[LilithEmery]

Okay...so my roommate rescued a 1 year old shepard/lab/husky mix about 4 months ago.

After showing extreme territorial, fear and dog aggression as well as severe seperation anxiety (running away even with me being home unless he's tied up), and having a dog behaviourist come in and meet him and give a huge long list of suggestions. We have only made slight progress in getting him better. What we have noticed aside from him becoming increasingly territorial towards my little 10month old heelerX in her own home ( she lays next to him and he growls), he has basically beaten and bitten her into submission ( with her already being a very submissive dog naturally).

He chews up just about anything he can, be it toys. Her stuffies now get taken away when he's in the same room and we aren't watching. He has also procceded to destroy now 3 large dog beds while outside in the yard even with tons of toys around him to play with or bones to chew on including a moose antler. These dogs beds belong to my landlord and her 6 year old Newfie... we live in the north and its get below -30C in the winters. Beds and dog houses are a must have.

I bought that dog bed a week ago as a christmas present for my landlords dog and walked outside yesterday to find that. Today, I found that the bed had been yet again pulled out and destroyed even more and the newfie and Loki fighting over it. Yet again, I cleaned up, went down town came back and hour later and the bed was out again with fluff everywhere. At this point I am extremely exhausted and waiting for the day when he is left inside unattended for awhile that he destroys my couch or pillows. ( Yes where we live is my place, my roommate is a subtenant under myself.)

Does ANYONE have any ideas on how to stop this behaviour?

thanks
Lily

 

[Jen2010]

Sounds like he's not getting enough exercise. Those breeds are high energy. Leaving them in the yard with toys is not adequate - they need physical and mental exercise to keep them from becoming destructive.

Try a flirt pole outside or a puzzle toy of some kind inside. Unfortunately it's your roommate's dog so your roommate's responsibility to take initiative.

 

[LilithEmery]

Yeah...I've been trying to get that across to him. He's never owned an animal before aside from the family dog so he didn't have to go through any of this. The behaviourist suggested a basket muzzle while he is playing with other dogs as he gets way too excited and then overly aggressive and has caused my girlfriends pitbull to be harmed more than once with cuts over his eye, with no instigating from the pitbull at all except walking by.. who then runs to us because he doesnt fight back and doesn't like fighting....(sweetest boy i've ever met ).

Just wish my roommate would actually keep up the energy work with him...we have a lung whip with a toy attached which he loves! But it seems to not get used as much...Not too sure my roommate grasps the importance of owning this dog and its more hindering than helping him get better....

 

[Amaryllis]

Yeah...I've been trying to get that across to him. He's never owned an animal before aside from the family dog so he didn't have to go through any of this. The behaviourist suggested a basket muzzle while he is playing with other dogs as he gets way too excited and then overly aggressive and has caused my girlfriends pitbull to be harmed more than once with cuts over his eye, with no instigating from the pitbull at all except walking by.. who then runs to us because he doesnt fight back and doesn't like fighting....(sweetest boy i've ever met ).

Just wish my roommate would actually keep up the energy work with him...we have a lung whip with a toy attached which he loves! But it seems to not get used as much...Not too sure my roommate grasps the importance of owning this dog and its more hindering than helping him get better....

*sigh*

He's not eating dog beds on purpose. It's just a fun thing for a bored dog to do.

I don't suppose convincing the owner to rehome is a possibility? This just seems like such a bad situation all around- lazy owner, too many other dogs, too much time/opportunity to get into trouble ...

 

[parus]

The best way to stop dogs from chewing things up is to put the things where they can't get them.

The second best way is to give them something more interesting to chew/do.

 

[LilithEmery]

pretty much where I am at...he needs somewhere he can be taken care of and my roommate neither has the time (even when he does) nor the money to deal with it accordingly....He needs to seriously reconsider all of this.....It's getting to the point of the dog or his place to live. I want the dog to get better. when he is not being destructive he's cuddly and all around a great dog. (aside from the territorial aggressive behaviour and peeing on my couch ten mintues after he's been outside. but my patience is wearing thin with him and his owner...

 

[Amaryllis]

pretty much where I am at...he needs somewhere he can be taken care of and my roommate neither has the time (even when he does) nor the money to deal with it accordingly....He needs to seriously reconsider all of this.....It's getting to the point of the dog or his place to live. I want the dog to get better. when he is not being destructive he's cuddly and all around a great dog. (aside from the territorial aggressive behaviour and peeing on my couch ten mintues after he's been outside. but my patience is wearing thin with him and his owner...

