.

 

[JennQ]

My pup is about 8months now and is a complete TERROR when he is not exercised. I to am a very busy person, I do not have kids but I work full time and am doing my Masters so I can appreciate how busy and stressed you are, it is not easy to juggle so many things. I do anything I can that will keep his mind active, his body moving and his mouth busy! For example, in the mornings Gunner and I are up before the sun and we go for a 30 minute power walk (I power walk he saunters and pees on everything), thenwhen we get home I give him his breakfast, which is a big frozen raw meaty bison bone, that occupies him and helps to tire him out more while I am getting ready for work, then I crate him up and give him a giant antler.

When I am home, I take every spare moment and we play in the backyard or in the house, this play will be either mental or physical or a combination, this can range anywhere from 20 mins to over an hour depending on my schedule. When I put him in his crate I try to always have something to occupy him, somthing that is safe for him to do that does need need supervision, like his kong with a treat in it.

I find that even in my busiest times if I can only squeeze in 15-20 minutes of play in the morning, and then at least 30 mins in the late afternoon, and about 20-30 minutes in the evening before bed, he is a completely different dog (for the good) than if I were to only let him out in the yard to do his business. Excercise, albeit mental or physical y (both or important) a few times a day makes a world of difference!!! It helps with his separation anxiety, his destructive behvaiour in and outside of the house, and his obedience, and is fair to him, boredom can lead to many many behaviour problems! A tired dog generally speakign does not feel the need nor have the energy to eat my coffee table! A bored dog however, does have the energy and the will to rip up my cedar bushes and dig to China in my backyard!

 

[BelleMere03]

great post JennQ, thank you!

 

[JennQ]

Just checking into to see how things are going for you..... I hope things are going ok!

 

[natsan6]

aww she looks so much like my Jagger, I hope you have found some stuff to keep her busy You can freeze her kongs with peanut butter that will take her longer and tire her out, I also use the Everlasting Treat Ball...they love them, you can either load it with the treat they sell for it and that takes awhile (unless they figure out how to pop it out and eat it whole which is what my foster did) but Jagger takes his time with it, but once the treat is gone it has slits in the inside you can fill with kibble or treats that they have to REALLY work hard to get out. Not to mention when he is doing this it rolls everywhere and he chases it around the house hahaha! As far as the yard and kid toys go I went with the "if you can't beat em join em" approach, (I have 6 kids so lots of toys) I got Jagger his own soccer ball and soft balls and stuffies. I have even gone as far as letting him "keep" some of the stuffies of the kids he has claimed (my 3yr olds brown bear) Samuel is sort of his pick ya know and I think it makes him less stressed to have his teddy that smells just like his boy in the crate with him (I know it sounds crazy) he will look for it if it isn't in there lol! If he picks up the other kids toys they just go get his and replace it for theirs he is slowly figuring out which ones are "his". For the potty trips outside my trainer suggested that we cord off a decent size square in the yard and leash him every time go to that spot and wait until he goes, praise praise praise each time and he will know that is his "potty" spot and will go on a more consistent time table. I have very little time around here as well and honestly I use what I can when I can up to and including my kids. I will hand them treats and just have them stand in different areas of the yard and call him(works his recall) they each make him sit, down then treat until Jagger gives up lays down and wouldn't move if you dangled a steak in front of him hahaha. He barks at anything with wheels (playfully) so my 1st grader will say "mom I'm gonna give Jagger some exercise" and she gets on her bike and he follows her at a little jog barking and playing the whole time until again he plops down and is done. There are ways to get in the exercise even if you don't have time for structured walks, get creative and use who you have to help you and it will work out look for little things that she likes to mess with (2liters even frozen, the kids balls, old water hoses whatever) and get one of your kiddos to throw it around for a few minutes. Jagger even likes whole apples cored stuffed with peanut butter and that keeps him busy and his jaw moving. Some might think this is crazy but I think "lovies" with our scent on it helps sooth separation anxiety anything from one of your kids blankets or one of your old t-shirts that sort of thing (of course if she starts shredding any of this stuff you'll have to remove it to keep her from ingesting it). There are sprays of different tastes and smells you can try for the furniture destruction but solving the boredom is more effective. I hope it works out, sorry for the long post she just looks so much like my Jagger that it tugged at my heart strings. It is tough to find the time but don't pigeon hole yourself into trying to go with the standard exercise and busy routines you can get creative and make it fit in your life and time and your dog will be just as happy good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

