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 Beth on
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Very scary, poor guy. Melissa, maybe it might help how you approach it to remind yourself that he did not ask to come to your home; it was your decision to take in a rescue and honestly rescues frequently come with a lot of baggage. The teenaged months are the toughest with any dog, even one you raised from a pup. While his behavior is bit extreme, a pup of that age is always going to be difficult if he did not get a good start. I know you didn't want the work of a puppy and hindsight is 20/20, but I think a pup would have been WAY easier than bringing in an untrained adolescent from an uncertain background.
I agree you should try crating him. Then when you are home evenings or weekends, give him a long-lasting treat (time how long it takes for him to eat it), then leave the house and come back within the time he would still be working on the treat. Do this repeatedly, and when you find he is consistently still working on the treat when you return, then time it so you come back maybe 2 to 5 minutes after the treat is finished, and expand from that. I know it's time-consuming, but it will save you time in the long run if you can get him over his fear, and of course you owe it to Kirby to work on this issue.
And I would try this book
http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/product/dog-separation-anxiety
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Permalink Reply by justine moeller on
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I agree with Beth in regards to introducing him the the crate. Spend the free time you have allowing him to become comfortable with the crate. This includes making the crate awesome to be in! :) This can take several weeks (depending on his reaction to being crated) but it is worth it.
We have taken in close to 25 rescues and we crate each one at the beginning. Personally, I am not a huge crate fan but I do it when we are out of the house for long periods, even with our dogs since we have one barker! I will never forget when we took in a foster who was about 5 months (a shepard/lab mix). She was not big and I assumed that table tops were not accessible. I came home and found her on top of the table and she had eaten a GIANT chocolate bunny. Long story short, she was o.k. but boy was I scared. Looking back I am not sure what was going on in my head to think a 5 month dog could be left unsupervised for that long. Kirby is still very young (entering teenage years soon and entering the age when most dogs are abandoned due to behaviour issues) so free access to the house may be a little too hopeful on your part. Stick with it and you will be grateful. I know it is so frusturating but sometimes this is the world of rescue! :) It sounds like you are doing everything you can so good for you!! Do not give up!
You mentioned you come home for lunch so breaking up Kirbys crated time is really great too. 4 hours, a pee break and a little walk/run, then another 4 hours of crate is very realistic for his age and it can save you a lot of headache right now. If you have any questions about getting him used to the crate let me know. Have you crated him before? What was his reaction?
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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on
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I have never locked him in the crate. He has one that he used to sleep in every night but I locked him in to go to class one day when I knew we were having a short day and he had eaten my sandals (he was there for maybe 2 hours) and he won't go in the crate anymore. Its been about 2 weeks. I try to leave treats and yummy stuff in there for him and encourage him in there but he won't touch them. I have found a way to enforce the ex-pen so he cant' get out. He does ok in the ex-pen (as far as not barking) so I think I am just going to have to make it really tiny so he doesn't have access to ANYTHING. Before I had the ex-pen enclosing him in my dining area with access through a dog door to the patio. This is where he's gotten himself in a lot of trouble so today I have significantly decreased is inside dining room area and the ex-pen is confining him more to the patio with a tiny space to come in and lay down if he wants. I am also giving him a new treat toy today and, just for good measure, I gave him an Ace pill and took him for a long run this morning. Hopefully the combo of all of the above will result in a calm and sleepy pup. I'm still waiting for my calming chews to come in and also a DAP diffuser that will hopefully take some of the edge off. Hoping this smaller area will result in less trouble for him and not result in him finding new ways to escape.
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Just a thought but seeing Franklin on the other side may cause some unwanted behaviour as well. Kirby would not be able to rationalize that he is being kept in a very small area because of his behaviour. Hope it works out today! It really is energy draining but worth it in the long run.
It sounds like you have a good set up for today. They are so lucky to have a doggy door!! Keep us updated!
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First day coming home with no destruction!!! YAY! He got extra long play time this morning because we ran into a very playful dog on our morning walk, I did Ace him in the am, and then his calming treats came around lunch so he got one of those at lunch time. He didn't chew a single thing and was actually laying in his bed when I came home from lunch. When I came home after work AND school (so he was alone for 6 hours this afternooon) he was SO happy to see me, very clear indication he had been a good boy! Yay! We ran a lot at lunch today too, short session but lots and lots of hard fetching with him and Frank. I think this set up MAY just work! Crossing my fingers. I'm just going to give the calming treats tomorrow and no Ace and see how it goes. I also gave him an everlasting treat chew (which I'm sure lasted about 10 min) and today ordered more Himalayan chews and will only give them to him when I leave the house so they will be his special treat. Franklin didn't care much for them but Kirby chews anything so he liked them. Still having trouble with our obedience as he could care less about pleasing me but I don't blame him for not caring a bit what humans think or want considering what his background was. But for once I DON'T hate my dog! Woo hoo! Granted it was just one day but I am going to take what I can get!
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Permalink Reply by Diane on
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Must have been nice to come home to an undestroyed home for a change! That sounds like a good sign of progress... Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
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Permalink Reply by Chris, Kadi & Brodie on
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Great news, Melissa! The fact that he was happy is a good sign too. That indicates he's starting to realize what you WANT from him.
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good news continues! Day two of no destruction and no sedatives either! Just the calming treat! YAY!
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Wonderful...
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Permalink Reply by Sandy Stickney on
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Hey Melissa, so glad to hear Kirby had a good day. I hope that you and he are able to build on your success and string together many more days like that! Keep up the good work!
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Permalink Reply by Roger/Laurie on
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I am not a dog expert by any means......but it isn't rocket science to know these rescues are damaged in many different ways. It is hard to live with the perfect dog Chepstow (got him at 8 weeks) and then look over at Tenby. Tenby is such a handsome boy, he is so loving and would die protecting me. But deep inside is a terrible fear of the world and other dogs (except corgi's for some reason). His way dealing with the fear is aggression, I will get them before they get me. We have worked with him for 4 1/2 years and he is a different dog now.........but that deep fear is still there. Roger, Chepstow and I have just learned what situations Tenby can't be put in.
I can't say if Kirby is worth it...................but Tenby was
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