My friends dog does not like to be left behind when he leaves for a few hours and it is not convenient to always take the dog, which is a Blue Heeler with a wonderful disposition. Anyway, he always comes back to find flowers and bushes chewed up and almost destroyed. I use Liquid Fence sometimes on my things to keep the deer away, but it doesn't seem to work too good. Think it would work on a dog, or do any of you have experience with a method that would work? The dog has plenty of chew toys laying around and bones, but she prefers the plants in her masters absence. Defiant little rascal! :) Carole

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), July 23, 2001

Answers

Sounds like Love and Disipline are needed.

Had a similar stiuation with a roomates dog.
A firm No and the next [2nd] time a GENTLE thump on the nose. Also holding the snout [nose/mouth] firmly and gently push the head down and back this will assert 'dominance', ie you are the pack leader and you must be obeyed. The dog will drop to the ground on her belly and yield, hold head down and issue your commands. All of this should be done in a gentle manner.
This is not what I'd call a hitable offense - very few are. Improper behaviour around children is.
After spending some enjoyable time with the dog, it quiclky showed in his dispostition. Taking him for walks and even baths - got tired of the dang fleas [DE works great].

Worst case, you may need to leave on a TeeVee and set it to PBS - Barney, that will really turn anyone's brain to mush :-) JCNR

-- (perry@ofuzzy1.com), July 23, 2001.

It is normal for a dog to eat grass to clear their stomacs, does this dog have access to any? Also is the diet lacking in minerals? It may not be boredom thats making it damage the foliage.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), July 23, 2001.

Hi Mitch.. there is plenty of grass in the main compound which is about 2 acres, outside of that,there is an additional 49 acres of all kinds of grasses that she has access to. She only tears into purposely planted landscape shrubs and only when left alone for an evening. Actually what she tears off isn't eaten, just broken off and left laying on the ground. To me, it appears it is attention getting, she thinks when the truck leaves she is supposed to be in it and will jump in the back and has to practically be drug out before anyone can leave. She gets a lot of attention and love, but needs more of it than most pet owners could find the time for. I am hoping for an answer because I am an old softie and I don't want to see her get in trouble all the time.

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), July 23, 2001.

Carol, AuCanDos are very intelligent, active dogs. This poor baby has not had enough to keep her busy. These dogs need lots of "work", that can mean just about any activity that makes her use her brain and her body. I love Cattle Dogs and find them so much fun. It does keep a person "hopping" though to keep them busy. My cattle dog, Howdy, who is 6 years old now has been kept actively learning his whole life and still is. Your friend needs to include his dog in more stuff. It is true you cannot and should not take them everywhere with you. But they can be kept busy enough when you are with them to give them the stimulation they need. This dog is bored and maybe a bit anxious too. Howdy loves the following: Obedience classes, Agility, tracking, retrieving, herding(you can teach a dog all the herding commands without actually having stock around), hiking, swimming, "searching" for people by name, going to people by name (this is a fun game and you can send the dog back and forth clear across a field), household chores(i.e. picking up the laundry and taking out to the laundry room), "finding" the vacuum and turning it on and of course the reward is getting a nice vacuum grooming session, making the bed( OK, OK, the dog absolutly no help here but they do love to get in the way and think they are helping!), finding objects, start with treats, teach the dog to "go find" and graduate ot going to find just about anything, finding YOU, they Love this. What a dog can learn is only limited to your imagination. You can be teaching them things while watching TV, doing dishes etc etc. The main point here is to keep the dog busy and give her lots to learn and excersise while doing it. Then she will be better at staying home with it's needed. Feel free to e mail me for ideas, I'll be glad to help. Also, the best Dog Book going for this sort of stuff: " Mother Knows Best" by Carol Lea Benjamin. It is worth it's weight in gold! D Hope this helps.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), July 23, 2001.

LOL, this story reminds me of my sister's sweet, bouncy Golden Retriever. He took to wanting to lie in a hole created by digging up a certain 4' tall shrub by the house. Now this dog was able to roam about 2 acres, and there were woods, rabbits in holes, a stream to investigate, etc. But that specific Arboretum shrub somehow was targetted to come OUT when he was hot.

Another dog she had preferred to go over and LAY his neck down on the underground fencing she had installed. He liked the jolt, I guess. If he were human, he probably would be a druggie.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), July 23, 2001.

Go to the web site for North American Deer and Rabbit Proofing at NADRP.com they have products to keep away deer, rabbits, squirles, cats. and dogs. Egg based and very safe.

-- Paul (treewizard@buffalo.com), July 23, 2001.

My heeler is smarter than some people I know ! How about a kennel run or crate when he leaves ? It would solve all problems and there would be a happy home coming instead of WHAT DID THE &*^%$ DOG DO THIS TIME !!!!!!!!

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 23, 2001.

I read a lot of the posts here but seldom reply. This is one topic I would like to comment on, though. While I am not a dog training expert, I have had many dogs over the years and presently have three at home and one guard dog at my business.

