Help with training my dog

[Robert_in_NY]

I have a chocolate lab/grey hound mix pup which is around 18 months old. I only got her in april and while she is an extremely friendly and great dog she does have quite a few behavior problems. I have to keep her caged up as she will destroy everything if I don't. She chews up anything she can start to get her mouth on. Her chewing problem isn't what I am too concerned with right now.

I keep her at my house I am working on which is next door to where I am staying. I do a lot with her and let her out 4-5 times a day when the weather is bad. I have to keep her on a leash though as she loves to run and living on Rt 20 is not a good situation for her as there is way too much traffic. When I am at my house either relaxing or working I have her out of her cage and allow her to have run of the house as I want her to be a house dog. But if I do not keep her in the same room with me 24/7 she will take off to the upstairs and use the bathroom up there. It doesn't matter what I do to discourage her she still does it. As it stands I am about to give up on her being an indoor dog but I can't leave her chained to a dog house nor will I leave her to live in a cage so if I can't get her house broke I am going to have to give her away. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can break her from using the upstairs as a private bathroom? She doesn't even give me any notice that she has to use the bathroom, she just does it but then cowers down when I notice it as she knows she did something wrong. So she does know right from wrong but still does it Thanks

 

[plowking]

I asked my daughter about your dog,she works in a doggy day care and grooms dogs. She thinks it may have to do with the previous owners care or how they trained the dog. That breed may have to be kenneled or caged until it is older. There is also obedience training that can be tried. We have a few dogs and have good luck with the puppy pads and going out with the older dogs helps the puppy to learn. Winter is a hard time to train for outdoors. plowking

 

[crusty 1]

Robert,I,m going through about the same thing only my new little sheltie is only 9 weeks old.I close doors so she can,t venture too far,get her out about every half hour for potty breaks,take the food and water away about an hour before I,d like to go to sleep and her last walk for the night.I honestly don,t know what to say because it seems the[dog] is harder than my kids ever were.But I,m sure thats because I was gone during the day and missed all the fun I also snap Sohies theeth with my finger to let her know that chewing isn,t allowed.Sounds like we,re both in for some fun times:laughingave

 

[gauthier]

I have a beagle,he stays outside, and he poops and pees wherever he takes a notion.

 

[captaincrab55]

Robert, Check your PM box...

 

[dave1949]

I would start by denying her access to the upstairs by putting a child gate across the stairway opening.

I am a big fan of fenced yards for dogs. Some expense and a hassle too, but then you have somewhere to put her when she doesn't have good house manners that is safe and not like being tied out either. Then train her that she will get bannished from the house for several hours if she misbehaves. If you can catch her in the act, carry her to the door and set her out. No fumbling for leashes etc. that may only confuse the dog.

It's possible she was never properly house trained and is trying to do what she was trained, either on purpose or by default, to do by a former owner. And for some reason - you aren't happy

Just when I thought one of our puppies was over the chewing stage, she ripped about 4' of pine baseboard off the wall when I was away for several hours. I'm sure the Minwax stain was yummy. She did outgrow the chewing though.
Dave.

 

[keegs]

To add to Dave's suggestion, if you can afford it, an "Invisible Fence" may provide a measure of safety for your dog and some relief for you. They offer several training packages for you and the dog.

Some years back my sister took in a very difficult dog. It did all the things you mentioned and bit twice. She found a professional dog trainer and over the course of a year and a considerable investment in time and money, its behavior improved significantly.

 

[Sigarms]

For outside recall issues, look at the Dogtra line of "training collars". You get what you pay for on training collars from my experience. The better ones offer you a "vibrate" only mode, as well as "nick" and "continuous" for the shock (as well as numerous settings to determine what level you need to go to to get a response).

Invisible fence is a second thought.

I would start by denying her access to the upstairs by putting a child gate across the stairway opening.

Ditto. Go to Babies are us, look for the ones you mount (screw) onto the door frame.

For house training, have you tried crate training?

