Any dog psychologists out there?

My dog has a compulsive destructive nature. When he gets a new toy he immediately determines where the weak spot is, then goes at it until he has destroyed it. We've bought things which are apparently 'indestructible' and he's trashed them in hours. He even managed to destroy his first Kong! Anything with a tag or label is immediately honed in in and he tear the label off, then goes at the hole he has created.

We started leaving smelly treats around the kitchen/dining room, wrapped up in old big roll tubes and hidden. We realised that he discovers them but doesn't eat them, until we get home? Why is that?

One mistake we made was to hide something under his bed in his crate. He clearly found this, but also found the label. So his rather expensive bed ended up like this....



He then proudly sat there as if to say, 'that was fun, can I have another'

You can see in the picture his toys are strewn all over so it looks like he's been on a prosper rampage!

Now what do we do, if we buy another bed he'll just destroy it but we can't just have him lying in a hard floor.

He's starting to do our heads in

 

I have had terriers that have had similar traits and took them to various training groups and dog shrinks. The most effective way to stop this is to by association of fear. You will need to shut the dog in the kitchen as if you are going out out a wait till it starts acting up. Have tin can like an empty beer can or similar (I use a small paint tin as you close the lid better) with some coins or other metal objects that will really rattle and clatter. As the dog is attacking something or doing anything else you don't want it doing, throw the can next to the dog. They hate the noise it makes and will associate the noise with acting up/chewing things so it will stop. The same works with a can of air or water spray sometimes (water not always as good) - quick burst of air in the face and they stop immediately. Along side this continue to reward good behaviour for leaving stuff when told. Put a toy or treat by them and tell them to leave it then reward with success. Leave the intervals longer and longer before you tell them it's ok to have the great and then give big rewards again. Best rewards are fussing them as you won't always have treats and it builds a bigger trust bond. Finally NEVER tell a dog to do something and repeat it over and over till they do it as they will learn that after fifth time you say "sit" or other such command that's when they do it and you reward them. Tell them once then make them sit/wait/leave etc then reward. This way things happen first time.

Good luck and happy can throwing!

 

He looks pretty proud of himself!!! we have a whippet named Millie or Mildred when she is naughty which is quite often, she destroyed our house including skirting boards, architrave, doors, furniture, carpet, shoes, mobile phones, coats ect, by far the naughtiest dog we have ever had but very loving! she grew out of most of it by about the age of five!!! she is now coming up for eight, not much help i know.
It does do your head in! but hopefully it will pass
Couple of pic's as pup and more recent, i know looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth

 

I forgot to say you should also never play tug of war with your dog as it reinforces their instinct to maul. It encourages them to grip tighter and fight to keep the object. This goes back to the days before dogs were pets and would hunt to kill. Once they had a kill if any other dog or competitor tries to take the kill the instinct is to bite hard and pull it away. Makes life hard when you want your pet to "leave it" as you saying it's ok to not let go and I fact it's a game.

 

I went to see a dog psycholgist once. Couldnt understand a word, thought he was absolutely barking!

 

@dog - you got some issues dude?

 

Our Sally loves to rip the stuffing out of toys , yet she seems equally happy chewing logs and sticks , makes a bit of a mess but easily hoovered up.

 

Its trying to please you

Do you just walk the dog or do you play games whilst out walking?
How often and how far do you walk it and do you walk the same route every time?

 

Nice looking whippet
Do you work her or is she just a pet?

 

I was going to ask this, as a bored and under exercised dog is a destructive one. If you read caesar milan the dog whisperer he will say that most dog issues are down to lack of exercise and other stimulation. Our Welsh Springer is much more relaxed when exercised properly, we also do some beginner gun dog training, to exercise her mind.

If he's only a puppy then I'd get a bit of vetbed for his crate, its cheap and pretty indestructible, we still have a piece the breeder gave us 8 months ago, but bought some new online pretty cheap, off ebay I think, a large piece which we cut into two. We have used the bits of vetbed until the other week, our dog is now 9 months old and more inclined to lie down and take it easy so we have bought a thick padded mattress type thing for the crate and so far so good,

 

I got bitten by a yorkshire terrier today. I then kicked it and it bit my daughter. Next time ill bite first!

 

The other thing we have discovered is those antler bone chew things they seem to last a while, in fact our dog has given up chewing a couple as they are so tough … like old boots

 

I was going to ask if you give him something hard/bone like? Mine doesn't like kongs, much prefers rawhide or cattle bones.

I also give mine rope based toys...indestructible and cleans her teeth..

 

Yes just a pet

 

I dont mean to offend or be rude
However you have just given the reason why your dog has played up for so long

We as dog owners need to remember that all dogs evolved from wolves and since that they were bred for a reason
Food used to be hard to come by so if a dog was to be fed it had to earn its keep and please us
Years on us humans live a different life but dogs havent followed on as fast

Dogs just want to please there master simple as that

You have a breed of dog thats programmed to grab somthing after a run and bring it to you
If it doesent get that chance then it will pull the label or the eye out of somthing soft and drop it near you untill you give it some sort of love

If your not going to run a running dog thats fine
But buy a box of frisbees and go play catch and fetch
The dog will thank and love you for it

Dogs are programmed to work and please if you dont give them that chance then they will try and please you in ways that displease you

And whoever said it earlier never pull on a toy with your dog

 

This is my running dog misty

Shes a bull whippet and was a pain in the arse as a pup as she used to rip rabbits to pieces and not bring them to me
Nowadays she just carrys them back by the fluff of the neck and gets annoyed if the dont stay still after ive dispatched them

She was an ultimate squeaky toy killer as a pup lol

 

Here she is chilling in front of the fire at the old house

 

We live in the country and she has always done plenty of running and chasing!

 

She was so cute as a pup