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8 month old misbehaving
....or so it seems. He's a bernese mtn dog, bordier collie, shepherd mix
I got at an animal shelter. He was very happy and friendly when I got him so I don't think he came with any significant scars. I've noticed over the last 5 months or so I've had him that training/correcting successfully modifies behavior i.e. not chewing inappropriate objects, not going in the house, but, that there will be temporary periods of digression. This last week it seems has been a period of digression. It's been particularly troubling that he's chewed and dug and dragged things that I have specifically scolded him for MORE than once in the past. For instance, he's now the chewed cable off the side of the house 3 times, twice in the last week. Until this week I'd been of the belief that he does these things when he's been left too long. Having left him for periods up to 7 hours (despite my distaste for doing so) it seems that his threshold for staying relatively calm, has been around 4 hours. I assumed this would if anything increase with age, yet, the last couple of episodes of destructive behavior occured when I left him for 4 hours or less. Also, I recently installed an automatic dog door so he could freely move between the kitchen, his home base and the backyard thinking this freedom of movement would increase his options for acitivity while I'm out. I should add that I am aware that the collies need a lot of work and I've attempted to take him out to one of several local dog parks for an hour a day on a pretty regular basis. I've also tried to keep the house and backyard stocked with acceptable chewables although he goes through them more quickly than I can resupply sometimes. Last night he dug up a potted plant INSIDE while I was home asleep. This is the first time he's touched this plant for months after repeatedly being scolded for doing so and the first time he's done anything this destructive while I was at home. This time he pulled the plant entirely out of the pot and broke off a main stem. Unfortunately, I was unable to catch him in the act of the last several destructive incidents noted here, so my approach has been to take him to the scene of the crime, grab his snout, point it at the evidence and yell NO. Then I crate him for an hour or so. Well, I just read a posting that says crating him after the fact is NOT advisable as he won't be able to associate the crating as punishment for the crime. Anyway, the last two episodes have pushed me to the previously unthinkable thought of giving him up. I work at home and actually have the time right now to attend to him, but, I've been trying to make a little more time for myself after giving him top priority, at the expense of a social life, for the first several months I had him. We're taking a training class where we've covered the standard, sit, heel, down, stay, and I feel as though we're having some success in that area. I spoke to the teacher after the last time he chewed the cable and dug a big hole and did some other BAD things outside and she said it will probably get worse before he turns 1. This was of course a big disappointment to hear as I assumed with age and training it should get better in a linear fashion. I've considered getting a second older dog, that might provide valuable companionship and model behavior, but, I'm leaning against the additional responsibility in general, and, I feel like I want to get a handle on this guy first before attempting to parent a second. Looking for more suggestions on how to appropriately correct misbehaviors as well as moral support. |
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