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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Not feeling the love

24 replies

Trollhunter · 29/07/2018 20:00

2 dogs age 15 months(male) and 10 months(female). They’re driving me nuts-especially the youngest one. She wees on the sofa, eats our shoes, clothes(Calvin Klein underwear) and, the latest, my brand new charlotte tilbury primer!! I’m furious! The primer was packed away in a bag, ready to go away, so not like it was just left lying around!
They both jump up for our food, chew the children’s toys(destroy their own toys within minutes of getting them!). They refuse to go out to wee/poo if it’s raining, so just piss and shit in the house.
I’m at my wits end and feeling very unhappy with this situation.
Any advice?

OP posts:

starcrossedseahorse · 29/07/2018 20:02

They are still pups really. Do you take them to training classes? I am guessing not - you should and it is not too late to do so.

missbattenburg · 29/07/2018 20:04

It's a bit tricky to advise as it sounds like poor behaviour/training is preventing you enjoying them.

Why did you get them in the first place (especially so close in age) - as in, what kind of relationship were you hoping for with them?
What training have you done/do you do?
What exercise/activities do you do with the dogs now?
How often do they egt one-on-one time with you (not wit the other dog)?

BiteyShark · 29/07/2018 20:22

Having two young dogs so close in age is always going to be hard. To me it just sounds like training is needed and possible individual training.

If it was me I would get in a 1-1 trainer to help you practically

However let's just go through some of the issues:-

wees on the sofa. No more sofa. Use treats to get her off the sofa and don't allow either of them to get on. My dog is allowed on the spare bed but not ours. He was told to get 'off' a couple of times and we praised him and he now gets it and never attempts to get on our bed.

eats our shoes, clothes put all your shoes and clothes away so they cannot get to them. My spaniel won't eat shoes but likes to take them outside so we put them away.

jump up for our food train them not to. I use 'off' for jumping. Some people choose to turn their backs until the dog has all paws in the floor. Praise when they don't jump or have all paws on floor.

chew the children’s toys(destroy their own toys within minutes of getting them!). children's toys get put away unless you are supervising and can swop any child toy for theirs. Get appropriate toys for them for strong chewers.

They refuse to go out to wee/poo if it’s raining, so just piss and shit in the house. sounds like you need to go back to toilet training again. My dog got no choice when young as we both stayed out in awful weather until he went and was praised. As a pup when he decided it was too wet to go out and started to pee I made a noise to stop him and took him straight outside and praised as a reminder that outside not in. Clean up all accidents indoors with special cleaners. When it rains stand outside with them even if it awful for you and wait until they go and then do over the top praise.

adaline · 29/07/2018 20:34

Have you done any training? It sounds like they're untrained which is why they're behaving badly.

HollyGibney · 29/07/2018 20:36

How much exercise do they get? My dog is an arse unless he gets two hours a day and he's only a small terrier. Two hours and he's a worn out angel.

Shambolical1 · 29/07/2018 20:53

They need some training by the sound of it.

Original poster

Trollhunter · 29/07/2018 21:48

I can barely get my kids to do as they’re told, nevermind the dogs!!

OP posts:

starcrossedseahorse · 29/07/2018 23:31

Not a great response to the help you have been offered on here. Having two poorly trained dogs who are making the family unhappy and who will be unhappy themselves is not really that funny.

Are they neutered?

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 30/07/2018 02:01

This situation won't get any better without you putting some work into training them. None of us are born knowing how to train dogs - we all need some help at some points, but the longer you leave it the harder it will get.

Go to some good quality training classes - ideally run by someone who is APDT qualified or Dogs Trust Dog School. Run a mile from anyone who talks about pack leadership as it has all been debunked and is a sign of a bad trainer.

I'd also second every word @HollyGibney said about exercise - my own dog is exactly the same.

adaline · 30/07/2018 07:44

Then you need to take them to professional classes and get them to behave. They're nearly full-grown and soon you're going to have two untrained adult dogs on your hands.

Both of them should be housetrained by now, bar perhaps the odd accident for the younger one. If they're not, you need to go back to basics - take them out each time they eat, drink, nap or play. And every single time they show signs of needing to go. You need to go outside with them and watch, and praise massively if they go. Ignore accidents.

If they jump up, put them in a different room when you eat. We use stair gates as we have a beagle so no matter how well trained he is, when he catches a scent he's off and nothing will stop him jumping - so we just ban him from the room. He can still see us and he gets a treat at the same time.

