The dog guy you see pictured here chewed up my 7X Beaver Stetson cowboy hat. It cost over $900.
They have nicknamed him DawgZilla at the vet.
Damage caused by your pets?
by greendawn 35 Replies latest jw friends
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SWALKER
Here is a good site for helping people to understand their dog's behavior...
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/bite2.html
It is so important to get a dog that matches your personality and lifestyle. If you have kids be especially careful in picking out a dog. The top dog in all fields of course is the LAB...(guess who has one???) They are easy to train, smart, and gentle around children...(unless you teach them otherwise!) My lab has never even growled at a kid, no matter what they did to him! But he has chased a few people that he didn't like and defended me!!! (He has never bitten anyone!)
Also, I like watching the Dog Whisperer...he really has some good points on training dogs and it's very impressive what he can do with almost any dog problem. It's mostly on training us humans how to handle dogs!!! He does state though, that from birth to 3 years they are "kids" and have to have extra attention. I noticed that all the tearing up and chewing stuff he wasn't supposed to pretty much stopped with my dog around 2 1/2 yrs. I could leave him home alone all day and he didn't bother anything. Labs are notorious though for getting on beds and sofas, no matter what, and as soon as I would leave he'd jump up on the sofa!!! In the end, I just decided to throw a cover on it, and I would take it off when company came over.
I have always had a dog for as long as I can remember and I can't imagine my life without one in it. I LOVE DOGS!!! (I had a cat for 18 yrs. and a bird---loved them too!)
Swalker
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Gretchen956
Noooonoooonnooooo, no bitter apple spray for the crotch or tushy area! Geezlouise!! Guess I should have posted a disclaimer!!
Sherry
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SWALKER
Gretchen...you really do have to watch what you post online!!! LOL!
Swalker
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Billygoat
I swear by Bitter Apple. The new stray boxer mix we picked up last December still has a lot of puppy in him and chews voraciously. Within a week he had chewed through the leg of an antique chair I'd just reupholstered. I wanted to cry! But I sprayed Bitter Apple on anything I didn't want him near and it works like a charm! The other thing I've discovered is a spray bottle of water. I keep several around the house in different rooms. I spray his face anytime he does get into something he's not supposed to. He does NOT like getting sprayed, so it's worked well as a non-violent form of discipline. (Works great at the dinner table as his previous owner obviously fed him from the table, which is a big no-no in our home.)
Also like Gretchen, I ignore him when I come home for about 10 more more minutes. Only after he's calmed do I pay attention to him. We've only had him for a few months, but he's really becoming well-behaved.
The other thing is telling guests what is acceptable behavior and what isn't. I had some friends that gave our pup tons of attention at the dinner table. When I tried to shoo the dog away, they said, "Oh no, we don't mind." I had to nicely explain, "I realize you love dogs, but we're trying to train him to leave us alone at the table. We'd love it if you'd help us by just ignoring him." The guests were a little embarrassed, but they abided by our wishes after that.
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Gretchen956
Ha Swalker, as I was talking about using bitter apple for things dogs CHEW on, I didn't think the crotch disclaimer was necessary!
Yes, Billygoat, the dogs at the table is a big no here too. We make them go lie down. After dinner is over they are allowed to come up for one scrap each, but they have to sit for it. The only down side is that if you get up because you forgot the salt (for instance) they think, oh, its time for my scrap now. But its a simple matter of laying them back down and telling them to stay. I suppose thats an indulgence too, but everyone has their soft spot, huh?
I love dogs!!
Sherry