Puppy really getting me down

[Thisislifefornow]

Hi, I hope this doesn't come across that I'm cold hearted as I'm far from it. We got a puppy at 9 weeks and knew it would be tough after owning previous dogs from puppy stage. However the last few days I've been in constant tears. From day one he has been a excessive biter but we have been muddling through it even though my poor children have took the brunt of it. We are very firm and he tends to respond when we tell him no. Over the last few weeks things have ramped up and I'm getting more and more upset. He is now 24 weeks, he's walked for a good amount of time daily, fed a good diet, played with , cuddled, kept busy with challenges but things are getting worse. He climbs all over the table, skirting board and now tonight jumped in the counters and eaten all the meat for dinner. He's ripping carpets up, eaten dining chairs , dug huge holes in the garden , scratched the sofas to death. I could go on and on. I'm not soft on him at all and I remain firm but it changes nothing. What do I do?? I'm completely miserable so the dog must sense this too. I spoke to a dog trainer but there's not much inside help at the moment because of COVID restrictions. Please help

I know it's not the same breed but these are the measures we put in Place and have a calm pup. My pup is now 22 weeks.

Lots of sleep and rest time always in crate after a long walk for a nap or rest with a chew such as pigs ears scraps

In the evening he has a chew or a frozen Kong

He is fed from our hand for training Good behaviour gets food.

He NEVER has food from a bowl

If we don't have time to fed from the hand any left overs are given in brain games -snuffle mat - kongs to stop him gulping food and has the added bonus of tiring his brain.

This all in worked well and he knows his boundaries.

Some puppies are hard work, especially those designed to work. Beagles, spaniels and HPRs seem to be in a class of their own. It does get better, PestyPup is almost two and is quite nice to live with now.

Lots of training is needed, dog and family.

It is amazing how they can take off like a harrier jump jet and land on the counter. The family were trained not to leave food out. Meat out of the fridge stays in my hand until it hits the cooker, steaks are brought to room temperature in the glasses cupboard.

She has a sheepskin rug in the kitchen and has to sit on it. I'm not quite sure how it managed to survive without being destroyed, baskets and dog beds were not so fortunate.

Try and teach good down and settle commands, that should keep you busy for a good few weeks. Use a tether in the house sometimes, learning to be a bit bored/wait is a great thing for dogs.

Good luck, you have adolescence coming up. He's a beagle, he will be jolly hard work. Keep at it, keep your cool. He will eventually be a lovely adult and your selective memory will make you wonder about getting him a doggy house mate.

Supporting the house line suggestion. We had our puppy on a houseline any time he was awake (i.e. not having his crate naps) and that houseline was attached to me (on my belt) so I always knew where he was and what he was doing... helped with toilet training and stopped any furniture jumping etc. We used the house line attached to me for the first two months... thereafter it was attached to him but not to me... so I could use it to guide away from unwanted behaviours... i.e. paws on furniture, jumping etc.

I have a busy working Springer pup, and I would really agree to the gentle ignoring and lack of interaction at times - helps them learn that
a) You have a life and stuff you need to do. This sometimes has to come first before their dinner and playtime
b) they have toys they can play with independently, which is actually quite fun and can be quite relaxing to not be the centre of attention all the time
c) When they are quiet, sitting nicely, keeping out of your way, not jumping up, they get praise and a treat to acknowledge this which reinforces the being quiet, sitting nicely, keeping out of your way
d) Being the centre of attention all the time they are awake is exhausting for them (and us). If they are left to mooch and potter - when you’re in the room, making tea, sitting down eating tea - they may well lie quietly under the table or take themselves off to their bed for a snooze. They may not interact with you or beg when you are eating
e) As well as ’sit’, we also work on a daily basis with ‘off’ and ‘out’, ‘drop’ and ‘leave’. It’s an ongoing thing, and we all use the same word for what we want her to do which reinforces it, and these are clever dogs - they learn what sounds/words mean when you use them consistently.

What we did is to lavish love and praise when she was good, aim to prevent opportunity for bad behaviour, try to ignore bad behaviour - give her an alternative outlet for behaviour, particularly chewing. I think along the lines of - they don’t know right & wrong and have to be shown what is good and accepted behaviour through praise and treats, and prevention.

I’m sure you will get there - Beagles have an amount of notoriety. I have been at my wits end a few times, but thinking things through and being determined to show her what I want from her, to suit her fitting in to her new family, and taking back a bit of control - not pandering to her - all helped. She’s 22wks and we will start to double down on things as she still jumps up at times, and barges through doorways, is hopeless at heel - but although she will pinch things, she is calm and we can trust her more around the house, so she gets to be around the house.

My Grandparents had Beagles when I was little - they were beautiful family dogs and great with us young children. You can do this! Particularly if you get a good trainer with experience of the breed involved.
Yes yes also to the ‘Dog training advice and support’ FB group - really useful - lots of information on the basics, and if you can’t find what you need in their files, you can ask advice to the trainers and behaviourists on specific problems.

Deep breath - most puppies are challenging, and you have one that’s likely to be particularly so. You are not alone. A calm well trained lovely adult will emerge, I’m certain. Don’t lose heart!

That was v long - sorry - but just wanted to add - I was also fairly distraught when I realised that my pup was not a good playmate for the children and was like a cross between a crocodile and a kangaroo, with horrid sharp teeth. The children gave her a wide berth and I wondered what on earth I was going to do. She was confined to the ktchen and garden, and interacted mostly with me and my DH, while the kids only came in to give her a stroke when she was nice and tired and wanted to curl up on their lap. That lasted the first 12 weeks we had her. She is just lovely with them now and will plonk herself on her mat, between the two of them while they do their schoolwork, and chill.

Oh your wee pup sounds lovely, beagles are gorgeous. Hopefully once you get past the troublesome puppy stage and let's face it they're like children, some are more challenging than others, it will eventually settle down and your house will be left intact. Good luck!