And the reason they eat your stuff is because you leave it lying around. Put things in lockable cupboards or rooms, and train the drop command so every time they drop an item they get a high value (to them) treat. Mine will drop anything for cheese or peanut butter, others are motivated by sausage, liver cake or even a toy or ball.

But really they need to go training classes - on a regular basis and not just for six weeks basic puppy training.

fleshmarketclose · 30/07/2018 08:14

All good advice from pps. You are getting an extended puppy phase because you haven't trained them. You need to put in time and effort so that you get to enjoy the dogs, they don't instinctively know how to behave how you want them to they need to be taught.

adaline · 30/07/2018 09:18

And getting two pups so close in age was a really bad idea!

Wolfiefan · 30/07/2018 09:24

What training have you done? You lost all their bad behaviour but don't say what you do to prevent it.
My dog was a chewer. So I watched her and substituted what I didn't want chewed for things she could chew. If I couldn't watch her she was in a pen.
Peeing. Are they actually house trained? Sounds like they aren't. Put a lead on. Take them out. After food and sleep and play. And every half an hour. If they don't go then watch them and take them out again in a few minutes.
The children need to keep their toys away from the dogs.
Don't let them near your food.
Honestly you may end up having to rehome at least one. You have lots of problems as you have got a second when you haven't trained the first. The advice is get one. Train it. Get another in a couple of years or more. You risk litter mate syndrome and the bad behaviour you're having otherwise.
What breed are they?

BiteyShark · 30/07/2018 09:42

I can barely get my kids to do as they’re told, nevermind the dogs!!

Training is hard work, takes time and you have to be consistent. Having two young dogs misbehaving is going to require effort. If you want tips and help them lots of people on here will help you but not sure from your response above whether you actually want to do that.

tabulahrasa · 30/07/2018 12:36

“I can barely get my kids to do as they’re told, nevermind the dogs!!”

Good news, training dogs is way way easier than training kids.

Chippyway · 30/07/2018 13:02

Poor dogs

If you struggle with your kids why did you get two dogs?!

You clearly haven’t taken any of the advice on board. A dog is a reflection of its owner. You haven’t put in the effort for training. No dog is perfect but I’m sorry at 15 months old they should not be going to the toilet in the house - you quite clearly haven’t taught them the most basic of training and now you’re wondering why they are the way they are?

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 30/07/2018 13:03

Good news, training dogs is way way easier than training kids.

I have a dog trainer acquaintance who says that if she ever has children she's going to clicker train them in the exact same way as she has trained her dogs.

I'm looking forward to seeing if this works

pigsDOfly · 30/07/2018 16:11

When you got these two dogs OP did you not realise that dog's will not house train themselves and training takes time, input and effort.

Of course they will pee on your sofa if you haven't trained them not to. Dogs chew, they need to be trained to know what's appropriate for them to chew and what isn't.

Currently it sounds like you have two out of control dog. The situation won't improve unless you're prepared to put in the work.

And as pps have said getting two dogs so close together in age is a very bad idea.

Wolfiefan · 30/07/2018 22:29

Obviously not pigs.
I suspect OP wanted lots of oh no Hun. You ok? Dogs are clearly bastard responses.

tabulahrasa · 30/07/2018 23:43

“I have a dog trainer acquaintance who says that if she ever has children she's going to clicker train them in the exact same way as she has trained her dogs.”

Rofl, what’s she going to use as a high value reward? I mean, anything that a child would work for is not something they should be having loads of...

3luckystars · 30/07/2018 23:46

What kind of dogs are they?

CharleyBlack · 30/07/2018 23:58

How much exercise do they get? How long are they left alone during the day?

I have sibling dogs (as well as 4 others) and it's bloody hard work. Not so much now because they are all adults and I put a substantial amount of time into training and exercising them and I still do! It's a massive commitment, if you want to do it properly.

If you get it right, the rewards are great. If you get it wrong or do it half assed, the result is a nightmare.

Time to step up.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 31/07/2018 00:10

Rofl, what’s she going to use as a high value reward? I mean, anything that a child would work for is not something they should be having loads of...

It was a pub type conversation, not to be taken overly seriously!

In my mind I picture jelly Tots and chocolate buttons, but I suspect she had something far more sensible in mind like a sticker for a reward chart.

tabulahrasa · 31/07/2018 01:44

“It was a pub type conversation, not to be taken overly seriously!”

I didn’t think it was deadly serious, I was just wondering...

Because yeah, I was also thinking it would have to be sweets, lol.

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