Trust me, it's not the dog. With proper exercise, training and management, he could be a great dog. I had a 90 lbs GSD mix with way worse behavioral issues who was my best friend for 12 years. I kept him out of trouble, and if that dog could be kept out of trouble, any dog could. Barring a dog with true human aggression, which is really rare.

 

[chimunga]

Try not to get too frustrated with the dog. It's not his fault. You can't lock an active dog like that up in backyard all day and expect him to behave. He's probably smart. Smart dogs get destructive really easily, because they get bored really easily. Some of these problems could probably easily be remedied with exercise and training .

Get as frustrated as you want with his owner though. It was very responsible to bring in a behaviorist. But there's really no point unless you're actually going to listen and do something about it.

 

[LilithEmery]

Oh so very frustrated with his owner. I know its not the dog. I had him to myself for a week earlier in the fall and he was perfect for that week ... but I can't invest all my time into him as well when he's not my dog either.... thank you all. He is a smart dog when he is given the chance and I'd hate to have him re-homed, but I just wish his owner would actually put up the effort instead of sitting on his ass...

For the first while he was causing my dog to regress back in her training but I've been extremely dilagent at keeping her how she was trained and she's right back to where she was. I take her with me every second I can and keep up her exercise. Very frustrating when I'd do the same with his dog if his dog was okay in cars (he's not and he's barely worked on it) and hasn't tried biting me randomly when I'm getting off the floor and he makes a point of coming across the living room at me for my arm. Sad to see him like this He spent his entire first year at one of the worse shelters up here and I feel terrible for him.....

I really would like to start getting him the help he needs

 

[sharpei]

sounds to me like the help that dog needs is a proper owner. It perfect for that week you had him sounds like he got play, exercise and mental activity during that week. so that is an indicator of just how smart he is all that unburnt mental energy has to go, dogs wont hold it in until they totally snap like a human would and wind up in a giggle ward, they will find a way to use it, be it for what we consider good behaviors or what they consider fun.

 

[Darkmoon]

Also dog beds outside in the winter is a big no-no. They soak up wetness and when they get wet, they won't keep a dog warm. Straw is a better choice to keep a dog warm in the winter. It's not as comfortable but it's much safer.

Also it doesn't sound like you understand dog behavior very well. Sounds like a bored dog that is just trying to have fun to me as well.

 

[OwnedbyACDs]

pretty much where I am at...he needs somewhere he can be taken care of and my roommate neither has the time (even when he does) nor the money to deal with it accordingly....He needs to seriously reconsider all of this.....It's getting to the point of the dog or his place to live. I want the dog to get better. when he is not being destructive he's cuddly and all around a great dog. (aside from the territorial aggressive behaviour and peeing on my couch ten minutes after he's been outside. but my patience is wearing thin with him and his owner...

I sympathize with you, I really do. Here at the ranch, my folks have a dog that, honestly I really cant stand. This dog sounds a lot like her and I know it seems like they do things "on purpose" but I promise you, they dont. this new dog is freshly adopted, thrown into a new situation and its natural for them to be a little disoriented and out of sorts. just keep working with the behaviorist, but maybe a basket muzzle might be a good thing when he is playing with other dogs, also, interupting him when he gets too excited might also be good.

Of course, you may decide that this dog isnt right for this household, and thats ok, too

 

[hanksimon]

I think that the only advice that we can offer is to kick the roommate out into the cold [note my location vs. yours ] OR train the dog yourself. I have suggestions for the latter:
1. That mix is very smart and very energetic. 10 min. of focussed training twice a day would easily satisfy the mental, but the physical requires at least 30 min. twice a day - Tug or running, or Fetch.
2. To stop the chewing, buy two Kongs, stuff them with kibble, moisten a little, let them freeze, then let him have one. While he chews a Kong, he isn't chewing on other things. After the Kong, try to get him to do soething for an hour and then give him the other Kong. When you figure out something that works, put it on a very regular schedule ....
3. Can you take the dog walking, running, cross country skiing, mushing, etc. ? Take him with your dogs?
4. Teach the dog all the standard cues: Sit, Down, Come, Name, Fetch, Shake, Speak, Talk, etc. You may find that the Pit will learn more quickly as you teach the roommate's dog.
5. As the dog begins to trust and learn from you, you may bond with him. In addition, the roommate may become MUCH more interested in taking care of the dog, once you do the heavy lifting .... Be prepared for that issue - it may be good, or may be bitter-sweet.


If you don't like the dog's behavior and the owner ignores you, then you 'ignore' him ... and take care of the dog yourself ... or accept the chewing and aggression.