It sounds to me like these dogs are not exhibiting purposely bad behavior or are damaging things out of spite or boredom. It sounds to me like these dogs have separation anxiety. When their owner leaves them they become filled with anxiety and sometimes fear, and they chew, dig, shred, etc. to try to alleviate that feeling of anxiety. Knocking them on the nose and telling them they are bad boys AIN'T gonna fix the problem if that is indeed what's wrong. I know. I have a 125 lb. golden retriever who is very clingy and needy due to a previous bad owner. I got Sparky when he was about two, and he was more or less glued to me for the first couple of years. I'd leave him in the house or office for a little while and come back to destruction. After the vet told me what was going on and how to treat the problem with positive reinforcement, etc., it's much better. He still has upsets if I'm away from him for several hours, but at least he doesn't shred the place anymore.

I'm sure there are plenty of web sites that address this issue.

-- HannahMariaHolly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), July 24, 2001.

Hi Carole, give the dog a large pan of cut up vegetables on your way out of the yard. They get cravings too, she may know she needs this, or she may just be missing you, but carrots etc. might help. Maureen

-- Maureen Stevenson (maureen@mtaonline.net), July 24, 2001.

Several good posts already. I agree, this dog has seperation anxiety. There are several ways of working on this, but it will take time. The best solution is to kennel the dog (ensure that the kennel is escape proof by having patio blocks put down, it also makes it easier to clean) or a large crate. I would make the kenneling a pleasent experience by getting the dog used to it by feeding them in it, etc. You can also give the dog something to work on during the day - a nice raw knuckle bone, a bone stuffed with peanut butter, or a Kong Toy stuffed with goodies they have to work on to get out. To work on it the best way would be to have the owner leave for a real short period of time and return, gradually build up the time so the dog gets used to it. A cattle dog does need a job to do, but this doesn't mean the owner isn't already spending enough time with the dog. My shepherd would start ripping newspapers anytime I went into the backyard and he was in the house. He was crated in a large crate anytime I left for the first 2 years I had him. He is now fine by himself and does not destroy things, but it is much easier to spend quality time with them when you don't have to come home to something they destroyed.

-- Leslie in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 24, 2001.

Some good answers which were helpful already, want to confirm them, add a little. I won't assume he's underexercised (a tired dog is a well-behaved dog) so I'll go onto this: Either he likes to eat greens (many dogs do, tis only natural), or yes, separation anxiety. Either put him in a nice roomy crate (indoors of course, not out in the sun or anything), or in a large "Xpen" if he won't try to jump out. Or why can't you simply leave him in the house anyway?

In any case, "thumps on the nose" are not only negative training, which is to be avoided on principle, but also doesn't work. Or do you simply want him to wait till you LEAVE before eating all the plants (which is what's already happening, isn't it? So why would you want to reinforce that?). Dogs thinking goes "okay, she will bop me on the nose if she sees me eating plants, so I'll just wait till she leaves." Not exactly what you want, is it?

Better yet, build a nice big roomy kennel out back, with good shade, fresh water, and HIS OWN bunch of SAFELY edible plants and put him in there.

This isnt' why I looked at this community board, but couldn't help but comment.

-- Barbara Rogers (dogma@ct2.nai.net), July 25, 2001.

Barbara writes:

In any case, "thumps on the nose" are not only negative training, which is to be avoided on principle, but also doesn't work. Or do you simply want him to wait till you LEAVE before eating all the plants (which is what's already happening, isn't it? So why would you want to reinforce that?). Dogs thinking goes "okay, she will bop me on the nose if she sees me eating plants, so I'll just wait till she leaves." Not exactly what you want, is it?

I am not saying to 'bop' the dog often.
When you come home and find your children left a big mess, do you say 'gee that's okay' - I'll clean it up. No, and nor should your with a dog. You are going to have 'talk' about proper edicate.
Given the tone Carol took in her message: The dog has plenty of chew toys laying around and bones, but she prefers the plants in her masters absence. Defiant little rascal! I supposed this is the only issue with the dog.
If the dog has seperation anxiety, then bopping will only add to the problem. But a 'talk' about proper behaviour is still required.
I would not dicipine a dog that pottys in the house, unless it was done in a spiteful manner, like on the couch. On the doormat rug, is fine [the house is all tile]. Some times you just gotta go and that is that. And yacking in NEVER a dicipline issue.
Tearing up house plants is reason for concern, it could develop into worse behavior.
My dog would climb up into our bed and den in, that got a stern NO, and 15 seconds latter a big hug [meaning: I love you even though you did wrong]. The 2nd time it took.
My brother has a Soymoyed [sp?], and she was troublesome when left alone. One day I had called him, he was not home, but I 'talked' to her on the answering machine for a few minutes :), she was well behaved that day. So now they call and talk to her a few minutes every so often through out the day, and she is well behaved. Even when they don't call she is well behaved, because she knows that she is loved.

-- (perry@ofuzzy1.com), July 25, 2001.