Remember, the crate or cage shouldn't be a place for punishment. Anytime the dog goes into the crate, the experience should be a positive one (such as praise or a treat). The crate or cage should feel like "home" to the dog and the animal should feel comfortable in the enclosed area. Hopefully before you know it, the animal will want to be in the crate even if it doesn't have to go in.

Do you limit the dogs water? Make sure you pull the water off the floor after a certain time at night. Do you have a set ritual of when you take the dog out? Always remember, good praise and a treat for behavior that is wanted and got. Also always remember that if you don't catch her in the act of unwanted behavior, any type of punishment you give her after the fact is almost a lost cause.

We had to put our yellow lab down after 10 years. It was her time. Just the other day we had family over we hadn't seen in years, and we showed them our wedding video because they couldn't make it (wedding). We had the lab with us on our honeymoon in Stowe (wifes from Vermont, left the dog with her parents), but seeing the video of the lab at three years old, I completely forgot how much ENERGY she had even at three (my wife told me she was much worse up to two years old, as the dog was my wifes before I met her).

Guess my long story is that labs can have a tendancy to be wild at times (more like playful steam). Even when she was pushing 10, if we left a bathroom door open, she (the dog) would grab the end of the toilet paper and pull it throughout the house wagging her tail (seemed like she was saying "you can't catch me!").

 

[VABlue]

Ditto to every word Sigarms just wrote! The dog does not need run of the entire house to be happy, just those rooms you frequent most. Put gates up wherever needed to give the dog access to those rooms only, and find a place for a correct sized kennel crate to live. That will prove invaluable once you're used to it - a safe place the dog can relax in, and a haven for you when you are over the dogs energy level! (Face it, we can't always deal with all of it , but crates are NOT for punishment.) Also, dogs live by routine. They don't need variation in their diet or in the times they're fed or let out. Get a routine that's easy for you to handle and the dog will adapt to it in only a couple of days. Life will get so much more calm...

A word about fenced yards... Lay out the expense and time to get one if you love your dog. It seriously removes the worry from letting a dog out unsupervised. It will also make your neighbors much happier because they won't have to deal with your dog.

Pee pads or newspapers? I have no use for them since they do nothing but teach a dog to pee in the house. Just doesn't make sense to me... That said, in full disclosure, we put one down every night for the two yorkies (combined 8 pounds) since it's impossible to completely house break tiny dogs...

So, partake in some obedience lessons at your local pet store, put in gates and a routine, and think about a fence. You'll be good to go in no time...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Thanks, I will get another gate to keep her from the upstairs as she doesn't seem to have any "problems" on the first floor. The basement is another story though :laughing:

I have been working with her to get her to want to go to her cage and she has finally got to the point where she listens and will go into her cage and sit there. I use to put new pieces of carpet in there but she destroyed them so I don't have anything in there that will make it softer as she destroys it in a matter of hours. But I do reward her for good behavior and for going to her cage like she is suppose to. We are currently working with her on commands like heel, sit and lay down. She knows them but needs to be worked with more which I am doing.

I am not sure about the invisible fence but will look into it. My girlfriends black lab is very well behaved and can run free and my neighbors black lab is the same way. They can come and go on both properties as they wish. Sasha (my pup) has to stay on a leash or tied off to a tree by a ditch with flowing water (I have two different spots where I tie her out so she can be outside and have a cool place to lay).

One thing I do know is that she comes to you when you shoot a gun. I believe she was originally being trained as a deer search dog. I met another guy who had a dog identical to her and the same age and from the same area and he told me he trains them for deer search. He said if the dog doesn't show promise around 6 months old he gets rid of it. Thats when the lady I got it from originally got Sasha. If I fire my pistol Sasha will come running right to me from anywhere and sit down. She loves trailing scents as well. The dog I saw with the deer search guy was a twin to Sasha which is a slender, chocolate lab/grey hound mix.

I am going to try limiting her access in the house and see how she does and will let you guys know in a month or so if its working. Thanks.