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.

It sounds like he hasn't been well trained, isn't being exercised enough, and has seperation anxiety. I think you are congratulating yourself a bit too much on being an experienced dog owner when you should be taking your training back to scratch. He's not a GSD, he's a bully breed, of course he's going to be stubborn!

For most of the day Triffle, yes but if I need to pop to ASDA I can hardly take him in there with me. As I've said, 20 minutes at shops is all it takes

You put him in time out? You tell NO at him?

Dear god no wonder he doesn't behave. And castration is not he answer.

He needs a bloody good dose of postie reinforcement training. Get a behaviourist and now.

And by the way, 6 weeks you left that dog to howl and scream in a crate without considering that crate training wasn't suitable for him and you wonder why he has anxiety when left alone and exhibits bad behaviour - wow.

From what I have read, the breed is particularly intolerant of being left alone. Look into rehoming him.

*positive

Haveacupoftea, Rottweilers are stubborn but I didn't have all this with him.

I just wish I'd put my foot down and bought a GSD. These little "designer" dogs are nothing but problems both in terms of health and everything else.

How long is the dog being left? Easily solve all the food being taken, don't leave anything out. My parents have to defrost their bread in the microwave as the dog ate a whole loaf. What training have you done?

Sorry didn't see your last post. He will get worse before he gets better. Keep clear boundaries and be consistent. He is starting his teenage phase. Other than that I'd contact a behaviourist and also good point by previous poster about food. Good luck

I don't see where separation anxiety would come from though.

Leaving a puppy to scream and cry in a crate can very easily set them up for separation anxiety. Crate training should never involve crying or distress for the puppy, if it does then you're moving too fast and need to go back within their comfort zone.

I second the recommendations for getting professional help. Separation anxiety can be notoriously difficult to deal with and it sounds like you're struggling with other things as well.

Anyone can set themselves up as a behaviourist/trainer and there are plenty out there using outdated methods so the best thing you can do is to go through one of these organisations to find someone reputable.

In the meantime I would also suggest posting on this FB group which is run by very highly respected professionals. They will be able to give you some advice for managing things as well as possible whilst you organise someone to come out and help in person.

Definitely don't be in a rush to castrate him, especially as it sounds like he's very anxious. It's not some panacea that will magically make everything better and when fear/anxiety is involved it can actually make things worse.

It's not a designer dog. The breed is nearly 200 years old. It is a 'ratter' dog (no expert but google is my friend) and I assume needs considerably more exercise than one long walk on a week day.

I've done positive reinforcement, trust me I've tried everything.

Example, he grabs the TV remote, I take it off him and give him his chew toy. He looks at me like I've just grown a head out of my arsehole and then follows me to wherever I go with the tv remote biting at my trousers and jumping up to grab my hand.

A dog has no idea when he is misbehaving. All you're doing is teaching him that he gets a reaction to a behaviour. He can't be allowed to fail, you need to train him properly.

Get a lead that attaches to your belt loop. Everywhere you go, he goes. Praise praise praise. Play with his toys. Walk together. Don't allow him to slip up.

And leaving him to cry in his crate has reinforced that it's a shit place to be. All you've taught him is that if he cries for long enough he will win. You have to crate train properly. Leave the door open. Throw cheese at him when he is in there, but never shut the door. It needs to be a good place, a place where he gets food and love and tickles through the bars.

And I'm not sure why RAW CHICKEN was capitalised. That's a perfect meal for him.

Dogs get separation anxiety when they are left to 'cry it out' in a crate.

OP get this moved to The Doghouse. You'll get better advice there.

Triffle, they're not the best breathers. I often have to let him rest mid walk as he's over exerted himself and his choking on his own snot.

Often after these field walks he comes in, collapses on the floor and doesn't want to move for the rest of the day (unless I go out of sight of course, then he'll find the energy to wreck something).

Have you discussed it with the breeder?

More, shorter walks.

This article about separation anxiety is also well worth reading. In fact there's endless really great advice in their files section. I'd sit down and have a good read through any that are even remotely relevant.

I'd also look into getting the BOAS addressed, struggling to breathe on a regular basis will be doing him no favours at all.

French bulldogs can jump very high! Very surprising if you haven't seen it before. Yes Trifleorbust they are an old established breed, not a new designer fad! Bred for lacemakers from U.K. Who went to France, breed from small English bulldogs and terriers to keep rats down. I have one a similar age to your op and I can say he has tried my patience on many levels! Very slow to housetrain, similar destruction even when not left alone, can just be in another room. My saving grace is my other dog, he wants to play all day long. Have you had him checked out for any medical issues?

www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0019/harringtons-complete

Harringtons isn't awful, but it isn't the best either.

If you can afford it and would be willing to try, moving him onto something else might help? Google food and hyperactivity in dogs. I would also recommend joining a breed specific forum and asking there because there will be a lot of specified knowledge on hand.

I have a pug x frenchie and I have to say his behaviour is strange, not in the same way as your pooch, but definitely different to any other breed I've shared my life with before!

I have a GSD who's a nightmare and I feel the same, i think with any breed you can get a bad one

I would consider a behaviourist sooner rather than later.

Perfect example - he's been sat here with me for the past two hours. I get up to go and put tea on, a few seconds later I hear that god awful "jump - jump - jump" sound down the hallway, I go in to find him trying to jump up onto the shoe cabinet to get my works ID badge. He could have followed me but no, off he goes to find something destructive to do. I do feel a bit guilty as I've lost my rag with him and he's sat here looking very sorry for himself like he doesn't know what he's done wrong 😭 So frustrating!!!

I am on a French bulldog forum and the advice there is 1) be firm and 2) get his nuts chopped off

Personally I think he needs a bloody brain scan.

Your dog has separation anxiety, it is perfectly normal for puppies to suffer separation anxiety but by the time they are adults they should not. (This doesnt mean they should be ALLOWED to suffer it, merely that it is normal!)

However that doesn't happen all by itself and I would suggest that your previous dogs have either learned not to yell but were still actually unhappy about it, or got over it despite your methods rather than because of them (Because hey, if they were fool proof you wouldn't be having these issues).

Pups need to learn independence in their own time, from a basis of confidence and security - by locking a pup in a crate and ignoring his obvious distress you failed to achieve that and it is therefore no surprise at all that he is now destructive and unhappy.

Get a decent behaviourist in, a member of the Pet Professional Guild, a member of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (or both) .... but ...... ONLY if you are willing to admit that probably half the issue here is you do not like this dog and did not want this dog and you are prepared to deal with that and get over it.

If you are NOT then the best option is to rehome the dog rather than you both continuing to suffer.

It is VERY hard to get your head round the idea that you have potentially been doing things wrong and need to learn new ways so I commend you for asking for help but there's a lot of work needs to be done here - if you are not willing to do it then it is unfair to keep the dog.

Behaviouralist and a chat with the breeder. They should know if this is usual. This would drive me mad!