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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

Please help me with my dog

66 replies

AtMyWitsEnd999 · 08/04/2021 12:07

As my username shows, I'm at my wit's end with my dog. I can't take much more. I love him but he's just an utter, utter cunt. I don't want to rehome him, that usually goes against all my principles, a dog is for life etc I've tried everything, positive reinforcement, telling off, ignoring, walking for hours, bribing with treats, but he is still relentless.

When we come in he gets stupid excited and jumps and runs and gets in your shopping bags. Tried ignoring this and turning our backs on him - doesn't work.

Whenever he gets excited he has to grab something, tea towels, washing, your coat, anything, but he chews it and makes holes in it. All my fucking towels and tea towels have holes in. Even most of the duvet covers and pillowcases that I used to have on the sofa ffs. My dressing gown. He grabs stuff and runs around and thinks it's a game. He took something off the floor in the shed while I had the door open getting out pegs this morning, then showed me up in front of all the neighbours by running all over the garden with it. Chewed it to fuck. Someone just came to collect something from me. as we came back in he grabbed the towel off the sofa (i've got towels as makeshift throws until I can get some) and went running round the garden again with it. I lost my temper then and squirted him with water.

We can't leave blankets or pillows or cushions on the sofa. We can't really leave anything anywhere. Coasters, washing on an airer, remote controls, anything.

He has to be supervised all the time. He cries if I go upstairs to the toilet. I have to walk the other dog for less time because I can't risk leaving him on his own too long.

He'll be sleeping, as soon as I move, to get a drink or something he's up. He has to follow and get in the way.

He pisses or marks all over everything. He will be getting done, but I think it's to do with my DH because when he's not here, he doesn't do it.

If you put him outside on his own for discipline, he barks like a fucking bitch. We've just moved so I'm trying not to piss the neighbours off so I'm trying to keep him quiet. His bark is so so loud though.

He's 2yrs 9mo and a presa canario. My last dog, a cane corso wasn't like this. This is relentless. He chewed the sofa in our last house. Scratched up all the door frames clawing at them.

A dog is supposed to bring joy to your life. At the moment, he isn't. e's stressful. This is our fault for not doing the right training, but I need to know how to train him to make him a pleasure to be with. Most of the time I just bide my time and count down the time until I can go to bed and leave them.

He gets me up earlier and earlier, and I can't ignore it in-case he pisses everywhere (furnished rental), but most of the time he doesn't even want to go outside, just wants me to get up.

I think that's everything but there's probably more I've missed, its never fucking ending.

OP posts:

HopelesslyDevoted2u · 08/04/2021 12:46

You need to show him you are boss. Tell him off every time he does something bad and reward for good behaviour. When he grabs something, swap it for a toy. When he jumps up, push him sideways off balance. And crate train

RaininSummer · 08/04/2021 12:47

Just googled the breed. That is a powerful dog so agree that 20 mins is nowhere near enough so yes to dog deing bored and frustrated. Not an expert but is porridge something dogs should have?

Original poster

AtMyWitsEnd999 · 08/04/2021 12:49

@TheVanguardSix

You say he wakes you up earlier and earlier but doesn't even want to go outside. I have a dog like this: I can open the door to the garden and he can't be bothered to step outside. Grab the lead though and he'll bullet to the front door for walks. Just because they show no interest in taking a piss in the garden does not mean they don't need/want long walks. 20 minutes walking a day is the reason your dog is trashing your house and peace of mind. Walk your dog, OP. Sorry. But that's pretty much your starting point. Heat is not an excuse. An early morning walk should help you avoid the heat. Your dog needs a minimum of 60 minutes a day. I just googled your specific breed.

Where are you located? It's hot, so not the UK.

Not the uk, no. Europe. We were in a detached house that had a massive garden, they ran all day, hence the short lead walks. We've just moved so I'm taking them for a roughly 20min walk in the morning and evening. I have to watch the temp. with him. And my DH isn't here atm so I have to take them both separately.

He's always been like this though, even when we were in the uk and they had an hour off lead in the morning and an hour in the evening.

You can't play with him, he gets too revved and starts jumping up etc.

They can't have toys because they fight over them. Mastiff & working beagle.

I've had mastiff's before but this one is just something else. I don't know what a PP assumes about my lifestyle but we both work from home and have had strong willed dogs before. I asked for help, not judgement.

And I have removed the blankets etc. I can't have any blankets, cushions, tie on seat cushions, tea towels, towels, anything fabric.

We did take him to a behaviourist trainer but she just did socialisation and walking etc, but he isn't aggressive or reactive. I can ring her again and ask her to come to the house and see the actual behaviours.

