How do I keep my retarded dog out of my new gardens?

Question

My dog has destroyed everything in my yard, I have just fixed up a flower bed out the back with weed mat and mulch and even put his pooh all over it (this usualy works with other gardens and in the holes he digs) but he has gone out and ripped up the weed mat and riuned the whole thing twice now.

I am going to fix it up tomorrow before work and go to petstock in my lunch break tomorrow to try to find some sort of dog repellant, otherwise he may just end up down the pound.

Sounds harsh but he has literally destroyed the whole yard, he has even ripped the flyscreens off the window and ripped the whole sliding screen door out of the wall, he will even chew on bricks not to mention everyother thing that may not be made of steel in the yard, hoses, kids bikes, a lawnmower, airconditoner tubes, metal taps, chairs and other furniture, cermanic ornaments, bbq hoses not to mention I haven't been able to hang washing on the line for over a year now. (even while i'm out there playing with him he will go over and remove clothes from the line) He gets new toys regualry and he will get them rip them open within 2 mins so they dont squeak or work anymore then leave them.

I am not building anymore stupid fences, most of my yard has chicken wire and star pickets everywhere and it looks like crap. I have never had a dog this badly behaved before, and yes he gets played with and taken for walks etc.

He is almost two. when will this end, because my landlords are getting pretty pissed at me too because the yard used to look really nice, but now it looks like a mine field with giant holes everywhere, wire fences, bare pathces of mud-dog tracks, and any thing and everything chewed up and all over the place.

Is there anything I can do so he will leave the gardens alone I am trying to fix some of the damage he has done, and am seriously considering getting rid of him.

Thanks

Answer 1

It sounds like a bored dog that doesn't get nearly enough exercise or attention.



I would start with two one hour walks a day, or take him for a nice long bicycle ride, with him running along side. Play with him out in the backyard, have him play fetch, set up a little agility course to work on ... etc.



The dog is bored to death and has nothing to burn off his excess energy. You also need to WATCH him when you turn him loose in the yard, and stop any unwanted behaviors before they become destructive.



You say he is walked and played with .... but is is evident that not nearly enough for his needs. Young dogs can be a handful sometimes because of all their energy (that MUST be channeled in the right direction), but you signed on for this much work when you bought him.



Has he been to obedience classes? This would be good to teach him to listen to you and give him mental stimulation. When was the last time he had another dog to play with? A tired dog is a good dog.

Answer 2

No, your dog is not retarded but I seriously question why you would choose a Spitz or why a reputable breeder would place one with you. They are known to be difficult to train, strong willed and tend to be aggressive. Clearly you have no experience with dogs and proper training exemplified by the fact that you have sent the dog out for training instead of investing the time to learn how to train the dog yourself. Owning a dog is a commitment of time and money that you owe to your dog to fulfill. It sounds to me like the dogs has little training and is frustrated and bored. It's like having a teenager, giving him no rules and locking him up with no interaction with others and being surprised when he has no life skills. Find a REPUTABLE obedience trainer immediately that only uses positive reinforcement (very important or you'll go backwards) and spend the time learning from the trainer how to train the dog yourself. Take the time to walk the dog at least once every day for at least half an hour to an hour. There are no shortcuts to responsible dog ownership!

Answer 3

In terms of the garden, since I have no idea what kind of dog you have and if it's prone to digging, you might have to stand out there and catch him doing it. Stand in the garden itself and keep him out of it. Don't yell and get upset, just calmly stand your ground and say "OUT" (or whatever you want to use) and point outside the garden every time a paw touches the dirt. This process may take hours. A spray bottle of water might help if he's already in it and digging. He won't like a shot in the face.



There are some things you can spray on the plants to deter him. I don't trust chemicals in store-brands, so try some home-based recipes. I added a link.



Mine dug up the flower beds I put in before we got the dogs. The mud tracks probably means that the yard is not big enough for him. We moved and got a bigger yard, put up a dog fence, and put the gardens on the outside of it. That way everyone has their space.



Edit: I am not sure why you put his poo in the new flower bed. That will let him know it's "his" spot and dog feces are not good manure.

