Appetite for doggy destruction

Published on November 28, 2004 By dharmagrl In Pets & Nature

I have a hooligan of a dog.

An absolute yobbo, a rebel against anything and everything human.......a psychotic lunatic of a weiner dog.

He has these phases where he just goes....crazy. Runs a circle from our living room to hallway to kitchen, stumpy little legs pumping, ears swept back, tongue loose and flapping.....running at maximum doggy velocity for no apparent reason.

He refuses to heed some things we tell him. I know he's not stupid, he's learned to sit and stay and sit up and beg.....but anything that doesn't involve some kind of reward for him holds no worth as far as he's concerned. Like not getting in the garbage. He's figured out that there's good eats (better than dog chow anyway) to be had from the garbage can, and will consistently tip it over and rummage around in the contents that spill over my clean kitchen floor. Day old turkey? Egg shells? A veritable feast to our Henry, despite the fact that we will chastise him and call him 'baddog' or 'naughtyboy' or yell 'no-no-no' at him.

Newspapers and magazines are another source of fun for him. We can no longer display our 'Time' and 'People' on the coffee table because he can reach them - and should he achieve his goal, he will delight in shredding and tearing the glossy pages into confetti. Same goes for the daily paper. He takes a sheet in his mouth and, head held high, trots off as fast as his little legs can carry him to find a secluded corner where he can pretend it's a rat and shake it to death.

The Christmas tree has become the latest bone of contention (pun intended). He's been fascinated with the skirt since we put it up. He has chewed the edge and has dug and pawed and poked himself a little nest out of it 3 times already today. We deliberately refrained from hanging any ornaments or decorations on the lower branches because we knew it would be an invitation for doggy destruction. Apparently we should have stood the tree on a table, way out of Henry's reach, because he's been up on his hind legs, pirouetting his way around the tree in an attempt to get the tinsel and lights off of ANY branch. He seems to think that the entire shebang has been erected soley for his entertainment.

He's partially right. Not about the tree, but about the entertainment. I find endless delight in watching him, in trying to understand the workings of his doggy little mind. HE is the source of entertainment for me....

...even if he did just pull the Christmas tree over, ornaments and tinsel and lights and all.

HENNNRRRRY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments

greywar

on Nov 28, 2004

This tends to be a problem with specialized pure-breeds... behavioral issues and untrainability (aside from straight food-for-trick stuff) are the main issues with non-mutts.

Danny Bassette

on Nov 28, 2004

Our dog has been trained to only go in two rooms in the house, anything in any other room is safe from her. And that would include the christmas tree (when we get it...). Our garbage is under the sink, so the dog can't get to it. Maybe you could move your garbage in a similar manner? But so long as you enjoy his escapade

Maybe you could knit him a mask? Then you could have a masked hooligan

dharmagrl

on Nov 28, 2004

behavioral issues and untrainability (aside from straight food-for-trick stuff) are the main issues with non-mutts.

I'm thinking that a food reward for any and everything might be the best way to go.

Danny: The garbage won't fit under the sink, or else I'd put it there. He has a couple of sweaters and he hates wearing those, so I doubt that a mask would work. It would be kind of funny to see, though.

On a side note, crack-head-dog has ripped 2 tinsel garlands off the tree, torn up the skirt (again) and nabbed a candy cane this afternoon, in addition to having his usual 'half hour of craziness'.

I'm starting to think he needs some doggy ritalin.

MarcieMoo

on Nov 28, 2004

lol...

Sounds like a fun time at your house, K.

