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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

Dog and bloody Christmas Tree

23 replies

fessmess · 10/12/2018 11:54

My dog, that I adore, is really pissing me off. He is 2 years old, nearly 3 in fact, and for the first time since we got him I decided to put the tree in the lounge. No. The dog thinks it's his and is proceeding to take off all decorations one by one and destroy them. So, tree is back out in hallway. His barking nearly ruined our summer holiday, why does he insist on being such a pain in the arse? Rant over. Does it get any easier or are lab/poodle crosses the bouncy, energetic pains in arses I was warned about?

OP posts:

thegirlsallgrowedupnow · 10/12/2018 13:56

I have a poodle cross who is energetic and lively out on walks and when playing ball in the garden but calm and well behaved in the house 😁.
If you want your tree in the lounge, I would suggest giving him a frozen Kong to occupy him where he can see you and the tree whilst you decorate it and then put a fire guard or something around it to cordon it off. Use a leave command or ahh ahh every time he goes near the tree with a reward for coming away from it. Hopefully you will be able to dispense with the guard within the week if you are consistent.

adaline · 10/12/2018 13:59

Sorry, labs and poodles are both extremely high-energy breeds that need a lot of stimulation - it's bound to be the case that any offspring have similar needs.

How much exercise and stimulation does the dog get?

Original poster

fessmess · 10/12/2018 17:15

Gets loads of exercise, brain games and training. Thanks for suggesting a kong but I do not have the patience to train her out if it!

OP posts:

adaline · 10/12/2018 17:21

Thanks for suggesting a kong but I do not have the patience to train her out if it!

Then what do you expect? I'm not trying to be rude but dogs don't understand that certain behaviours are wrong - we need to teach them. If your dog isn't taught to leave the tree alone and given another activity, it has no reason to stop.

Frozen kongs are a lifesaver for my pup - give him one and he's occupied for at least an hour, more depending on what it's stuffed with.

werideatdawn · 10/12/2018 18:30

You dont have the patience to train her but you have the patience to let stuff get destroyed and have to keep moving your tree

Original poster

fessmess · 10/12/2018 20:45

I just think what do I prefer? A) a tree in hall or B) spending time and losing decs trying to train a dog. He does NOT know it's not for him and will just keep at it. For one month a year it is not worth it.

OP posts:

Skihound · 10/12/2018 22:54

I have a hyperactive 6 month old poodle cross Tibetan terrier and we put tree up on Saturday, by Sunday he has learnt to leave the tree alone- we used his brain treat you while decorating then leave it and treats to entice him away. he still likes to lie (den) underneath it on the tree skirt he doesn’t touch the actual tree anymore so it might not take long to train it out

AgathaF · 11/12/2018 08:47

I don't think it's a breed problem, I think it's a training problem (or lack of it). We have a Standard Poodle puppy, and our previous dog was the same breed. No problems with any Xmas decs in the house as dogs are trained the leave them alone.

If you can't be bothered to train your dog then of course you are going to have a dog that doesn't behave in the way you would like.

billybagpuss · 11/12/2018 08:51

@adaline - you get a kong to last an hour!!!!!

we get 15 minutes which fortunately is enough time for us to eat dinner without her begging.

As for the tree situation try some of the puppy anti-chew spray. I have a packet of very tiny biscuits and every time she goes near I tell her to go to her bed, give her a biscuit, let her see me spray the bottom of the tree then give her another little biscuit. She is never alone with the tree. So far seems to be working.

adaline · 11/12/2018 10:01

But OP, the training you use to keep her away from the tree is something can be transferred to other situations too. You can train a settle or bed command and use it to your advantage the rest of the year. Labradoodles are very high-energy - I would expect him to be like this until he's at least five or six, if not older. I've never, ever met a calm labradoodle!

For example, we use a command to get ours to come and settle with us on the sofa, for example. He's only young so often wanders off again but with treats and such it's working and he's learning to come up and settle down when we call him over using that command. We just put the tree up today so we plan on using that command to call him away and treat him so he sees us as more interesting than the tree!

Yep @billybagpuss we often cover the entire kong in treat too. So we stuff the holes, seal the ends and then I'll smear mashed banana, peanut butter, yoghurt or cheese over the actual kong and then freeze it overnight!