OP posts:

GettingItOutThere · 08/04/2021 13:00

walk him more, he sounds bored. For that breed id be thinking an hour morning and night minimum (if its hot?) ideally 3x walks but if its hot i understand that.
enlist a behaviourist and consider crate training

magicstar1 · 08/04/2021 13:12

I googled him as I'd never heard of the breed, and the first thing that comes up is they are a bundle of energy and need a lot of exercise or will be destructive.
We have a 5 year old GSD with dodgy back legs and she gets 2 x 20 minute walks and a trip to the park each day. Along with chewy toys, bones, Kong etc. otherwise she's full of pent up energy. I'd say your guy is the same.

ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn · 08/04/2021 13:27

A 20 minute walk and not allowed toys, it's not really a surprise that he's bored shitless and finding stuff to do.

tabulahrasa · 08/04/2021 13:28

So... he’s barely getting walked, you don’t play with him, he doesn’t have any toys?

But you’re surprised that he creates his own entertainment instead?

Veterinari · 08/04/2021 13:51

@AtMyWitsEnd999

It sounds like he's showing signs of generalised anxiety disorder - the excitability, clingyness, marking etc all indicate this. If he does have GAD then he likely needs to be medicated to reduce his anxiety levels and allow him to engage with an optimised training and enrichment programme.

He definitely needs more exercise and resources, but I think you need to address the anxiety as well. I'd suggest consulting a veterinary behaviourist

Moondust001 · 08/04/2021 13:54

Really? You have been given loads of advice, and oddly it is all the same. It doesn't matter whether you work from home or from Mars - your dog is a high energy working breed, he is inadequately exercised, and appears to have little or no social interaction or activities to use up his energy and occupy his mind. If you have had "strong willed breeds" before then none of the things that you have been told ought to be coming as a surprise.

I don't think anyone was really judging you up until this this point, but I for one now definitely am doing so. This has been going on for nearly three years, the poor dog was not properly exercised (running around a garden, no matter how big, is not a replacement for walks, which is an activity that dogs need and enjoy) and still isn't; it has nothing to do and no toys or games; and is resented for trying to occupy himself. And you saw a behaviourist a bit? But it didn't "take"?

I don't think you understand that just because a dog is not aggressive now now doesn't mean that it will never be - you clearly have serious control issues and a bored, under-stimulated dog who is destructive. It might be your sofa and cushions that are the object of his teeth right now, but a hyper out of control dog can easily find other uses for teeth. You cannot give any guarantee that the behaviour won't escalate. You can't have toys because the two dogs will fight over them? What happens when he fights over possession with you? Or a child? The aggression is already there.

You are not treating this seriously enough, and you are making excuses and ignoring everything anyone tells you because it doesn't accord with someone giving you a quick fix for the dog / what you are being told to do isn't what you want to do. The problem here is not the dog (yet). The problem is you.

It might be best to rehome the dog before that is no longer an option.

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 08/04/2021 14:02

Couldn't possibly say without seeing a photo of him!

Seriously though, can you access the series
'Digs behaving (very) badly' it's all for TV so I assume heavily edited & very 'for TV' BUT none the less he does get great results (with all breeds/sizes of dogs).

His name is Graeme Hall. You might find him online.

It sounds like you've tried a few things, but possibly haven't rewarded him enough for the good behaviour. He really rewards them for seconds of good behaviour. It's as well it works quickly or they'd be massively overweight🤣

Good luck!

Veterinari · 08/04/2021 14:21

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

Couldn't possibly say without seeing a photo of him!

His name is Graeme Hall. You might find him online.

Good luck!

Graeme hall is about 30 years out of date and shouldn't be in TV. His 'results' are short term edits

www.cbtdogbehaviour.com/dogs-behaving-very-badly-a-review

Whitney168 · 08/04/2021 14:24

I know that the trend these days is to say that a dog is a dog and breed is to a large degree immaterial, and that dominance is an outdated theory. The unfortunate thing here is that your dog doesn't know this ...

Anyone who thinks that a breed like this is 'just a dog' and doesn't see the flashpoint building that he needs to assert his position by peeing indoors when your husband is around is a bit naive, I'm afraid.

The even more worrying thing is that he doesn't feel the need to do it when your husband isn't there, he obviously knows he's in charge of you anyway!

Unfortunately, his previous life of running free in your previous larger grounds just built up his fitness and failed to build a bond with you where he understood his boundaries indoors. (Everything needs boundaries - dogs, children, adults ...) You are paying the price for this now.

UhtredRagnarson · 08/04/2021 14:36

Increase the lead walks. Yes I know you have to walk two dogs separately but this is the situation you’re in and you have to get on with it.

Separate the two dogs so they can both have toys and won’t fight. Take the toys away before letting them back together. Make sure there are brain toys and chewing toys.

Do crate training.

Do brain work.

Not sure of this breed but what are they bred for? What is he driven by? Work to his strengths. You need to work him for those behaviours. If it’s sniffing then scent work. Retrieving? Same thing. Get him working.