SSG Geezer

on Nov 28, 2004

Watch the National Geographic channel program, The Dog Whisperer. He has a lot of good ways to deal with doggy Hooliganism.
Woof!

drmiler

on Dec 04, 2004

Appetite for doggy destruction

By: dharmagrl
Posted: Sunday, November 28, 2004 on Life As An Air Force Wife....
Message Board: Pets & Nature
I have a hooligan of a dog.
An absolute yobbo, a rebel against anything and everything human.......a psychotic lunatic of a weiner dog.
He has these phases where he just goes....crazy. Runs a circle from our living room to hallway to kitchen, stumpy little legs pumping, ears swept back, tongue loose and flapping.....running at maximum doggy velocity for no apparent reason.
He refuses to heed some things we tell him. I know he's not stupid, he's learned to sit and stay and sit up and beg.....but anything that doesn't involve some kind of reward for him holds no worth as far as he's concerned. Like not getting in the garbage. He's figured out that there's good eats (better than dog chow anyway) to be had from the garbage can, and will consistently tip it over and rummage around in the contents that spill over my clean kitchen floor. Day old turkey? Egg shells? A veritable feast to our Henry, despite the fact that we will chastise him and call him 'baddog' or 'naughtyboy' or yell 'no-no-no' at him.
Newspapers and magazines are another source of fun for him. We can no longer display our 'Time' and 'People' on the coffee table because he can reach them - and should he achieve his goal, he will delight in shredding and tearing the glossy pages into confetti. Same goes for the daily paper. He takes a sheet in his mouth and, head held high, trots off as fast as his little legs can carry him to find a secluded corner where he can pretend it's a rat and shake it to death.
The Christmas tree has become the latest bone of contention (pun intended). He's been fascinated with the skirt since we put it up. He has chewed the edge and has dug and pawed and poked himself a little nest out of it 3 times already today. We deliberately refrained from hanging any ornaments or decorations on the lower branches because we knew it would be an invitation for doggy destruction. Apparently we should have stood the tree on a table, way out of Henry's reach, because he's been up on his hind legs, pirouetting his way around the tree in an attempt to get the tinsel and lights off of ANY branch. He seems to think that the entire shebang has been erected soley for his entertainment.
He's partially right. Not about the tree, but about the entertainment. I find endless delight in watching him, in trying to understand the workings of his doggy little mind. HE is the source of entertainment for me....

If I didn't know any better I'd *swear* you were talking about my "Jimmy". Jimmy is a medium sized golden cocker spaniel. And everything you have said describeshim to a tee. All I'll do is add two other points Jimmy tends to do. First I have a garage door opener and when I'm ouand running around I usually park my pickup out back and come in through the garage/ basement. At *anytime* you open the doorcount to 3 and Jimmy will be there. The backyard is fenced in. When he comes out to investigate the door opening he does what I call his perimeter check. He will trot around the inside of the fence until he gets back to the beginning. Then he'll sit and wait for whoever opened the door. Here's the other. I have a garage based woodshop. during the summer when I'm working in it I'll keep the garage door open (it's a roll-up door). Jimmy will sit in the backyard which looks into the woodshop. He will sit there and wait until I close the door and go back upstairs. This summer in the middle of the biggest rain storm I've seen in a while, I look out the garage and what do I see? Jimmy sitting in the middle of the yard during the storm waiting for me. I told him "Jimmy, go on upstairs". Much to my surprise he did. But since I didn't go upstairs, 5 minutes later where was he? Back in the yard in the storm lookiing at me like I had just betrayed him.

drmiler

on Dec 11, 2004

Reply #7 By: little_whip - 12/10/2004 3:21:25 AM
All dogs are insane till they get to be about 2 years old. He'll calm down eventually....until then, just grin and bear it!

I hate to tell you this but according to the vet, my Jimmy is about 5 years old. That a long way from a puppy. But that's okay. His antics keep me in stiches.

KarmaGirl

on Dec 17, 2004

He sounds perfectly normal to me! Most of the really mellow dogs start out as absolutely insane puppies.

Quincey (the oldest) used to get under the couch, lay on his back, and chew the underside of the couch. He would have chewed on more firniture....if I had any at the time. He used to also go absolutely nuts when I opened up the refrigerator.

Dachshunds also have guts of steel. (Quincey once ate a whole tea bag that accidentally got dropped on the floor-Didn't harm him at all) They will eat anything that you give them and live for food (which is why treats are the best way to train them). Don't let him fool you- those little guys are super smart- too smart. They figure out that they are cute and use it to their advantage.

Enjoy the puppy craziness. You'll miss it when he calms down. (Yes, that seems odd now- but you'll miss it in 5 years from now)

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