GooodMythicalMorning · 11/12/2018 10:06

Our dog is technically a big puppy so we have a small real one in the dining room on top of a unit, no need to worry then. But it should grow as it's alive in a pot so may be on the floor in the next few years.

hellhavenofury · 11/12/2018 11:35

Sorry but if you haven't got the patience for a dog why do you have one? You are there to teach him/her whats right and wrong not to just lose your shit and expect them to understand!

Sorry not sorry!

Original poster

fessmess · 11/12/2018 12:00

Jesus. I do train my dog and he's very well behaved. He is impulsive, although not as bad as he was due to training, I just think "path of least resistance" with him sometimes. Like he's food obsessed. I could train until he's 17 but he would find it IMPOSSIBLE to leave a sandwich alone. The point of post was a curiousity about breed and other's experience not judgement on me as a bloody dog owner. Maybe leaving him alone with a tree he can't resist would be better. A nice trip to the vet. Ffs. This place sometimes 🤪

OP posts:

Kennycalmit · 11/12/2018 12:49

Seriously op?

You say he is food obsessed but don’t have the patience to train him? There’s your answer!!! USE FOOD TO TEACH HIM TO STAY AWAY FROM THE TREE!!!

It wouldn’t even take a day. Once he realises that ‘leave it’ results in him getting food then he will listen to that command.

adaline · 11/12/2018 12:53

Like he's food obsessed. I could train until he's 17 but he would find it IMPOSSIBLE to leave a sandwich alone.

I have a beagle (one of the most food-obsessed breeds there is) and even he can be trained to stay away from the table while we eat an unattended table is another matter.

If he's food obsessed, use it to your advantage! Call him away from the tree onto his bed or mat and give him a frozen kong. He'll find that far more interesting than the tree and soon you'll be able to just use the command "bed" and he'll go and settle there.

Labradoodles are crosses of two very high-energy dogs. Labs and poodles both need lots of exercise and stimulation so obviously crosses are going to need the same. If you're struggling to tire him out at home could you try a dog walker or daycare? Mine is at daycare today even though I'm off and I know he'll come back happy and exhausted!

Original poster

fessmess · 11/12/2018 15:54

I am starting to think it is my dog and his character. I train him to lay under the table when we eat, he has a leave and off command. However, he's crafty and if he wants attention will be deliberately naughty as any attention is good. And BEFORE ANYONE STARTS; yes I give loads of positive attention. He is just a rascal.

OP posts:

adaline · 11/12/2018 16:09

He's a labradoodle! It's kind of in his nature to be like that :)

AuntyJackiesBrothersSistersBoy · 11/12/2018 18:47

I haven’t had a tree since we got the dog. She’s nearly 4. It’s quite liberating really.

bbcessex · 11/12/2018 18:55

op - we have a beautiful 10 month old lab, and we are not having a tree this year.

He’s our world and we do lots with him but I don’t have the energy to tree-train so we will jus let go without!

adaline · 11/12/2018 19:24

We put our tree up today. Our ten month old beagle did the following:

growled and barked at it.
sniffed it.
knocked a bauble off it.
told the cat off for trying to climb it
sniffed it.

That was two hours ago and he's ignored it since. When he went near, I called him over and he sat and got a treat. It wasn't particularly arduous - I just make sure there's treats in the coffee table drawer so every time I need to recall him away from the tree there's a treat ready and waiting!

thegirlsallgrowedupnow · 11/12/2018 19:59

Cocodog was 6 months old at her first Christmas, we put a small tree on a coffee table and a fireguard around it and the presents and made sure she was knackered in the evening! She was fine. Second Christmas, she ignored Christmas tree, we delayed presents under it until Christmas Eve when adult DC turn up and all is heaven in her world! Third Christmas, tree is up, no problem. Presents under tree although none edible! No problem. I wish dog would stop me having to cook Christmas dinner, that would be truly liberating😜

Adorelabradors · 12/12/2018 19:10

I have a lab puppy and assumed that he would pull the baubles of the Xmas tree. He was told to leave it a few times on the night we put it up and hasn’t gone near it since. My older lab pulled the decorations of the tree when he was a puppy and was told to leave it for a few years before he eventually learned not to touch it!!!

Adorelabradors · 12/12/2018 19:10

I Have not been brave enough to put any presents under the tree

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