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 08/04/2021 14:37

In your shoes, OP, I would find a trainer who specialises in the protection sports or in guarding breeds, and who is used to dealing with dogs like this. I'd go online, I'd ask around. In the meantime I'd up the exercise and spend some structured time with him each day training basic obedience (sit and wait for his meals, sit and wait by the door, do a long down). I'd make sure he had things that he was allowed to chew. And I'd praise and reward anything he did right.

As you understand, you need to get past this behaviour. Presas are very big, very strong dogs. There is a dog near us which I think is a presa and it's a fucking menace, very aggressive and uncontrolled, which has gone for both people and other dogs.

UhtredRagnarson · 08/04/2021 14:45

I’ve googled. A 60kg guarding breed. You have work to do OP. Lots of work.

imalmostthere · 08/04/2021 14:53

After the latest reply op I'm not surprised he's fed up. No toys, a 20 min walk. What do you expect him to actually do all day? I'd never usually advocate for rehoming, but it's absolutely best for your dog. You cannot and are not giving him what he needs, and it is not his fault he acts this way, it's yours. Sorry if that is harsh op, but you are failing him.

imalmostthere · 08/04/2021 14:55

Absolutely agree with this word for word.

Thatsmycupoftea · 08/04/2021 15:11

He needs much more exercise, mental stimulation and enrichment and a trainer who knows about large guarding breeds.......otherwise re home

picklemewalnuts · 08/04/2021 15:16

A quick google shows he's got high energy, high exercise needs and high intelligence.

He's a specialist dog needing focused training and handling. Unless he's being worked, trained, exercised for significant amounts of time, then he'l struggle behaviourally.

That's really hard for you at the moment, as husband's away, you've just moved house and perhaps to a less suitable home than your previous one.

It's a dog that needs a high level of attention and focus, at a time you don't have that to give. I'd say you need a serious think about how to manage him. Clearly you need to dog proof your environment, as you've done, with the towels and covers.

Can he have toys? He seems to me to need toys to run, shake, shred and wrestle with. Every time he grabs something he shouldn't have, replace it with one of his toys and then reward him.

While other things feel like the priority at the moment, really only the dog is. This won't end well unless you take it in hand now.

Veterinari · 08/04/2021 15:25

@Whitney168

The even more worrying thing is that he doesn't feel the need to do it when your husband isn't there, he obviously knows he's in charge of you anyway!

As already said, marking is much more likely to be a sign of anxiety when taken with the other behavioural signs. That doesn't mean it won't escalate to aggression -fear aggression is a potential escalation. But trying to suggest there is some inter-species dominance competition going on is simply creative writing I'm afraid.

BrownEyedGirl80 · 08/04/2021 15:33

Isn't a preso canaria a v specialist breed? I'd have thought it would need a hell of a lot of attention and walking

unforgotten23 · 08/04/2021 16:35

I would rehome him to an experienced owner.
He also needs neutering - something an experienced owner would have done by now.
Don't beat yourself up, just find him a good new home.

TedMullins · 08/04/2021 17:07

This isn’t true. The peeing indoors is far more likely to be anxiety than some kind of display of dominance. I have a pug who used to do the same, he would pace about and follow me everywhere and was lead reactive, and training him out of this was hard work. And that’s a pug! A giant bull breed needs interaction and brain training and some kind of focused play where he gets to feel he’s doing a task - I don’t know enough about the breed to advise on specifics but it’s obvious he’s bored and anxious and has no outlet for his energy. I agree with suggestions for a specialist trainer or rehoming to someone with the expertise and time to spend on training him.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 08/04/2021 17:19

You need to walk them more. I'm sorry, but you do. Even if that involves waking up at 5am and or staying up until 11pm. You live in a hot country and have two high-energy working dogs - you can't expect them to be content with such a small amount of exercise. I have a beagle (you mention your other dog is a beagle) and if he only got 40 minutes of exercise a day he would eat my sofa.

He's always been like this though, even when we were in the uk and they had an hour off lead in the morning and an hour in the evening.

But that doesn't mean you cut the exercise out. You keep the exercise levels up and change other things as well.

You can't play with him, he gets too revved and starts jumping up etc.

How are you playing with him? Instead of high-intensity games, what about things like scent games, brain games and games that encourage "calm".

They can't have toys because they fight over them. Mastiff & working beagle.

Then put them in separate areas of the house while they have access to their toys, don't just withdraw them altogether.

People are giving you help, but when you come on here and say you only walk your high energy, working breed dog for 20 minutes, twice a day, the advice is naturally going to be "up the walks".

And I have removed the blankets etc. I can't have any blankets, cushions, tie on seat cushions, tea towels, towels, anything fabric.

Have you not considered crate training your dog if he's so destructive? Has he ever been taught how to settle down and be calm in the house?

Veterinari · 08/04/2021 17:52

@unforgotten23

I would rehome him to an experienced owner. He also needs neutering - something an experienced owner would have done by now. Don't beat yourself up, just find him a good new home.

No, he needs behavioural assessment before an irreversible surgery that may make things worse

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