Seriously manic dog - advice needed, please!

[overthehill]

Our dog is about a year old & we got him from the RSPCA about six weeks ago. He's very appealing but has some really bad habits, and gets easily over excited. Tonight I went to pick up ds from cubs & all the boys were racing round afterwards, which made him frantic as he wanted to join in. He was pulling me all over the place & at one point grabbed hold of a boy by the shoulder, bruising his arm quite badly, although luckily not breaking the skin. This caused a great deal of commotion, as you can imagine, with the cub leader coming to investigate, & I felt absolutely terrible: worried about the boy, embarrassed because I know the mum, angry at the dog for doing it & at myself for not being able to control him and a bit irritated at the mum & cub leader for making out he was vicious & I was irresponsible & didn't know how to handle dogs (we had our old one for 14 years).

I've decided that next week I'll have to fasten him to the railings away from where the children racket about, but any tips on how to stop him becoming so over excited would be gratefully received. We've tried things like choke chains (put off by a lady telling us that her dog literally choked on one ) & head collars - only he bit through that .

He's also got other bad habits such as chewing anything in sight, but our old dog did that when he was young & just grew out of it, so that's just about manageable at present.

I feel we can't just hope that he becomes more sensible as he gets older & do nothing as this sort of thing could have potentially very serious consequences & we could end up being forced to have him put down .

IMO I think one walk a day for a saluki is probably not going to be enough especially if he is only 2yrs old. He will have boundless energy which he must exercise off - ideally he needs the minimum of two good walks a day.

And remember...only 2yrs old? He's still a puppy really.

I think it's true about young dogs needing plenty of exercise, but I get so tired that I find it hard to get up early enough to take him out before work during the week. Guess it's a question of spending less time on the internet in the evenings & going to bed earlier. And from a purely practical point of view, it's quite hard to ignore bad behaviour if this consists of - as tonight & last night - chewing your friends' feet when they visit, scratching at the doors to be let in/out, barking so as to disturb neighbours/waken children, pulling on the lead so hard that you end up stiff all over (as I am today). Am I just being pathetic or what??

well, I took him out for over two hours yesteday over two walks and he was still boncing around the house like a mad thing, but he does settle down and can be such a loving soppy companion, however, this morning, I came downstairs and he has broke the door from the family room(whch is where we shut him at night and during the day whilst at work) and was in the lounge, so its not going to be long before he is over the stair gate and upstairs where the cat is, he is chasing the cat and terrorising her although I dont think he would actually hurt her, today I went upstairs for a shower and was about 20 minutes and he had broken the door in again and ripped a curtain and two cushions to pieces in the lounge and then when i came down he was so excited he was jumping up and biting me (which actually hurts)he just gets so over excited and dangerous because of his size. I am really thinking today that I need to take him back because I am worried to death about the cat and the house whilst I go to work and leave him tomorrow, he seems to be getting more and more unsettled after such a good start its such a shame because he IS a lovely dog

Before you make that final decision to return him to the Dogs Trust give remember you've had him for such a short time. All dogs, no matter their background, need that time to settle - a week simply isn't long enough.

If he was a stray then who knows? He's probably had no training and being 2years old he's already been allowed to develop his bad habits which he's now looking at YOU to sort out

When I took on my JRT from the Dogs Trust it took about a month to settle her - those first few days I did ask myself 'what have I done?' especially when she'd whine at 5 in the morning to be let out. Fortunately she was put in a crate the same day I brought her home and she uses her crate as her refuge (her safe place) and I put her in there when I can't be watching her all the time which can be a couple of hours at a time and all night with the door firmly shut. She doesn't whine anymore (she did do) because I ignore her.

Due to the destruction your dog is causing and the chasing of your cat - you do seriously need to consider a crate - providing you've got the room for one you can get ones big enough to take a Saluki.

You're getting stressed by the mess and damage and you're passing that stress on to him and the rest of the family - it's just not worth the worry and anxiety.

overthehill - have you tried a halti to stop your dog from pulling? I've recently bought one for one of my dogs - the ones that go over the nose - and it works brilliantly - no more pulling and a real pleasure to walk her. It goes on as soon as her lead is put on and comes off immediately we're home - so she can't try to take it off. She didn't like it at first but she soon got used to it.

he has gone back
I have had an emotionally exausting weekend on my own with him and given him loads of attention and long walks but he just seemed to be getting more and more destructive as the days went by and he was biting my arm so much last night (i was just sitting on the sofa with him) I had to muzzle him and then he destroyed that too, Its too much of a risk with dd. I thought he was going to be ther perfect addition to our little family and am devastated, I took him back with loads of toys and brand new bed and loads of treats hopefully to last him until he gets a new more suitable home

You've done the right thing. It is so incredibly hard to hand him back, I'm sure, but you knew deep down he wasn't the right dog for you despite him being such a lovely dog. He will for sure get a new family very soon - someone who is at home all day etc etc. He sounds too lovely to be at the Dogs Trust for long. They'll make a big fuss of him whilst he's there.

