Help Or Rehome

[PennyB]

No she is not a Rescue.  I bought her from Scotland.  She has a marvellous pedigree.  Her previous owners said they were selling her because of the new baby who was 6months at the time.  I have been in contact with them, and they say they did not have any problems with her chewing.  Yesterday she was very good, we walked miles x twice, played, groomed, and when I came downstairs this morning at 8am, she had demolished a leg off the conservatory chair.  I rest my case.

[snapback]187063[/snapback]

Its still an age thing though regardless of good or bad pedigree they often go through the 'kevin' stage

[Jane S]

Its still an age thing though regardless of good or bad pedigree they often go through the 'kevin' stage

[snapback]187066[/snapback]

Very true  Also remember that there is a secondary teething stage which often kicks in at about this age - we've had puppies who never chewed as babies but became chewing monsters at around 10-12 months old.

Jane

[shonajoy]

No she is not a Rescue.  I bought her from Scotland.  She has a marvellous pedigree.  Her previous owners said they were selling her because of the new baby who was 6months at the time.  I have been in contact with them, and they say they did not have any problems with her chewing.  Yesterday she was very good, we walked miles x twice, played, groomed, and when I came downstairs this morning at 8am, she had demolished a leg off the conservatory chair.  I rest my case.

[snapback]187063[/snapback]

I'd highly recommend finding a good trainer. www.apdt.co.uk will have a list in your area. It's remarkable how a bit of training can reflect positively in all areas of their behaviour, and you will be abl to ask for coping strategies too.

[Cob-Web]

No she is not a Rescue. I bought her from Scotland. She has a marvellous pedigree. Her previous owners said they were selling her because of the new baby who was 6months at the time. I have been in contact with them, and they say they did not have any problems with her chewing. Yesterday she was very good, we walked miles x twice, played, groomed, and when I came downstairs this morning at 8am, she had demolished a leg off the conservatory chair. I rest my case.

No matter how you got her; if she has changed homes, she is very likely to be a confused little dog  

Do you have her pedigree papers? It may be worth contacting her breeder to see if she can help you at all; and if you do decide to rehome her, she can go back to her breeder rather than to another strange home  

A one-to-one behaviourist will help work out WHY she is chewing; bordedom, anxiety, pain or anything else    I appreciate that you only know what the family who sold her to you have told you; but sadly, a lot of rehomed dogs are handed on with less than complete histories although obviously you don't know if thats true in this case  

All dogs need a lot of training, care and attention in the early months/years, and in this case, she will need extra attention to help her settle in and become a loving companion.....you are right to consider different options if you think that she will be too much for you  

Good luck, whatever you decide  

[PennyB]

No matter how you got her; if she has changed homes, she is very likely to be a confused little dog 

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I agree plus you don't know what sort of training they were doing with her (or not). I'm helping out with a very unruly cocker who's never really been disciplined/trained and has been thoroughly spoilt so now he's behaving like a spoilt brat.

I do think its very important when taking on a rescue to do some trianing with them from the word go especially a young dog as you don't know what they've missed out on re this in their previous home (plus some unacceptable behaviours can be ignored for quite a while until they become a really problem)

[daftcockers]

Have to say my Tasha would be a chewer if we didnt use a crate. When ever we go out we use the crate and also at night this way she cant chew only her toys, so its stress free for her and us

[cindere528]

I'm going to contradict everything everyone's said now.  I went through a similar thing to this when I first got Bess (14 years ago).  She was 6 months old when I got her & her previous owners had never had a problem with her.  She started to demolish my house.  Nothing was safe.  She  nearly set the house on fire by dragging some paper and cushions close to the front of my coal fire, and I was only out for 20 minutes picking my son up from school!  I punished her often but it made no difference.  I tried ignoring her, thinking that she would figure out that she had been bad.  This went on for some months and then I read somewhere that if a dog is suffering from depression he or she may become destructive.  That was a revelation.  We then changed tactics completely and started the positive behaviour reinforcement that I always use nowadays.  Sadly Bess is no longer with us, she passed away of old age last Summer  

What's happening is, she's missing her previous family & home & she doesn't know what to do to make you love her the way they did.

