should i find my dog a new home?

Question

hi, i own a collie and a cross breed dog, the collie i have had for 6 months from a puppy, she needs loads of exercises and mind stimulation which she gets every day!, shes got so much energy she wares us out lol. we love her loads, but we are firm with are animals at the same time, they don't sleep in our bedroom they have there own place, it use to be the kitchen until i moved them under the stairs which is quite a big area i can walk in and out its full height ceiling. anyway, i train the dogs to behave and i give them treats when they do what they are meant to, and i give them praise. when they do something wrong i don't smack them i say "ah ah ah bad girl" and they go into bed. it seems to be all fine but then one day we can get up and the collie would go back to square one, and i have to start training from scratch like yesterday they went in under the stairs i took the door off and put a stair gate up, as soon as i left the house the both jumped the gate! now i cant say if it was one or the two of them, but we counted 6 poo's in the kitchen 1 in the bathroom and no pee even tho we took them out before we left and they done there Businesss outside which they were treated for! i was angry but i put them back under the stairs! we ended up putting the collie in a crate she destroyed the place with more poo and started chewing everything even tho she has toys to chew! i decorated the kitchen, and when they pooed when we left they smeared it up the wall! the paint wasn't on the wall more then 24 hours! i just don't know what else to do! i seem to be spending all my time training them and in the blink of an eye i end up back at the start! when i told her off last night she growled at me! and would not lay down or even sit for me! she stayed in a pouncing motion! all in all last night we got no sleep over her barking and the total count of poo comes to 11 that's from half 8 last night untill 5am this morning. this is not the first time i ended up in this situation, i train her constant and she is the best dog in the world for about 2-3 weeks and then for some reason id get up one morning and shes the dog from hell! i would love a solution rather then find her a new home im trying to be realistic about the situation i really need help. x

Answer 1

Time and patience. especially since you are trying to train two dogs at the same time. You would think that that would make it twice as difficult, but in reality it makes it bout 4 times as hard.



Just be patient and continue. You will get through this eventually.



EDIT: tried to answer your email, but it didn''t go through for some unknown reason. Here''s what I tried to send you;



Hi Kelly,



I have 14 dogs, 8 cats, 3 guinea hens, 2 peacocks, and a turkey. I surely know that it

can seem overwhelming at times. But you can get through this. I would just have to say

that you should give it more time and effort, if you can. Do you have someone that might

take one of your dogs off your hands for a while? That would help you to concentrate on

the other one.



Can you possibly afford to get two crates? Most dogs will not want to mess up their area

if they are confined to a small space. And, even if they do, it''s much easier to clean

afterwards. Craigslist usually has people selling crates fairly cheaply.



Sorry I can't be more help. But it''s not something that will change over night. I hope

you can make the best situation for yourself and your dogs.



Sincerely,



Robin

Answer 2

The problem is they really are not potty trained yet. It has not clicked in their brains. I would go back to crate training only. I think the one is much to young to have any freedom once so ever. I advise all people when they are having a potty training issue that when in the house with you to keep them on a leash or put then back in their crate. This gives them no opportunity to have an accident. The biggest problem is you are not catching them in the process of going so by the time you come home all they know is you are pissed but they do not relate it to pooping everywhere. I think the bottom line is there is just too much freedom. The growling is unacceptable behavior. I would suggest to start making her work for all of their food. No more just handing it to them when it is time to eat. Do short training sessions before dinner/breakfast. Instead of treats use their food. They only need to be 10 minutes long but one on one, not the two of them together. When you feed the one that growled you have to make her sit and stay in front of her food. She is NOT allowed to touch until you give the "OK" command to get up and eat. She is forgetting she is not in control. If she moves before you say OK pick the food up without her touching it and get her back into the sit position and try again.

Answer 3

I understand. So I know how hard it is to find a good home. So think of this if she is doing it to you she will do it to someone else and they my put her at a shelter. Just food for thought. So this is what I have done to help my dogs. Crate train. I like vari kennels the best. I would make sure they are the size for you dog (don't get to big) Take the dogs with you to Petco or Petsmart have them size the dogs then get that size. Don't get the wire ones dogs like a den not open space. Don't use it for punishment then they will hate it. Leave the crate open so your dogs can go in and out to get them use to it you can even treat them when they go in and say good girl. That will save you from waking up in the morning to a statement present or coming home to one. Now for the barking all night long Walgreen's sales a device called bark off for $9.99. Set it up near where they sleep when they back it sends out a high pitch sound that makes them stop. Barking stopped. As for chewing its from boredom Kong balls which you can get at Petsmart or Petco are awesome. You can put a treat in them and you dogs will spend their time chewing that instead of your things. I hope this help

Answer 4

I think you hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. You do seem to need a little help. (don't we all sometimes?)



It seems a pretty simple, obvious solution, but training classes would be a good idea. I don't know if you've ever attended any before, but you WILL learn new things to try.



Often when I suggest training classes, people complain that they can't afford them. If you think that you can't afford - phone and ask them how much they charge first, before dismissing the idea. They'll

probably be a lot cheaper than you think.



The link below doesn't give ALL the training classes in your area, but it should give you somewhere decent to start from:

http://www.apdt.co.uk/local_dog_trainers.asp



Good Luck.

Answer 5

If this all started after you switched their sleeping accommodation, I'd suggest you put them back there.



If your other dog was fine before your new puppy came in, then maybe you have bitten off more than you can chew and just maybe finding another home would be best. However, I would say that's going to be sad especially as you'll be passing on her problems to somebody else.



You do need to make sure all this poohing isn't because she actually has a medical problem, (diarrhoea? - passing that number of stools isn't 'normal' I'd suggest. Are you putting them to bed at 8.30? and not getting up until 5 am? I'd also suggest this is a very long time to expect them to be clean, and not enough time after their last meal, for that meal to be digested before you do pen them for the night. Dogs who are on 2 meals a day, should only need to empty 3 times during a day. Our two, who have their breakfast around 7 am, and tea around 4.30 pm. have a BM first thing, or shortly after breakfast. One goes again on his morning walk, and then probably again during the late afternoon/early evening. The other one just goes during the afternoon, but sometimes last thing, before bed. They go to bed around 10.30 and we get up any time after 6.30 which is a similar time crated overnight to your two, but the difference is the interval between their last feed, and going to bed.



It is also possible that this is happening out of 'spite' - they are not happy with their new sleeping arrangements. BMs are normally more easily sorted out, bearing in mind meals take approx. 4 hours to be digested, in the dog. So if you feed no later than 5 pm, and delay shutting them off for longer, perhaps taking them out for a walk last thing, making sure they empty, there should be nothing inside, to come out during the night.

Answer 6

As suggested, time, patience and training it one thing. However collies were originally bred to be working dogs. They need a lot of exercise! And they're intelligent dogs - they need to be kept occupied. As dogs go, they may be one of the more intensive breeds - they absolutely need to be walked everyday and they may need for than simple chew toys. From what you've said, they obviously acknowledge you as an authority but you really need to offer them something more.

Answer 7

They may instigate each other to do such things. It sounds to me like bored dogs. They are acting out for some reason. I would check with your vet on what to do here., You should not have to keep retraining them.

Answer 8

yes