Answer 4

Dog sounds very smart and determined to me. What may he do in this yard besides watch you garden. That is not what dogs do. You do not say what breed dog it is though most dogs even my Chihuahuas hate walks. They want to run and play and the larger they are the more time and space they need. You need to learn about the requirements of your breed and the history. If you look up the breed on the internet you may get a clue. Where ever you got him you need to go back and learn something about him. Breed and age would help some to know. The first thing you could neuter him. Putting his poo told him that was a area that is his. You even marked it for him. They don't like to sleep where their poo is but it not something that says don't come here.

Answer 5

you been lucky with the other dogs and they taken more easily to training, doesnt mean its something wrong with the dog, just that you got a more advanced dog breed/line/personality then you are used too and didnt do sufficient training for this type of dog



And dogs differs, some are more mellow and take training really easily while others are more challenging, they make just as good dogs, and often more so by some peoples recon if you just put down the training needed. But it is both breed, line, gender and personality based.



Either or, geting a dog you need to train it too its needs and demands, not too another previous dog, you cant compare dogs like that, two dogs of the same gender from the same litter can need completely different aproaches in training, there is no flaw on either on them, its just dogs like humans are different, and two puppies from even the same litter only share an average of 50% genetic make up. If you observe kids you can see how siblings can be completely different, doesnt mean anyone is less worth, got anything wrong with them or needs you less, they just need you differently.



Go talk to a trainer, get help and learn how to train this dog sufficiently. Or next time get help picking a dog from someone more experienced who can pick the dog too your level of knowledge and expectations of what you want to put into training a dog.

Answer 6

You're a gardener, not a dog person, and this dog is in the wrong place.

Using the term retarded is insulting in a lot of ways - you should refrain from using it. It also doesn't accurately describe this dog. He is young, untrained, and obviously unsupervised -that says a lot more about you than the animal.



FInd a no-kill rescue nearby, and ask that he be rehomed. If you got him form a breeder who cares about their dogs, call them and ask to return him. Any reputable breeder worth their salt would demand their dog back at any time - I'm, hoping this is a case of your looking a whole lot better to them when you got him as a puppy than you sound now - they ought to be anxious to get the dog back into safety, and appalled at what has happened in the meantime.



You have this dog's very life in your hands. You have not trained him properly, and that could cost him him life. Make sure wherever he is sent will not kill him for the lack of training he has encountered - there are plenty of people who could have raised this dog properly, and that includes you. Make up for that lack of effort, and get him someplace safe now, so he can have the life he deserved in the first place. Then you can go out and fix your dirt.

Answer 7

You need to do this dog a really big favor and find someone who is willing to take the time to train him,play with him and all the normal things you do with a dog. At two years of age he ought to be trained. Sounds to me like you are more concerned about your nice yard than training the dog to know what is ok and what is not. Yea, my back yard at the present looks pretty bad also with fences with in the big fence but when the weather clears up my GSD and I will work on what he needs to know is ok to play with and what to stay out of. There are some fences I will leave up and you know what, if the neighbors don't like it that is their problem.

Answer 8

It is your responsibility as a dog owner to train and exercise the dog. Dogs get destructive if they are not exercised enough.

If you are more concerned about your flowers then maybe it would be best for the dog to go to a caring, responsible owner.

Answer 9

There could be another 18 months before he gets out of that behaviour.

You've realisticly tried all you are able to do apart from hiring a trainer; which I don't think would help. He sounds like a dog who won't train and so needs to be rehomed. Outdoor Kennel and run is the only other option - even more junk in your back yard.

Answer 10

With an attitude like that i would re home the dog to someone that can care for him by training him walking him and will stop this Behaviour .

THat dog is bored and also has no training as well its not the dog that is retarded

Answer 11

Sounds like he still isn't getting enough physical (or even mental) exercise.

A bored dog is a bad dog.

Answer 12

Invisible...fencing. Underground system involving electricity



http://zoocrewkids.blogspot.com/

Answer 13

pl take care of ur dog.