I need some serious help
- Thread starter Bug
- Start date
Help!!
I'm in a similar situation. My puppies are now 7 and 9 months old. They do not chew things when I am home, but god forbid that I leave them for a couple of hours. They will pee, poop, chew anything and everything. I typically go to work at 6:30 am and my son will be at home alone until my mother arrives (sometime bewteen 10:00 am and noon). My son sleeps like a log and since it's the summer, he doesn't usually get up until 9:30 or later. If I leave the dogs locked in the bedroom with him, they are usually ok as far as potty goes, but they will chew things. But, if I try to let them run just in the living room area and his bedroom, they will poop, chew, pee, and destroy the house.
The first dog that I had (many years ago) was housebroken by the time he was 6 months old. I could leave him home alone for over 8 hours and he would not pee or chew anything. I left food and water for him while I was at work as well. Now, I will admit that I trained him completely different than I have these two. If he went in the house or chewed anything, I would spank him with a rolled up newspaper and yell "NO" very loudly and sternly. Then I would put him outside. I am not saying that I was right to train him that way. It was how my mother told me to do it (she was of the old school of dog training).
Now, I have pretty much let the dogs out every few hours when I'm home. They never scratch or whine at the door if they have to go. They just seem to hold it until I let them out. They do not chew things other than their toys when I am home, so I cannot correct that behavior. Everything I read says not to correct the behavior if you don't see it. Well, I never see it! What can I do???? I'm starting to consider resorting to the tried and true newspaper. I don't like leaving them outside all day while I'm gone. I have found out that my neighbors were feeding them and I'm afraid someone may try to take them.
I'm in a similar situation. My puppies are now 7 and 9 months old. They do not chew things when I am home, but god forbid that I leave them for a couple of hours. They will pee, poop, chew anything and everything. I typically go to work at 6:30 am and my son will be at home alone until my mother arrives (sometime bewteen 10:00 am and noon). My son sleeps like a log and since it's the summer, he doesn't usually get up until 9:30 or later. If I leave the dogs locked in the bedroom with him, they are usually ok as far as potty goes, but they will chew things. But, if I try to let them run just in the living room area and his bedroom, they will poop, chew, pee, and destroy the house.
The first dog that I had (many years ago) was housebroken by the time he was 6 months old. I could leave him home alone for over 8 hours and he would not pee or chew anything. I left food and water for him while I was at work as well. Now, I will admit that I trained him completely different than I have these two. If he went in the house or chewed anything, I would spank him with a rolled up newspaper and yell "NO" very loudly and sternly. Then I would put him outside. I am not saying that I was right to train him that way. It was how my mother told me to do it (she was of the old school of dog training).
Now, I have pretty much let the dogs out every few hours when I'm home. They never scratch or whine at the door if they have to go. They just seem to hold it until I let them out. They do not chew things other than their toys when I am home, so I cannot correct that behavior. Everything I read says not to correct the behavior if you don't see it. Well, I never see it! What can I do???? I'm starting to consider resorting to the tried and true newspaper. I don't like leaving them outside all day while I'm gone. I have found out that my neighbors were feeding them and I'm afraid someone may try to take them.
Kathisi, I think you should leave your dogs in a puppy proof room or a crate when you are away. It's safer for your stuff, and for them. They will probably not like it at first, but they should get used to it.
It's useless to correct a behavior you don't see, all it will do is scare and confuse the dogs. I would definitely not leave the dogs outside either, it's too dangerous in my opinion.
I'm sorry I'm not of more help.
It's useless to correct a behavior you don't see, all it will do is scare and confuse the dogs. I would definitely not leave the dogs outside either, it's too dangerous in my opinion.
I'm sorry I'm not of more help.
Thank you, Fran. I do try to puppy-proof the room I leave them in. I just wonder when they will be ok to have the run of the house. If my son has his toys put away they do fine in his room. I have one room in my house that I've left them in, that only has a couch in it. Of course, they chewed the couch cushions to bits. I am saying, "they", when I refer to what they do, but I suspect that it is Drellie (the younger husky) who is being the most destructive. Venus is older and was housebroken almost immediately and I have never seen her really chew things. Drellie, though, was hard to housebreak and would chew, chew, chew, on anything. 
When they were younger and I was first housebreaking them, Venus started to go in the house. I'm sure that it's because she saw Drellie doing it.
Now, like I said, they are fine as long as someone is home or they are not alone for very long. Maybe they will eventually learn. What do you think about me putting them in two separate rooms to see how each one behaves? I wonder if it's just one of them doing the behavior or both.
When they were younger and I was first housebreaking them, Venus started to go in the house. I'm sure that it's because she saw Drellie doing it. Now, like I said, they are fine as long as someone is home or they are not alone for very long. Maybe they will eventually learn. What do you think about me putting them in two separate rooms to see how each one behaves? I wonder if it's just one of them doing the behavior or both.
I'm not sure. Most of the times they do it out of boredom. Maybe getting them some of those cubes that hold food would keep them busy a while when you are away. I don't have any first hand experience about when dogs can be let in the house reliably, my guess is it just depends on the dogs, but when they are adults it should calm down (2 years).
Meanwhile, you can try to put everything out of her reach and just spray tons of bittle apple on what you can't move when you are away.
Meanwhile, you can try to put everything out of her reach and just spray tons of bittle apple on what you can't move when you are away.
kathisi said:
Thank you, Fran. I do try to puppy-proof the room I leave them in. I just wonder when they will be ok to have the run of the house. If my son has his toys put away they do fine in his room. I have one room in my house that I've left them in, that only has a couch in it. Of course, they chewed the couch cushions to bits. I am saying, "they", when I refer to what they do, but I suspect that it is Drellie (the younger husky) who is being the most destructive. Venus is older and was housebroken almost immediately and I have never seen her really chew things. Drellie, though, was hard to housebreak and would chew, chew, chew, on anything. When they were younger and I was first housebreaking them, Venus started to go in the house. I'm sure that it's because she saw Drellie doing it.
Now, like I said, they are fine as long as someone is home or they are not alone for very long. Maybe they will eventually learn. What do you think about me putting them in two separate rooms to see how each one behaves? I wonder if it's just one of them doing the behavior or both.
When they were younger and I was first housebreaking them, Venus started to go in the house. I'm sure that it's because she saw Drellie doing it. Now, like I said, they are fine as long as someone is home or they are not alone for very long. Maybe they will eventually learn. What do you think about me putting them in two separate rooms to see how each one behaves? I wonder if it's just one of them doing the behavior or both.