Destructive Behavior....

Wally812 · 12-22-2011, 12:20 PM

My Sasha is going to be a year old on 12-31-11. Full GSD, beautiful, loving, but getting to be destructive.
Since we got her at 2 months old she has been crate trained.
After about 6 months of age, i started letting her out of the crate more and more when we weren't home or at night while we were sleeping. She was great up until a few weeks ago. I noticed that she started ripping up areas of carpeting (carpet is trashed anyways, we are getting it replaced soon...but beside the point) The rug by my front door was torn up and so on. I started putting the doggy gate up at night so she only had free roam of the bedrms at night instead of the entire house and she started tearing apart articles of clothing I had in a pile by my bed. 1 shirt one night...pair of jeans the next...then the other day she chewed a corner of my dresser drawer off.

She has TONS of bones, ropes, chew toys, etc. I have another dog and cat that she plays with, and have a decent size yard that she runs in 3-4 times daily. My husband has been walking her daily as well. I don't get it. I don't know why she does it or how to make it stop other then crating her at all times when we can't watch her. She does it when we aren't home, when we are sleeping AND while we are there and awake. BUT, she knows she does wrong...I no longer have to yell at her...as soon as I give her the look...she army crawls away from me and goes and sits by the back door or goes into her crate. Then I will go sit on the couch and she runs up to me like "i'm sorry mom"

I love her, she is like my kid...but I dont know how to stop this behavior.....Please help!

Shaina · 12-22-2011, 12:24 PM

She's not ready to be out of the crate yet. She is still a destructive puppy and needs an outlet to get her frustrations. How often do you train her, exercise her, etc? A mentally tired puppy is more likely to relax.

Emoore · 12-22-2011, 12:24 PM

She runs in the backyard 3-4 times a day and your husband walks her daily. Do you do any kind of training? Go to classes? I think the dog is bored. This is the time in her life when she needs the most training, exercise, and mental stimulation.

Crate her when you can't watch her, and increase the training and exercise.

qbchottu · 12-22-2011, 12:37 PM

She is not ready for free roam. Crate when you can't watch her.

kiya · 12-22-2011, 12:44 PM

She's young yet, she's going to push her limits. I would crate when you can't supervise and start with small amounts of freedom until you can trust her. Some dogs don't mature until 3 years old. My girl will be 2 in January, she is definately not fully matured and I don't fully trust her yet.
I agree that she's probably bored. Increasing the exercise would definately help. Walking and being loose in the yard doesn't tire them out.

Twyla · 12-22-2011, 01:03 PM

Definitely resume crating when away from home, when you are asleep or aren't able to supervise. I have a 15 mth old and there is no way I would leave him out of crate at any of those times. We do the occasional test runs and so far he just isn't ready.

I have a large yard Woolf runs in AND a 18 mth old lab as well to play with (I'm insane 2 pups at a time

) and that is still no where near enough exercise for him. With all the training and training play that is done with him, we barely reach the point we can say he's tired.

If you haven't begun training with your pup, definitely start. Mix in playing tug, 2 ball fetch and continue the walks. He'll be using up his mental and physical energy.

Gracie's My Girl · 12-22-2011, 05:36 PM

Destructive dogs are usually bored dogs. I would focus on increasing the amount of exercise. While walking is nice, it doesn't always provide all of the exercise needed. The best possible thing to do is get the dog running and use something like a ball as a training aid. Exercise plus training will leave you with a tired, happy dog.

lrodptl · 12-22-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gracie's My Girl

Destructive dogs are usually bored dogs. I would focus on increasing the amount of exercise. While walking is nice, it doesn't always provide all of the exercise needed. The best possible thing to do is get the dog running and use something like a ball as a training aid. Exercise plus training will leave you with a tired, happy dog.

Amen.

Wally812 · 12-23-2011, 08:48 AM

I do agree we need to put her in training. To be honest, I have looked around and have not found anyone that I truly liked. I have done some training with her at home...but although she is VERY smart...she is also VERY stubborn. I did petsmart with my other dog and hated it....did more training at home with him then we did there (i was also laid off at the time and was able to spend the time to train him each day) I went and seen another guys around here and didn't like his "technique" of training.....shouldn't have to make a dog yelp in order to train her. She was scared of him...she cowarded down and I didn't like that. She is a sweet dog and I want to keep it that way.
Anyone know of a good trainer around Chicago? I would love to not only get her into basic obedience training but also try out schutzhund training as I think that it would keep her busy.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice.