What you need to do is - leave the room just for a couple of minutes, then come back in & if she has been good, praise her & fuss her as if she's done something fantastic.  Keep on doing this, I know it sounds stupid to humans, but remember, we're talking about dog brains here   , then increase the time you leave her, each time she's good, praise her to the heavens, lots of squealy happy voices from you "What a good girly wirly woo you've been" , pick her up, cuddle her, make her feel really special.  Keep on doing this, don't ever forget to praise her for good behaviour.  When she's naughty, (I know it's hard - I've been there) ignore what she's done, just pick up the shredded cushions/paper, table legs etc, but don't say anything.  Just keep up the praise when she's good.  I promise you it works (& if it doesn't she can come & live with me & my 2 hooligans)

[miche]

She  nearly set the house on fire by dragging some paper and cushions close to the front of my coal fire, and I was only out for 20 minutes picking my son up from school! 

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Sorry Bess is no longer with you.

I could never let my dogs a free run whilst I go out, especially not a room with a fire in it  they always go into the kitchen as it's wrecked already.

Mikey is getting a second wind of chewing and he's 9 months old - a lot more powerful chewer than he was when he was younger - I just tell him to drop it and give him a treat.  I have no doubt he'll stop most do don't they?

[cindere528]

Sorry Bess is no longer with you.

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Thank you but she had a long and happy life and passed away very peacefully in my bedroom.

Mikey is getting a second wind of chewing and he's 9 months old - a lot more powerful chewer than he was when he was younger - I just tell him to drop it and give him a treat. I have no doubt he'll stop most do don't they?

[snapback]187263[/snapback]

If Mikey is only chewing when you're there & can tell him to drop & give him a treat to stop him, then he's no problem.  In fact, he's probably working you to make you give him treats  

[Helen]

Sorry Bess is no longer with you.

[snapback]187263[/snapback]

Thank you but she had a long and happy life and passed away very peacefully in my bedroom.

Mikey is getting a second wind of chewing and he's 9 months old - a lot more powerful chewer than he was when he was younger - I just tell him to drop it and give him a treat. I have no doubt he'll stop most do don't they?

[snapback]187263[/snapback]

If Mikey is only chewing when you're there & can tell him to drop & give him a treat to stop him, then he's no problem.  In fact, he's probably working you to make you give him treats  

[snapback]187270[/snapback]

you're so right about working you for treats!!!

[lyn]

the working for treats thing is so true.paddy is a barker and i have been doing the "quiet"command then treat when he does as he is told.the problem is he now barks so i tell him to be quiet and he now expects a bit of cheese or hotdog :: you should see his face when niether is forthcoming total disgust.btw he can now sing(well more of a howl but he thinks he's the next robbie on comand.

[PennyB]

The idea re training and treats is to make them work harder for them as time goes on, and then only use high value stuff for new/more complicated things.

Also I've always been taught to try different things as cockers often get complacent.

[cindere528]

Also I've always been taught to try different things as cockers often get complacent.

[snapback]187410[/snapback]

That's very true, I was using some meat treats for Nelly's housetraining but she was getting a little bit complacent about those, now we're on chocolate buttons (doggy variety of course   ) & she's so eager to please, she falls over her legs, then skids to a halt in front of me when she's "performed"  

[Woody's Mum]

What's happening is, she's missing her previous family & home & she doesn't know what to do to make you love her the way they did.

[snapback]187199[/snapback]

OMG, thats so sad. I want to cry.

I think there has been loads of excellent advice on this thread. I really hope that you can work it out with your girl. We are all here to help so just yell if you need a hand.  

[Magic Star]

I think there has been loads of excellent advice on this thread. I really hope that you can work it out with your girl. We are all here to help so just yell if you need a hand.   

[snapback]187438[/snapback]

I second that