Bad dog behaivior helllpppp

2e0raf

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#1
hi i have a colly cross alsation (german sheppard) that is realy starting to tick me off.

every time i go to work and it on its own it digs up the carpet from the dooer as if its trying to burrow its way out of the back room it has already ruined the hall carpet by doing this (it got doen to the felt backing of the carpet from the top).

wen i come home from work and cannot open the door to the dogs room i tell the dog off but he still insists on doing this. also he got out the other day i cought up to him and told him to come to me but he just turd to look at me but his head down and walsed off round the corner. i dont know what i am doing wrong. ive tryed telling him off slapping him on the nose. ignoring him and even stepping in his bed and pretending to eat his bone (this is not reccomended as it dont taste nice) what can i do hhheeeeelllllpppppp
 

chell78

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#2
HI there it looks like you have a real problem. I think your dog might be suffering from separation anxiety. If this only happens while you are away. You need to know why he is doing this is to get your attention, When you come home and the damage is done there is no point punishing him. He wont understand why you are punishing him. you need to punish them 2 - 3 seconds after they do the wrong thing. He doesnt know he is doing the wrong thing. separation anxiety is not easy to cure. It involves alot of patience and hard work from you both. Have you any other dogs? If so do you thing the shepard feels left out? has this only just started to happen or is it being going on since you had him? What else has he to do while you not home? If you can let me know these things I might be able to answer some of your questions.
Good luck talk soon
Michelle :)
 

2e0raf

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#3
hi

he has only just started doing this. we got hime from mmy wifes sister who was living with us with her two young children. thay have now moved out into a flat which is two small for thew dog and is on the top stopry. he only digs the carpet up when me and my wife are out he also craps oin the floor occaisionly but this is rare. when we go out we say good by to him and try to reassur him that we will be bakc. he has a few toys in his be (various rubber bones and a pull + a rubber bone. we hav even got him the biggest meatyest bone to keep him occupied. oh we used to let him sleep with us on our bed but have stoped doing this as we have been told he will try to become pack leader as such, any truth in this????? any how hope hav given u enough info

andy
 

2e0raf

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#4
oh and we dont have any other dogs. dont think the landlord would be very pleased. :D
 

chell78

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#5
ok so he is now living with you instead of is original owners i think that might have something thing to do with it. Is he used to having some one aroung like the kids maybe. He might not know how to be by himself. I usually train pups at a young age to learn independence but he might not have been taught. Hence the seperation anxiety. So know you need to re teach him (it not going to be easy), Some time you need a bit of help from behavioral drugs we have one in australia called clomicalm I not sure where you from. But it is only by presciption, so you need to see vet. Anyway this drug helps relax dog so you can begin again if you know what i mean. When i teaching a new pup independence you need to do it slowly start by going out for only five minutes at a time, before you go out though i would have locked dog out at least 5 mins before you leave so it gives dog time outside or wherever you put him while you still home, then pretend to go out.make him think you gone but stay within ear shot. make sure he has food, water and yummy treats and toys to play with while you not there. perhaps feed him as soon as you go and while he is eating and not digging come back and praise him heaps, dogs need to know when they are being good. make sure when you are home you dont let dog in as soon as you get home that will make him think he is all you care about. the bottom line is he wants to be with you always we need to teach him its ok to be on our own and how to behave. Make sure you do spend time with him though take him for walks just before you go out maybe. These are only suggestions they might not help, you might need to take him to an animal behavioralist who will go through every thing with you one day at a time. Oh yeah letting dogs on your bed can make them think they are higher rank than you because they at your level same with couches, make sure they are always on ground and not at your eye level . hope all goes well

Michelle :)
 

2e0raf

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#6
thanks for the info. will certainly give that a try. im from uk by the way. will pop into the vets l8ter on this week to see what he can suggest.
 
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#7
I've had German Shepherds since I was twelve, and many of them bond very strongly to their initial owners, especially children. Yours is undoubtedly missing "his" kids. It's understandable that he has strong separation anxieties - he's been abandoned and his kids have disappeared. In his mind something awful has happened.

He's going to need a lot of reassurance - lots and lots and lots of constant reassurance.

I'm going to strongly suggest that you get either the training books or videos from the Monks of New Skete. They understand these dogs like no one else. I'm also going to suggest something that some think is crazy, but it's worked every single time for me. Talk to your dog. No, not like you talk to a dog, like you talk to a reasonable, sentient personality. You need to build a strong bond with this dog; it will help re-build his confidence. Tell him what you want him to do and why. You'll have to repeat it and continue the practice, but it does work - as long as your heart's in it. If your heart's not in it, you'll never win him over. The working breeds in particular are just wired that way.

Drugs are always an absolute last resort.
 

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