Calling the dog experts!

[MissMistletoe]

I'm after some advice about my Golden Retriever. He's neutered, is 2 and a half years old. I'm wondering where to start now... Right, he seems to be a very 'stressed' dog. He's not very good at being left when I'm out, although he has the company of another dog, our Labrador. Today's example - the dogs wouldn't go out for a pee this morning as it was pouring with rain. Usually they lay on an old sofa in the living room during the day, which is kind of 'their' sofa. Anyway, this morning I knew I was going to be out for a few hours, (left house at 8.35 returned at 1.20)and I didn't want to take any chances with 'our' good sofa, so shut the living room off and the bedrooms to keep the dogs off the beds. This left them with dining room floor and landing, kitchen and hallway to have access to. I returned home to my mail completely shredded, as well as a top I'd bought for DD at the w/end which was in a carrier bag on the floor in the hall. I know it's the Retriever that's done it, as he's the chewer of the two. He's done this as he couldn't get into the lounge or bedrooms, I'm assuming. This behaviour is quite typical of him. At the moment they don't have dog beds, as he kept chewing them, but I am about to risk buying a couple more. Generally, I feel that he's not happy, and as I said before, he is a stressed dog. He even looks miserable a lot of the time. My DH says "oh that's just the Retriever expression" but I wonder if there's more to it than that?.. I've even began wondering if perhaps he'd be happier in another home... ?? Would be very sad for all of us though. I know I should buy more chew things to leave down when I go out, and will do so, although he won't let our other dog have them, and insists on having both, so then I feel bad for her, and don't bother buying them. I don't work, so don't have to leave the dogs too long during the day, but you know, with shopping, gym, daily routine etc, sometimes it's unavoidable.

Sorry for the long post, but I was just wondering if anyone understands the behaviour and can help me understand it? I have just purchased 'The Idiots Guide To Dog Training' and 'How Dog's Learn' both books were recommended to me, so I shall have a read of those. I've also just got Victoria Stilwell's book too.

Crate
Leave him out when you can supervise
Crate when you can't
It's not cruel - our 2 JRT's love their crate
Retrievers need a lot of exercise and have low boredom threashold too
They need to be out in the puddles and rivers and fields at least 2 a week.

We had a german shepherd who had similar problems. The crate just didn't work with her - she would literally scream/crap/pee whenever we shut her in it, even though she was encouraged to use it whilst we were there as a 'safe' house as such, you know - let her eat in it, leave it open to let her sleep in it etc. The crate is def worth a try but don't get downheartened if it doesn't work.

If you can afford it (and it will be cheaper in the long run) I seriously suggest you get a behaviourilist involved - they will come to the house, see where you can do things differently and be a shoulder of support when things don't go as planned initially

Thanks for your comments. I have thought of a behaviourist, actually. We have got a crate, we haven't used it for a long while, as we haven't really got room for it. I used to have it in the kitchen by the back door, but the kitchen is only small, and we have a cat now and he needs access to the cat flap. Also, I wouldn't like to leave my dog in the crate if I was going to be out for a while. As he is quite a stressy dog, I just don't think he'd cope well with that.

MissMistletoe,

One of our dogs (the Border Collie) went through this behaviour.

We used the techniques in this book and they have really helped, not just with the chewing but with other things that we hadn't even really thought of before, and also with our other dog (who had a problem with jumping up, that again we'd never considered a problem, really, but we were glad when it was resolved).

Basically, the idea behind the book is that dogs are pack animals and this is about putting you in the position of "pack leader". Jan Fennel suggests that most problems in dogs are caused by human behavour that leads to them thinking they are pack leader, sort of like a parent, iyswim.

So separation anxiety, which it sounds, imo, rather like this is, isn't the anxiety of a child wondering where its Mum is, but the other way around, the anxiety of a Mum wondering where her child is (which would stress the hell out of anyone).

The way to resolve this, Fennel believes, is to take steps that prove you are pack leader, so the dogs trust you, for example, to go out of the house in the morning, come back in the evening, and it be absolutely fine because you are pack leader and know what you're doing.

The steps she gives are really simple, make perfect sense and involve absolutely no violence.

The book really worked for our two; I only wish I'd had it with previous dogs! It's a lot cheaper than a behaviourist (although if you do want to go down that route I think she actually has her own organisation that provides advice in your home setting).

HTH!

Thanks for the link, I will probably order the book, just tried to actually, but have forgotten my Amazon password, so have to wait for an email from them with details on how to create a new one. I've got some new books, as I said in my OP, so it looks like I'm going to have a lot of reading to do over the Christmas holidays!

Remembered password, Mostletoeandwine! The book sounds good, I really hope it helps me understand my dog more. Bless, him.

Be careful with Jan Fennell's techniques - she is pretty old hat these days and I know of dogs that have become depressed due to her techniques - IMO it is all a bit 'one size fits all', lots of ignoring them for long periods and putting everything down to dominance. Complete Idiot's Guide to Pos. Dog Training is based on much more up to date research.

Hope you get him sorted happily.

2labs you may be right, it did work for ours but every dog is different of course!

Maybe in a parallel world there is a dogsnet somewhere and discussion of Jan Fennel, her methods or her books aren't allowed!!!

I bet there is you know... Glad she helped your pooches.

Oh, I've ordered the book too... Oh well, I'll have a read of it and see what I think. I have to admit, from the picture of the cover on Amazon, she did rather remind me of the dog trainer character in the Catherine Tate sketch!

Just wanted to add to this thread (note the name change since my op) to say that I'm reading the Dog Listener by Jan Fennell, and am finding it very interesting. It's really helping me understand my dogs behaviour. I do see what 2Labs means about some of her techniques, for example, Fennell recommends if your dog starts pulling on the lead when you're about to set off for a walk, then you abandon the walk altogether until the dog gets the message that they're not going anywhere until they don't pull. She mentioned a dog whose owner used the technique, and her dog went without a walk for four days. Personally I wouldn't do that. Dogs need their exercise regardless. I did however try another mentioned technique re pulling, where you just stand still wherever you are, until the lead goes slack, then move off again. I did this yesterday with my two, I must have looked a bit funny, walking, stopping, not making eye contact with dogs, so seemingly staring into space, then ambling off again. It did work though, and amazingly quickly. Good book, as long as you use common sense and don't follow techniques that you're quite sure won't work for you dog.

This is the thread, Piffle.

There are some good books by Gwen Bailey she does some really good ones and has brilliant up to date advice we bought one and fine it to be a brilliant help