destructive habits

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evie2

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destructive habits
« on: January 14, 2014, 15:18 »
Mist is 20 months now and from the beginning she has been destructive. She stayed at the farm longer than Pip, he was 7 weeks when we got him, she was 10 weeks.  They lived in the the stalls in the barn with straw for bedding.  Pip was very easy to house train, Mist not so, we still come down to a mess every morning.  Their last toilet is 10.30pm and their first is 7am during the week and 8am at weekends.
At first they had a large travel cage each to sleep in.  Pip loved his cage and would go in when we were eating or he wanted peace from wwe Evie and Josh.  Mist ripped hers, then Pips, so we got an extra large (Great Dane size) metal one, she destroyed the plastic base within a week, 2 soft beds, 4 huge cushions, bedding plus every soft toy  she could find.  We bought one with a metal base for her, she ate her bedding, 2 walls, a curtain, a towel and socks she pulled in, Pips teddy >:( and 2 plastic beds.  They have a cage each.  We don't use the cages for punishment, they're for sleeping in at night, going in when we're eating or go out and 'their space' when the children are round.  They have water and biscuits when we go out and we never leave them for more than 3hrs, strangely Mist doesn't mess when we're out, she did however eat the gear stick top when she and Pip ware left in the car while we went in a pet shop to get dog biscuits, she's never left in the car now. 
I've had a destructive dog before, it ate through a wall and letter box but when I got a friend for her she was fine.

Both dogs are very, very affectionate, they think they're lap dogs.  They get on well with our cats especially the kittens, they get cleaned regularly by the dogs and are often found curled up with them, our 2 older cats snarl, hiss and strike out but the dogs never react.  We would not be without Mist, it would just be nice to get up to a clean, undamaged cage.  Anyone have any ideas?
May this day be blessed with gifts, understanding and friends.  Merlin 2001-2012 Pandora 2001-2013 xxx

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joyfull

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2014, 19:46 »
Buy her a black Kong extreme and then stuff it with things like peanut butter cream cheese etc. Pop it into the freezer so that it will occupy her for longer.
As for messing then we have learned with our two Newfoundlands that we have to get up at 6 every morning seven days a week to let them out and also every 2 hours during the day otherwise Harry will just stand there, look at you and wee where he is standing.
With the bedding try a short while without any.
Staffies are softer than you think.

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evie2

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2014, 20:19 »
Thanks joyfull.  She's not got bedding atm and very little bed left.  Will try the kong, had one for Pip when he was a pup, she destroyed it but that was a puppy one.  I was wondering if apple cider vinegar or bitter aloes round her bed would work?
 

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snow white

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2014, 20:50 »
What breed of dog is she?

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evie2

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2014, 21:11 »
She's a farm bred boarder collie, from the same farm as Pip, their parents a working dogs.  Both have fabulous temperaments and even after a 3hr walk and play are happy to go again.  Also if I'm having a bad day they're equally happy to curl up and sleep the day away. 
« Last Edit: January 21, 2014, 19:16 by evie2 »

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Lardman

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2014, 16:28 »
I followed much the same toilet training with Max as Joy suggests. I dragged him out every hour from 6am to 2am for about a fortnight asking him each time if he wanted to go "toilet" and gave him lots of praise when he did (He'll go on command now  ;) ).

Does she chew things when you're with her or just when she's left alone?

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snow white

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2014, 21:29 »
Collies are working animals.  Some are content to just be with you and some need a lot of stimulation.  What training do you do with her ?  Does she work at all?  How do you keep her brain busy?  I have a pointer bitch that needs a lot of stimulation.  Luckily she gets that as she is a working dog and loves it.  I can't imagine what my little girl would be like if she was just a pet.  Probably in her second home by now.  She was a chewer as well to start with.  Toilet rolls a speciality!  She was hard to potty train as well.  And now will only go in certain places.  Not the easiest dog I've had, but lovable anyway.  What I am trying to say is, get her brain working and the rest will follow.  Do not lose heart.  :)

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evie2

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2014, 19:53 »
She and Pip play and have mad half hours several times a day this includes herding.  Herding birds, cats, grandchildren and each other.  Our garden is 80ft long and 30ft wide and they use every bit of it.  She's destructive when there are no humans about.  She mothers the kittens and likes to pick Loki up by his scruff and bring him into the house, for a grumpy 12yr old cat unsurprisingly he doesn't like it.  Training her has been easy because she more or less copies Pip.
Last week she had her last toilet around 11pm and went to bed, 15 minutes later OH went to get a glass of water and she had soiled her cage.

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snow white

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2014, 16:59 »
That sounds like separation anxiety. :( 

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evie2

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2014, 18:04 »
It does sound like separation anxiety but she has Pip and when they shared 2 cages joined together so there was room to sleep and room to play, she still was destructive and soiled.  The only time they show true separation anxiety is when they are separated from each other. 

This morning at 2am she was barking, OH went down to let her out and she had already soiled, she had been out at 11pm.  Tonight she's going for a longer walk, hope it stays dry ::)

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snow white

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2014, 21:09 »
I think it might be worth trying an animal behaviourist to sort this out.

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evie2

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2014, 21:17 »
good idea, just need to find one who specialises in boarder collies  :)

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barley

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Re: destructive habits
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2014, 21:47 »
she is very young and sounds like a typical naughty toddler  :wacko:
some dogs just have a mad personality others calm - none of mine have been alike

when we had one like that years ago and we had to leave her we used to leave things like old empty pop bottles , empty cereal boxes , any thing really that was going out for rubbish basically so she could keep her self occupied and chew till her heart was content without destroying any thing of any importance

as for bedding we had the same problem - get some old sheets of cardboard to line the cage and fill it with straw and a few old ripped blankets - it makes a soft warm dry bed and again nothing that will hurt if it gets chewed

she will grow out of it mine did but you need to let her grow up a bit first  :D

good luck , would love to see a pic of her  ;) 



 

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