Any Ideas?

Johnny & Hope · 11-19-2012, 06:45 PM

I have a 5 yr old WGSD mostly an outdoor dog because I take care of my 87 yr old mother and have to respect her wishes. Any way I got pretty sick myself here awhile back and didn't spend much time outdoors with Hope. (Dogs name)
She did fine, but now that I'm feeling better and spending time outdoors Hope has developed some issues that I don't understand. At night she barks at nothing (I can tell by her tone) and when I go to the door to correct her she acts like she knows she's doing something she shouldn't, and after a couple times she quits. Also she has 2 dog houses with a canopy built between them for shade, she has started to dig there, I'm talking 2 ft x 1 1/2 ft deep. When I go outside after she has dug, she knows she's in trouble and keeps a distance but also acts very proud of herself. I tried putting a concrete block in the hole before filling it back in but that didn't work. Although I'd have loved to watch her pull that block out of there LOL. I even had someone suggest pouring household ammonia in the hole before filling it back in, didn't help. I haven't gotten all my strength back yet from my illness and it takes all I have in my tank to fill in the hole. I've always been pretty good at dealing with my dogs and their quirks but this has me puzzled. Any ideas?

llombardo · 11-19-2012, 07:56 PM

It sounds like boredom. Can you pay someone to exercise her a few times a week?

Johnny & Hope · 11-20-2012, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llombardo

It sounds like boredom. Can you pay someone to exercise her a few times a week?

Well like I said I could understand it if it would have happened when I was under the weather, and not spending time with her, but I have to build my strength back up, so we have been walking and playing like before. So why now when everything is getting back to normal?

Zeeva · 11-20-2012, 01:45 PM

You've got a lot on your plate taking care of your mom and having been sick.

I also suggest more exercise for Hope.

As far as the digging, have you caught her in the act and corrected her? My dogs like to dig as well, and I keep a close eye on them to prevent it. I WOULD NOT recommend pouring ammonia in the dirt where she digs because this could poison your pup :c

I'm glad you're correcting her for barking. I think she'll get it if you keep at it. Try giving her a command such as 'quiet' and then rewarding her for not barking after a few minutes. Repeat so she understands why she is being rewarded.

Also, have you tried clicker training?

Johnny & Hope · 11-21-2012, 03:18 PM

Thanks for the feedback all. It's almost like she's saying, "I was good while you were sick, now you owe me extra time" LOL Before if she barked it was because someone was close to the yard, and you could tell how close they were by her bark, so it's not like her barking was out of control before. Hopefully as things are getting back to normal, she will too. I decided to build a floor where she was digging, and since she only digs in one place, we'll see what happens.

msvette2u · 11-21-2012, 03:52 PM

GSDs are people dogs. They don't like living outdoors, apart from their humans.
Especially if she was inside before.
She's not retaliating, she's bored and needs outlets for her energy and her affection for you.
Give her stuffed kongs, have someone exercise her, etc. as others said.

RowdyDogs · 11-21-2012, 05:00 PM

The timing could be a fitness thing, at least in part. If she was lazing around while you were sick and now she's starting to get more exercise as you spend more time outdoors, she may be getting more fit and thus have more energy to spend, so now the boredom is showing up. Dogs get fitter a lot quicker than we do, particularly when we've been ill.

I agree with the others that those are classic boredom behaviors. Whatever the reason, I expect that she's understimulated. Hiring a dog walker or doing more obedience and other less physically intense but still mentally stimulating exercises might help. Correction won't do much good if she's bouncing off the walls with excess energy and nothing to do (and a bored dog can cause destruction in virtually any environment), so I'd focus on providing her more mental stimulation and/or exercise rather than coming up with creative ways to fill in the hole.

