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The doghouse

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Original poster

Help with naughty dogs!

134 replies

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 09:16

Hi all,

I have 2 male pugs, one has just turned one and the other is nearly 4 months. We also have 3 cats (yes we are mad!).
I do love the dogs but they are driving me mental at the moment. I work from home so am here with them all day while my husband is at work. Basically they are both completely obsessed with food (especially the older one) and will stop at nothing to get it. They also eat everything on the floor... All sorts of random crap they shouldn't have and then I get the blame. The older one barks like a lunatic any time anyone knocks the door, they bite the skirting boards and doors, bark and chase the cats, eat the cats' food despite the fact its in a separate room with a cat flap (older one can headbutt door open!)

I've tried my best to train them but it just isn't working and my husband is in denial saying they behave for him so putting the blame on me. My whole day revolves around managing them. Has anyone got any suggestions?

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 03/01/2020 13:50

Rehoming is an option if your best isn’t good enough. You had an older dog you didn’t bother to train and now you’ve added another dog you’re not training.
You need for find an APDT trainer. Work separately with each dog. It’ll take months and hours and hours of work and £. Lots of £.
If you can’t do that then contact the breeder regarding rehoming at least one. It’s only fair on them.

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 13:52

Thanks for all the advice much appreciated. I will try really hard to implement things you have all advised. I've just enquired about training classes for them both to a highly rated trainer. I manage to walk them both earlier and they are now asleep so some peace! Yes you are right they behave for my husband because they get his full attention because he isn't having to work or clean the house!

OP posts:

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 13:54

@Wolfiefan thanks. Like I said rehoming isn't an option. Maybe I've made it sound like they have a bad life - they don't! Yes I'm aware the older one should have been trained and I do hold my husband responsible for that - he doesn't take any responsibility and leaves it all to me to sort out. I'm prepared to spend the money if it means my life will be easier and the dogs are going to be happier

OP posts:

PestyMachtubernahme · 03/01/2020 13:57

Make sure that you send DH to puppy training classes.
I very much doubt that they behave for him. I very much suspect that he needs at least as much training as the pups.

RandomMess · 03/01/2020 13:57

Your DH needs to walk them in the morning before work even if it's only 15 mins. You can give them breakfast when they get back/a bit later on and use a puzzle feeder or Kong (that DH has prepared).

You need commitment from DH to improve their lives and make it less of a load on you.

Also DH can clean when he's at home so that you can DDogs attention during his working week.

eggandonion · 03/01/2020 14:01

If you can find a good trainer willing to do a home visit, talk through a daily routine, go for a walk with you, it would be a good start. Also, a trainer can try to train your dh!

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 14:25

Thanks fingers crossed I hear back from trainer soon. Yes think a home visit would be useful. My dh never does any housework in the evenings... He thinks that because he's been at work all day, he should have a rest..

OP posts:

RandomMess · 03/01/2020 14:36

You have a serious DH problem and honestly I would issue an ultimatum...

Do you even get equal leisure time? How are you supposed to take care of yourself when you are the one doing the lions share of domestic and pet duties as well as working?

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 03/01/2020 14:48

I think you need to look at the dogs' individual needs too. If you treat them as joined at the hip they will focus very much on each other, and be very hard to train.
The young one only needs 20min walk at a time, the older one needs more.In separate walks you can get them to focus on you too, building up that bond & enjoyment.
So walk one and have the other in the crate with a kong/snuffle mat.
Easy fix - get another latch for the room with the cat food, or change where they are fed. Cat food is no good for dogs, will give them too much energy and stinky farts. Plus it will stress the cats out.
Easy fix 2 - get your husband to care for his pets. He can get up 30 mins earlier, take them for a walk before feeding. He can ALWAYS walk them in the evening - separately, leaving the other one with you to do some crate socialisation & training.

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 14:48

I know. I have posted re my dh on other threads... Don't know about leisure time. I don't get much time to myself tbh

OP posts:

Ihaventgottimeforthis · 03/01/2020 14:51

You also need to care for your cats. Their home has been invaded by predators which eat their food and chase them. The poor things.
Do you have a house layout where the cats have priority and they can always find some space?
Once the dogs are better trained you can start the long process of cat socialisation.
The door barking - there are lots of good tips out there on google. If the dogs are barking at the door, they are getting stressed out each time. No wonder they can't relax. Just start instilling some routine behaviour when the doorbell goes - sit/stays, quiet, or on their beds, rewarded with a treat.

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 15:04

@Ihaventgottimeforthis yes I feel bad for the cats. They have their own room with food in in the converted garage which we recently put a cat flap into for them but now our older pug can headbutt open the door so it's a nightmare. I'm now going to have to put a lock on it. Cats have most of upstairs to themselves during day and one of them is content on sofa and ignores dogs but yes I wish I could give them more attention (dogs have taken over)
Do you know why they would be stressed by door? It's only older one. My dh started to try to give him a treat when door goes but problem is when I work the door gets knocked frequently because of children I teach coming and I can't calm him as he's in kitchen and I don't have time to sort him out and he will jump up at kids etc.