What a sad situation this is and I hope that you find a way to help her and keep her in your life. The idea of her being taken away (Already having anxiety) is horrible. I do commend you for the effort that you are putting forth. I understand how hard it is. I raised two pitbulls (Ruger, 7 weeks, is my first Mastiff) and three kids at the same time and for the first 1 & 1/2 years of my Dukes life I threatened to get rid of him every day!!!! He was awesome, intelligent, well mannered, absolutely loved the boys...you couldn't ask for a better pup BUT he was an absolute nightmare when it came to destroying stuff!! If I wasn't home...He ate EVERYTHING!!! He chewed a hole through my wall...Yes, I could see to the other side, and he got very sick and cost me a mountain of money from the insulation. He dismantled my entire lawn mower while I was at work one day. He was wandering through the house, went into my bedroom, and by the time I got hom everything in it was ruined! The list goes on and on. I told myself everyday when I came back to the house (It made no difference how long I was gone 1 min - 8 hours) that he had to go!!! That there was just so much I could do. I loved him SO much, he belonged to me and I belonged to him...I couldn't do it. I walked him until I couldn't get up, I bought every toy in the world (human and dog), We ran, we played, I bought him a trampoline (He LOVED it!) to no avail......

When Duke was just about 1 & 1/2 years old and I was exhausted I still loved him but I was finding it difficult to like him and just knew that I would eventually have to remove him from my home then one day, while at a yard sale, I found a sit & spin (Depending on your age you may not remember these) and I bought it because I thought it would be so cool to give it to my boys as I hadn't seen one for so many years. I took it home, showed the boys (They were not impressed, by the way) and it sat in the middle of the kitchen when I went to bed. Suddenly, I heard such a racket, that scared me to death and I ran out into the kitchen and Duke was trying to spin the thing and it would spin for a second and then lose it's grip on the floor, at which point he would sling it all around the kitchen (Talk about some costly damage). He loved that damn thing, though!! The next day I took everything out of the "spare" room and put the sit and spin in there and he went to town (but the damage to walls was too much) He could spin it for a while and it would lose it grip and he would then sling it around until he managed (accidentally) to set it right again (this took awhile and wore him out) and he would spin it again. I ended up buying the gym mats, putting velcro strips on the wall and lining the walls in that room halfway up with the mats....The room became what the kids would later dub "Dukes workout room" and, although, he chewed a few things up over the years after that.....they were your usual little thing and the next 14 years I enjoyed my best friend, he grew up with my babies, watched over all of us and the memories still live in my heart. I couldn't ask for a better dog and I am pretty sure that I would have never been able to truly decide to let him go I am sure glad that I didn't have to find out. Your "sit and spin" could be the next thing you find, who knows what it may be.......I know you are having such a difficult time but keep trying! May an accidental purchase allow you to reclaim your home soon! WOW! I do apologize for this lengthy post, this story really hit home for me. I wish you the best of luck.

 

[BelleMere03]

Natsan6:
A lot of great advice, thank you. Yes, she really does shred mostly everything.. so I cant leave those sentimental things with her (like kids toys, blankets and such w our scent). She even eats rocks while she digs, fortunately none too big that I dont find them in her poop the next day, lol. But she is getting better. We are getting better as well, at engaging her in activity and attention more often. She still never leaves my side (she is currently sleeping on my feet as I type), but seems to be having less anxiety when Im away. I think age is helping too and I just need to have more patience and persevere. Im going to try some of your suggestions, she has no interest for kongs surprisingly.. but I stuffed treats and didnt try peanut butter. She loves pulling empty water bottles out of hollow toys and demolishing them, but I have to sit and watch her so I can take it away when it starts coming to pieces. A two liter might be more her size. And going to let my kids have more of a part in some of her training. Thank you!

 

[Smart_Family]

They love stuffed kongs! Especially stuffed with peanut butter and frozen or stuffed with mashed bananas and yogurt and frozen. So glad you're hanging in there!