11-19-2012, 06:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
Johnny & Hope New Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 15	Any Ideas? I have a 5 yr old WGSD mostly an outdoor dog because I take care of my 87 yr old mother and have to respect her wishes. Any way I got pretty sick myself here awhile back and didn't spend much time outdoors with Hope. (Dogs name) She did fine, but now that I'm feeling better and spending time outdoors Hope has developed some issues that I don't understand. At night she barks at nothing (I can tell by her tone) and when I go to the door to correct her she acts like she knows she's doing something she shouldn't, and after a couple times she quits. Also she has 2 dog houses with a canopy built between them for shade, she has started to dig there, I'm talking 2 ft x 1 1/2 ft deep. When I go outside after she has dug, she knows she's in trouble and keeps a distance but also acts very proud of herself. I tried putting a concrete block in the hole before filling it back in but that didn't work. Although I'd have loved to watch her pull that block out of there LOL. I even had someone suggest pouring household ammonia in the hole before filling it back in, didn't help. I haven't gotten all my strength back yet from my illness and it takes all I have in my tank to fill in the hole. I've always been pretty good at dealing with my dogs and their quirks but this has me puzzled. Any ideas? __________________ Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge, Rascal Sable (GSD) Angel White (GSD) Lady Black&Tan (GSD) Goober Heinz 57 Daisy Black&Tan Shep. Mix Neil Heinz 57 Fritz Shep/Collie

11-19-2012, 07:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
llombardo Crowned Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,921	It sounds like boredom. Can you pay someone to exercise her a few times a week? __________________ Misty- Samoyed Mix Tannor- Golden Retriever CGC Robyn- German Shepherd CGC Cats-Thunder, Harley, Miley, Bandit, and Ferah RIP Boo..Black Lab "A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself."

11-20-2012, 01:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zeeva Knighted Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 2,261	You've got a lot on your plate taking care of your mom and having been sick. I also suggest more exercise for Hope. As far as the digging, have you caught her in the act and corrected her? My dogs like to dig as well, and I keep a close eye on them to prevent it. I WOULD NOT recommend pouring ammonia in the dirt where she digs because this could poison your pup :c I'm glad you're correcting her for barking. I think she'll get it if you keep at it. Try giving her a command such as 'quiet' and then rewarding her for not barking after a few minutes. Repeat so she understands why she is being rewarded. Also, have you tried clicker training? Last edited by Zeeva; 11-20-2012 at 01:47 PM.

11-21-2012, 03:18 PM	#5 (permalink)
Johnny & Hope New Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: West Central Missouri Posts: 15	Thanks for the feedback all. It's almost like she's saying, "I was good while you were sick, now you owe me extra time" LOL Before if she barked it was because someone was close to the yard, and you could tell how close they were by her bark, so it's not like her barking was out of control before. Hopefully as things are getting back to normal, she will too. I decided to build a floor where she was digging, and since she only digs in one place, we'll see what happens. __________________ Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge, Rascal Sable (GSD) Angel White (GSD) Lady Black&Tan (GSD) Goober Heinz 57 Daisy Black&Tan Shep. Mix Neil Heinz 57 Fritz Shep/Collie

11-21-2012, 03:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
msvette2u Banned Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 11,005	GSDs are people dogs. They don't like living outdoors, apart from their humans. Especially if she was inside before. She's not retaliating, she's bored and needs outlets for her energy and her affection for you. Give her stuffed kongs, have someone exercise her, etc. as others said.

11-21-2012, 05:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
RowdyDogs Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 450	The timing could be a fitness thing, at least in part. If she was lazing around while you were sick and now she's starting to get more exercise as you spend more time outdoors, she may be getting more fit and thus have more energy to spend, so now the boredom is showing up. Dogs get fitter a lot quicker than we do, particularly when we've been ill. I agree with the others that those are classic boredom behaviors. Whatever the reason, I expect that she's understimulated. Hiring a dog walker or doing more obedience and other less physically intense but still mentally stimulating exercises might help. Correction won't do much good if she's bouncing off the walls with excess energy and nothing to do (and a bored dog can cause destruction in virtually any environment), so I'd focus on providing her more mental stimulation and/or exercise rather than coming up with creative ways to fill in the hole.

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