OP posts:

MaryLennoxsScowl · 03/01/2020 15:06

Join the Facebook groups Positive Dog Training and Canine Enrichment. They give loads of free advice and follow up to date methods. Get Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy by Steve Mann if you prefer to train from a book.
Would the Dog’s Trust do training sessions for older dogs if your older one is too old for puppy sessions?
Take a pocketful of chopped up ham, cheese or chicken and use it to attract the older one away from whatever it is being distracted by on walks, but let it do some sniffing for fun.
Make DH walk them in the mornings!
Get the toys people have suggested, or put some of their food/treats in empty egg cartons/cardboard box filled with scrunched up paper/rolled up in an old tea towel/hide it around the room for the dogs to find.
Mine likes half a carrot to chew up, or an antler from pet shop, or a yak chew.

Or ditch DH and make him take the dogs when he moves out. What an arse.

MaryLennoxsScowl · 03/01/2020 15:14

You need to rope someone in for the door knocking. Plan sessions where you are sitting with the dog and the other person knocks on the door. You stay sitting calmly and give the dog treats (not kibble - really good treats like chicken). The person outside doesn’t come in or knock again as that’s additional excitement. Then repeat 5 mins later, until the dog can hear the door without barking. Then have them start coming in, calmly greet you and dog (if dog jumps up turn away), go away and come back. Then do it with you throwing the dog a treat from kitchen door (get a baby gate) and answering the door yourself. You’ll have to keep doing this over a few sessions to remind the dog.

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 15:37

@marylennoxsScowl thanks. Have ordered the Kong toys now so hopefully those will help a bit. Will try your technique with the door knocking.

OP posts:

adaline · 03/01/2020 16:02

In all honestly it sounds to me like you've bitten off way more than you can chew here.

You have a chronic illness, a DH that doesn't pull his weight, three cats and two young dogs, plus you work full-time. That's a lot of commitments.

We both work full-time, have in-laws who help us with doggy daycare and two cats, but my DH pulls his weight and I don't have a chronic illness to contend with. Plus I have help, and some days it's still hard - and I only have the one dog!

It's all very well saying you love your dogs but keeping them if they're not getting the time, exercise and stimulation they need just isn't fair on them. Dogs need your time - they need good walks, mental stimulation/training and that's from both of you - if you can't offer them what they need then it's only fair that at least one of them goes to a new home.

RandomMess · 03/01/2020 16:07

I would go away for a fortnight and let him deal with the dogs.,.

RandomMess · 03/01/2020 16:10

It sounds like the dogs are his way of keeping you bare foot and pregnant

If your marriage isn't good I would regime the dogs and ditch the H...

He has brought the dogs in, he refuses to pull his weight, he has no concern for the impact on your health and he blames you for the dogs behaviour (damage they have caused).

Wolfiefan · 03/01/2020 16:25

I agree with adaline.

billybagpuss · 03/01/2020 17:12

With door knocking, I’m like you and have students coming to the door every half hour, the ones who don’t like dogs she goes in her crate for half an hour, I have trained her to sit on her step (the bottom of the stairs) before I open the door, so she barks to let me know they’re there, then goes to her step where she gets a treat then I let them in.

I do want her to bark at the door, but I want her to stop when I say. It’s a work in progress but mostly ok.

They are probably also picking up on your anxiety as well, I bet your reaction is ‘oh god the door’ and you’re stressing about so they will channel that.

I know it’s difficult but you do need a gap in between students to be able to calm and prepare them for the next one. Maybe as one drops off rearrange the schedule a little bit.

The dogs need time, so you need to find some in your schedule to calm them down and I agree that your DH is useless.

YippeeKayakOtherBuckets · 03/01/2020 17:18

Also, little dogs yap and they are as thick as mince.

My chi is stupid I’m that she will badger and badger for a walk and then refuse to step outside on the wet cold ground. So we go back in and she whines and scratches at the front door (and then wees on the mat). She will not learn that I can’t make the cold and wet go away.

Similarly with barking at the door. She’s never learned not to and she’s five. So no she just barks at the door and if it’s annoying she gets sent upstairs. I assume pugs are similarly untrainable in that respect. Tiny brains.

YippeeKayakOtherBuckets · 03/01/2020 17:19

Sorry for typos, I’m trying to cook dinner

adaline · 03/01/2020 17:42

Also, little dogs yap and they are as thick as mince.

That's so not true. Some small breeds are incredibly intelligent.

People just (mostly) don't see the need to train small breeds in the same way they train large ones. Small dogs are generally not very threatening - I mean, being jumped at by a chihuahua isn't going to have the same effects as being jumped at by a rottie.

I've met some exceptionally well trained small dogs - if you put the work in, you'll get the results. It's just easier to be lazy with small dogs!

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 17:42

I will try and see if I can reschedule my work to allow some breaks. I don't work full time I do about 20-25 hours a week so I do spend a lot of time with the dogs. I try to take the older one out twice during the day for 25 mins each time and then we usually take him out again in the evening. I try my best to play with them. They like me throwing toys and retrieving them but eventually they get bored. I'm going to try out the Kong toys and see if that helps stimulate them and maybe by some toys where they have to get the treats out.
I feel like a few of you obviously think I'm a terrible owner but honestly I love these dogs to pieces even though they're bloody hard work. As a question to those of you who say I'm not doing enough with them, does your life revolve around your dog? Just interested

OP posts:

Original poster

Ribbon14 · 03/01/2020 17:43

@adaline agree that they are pretty intelligent and could be trained with perseverance

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