 

[BelleMere03]

Rugers-Kris:

Wow, brought a few tears.. thank you for that!

---------- Post added at 10:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:32 PM ----------

They love stuffed kongs! Especially stuffed with peanut butter and frozen or stuffed with mashed bananas and yogurt and frozen. So glad you're hanging in there!

Thanks!

 

[BelleMere03]

They love stuffed kongs! Especially stuffed with peanut butter and frozen or stuffed with mashed bananas and yogurt and frozen. So glad you're hanging in there!

Thanks!

---------- Post added at 10:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------

JennQ:

Things are actually getting better! Ive have taken advice given, and that, combined with her continuing to mature, has yielded some positive results. Still a destroying machine of course, but way better. In fact, my husband accidently left her loose in the house when he took the kids to see a movie yesterday (not in her crate), and was on the phone with me when he walked into the house to be greeted by her. We both were petrified on what we were about to discover, but he walked around the house with me on the phone and found NOTHING touched. Wow. Last time I did that (left her loose on accident bc one of the kids had opened the crate before we left), there was mass destruction when I returned an hour later. So doing much better, THANKS!

 

[BelleMere03]

JennQ:

Things are actually getting better! Ive have taken advice given, and that, combined with her continuing to mature, has yielded some positive results. Still a destroying machine of course, but way better. In fact, my husband accidently left her loose in the house when he took the kids to see a movie yesterday (not in her crate), and was on the phone with me when he walked into the house to be greeted by her. We both were petrified on what we were about to discover, but he walked around the house with me on the phone and found NOTHING touched. Wow. Last time I did that (left her loose on accident bc one of the kids had opened the crate before we left), there was mass destruction when I returned an hour later. So doing much better, THANKS!

 

[BelleMere03]

From today. Her in the backyard while I worked on paperwork and kids played in pool, chilling in the shade. Then taking a nap afterwards, fast asleep sucking on her security toy, the only toy she has ever spared from destruction and that she goes to find for every nap and bedtime. (15 months)

 

[chuckorlando]

Awsome. I'm so glad things are going better. Most pups grow out of the terror stage. Every big pup I've ever had was a monster if given the chance. If my wife aint lost 30 pairs of leather shoes, she aint lost a one. TV remotes, my god our dane would rather eat a remote than a bone as a pup. Budda would carry 4ft 2x4's in the house, wind shield wiper blades, even ate a new bottle of no chew spray. Kona will tear into anything. She loves extension cords. She'll come in the shop and find a rolled up un pluged cord and ruin it.

Then they get older and lose some of that zoomzoom and just chill

 

[BelleMere03]

Well spoke too soon and jinxed myself. Bought a new patio rug and pool for the kids yesterday. She destroyed both this morning when the kids let her out. Hundreds of dollars in less than 24 hours. : (

 

[Jeri]

Hang in there!!

 

[Kelly]

It's those brindles...they're monkeys! Hang in there, glad to hear she's doing better....for the most part.

 

[natsan6]

I am glad to hear the positives, sorry for the negatives Jagger has developed a new found love for chewing on a gorgeous southwestern rug that my neighbor gave us and it makes me wanna strangle him so I am trying my best to enforce "off" whenever I catch him on it. I am trying to ingrain "his space" and his "no sir spaces" into his head, ugh up hill battle for sure. I am trying to be consistent lol. He has recently gotten himself busted opening the trash can and my closet (which kind of helped me win an argument with my husband that I indeed am not leaving out my shoes LOL) they are so smart the stinks! Hang in there and I am glad that the forum is proving helpful for you. It is a great place to vent also

 

[Mamie2shoes]

I send my kids outside for 15-20 min every afternoon when we get home from school to play. They have to runoff their energy with the dog. My girls kick their soccer ball a lot for Mamie to chase. Also, she LOVES the waterhose!!!!!!! If I spray the water, she chases the stream and tries to eat it. She begs for the water hose. This activity is great, wears her out in 10min. Hooves, I found hooves really are the longest lasting chew thing for our girl. And we go outside with her to potty, to make sure she does and now she won't do her business unless I am standing beside her. If I am not with her on the grass, she will come inside to my hardwood floors to go, errrrrrrghhhh. I hope things come along better for you.
Good luck