How do I deal with dog chewing?

foreign_correspondent

I posted a link to a site recently which, although a rescue, has a lot of info about the temprement of patterdales and other terriers - it may be useful to the OP - http://www.terrierrescue.co.uk/

My old terrier, sadly no longer with us, possibly had some patterdale or fell in the mix - terriers are independant spirits, and never the most biddable of dogs, but great characters and a lot of fun!

giantmutantbroccoli

I don't have any experience of terriers, but I've had destructive dogs before. You can't expect a dog to be able to distinguish between soft squishy bags of stuffing that she can destroy (her toys) and soft squishy bags of stuffing that she can't (your cushions). The easiest way to stop that is to not give her any soft toys in the house, and don't encourage her to play rough games while inside.

Regarding the dominance issue, you should let her sort it out with the other dog and not interfere. The thnigs you mentioin as being dominant behaviours are just normal doggy interactions. Dogs LOVE to sleep in a big heap and it doesn't really matter which one's on top. If the other one doesn't want to be laid on it can just get up and move! Likewise, if the other dog doesn't want to give up a toy it can make its own protest. Dogs play with each other, and the games often involve 'stealing' toys and chasing each other around like mad looneys, or one dog will taunt the other by dropping the toy just within reach and snatching it back up again as soon as the other dog makes a move. If you interfere every time you see this going on, you're stopping them from playing and socialising with each other.

There is no such thing as a dominant or submissive animal. The terms are used correctly to describe behaviours, and not all behaviours fit into these categories either! The terms originate with behavioural science, and are used with a whole bunch of other terms to describe what you can see is going on, they don't describe what the animal's thinking, and they don't always apply to the same behaviour. I think they're useful to describe a particular behaviour in a particular situation but that's as far as it goes, and they are massively over-used when talking about dog training. Dogs do a heck of a lot of things that can't be interpreted as dominant or submissive.

When I walk my dogs I do it off-lead, and take a walking stick with me that's shaped like a crook. The stick has become a habit, not because I need it to walk or anything but because it's what the dogs have been trained to walk with. WHen I let them run, they run ahead and I stay behind with the stick. The typical view of this is that walking behind is a submissive behavious, and walking ahead is a dominant one. Sometimes, however, on the walk back I will give the stick to Ben. When he has the stick he walks behind me and Abbey (his sister). He'll use it to poke me in the back of the legs if I slow down or step off the road, and nudges Abbey to go faster as she's a slow walker. That's clearly not submissive behaviour! He also tends to be slower to respond to recall commands when he's holding the stick, and will often go and bother Abbey before he comes back, to make her come to you as well. This all sounds like dominant behaviour, right? Yet when we get home after a walk and I tell him to sit he always doe,s and he always gives me the stick. Even when he has the stick there's things he doesn't do - he doesn't chew the stick, he doesn't run off with the stick. He never, never takes the stick without being given it. That sounds to me like a good example of a complicated behaviour that can't be described as simply dominant or submissive Dogs are complicated enough to change their behaviour according to their situation, and most situations are not dominance vs submission.


NB. The stick method for teaching the dog to heel doesn't involve hitting or threatening the dog with the stick! You just use it to guide the dog into the right position at your side, by blocking them from getting ahead of you, and encouraging them to walk closer to your leg (by leaning it on their opposite side as you walk). Just in case anyone was worried

elfen

I swear all Patterdales are mental, or at least a bit bonkers. Mum rehomed one as the owners couldn't cope as she was hyperactive. She's not so hyper anymore as she gets plenty of fuss and walks (mum is a stay at home mum, and can't work due to knee, back and hip problems - but she can walk her when using her stick) Little Milly has really taken to my mum, and heels for her immediately (although she does like to jump up at or on people, but that's as she doesn't see all of us as often as she'd like) Mum's had to get her used to a bed and stuff, but she is fine with her, not had any chewing problems, so it may be that she is just bored.

ETA: Does anyone's Patterdale bark? I mean at the door or the phone or at new people? Cos Milly doesn't make a sound, and it's really bizarre.

LITTLEMISSFLOWER

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/its-me-or-the-dog/4od#2921524

This may help.

LITTLEMISSFLOWER

If the link doesnt work go to 4od its me or the dog series 4 episode 2.

bugbabe1970

My Jessy barks. Not a lot though!

Thanks for all your replies. Haven't got time today but will follow up all your links tomorrow.

I understand about them not being able to tell the difference from soft toys they should chew and ones they shouldnt, so, no more soft toys!

I think the dominance issue has a few sides to the argument. Cesar Millan talks about a dogs dominant behaviour quite regularly in his programmes. So i suppose it depends what theory you want to go with really. I know a lot of people dont agre with his dog behaviour techniques.

So how much exercise do you think the dogs need?? Serious opinions now please, as there is no way i have the time to walk them 3 hours a day! As I said earlier, I am fortunate that when I take them out, they are able to go off lead for most of the walk and can run about freely.

I read another thread on her a while ago about a lady who was worried about some huskies (i think they were Huskies) that she was concerned about that weren't getting walked and a number of people replied that seeing as the dogs had a big garden to run around in, they didn't need walking. Now don't believe this at all, but realistically how much walking do they need?

foreign_correspondent

you can add in training and games to tire the dog without doing so much walking - I would say aim for 30 mins twice a day minimum though for a young lively terrier, plus some training and games!

Fire_Fox

bugbabe1970 wrote: »

So how much exercise do you think the dogs need?? Serious opinions now please, as there is no way i have the time to walk them 3 hours a day! As I said earlier, I am fortunate that when I take them out, they are able to go off lead for most of the walk and can run about freely.

It has to depend on the breed of the dog, some seem prone to weight gain or joint problems, others have a lot of energy and are prone to behaviour problems. Also depends if you play loads at home - you can sit on your back step in the summer, throw balls and play tug for an hour then the dog will get exercised. As you suggest, there is a major difference between walking round the block on a lead and running in the park off the lead.

Humans need a minimum of 10,000 steps a day which is around one hour - few in the western world get that, tho there are significant health benefits. It's the same with dogs and cats, their bodies are designed to move just as ours are. Indoor cats and unwalked dogs are more likely to have health problems or to die younger. I would say it's more desirable to walk slightly shorter twice or three times a day than once, especially if behaviour is an issue.

None of this is to criticise anyone who doesn't meet my standards, after all I have an indoor cat so am in the same boat!

Raksha

Also, don't under estimate the effects of different brands of dog food on your pets 'activity levels' ;-)

bugbabe1970

Raksha wrote: »

Also, don't under estimate the effects of different brands of dog food on your pets 'activity levels' ;-)

Have wondered about this. Saw another post about some food causing dogs to become hyperactive. Too much protein in the food if I recall. I feed mine on Bakers dried food for small dogs at the mo, with the odd tin of meat or tuna (they love it!) Do you think this is suitable!

BTW took the children to school this morning and came straight home and took the dogs for a lovely walk. I feel much better and they are sleeping like babies! Happy days