To be getting sick and tired of uncontrollable dog?

[Zhan]

I love dogs and have always had big working dogs. I wanted a German Shepherd but DH wanted a French bulldog - which we got.

since day one it has been out of control. We tried to crate train him from the start but he would howl and scream for hours. I've successfully crate trained many a dog so I said if we just ignore him and remain firm he will eventually get used to it - 6 weeks later he continued to howl and scream ALL night with no let up every single night. We had to stop it in the end as I was getting worried about neibours complaining so instead he had full run of the kitchen on a night - so he decided to COMPLETELY destroy every bit of wood (cupboards, door frames, managed to eat a HOLE in the kitchen DOOR) ripped his bed to pieces and constantly knocked his water bowl everywhere on purpose.

Now all this shit can be put down to puppy behaviour but he turns one year old next month and he's just as bad now, if not worse.

I can't leave him alone for seconds. If I leave him downstairs whilst I go and get dressed, I can hear him start INSTANTLY as soon as I'm out of sight, he pulls all the cushions off the sofa and tries to dig holes in them, pisses on the living room carpet, pulls at plants - it is literally instant and continuous.

Now the latest thing is that he has learnt to jump UP on the kitchen side - he grabs the bread and just rips it to pieces. I'm so sick of replacing bread that I've now said I'm not buying it anymore. Kitchen roll is grabbed and ripped to shreds - literally anything he can reAch he will destroy just for the sheer hell of it.

I took DS to cinema last week and logged into my kitchen camera on my phone so see the bloody dog up on the kitchen side, kettle knocked over and radio (plugged in!!) knocked off windowsill and balancing over a bowl of water. I had to race home to sort it out. I'm so fucking tired of it. I've had dogs all my life and NEVER had one so irritating and destructive. He's still not house trained and today has managed to drag 2 RAW chicken breasts off the side in the few minutes they were left out that i had taken out for tea and ate them.

Aside from this he constantly attacks people, biting at their trousers and if they sit down, biting and scratching at their neck and face.

He has tons of toys, tons of chews, gets lots of attention - now I'm just fucking bored of it and fed up. He's out of control and I'm not a novice dog owner. He's so stubborn too, he's learnt various commands yet it's 50/50 whether he'll actually obey them or not. I can stand there with a treat and say "sit" and he'll just look at me - he'll carry this on for ages until I give up and put thrvtreat back in the bag. It's like half the time he'd rather go without than actually do what he's told. So frustrated.

[MrsJaniceBattersby]

Has he been castrated ?

[Zhan]

No not yet but it's on the cards. I'm not sure that would solve the destruction though?

[tattychicken]

How's he getting up on the counter? They've only got little legs.

[Pariswhenitdrizzles]

OP have you spoken to a dog behaviourist at all? :(

[Zhan]

I know, I honestly can't fathom how he's doing it, never caught him actually getting up there but have come home to find him up there loads of times now. He can't get down, he can only get up and gets up when nobody else is home so it's not like someone is putting him up there

[MatildaTheCat]

Assume he's getting lots of exercise and play and you've discussed this with your vet?

I'd be pulling my hair out. What does your dh think since he insisted on this breed? Finally, sorry for the barrage of questions, have you made contact with the breeder? Ours said they would always take a dog back if the owners were unable to keep the dog for some reason.

[Naicehamshop]

What is your dh doing to sort out the situation that he has created?

[Catdogcat]

I have a frenchie, he is not at all like that.

They are notoriously stubborn though and I couldn't crate train ours either.

Sorry that's not very helpful. Maybe see a behaviourist?

[Sallygoroundthemoon]

Sounds like you are doing everything you can. I'd second castration and bringing in the experts. Good luck.

[Trifleorbust]

I find it surprising that an experienced dog owner wouldn't have had a dog castrated to curb destructiveness.

[Zhan]

Yes Paris they say he needs a firm hand - I have literally caught him mid-tv remove destroying, snatched it off him and shouted "No" and he just goes nuts and starts flying around the house barking and growling flying into cupboards, skidding across flooring, stuff getting knocked everywhere. I know it sounds bad but if he was human, I'm sure he would be seen as having mental health issues. His behaviours is just not normal at all.

He can be attacking someone, I'll shout "no" and grab him and put him somewhere for time out - I can leave him there for AGES and when I let him out he goes straight back to attacking whoever he was attacking before hand. He doesn't learn. He doesn't seem to want to.

[VivienneWestwoodsKnickers]

This is massive separation anxiety. How are you addressing that? He won't just get on with it on his own, he needs the training to cope alone.

[Zhan]

Trifle, I've never had to before. I've had male Rottweiler who was a stubborn git who still managed to let it sink in that destroying everything wasn't the best way forward.

I will get him castrated but if that doesn't work, I'm not sure how much patience I have left ☹️

[MumBod]

Thunder shirt?

[Zhan]

I don't see where separation anxiety would come from though. He was a litter of 4 who didn't leave their mother until 10 weeks. We started as we meant to go on with him, little bits of time on the crate, our clothing in his bed etc etc and he just got worse and worse.

[Trifleorbust]

How much outdoor space/time is available? He sounds like a bright animal, feeling bored and turning to destructive behaviour.

[Isthisusernamefree]

I'm no behaviour expert, if I were you i'd definitely ask my vet and ask for a behaviourist recommendation.

Have you tried a different type of food? Some can seriously impact a dog's behaviour - check what you're currently feeding him on www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/ and see if there is a better alternative?

[Trifleorbust]

And if you cone home to find him up on the work surface, does that mean he has been alone all day?

[StealingYourWiFi]

My friend had trouble with one of her Frenchie's. She went on a two week behavioural stay and has come back a new dog. I can DM details if needed.

[HappyMayDay]

Get rid of it.

It sounds like a pain in the arse and sending it on its way would be a huge relief.

[OldandJaded]

Oh dear, awful situation, my jack Russell was a complete pain in the arse spirited young dog, though she did crate train fairly well, but she too if unattended for a few minutes was on tables and sides (still does if she thinks she can get away with it!) And she's smaller then your dog so I was totally baffled by how she managed it! She can jump - rather like a cat, and rather like a cat has excellent balance so even the smallest opportunity she could scramble her way onto the side, open the fridge, freezer, drag tea towels down and pee on them..... She just seemed to have no boundaries at all. And it didn't matter how much exercise she got.
I'd get him checked by the vet and ask their advice, and try socialising him with other dogs if there's a puppy class or something near you? I got another, older, rescued dog and mine started to calm down as she learned how to be a dog - which with only humans for company she wasn't learning. I realise this may not be a solution for you though and it was on advice from the vet I socialise my dog more.
YANBU to be pissed off it's really really frustrating.

[Zhan]

We have fields at the back of our house and he goes for a long walk on there, off lead daily. On a weekend we take him all over, beach, parks, heritage sites - he was socialised young with other people and dogs (he's actually great with other dogs!). I have even considered getting another dog to keep him company but if it turned out like him I'd have no house left.

Triffle, no it can be 20 minutes at the shop and I'll come back to chaos.

Today when he ripped the bread up and ate the chicken he was here with my sons all day, all it takes is for you to take your attention off him for 5 minutes and he goes nuts.

[Cantbeatatryer]

How much exercise is he getting? How is his behaviour outside?

[Trifleorbust]

So is there someone at home all day, or not? You are being quite vague.

[Zhan]

Yes please stealing wifi

He's fed in harringtons, that's what the breeder weaned them on so we never changed it