12-22-2011, 12:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Wally812 New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midlothian, IL Posts: 2	Destructive Behavior.... My Sasha is going to be a year old on 12-31-11. Full GSD, beautiful, loving, but getting to be destructive. Since we got her at 2 months old she has been crate trained. After about 6 months of age, i started letting her out of the crate more and more when we weren't home or at night while we were sleeping. She was great up until a few weeks ago. I noticed that she started ripping up areas of carpeting (carpet is trashed anyways, we are getting it replaced soon...but beside the point) The rug by my front door was torn up and so on. I started putting the doggy gate up at night so she only had free roam of the bedrms at night instead of the entire house and she started tearing apart articles of clothing I had in a pile by my bed. 1 shirt one night...pair of jeans the next...then the other day she chewed a corner of my dresser drawer off. She has TONS of bones, ropes, chew toys, etc. I have another dog and cat that she plays with, and have a decent size yard that she runs in 3-4 times daily. My husband has been walking her daily as well. I don't get it. I don't know why she does it or how to make it stop other then crating her at all times when we can't watch her. She does it when we aren't home, when we are sleeping AND while we are there and awake. BUT, she knows she does wrong...I no longer have to yell at her...as soon as I give her the look...she army crawls away from me and goes and sits by the back door or goes into her crate. Then I will go sit on the couch and she runs up to me like "i'm sorry mom" I love her, she is like my kid...but I dont know how to stop this behavior.....Please help!

12-22-2011, 12:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shaina Master Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 753	She's not ready to be out of the crate yet. She is still a destructive puppy and needs an outlet to get her frustrations. How often do you train her, exercise her, etc? A mentally tired puppy is more likely to relax. __________________ "In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." - Edward Hoagland

12-22-2011, 12:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
Emoore Crowned Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: North DFW, TX Posts: 9,215	She runs in the backyard 3-4 times a day and your husband walks her daily. Do you do any kind of training? Go to classes? I think the dog is bored. This is the time in her life when she needs the most training, exercise, and mental stimulation. Crate her when you can't watch her, and increase the training and exercise. __________________ Rocky vom Backyard- 10 years young Kopper vom Felssclucht Bach - 17 months At the Bridge: Cash van der Animal Shelter 2006-2010

12-22-2011, 12:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
qbchottu Master Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 908	She is not ready for free roam. Crate when you can't watch her. __________________ Puddi 11/15/10 Rescue GSD/Golden Whiskey von Huerta Hof 12/20/10 WGSL GSD Wiva vom Drache Feld 2/3/11 WGSL GSD

12-22-2011, 12:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
kiya Elite Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,913	She's young yet, she's going to push her limits. I would crate when you can't supervise and start with small amounts of freedom until you can trust her. Some dogs don't mature until 3 years old. My girl will be 2 in January, she is definately not fully matured and I don't fully trust her yet. I agree that she's probably bored. Increasing the exercise would definately help. Walking and being loose in the yard doesn't tire them out. __________________ Carolyn Apache - Shiloh Shepherd 12/15/02 Kiya - Shiloh Shepherd 5/15/04 Lakota - WGSD 1/13/10

12-22-2011, 01:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
Twyla Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Georgia Posts: 499	Definitely resume crating when away from home, when you are asleep or aren't able to supervise. I have a 15 mth old and there is no way I would leave him out of crate at any of those times. We do the occasional test runs and so far he just isn't ready. I have a large yard Woolf runs in AND a 18 mth old lab as well to play with (I'm insane 2 pups at a time ) and that is still no where near enough exercise for him. With all the training and training play that is done with him, we barely reach the point we can say he's tired. If you haven't begun training with your pup, definitely start. Mix in playing tug, 2 ball fetch and continue the walks. He'll be using up his mental and physical energy.

12-22-2011, 05:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gracie's My Girl Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 330	Destructive dogs are usually bored dogs. I would focus on increasing the amount of exercise. While walking is nice, it doesn't always provide all of the exercise needed. The best possible thing to do is get the dog running and use something like a ball as a training aid. Exercise plus training will leave you with a tired, happy dog. __________________ Gracie - GSD - May 3, 2011

12-23-2011, 08:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Wally812 New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midlothian, IL Posts: 2	I do agree we need to put her in training. To be honest, I have looked around and have not found anyone that I truly liked. I have done some training with her at home...but although she is VERY smart...she is also VERY stubborn. I did petsmart with my other dog and hated it....did more training at home with him then we did there (i was also laid off at the time and was able to spend the time to train him each day) I went and seen another guys around here and didn't like his "technique" of training.....shouldn't have to make a dog yelp in order to train her. She was scared of him...she cowarded down and I didn't like that. She is a sweet dog and I want to keep it that way. Anyone know of a good trainer around Chicago? I would love to not only get her into basic obedience training but also try out schutzhund training as I think that it would keep her busy. Thank you everyone for your helpful advice.

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