help! running out of pillows

normansmom · 02-03-2009, 09:45 PM

This dog will not stop eating my pillows. Sinero, i come home play with the dog. love on the dog. feed the dog, do some house work. give dog treat after making him sit, lay, stay, etc. go to put my daughter to bed and the darn dog grabs my pillow off the bed and shreads it all over the place with in minutes. I dont know what to do. Any Suggestions? Oh yeah and when i leave the house he has destroyed my laundry room and pulled the felt off my pool table. and he tore the front of his crate off at 3 months old. All the normal behavior problems are fine, he doesnt pee or poop in the house, hes not a hyper dog and jump all over you. He minds pretty much when you tell him to do something. Help!!!!

Binkalette · 02-03-2009, 10:04 PM

Hmm.. How much exercise does he get a day? He might just need some time to run and burn off some energy. What kind of dog is he and how old is he now?

normansmom · 02-03-2009, 10:39 PM

he's an 10 month old american bull dog and when i get home i take him to play in the yard and we play fetch untill he wont go any more, we play with multiple toys and different direction, we play tug and soccer, and fetch and any thing else i can think of.

he just does this as soon as i go to put my daughter to bed in her room, i shut the half door, so he can still see me but if i leave it open he and the rest of the dogs roam in and out and she doesnt sleep, he goes and grabs a pillow and shreads it. any other time hes fine.

rambler · 02-03-2009, 11:35 PM

How about a couple of mouse traps inside and under the pillows?

After your dog springs a few of those he won't be so eager to grab the next one.

Mac'N'Roe · 02-03-2009, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rambler

How about a couple of mouse traps inside and under the pillows?

After your dog springs a few of those he won't be so eager to grab the next one.

WTH??? Are you for real? Actually, I'm kind of shocked you didn't tell him to use a shock collar instead.

normansmom, i'm sure someone will be by with some great ideas. How long does this routine take when he's able to get to the pillows?

rambler · 02-04-2009, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac'N'Roe

WTH??? Are you for real? Actually, I'm kind of shocked you didn't tell him to use a shock collar instead.

normansmom, i'm sure someone will be by with some great ideas. How long does this routine take when he's able to get to the pillows?

Actually zapping him with the collar when he goes for the pillows is an extremely good idea.

Binkalette · 02-04-2009, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rambler

Actually zapping him with the collar when he goes for the pillows is an extremely good idea.

I hate to say it but I have to agree.. :-P Associating the pillows with something negative would certainly work.

Cheetah · 02-04-2009, 01:33 AM

Hmmmm I certainly wouldn't want my dog to be scared of pillows as a result of my training... I would just close the bedroom door unless I am in there, and find a better crate.

My boyfriend has a one-year-old American Bulldog, Axle, who was bending the door on the crate and escaping it at around 8 months of age. Luckily, we know someone who was able to reinforce the door of the crate by welding steel beams onto the front LOL (I'm serious though). Also, we added a few more latches which connected through the reinforced steel beams. There is NO WAY for him to escape now, and he hasn't since!

echo8287 · 02-04-2009, 01:56 AM

He's gonna be eating everything in your house for about another 6 to 8 months. My 2 little Schnauzers chewed all kinds of stuff up. They ate several pillows,chewed up the sheets on the bed,chair legs,the living room rugs etc. I had them all kinds of stuff to chew on too. Outside they would get sticks and anything dead or smelly to chew on.They annihilated all Nylabones even the white ones. Walked them,let them play outside, everything you said. Get him some raw bones to chew on. Leave him some Kongs filled with treats and kibble.You will need to remove anything you don't want destroyed. I've been there even with these small dogs. You need to wear him out, before you leave in the morning, then feed him, then leave him the bones, Kongs etc. to keep him occupied. You must wear him down before you pen him up, David

zimandtakandgrrandmimi · 02-04-2009, 01:58 AM

the boy sounds like he needs more stimulation...both physical and mental...

do a forum search for *flirt pole* and *buster cube*

Lolas_Dad · 02-04-2009, 06:45 AM

How about crating him when your not able to supervise him. It could save your house and your sanity.

Stelladog · 02-04-2009, 09:29 AM

Can we get some pictures? A guilty-looking bull dogs covered in feathers sounds so cute.

Thracian · 02-04-2009, 03:51 PM

Do you have a small room you can keep him in when you are out of the house? If you can dogproof a room and leave him with a Kong (or something similar), that might help a bit.

LeRoymydog · 02-04-2009, 04:07 PM

Owning an American BUlldog, I know how stupidly intelligent they are. No one but the people who owns a dog like this knows what I'm talking about.

It will get better as he gets older. LeRoy didn't start calming down until he was close to 2 years old.

Habits on these types of dogs are hard to break. Whether it be pillow stealing or eating his own feces (which is my problem still). They are stubborn and bull-headed. They know what they want and will do anything to get to it. Just stand your ground and makes sure he knows whos boss.

Shock collars won't work with these types of things. Trust me, I tried. I've not tried the mouse traps... but I don't think I would want to "scare him away from pillows. Tell him repeatedly what is his to chew on. Get rawhides and other chewable item and give it to him as soon as you see him chewing on the pillows. Abruptly (not meanly) tell him no and put a rawhide in his mouth. It has helped here.

Good luck... keep us informed.

normansmom · 02-06-2009, 07:57 AM

seconds! he's fast

skelaki · 02-06-2009, 08:58 AM

Mouse traps or the newer Snappy Traps are actually a good idea. They won't, in my experience, make a dog afraid of pillows (or other objects). The dog just thinks the pillow (or whatever) is giving him a correction bite. They do not actually hurt the dog in any way. Just make sure you never use the larger rat traps.

pugmom · 02-06-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelaki

Mouse traps or the newer Snappy Traps are actually a good idea. They won't, in my experience, make a dog afraid of pillows (or other objects). The dog just thinks the pillow (or whatever) is giving him a correction bite. They do not actually hurt the dog in any way. Just make sure you never use the larger rat traps.

and pray to god no one forgets they are there and gets there finger broken !

I would not want something like that laying around with children in the house.

emily445455 · 02-06-2009, 12:48 PM

I would look into crating him when he can't be watched.

jbray01 · 02-06-2009, 01:21 PM

i would make sure that when you can't watch him, he's either in a crate, or he is given something to keep him busy. it sounds like he is getting some physical stimulation when you play in the backyard, but he may need some more mental stimulation. try giving him a job to do, like zim suggested, maybe a buster cube will help.

definitely shut him out of the bedroom when you cant watch him...

katthevamp · 02-06-2009, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skelaki

Mouse traps or the newer Snappy Traps are actually a good idea. They won't, in my experience, make a dog afraid of pillows (or other objects). The dog just thinks the pillow (or whatever) is giving him a correction bite. They do not actually hurt the dog in any way. Just make sure you never use the larger rat traps.

Have you ever been gotten by one of those? They hurt like Hell!