You tried...you did your best and it wasn't to be. You did a brave thing taking him back today and good for you. Well done. xx

thankyou so much for your support (((hugs)))

it feels really wierd without him even after just one week, amazing how dogs make you feel they are such a massive part of your life more than any other animal can be

Well yes, it's true - a dog does play a major part of a family - I've had one of my dogs for 12yrs - longer than my kids and I know it'll be hard parting with her when the time comes.

You gave it your best shot - you know that - and knowing that you tried your uptmost will help you deal with the space he's left in your home. You are one of loads of people who have to return a dog because of exactly the same reasons you've had to deal with.

He wasn't the dog for you - but he will definitely be the dog for someone and atleast now the Dogs Trust know a bit more about him through your experience so they'll be able to find a more suitable home, iykwim.

You've made a big decision taking him back but in hindsight it was the kindest thing to do not only for you and your family (and cat!) but also for him - it would've been a lot worse had you continued - he could've bitten and that may/may not have meant the end for him - atleast if he gets a second chance he may get the intense training he needs and time/attention.

Well done you..... xx

chocolatemummy.....u ok?

hi yes I am fine, was difficult last night as dh and dd came home and were very upset but she WAS sacred of him a bit ai thiuni because she said, "can we get a small dog that wont bite me" ahhhhh

I think we need to reconsider getting a dog at all because we cant commit the time to him as we work, I know many many people work and have dogs and keep them in the garden in a kennel or in the house in a crate but I don't want to go through this week again it literally broke my heart yesterday, I have wanted another dog for about five years and was so excited about getting him I couldnt sleep the night before we picke him up! lol
I think we might get a kitten or a rabbit that we can leave and be confident they will be happy while we are at work and wont seriously hurt mine or anyone elses kids

I think getting a kitten would be a great idea - they are such independent animals and can look after themselves pretty well - as you know with having had a cat for so long.

I have two dogs but only work flexi-hours - so I'm always around and in and out the front door most of the day. Fortunately for me my dh walks them both first thing in the morning (he's trying to keep fit!) and they get walked again to school and back and then again later in the day and evening so they're both pretty tired and we don't get a peep out of them during the night!

Dogs are a huge commitment - some dogs can be left during the day and some can't - a lot depends on their breed and age. There are times when I need to go out for the day and have to get someone to let them out etc - ok but I don't like to push my luck with favours!

I know it must've been hard for you and your dd - why not sponsor a dog with the Dogs Trust - its only a few pounds and it may help dd come to terms with parting with your dog if she knows she's helping one that will never get a new home - the Dogs Trust have some dogs that are simply not rehomeable and have to live at the Centres. If you look at their website it gives all the details, photos etc of those you can sponsor.

yes a good idea, I will get a dog when we are more sorted, I work flexi time too but you just never know when you will get chance to go home and when not. I work from home too sometimes these are all reason why I thought it would be okay? well, prob just get a kitten although I have just been offered two lop eared baby rabbits! lol I am going to leave it for a bit but do want to give dd something else to pour her love onto and to keep us company on cold wintery days in

Chocolatemummy, I really feel for you & am so sorry your doggy had ot go back. At our local RSPCA you can go & take the dogs for walks; is there anything like that near you?? In this way you help by giving them exercise, but you could also give your dd more opportunities to get to know dogs without having them destroying your house. And if you find one that you get to know & you think would really suit you - ?maybe an older dog whose owner has died that wouldn't need much exercise & had grown out of antisocial habits - you could try again. Or what about a retired guide dog?

Our dog, meanwhile, is still chewing chair legs & anything else he can get his teeth on, and today has obviously licked clean the dinner plates as they hardly need a wash ... He is often manic when he comes back from a walk, although he does eventually calm down (especially when he's sneaked on to the sofa, as just now, although he knows he's not allowed!). We have tried two haltis at the vet's recommendation; the first one he kept pushing off and the smaller size he bit through .

We've now had him for 8 weeks & he's broken several leads & collars, chewed chair legs & upholstery, stolen a whole block of butter (& then been sick !), regularly steals the cat's food from her supposedly dog-proof dish (our previous dog couldn't figure it out), is still erratic with house training, has chewed up his bed (?anyone read the What-a-Mess books about an Afghan puppy?) & countless other things I can't remember.

We're not keen on the idea of a cage & space would be a problem, but he does have a "den" under the kitchen table. The thing is, he has such a cheeky & appealing face that you can't help but like him, even when he does naughty things, & we should be able to manage the walks as we don't work full time like you, chocolatemummy, & our dc's are older. I think we have to keep trying, but be responsible about taking him for as many walks as possible, whilst avoiding any close contact with manic cubs...