Destructive

[Alex]

Hi all,

It has been awhile.  Charlie is now 16 months old and was behaving well for a long time.  However, he has recently started to become destructive.  We have now given him free range of the apartment and for the first several weeks he was fine.  Now, he is taking shoes or boxes and destroying them.

Not only that but he has stopped listening.  He used to respond to here and get in the house when told, but now he refuses to answer.

Thoughts?  Help?

Thanks.

A

[Brittney & Cally]

This is the time you want to take away all of the "extras" and go back to basics. Be very strict with the rules and make his world smaller again. Treat him as a puppy again and do not let him have free range, work on commands as much as you can a day and work your way back up to free roam. This will get better I promise!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Is it possible he is bored?  He is still very young and needs to expend that energy in a positive direction.  If you both work, is a dog walker a possibility?  Hang in there and do a quick check of the house before you leave him alone - so there is nothing he can get into.  Also, taking him back to an obedience class would give him mental stimulation and reinforce all the things he already probably knows but is not doing.  Good luck.

[Tanya and IsaBella]

Agreed! Exercise, exercise, exercise! A good walk in the am before you leave will make a world of difference!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

All too often when we get them fairly well trained, we tend to slack off.  I'm guessing that is where you were when you started letting him have the run of the place while you were gone.  I agree with others, lots of exercise before you leave, back to basics with a good training class and continue to reinforce with everything you do.  Make him work for everything.  Make him listen to you.  Never give him a "here" or "come" when you cannot enforce it.  If he isn't listening he doesn't get out off leash.  Use a long training leash where you can grab it and pull him to you if he doesn't come when called.  Oh, and put your shoes and boxes away and he won't be able to get them, lol!

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

^ this 100%!

[Adina P]

Few dogs keep their training unless that training is practiced on a regular basis.  He probably realized your commands were optional (i.e. nothing happened if he didn't obey) at some point.  I agree with exercise and more practice with his commands.  Also NEVER give a command you can't enforce.  Better to wave a bag of treats and give NO command than to give a command and have your dog blow you off.

[Alex]

Thanks everybody for the advice.  We plan on doing a longer morning walk with him, hoping to get some of that energy out and going back to restricting him to just the kitchen.  

How do I punish him for not obeying a command?  We have used the spray bottle in the past when we want him to get off of the couch or stop begging for food; however, he now loves the water and tries to drink the spray.

[Robin and Libby Louise]

I'm sorry, I know it's not really funny, but they do think of every way to foil our attempts at discipline!  Just laughing thinking of him enjoying the spray bottle!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

When he is on the couch and you tell him to get down and he doesn't do it, you take him by the collar and escort him down.  When he stays down then you reward with a treat and tell him "good off" or what ever you used to ask him to get "off the couch".   As said before, do not give a command without enforcing it.  If you say off, make him get off.  If you say down, make him do a down etc.   As far as the begging for food I would practice a sit/stay or down/stay and if you are eating and he is begging I would put him in a down/stay until you are finished.  We normally give the girls a few carrots on their beds in the LR when we are having dinner.  If they come looking for more then I show them my hands and tell them "all gone" which lets them know theirs is gone.  You must be consistent and never let him know it isn't ok if he doesn't do what you say.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I agree with what's been said here.  More exercise, mental stimulation, and back to training basics.  Training, it seems, is a lifelong adventure.  My pup hung on my every word until he was about a year old.  Then this stubborn streak emerged.  I find myself having to work with him on a regular basis or he can easily "forget" (I know he doesn't really forget:) and drift off into making his own decisions.  

[Lynda Kamrath]

He's bored.  Needs to get out more.  Get an exercise schedule going for him and for you.  Dogs are great for getting you to get more exercise and it does become addictive.  Also, when they are alone in the house, everything needs to be put behind closed doors and inside closets.  He is just trying to keep himself entertained.  If you don't get out with him every day, you might check out doggie day care.  They do a great job of keeping your dog entertained and interacting with other dogs.