I HATE MY DOG!!!
Ok, I admit, I am writing this in a fit of passion and I'm sure hate is a bit strong for what I am really feeling but I need your help! I'm going to be totally honest here, at this point and time I CAN'T STAND KIRBY! He is a terror. I'm sure most of you saw my post of him on the kitchen counter, as funny as that was it was just a quick example of hurricane Kirby and I'm at my wits end and don't know what to do with him. He makes Marley (of Marley and Me) look like an angel. Today I came home to find my absolute favorite sandals in the whole world chewed to pieces. He has chewed 2 phone chargers, a blue tooth, pulled textbooks and novels off my bookshelf and shredded them, chewed the bottom out of a chair, climbed on the counter and shredded and/or ate everything he could find, ate an entire bag of ranch sunflower seeds and the list goes on and on.
By now you are probably thinking "why dont' you confine him?" I've tried. He is a little Houdini and escapes any confinement I can put him in. I haven't crated him for a full day yet because honestly I am worried about him tearing toenails or breaking teeth trying to get out of his crate in addition to eating his bedding and peeing/pooping all over the crate. He has escaped ex-pens (extra tall ones) and babygates, I can't lock him in any room because he climbs up on bookshelves and counters and could likely open cupboards. He was fine with free range of the house for the first few weeks I had him so I don't know what his deal is. He has a million toys and gets plenty of exercise so that's not the issue. I can't reprimand him because I rarely ever catch him in the act so I don't know how to teach him this IS NOT OK. Especially eating my favorite shoes :-( I am so sad about that.
Anyway, advice? Suggestions? Stories? I'm wanting to stick it out with this dog but honestly I'm having a hard time even LIKING him at this point because he has done very little to make me want to keep him. Maybe even support or stories of bad dogs gone good?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by justine moeller on
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Hi Melissa. Sorry to hear you are struggling so much with Kirby. He is still very young however so misbehaving is quite normal (especially chewing at that age), and especially because of his background.
You mentioned that you feel gating Franklin in an area may be punishment to him. It will not be, it will just be a change in his routine. If there is a chance that this could help Kirby I would 100% try it. Franklin will adapt and if it does bring a sense of comfort for Kirby it is a route worth investigating for all of your sanity!
Good Luck! :)
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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on
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I really don't think it will help because Kirby was originally loose with Franklin when this all began. When I used to leave him out, him and Franklin had the run of the house and Kirby would climb onto the counter, pull books off shelves, get into the trash cans (if he could reach them), etc. so I don't think it makes a difference. However, since I've been locking Kirby up Franklin has gotten into the bathroom trashcan and took out a toilet paper roll. Something he hasn't done in about 2 1/2 years. He is easy to deter however and I just put a toilet plunger in front of the trash can and he hasn't done it since. I'm going to try so calming chew treats and if I can find a DAP diffuser that doesn't cost a ton of money I'll get that too.
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Permalink Reply by Marcie on
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This is Becca's second week out of her crate while I am at work, confined to two rooms. She is destroying something everyday, but not to Kirby's extent. She is focusing on pens, a book and other things that may have been on the floor. She did figure out how to use a chair to get to the tabletop this morning. Her kong was there, I hadn't given it to her yet. All chairs are now pushed in, much to the chagrin of the cat.
My work hours are also long. I felt bad the weeks she was in the crate. I hired dogwalkers, one quit, the other has worked out well. A friends 13 year old comes right after school to play and take her out. She is responsible, cheap and lives nearby. Becca still has a long day, but I feel better about it. It seems that she is destroying most things in between when the dogwalker comes and I get home. Is there someone who you could get to break up his day? It is cheaper than doggie day care.
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around here it is actually cheaper just to put him in daycare. Dog walkers here charge about $20 for 1/2 hour walk. I take him out in the middle of the day on a walk anyway and he is still very destructive. Today and yesterday he has pulled things off the dining room table, I don't know how he is getting to them all the chairs are pushed in tight and nothing is hanging over the edge. I don't know if he is actually getting ON the table or what. I also have a garbage bag that was up high on my patio with all of his poop in it when I clean up the patio. He brought that into the house today and shredded the bag. I came home to poop all over my floor, most disgusting thing ever. I will need to get a trash can with a locking lid so he can't get to anything like that. Heights don't seem to phase him, I think he is part spider-man part corgi. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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I do know that at least 2 of mine can jump from a standing position straight up and onto my picnic table so it is possible, luckily they don't try the one in the house!
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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Ahhhh I've seen a picture of a cardigan ON the kitchen counter top, so I wouldn't put it past him to jump up there! Naughty boy lol.
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Jane, like this one?
although I'm pretty sure he climbed up there. He can't even jump on my bed at this point!
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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OMG, that is actually cute...especially since it is not my counter...sorry!
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Haha yep just like that, except there was nothing for her to climb up on! I believe she was helping "wash" the dishes in the sink too, lol
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Permalink Reply by Chris, Kadi & Brodie on
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I'm pretty sure both of mine COULD jump on the table, they just don't know it. I hope they don't figure it out. I never knew corgis were such jumpers until we got Kadi. I swear, they're as bad as Jack Russell's! Sounds to me like Kirby can both jump and climb, so he's double trouble. Poor you, coming home to that horrible mess. I remember once when I was working for a vet who was out of town and he and his wife left several of their shelties at the clinic for the weekend. I was the only one working and came in Saturday morning to a bunch of escaped shelties who had torn the whole clinic apart. Obviously one of them was a gate opener and had let all of them out and they had a real party, including with the poop cans. Took me all morning to clean the place up and of course, I had clients coming in to take care of. UGH! I'll never forget that morning. If you don't want to keep giving him Ace, you might try Benadryl. It's safe and makes a lot of dogs a bit sleepy. Of course, it can also make them hyper, so try it the first time when you're going to be home, not when you are going to leave him.
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Benadryl puts Franklin in fast forward so I don't think I want to risk that with Kirby. I just bought him some natural calming chews that had really good reviews on Amazon. They were cheap so even if they don't work they will at least be a good treat lol. If they dont' work I'm sure I will just start using Ace again, but that didn't seem to make a difference the few days I did use it so..... bleh
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