Lacey the pit

[my_altered_life]

We're having serious problems with Lacey, our 5 month old pit bull. We're at a loss at this point on what to do. She's destroyed into the quadruple digits of our belongings, and we are lower-middle class to begin with. We've given her everything she needs, she has toys, a bed (well, up until tonight), vet care (recently 130 dollars) and goes to the

Comments

[miss_teacher]

Can you puppy proof a bathroom or gate off the kitchen? You'll need to find some room she can stay in that has nothing she can chew on. Perhaps get an ex-pen with a lid. She might take to it better than a crate. Don't leave her alone in any room that is not 1005 puppy proofed. Heck, even if you are there the room should be as puppy proofed as possible. I know that's not easy with a child in the house, but it's really important when you have a puppy like this living with you

[designed4living]

miss_teacher I love you.

This, This This, said so perfectly!!!!!!!

I understand your paid though, Lucy was tough, I switched to an x-pen, and left radio's and tv's on, put her in it when we wern't home, and yes Lucy's "SCREAMING" stopped, I used the tug-a-jug, kong, smoked beef bones (from my holistic pet store), rope toys, made her work for all food, put her in agility, and, ended up with a second dog (which helped a lot, I realize it's probably not an option, but it helped with us)

But miss_teacher said it perfectly!

[my_altered_life]

I wouldn't be able to puppy proof any specific room without a barrier between her and everything conceivable. She's destroyed cabinets, walls, baseboards, doors, everything. And this was when she was only maybe 3 months old and we were having the severe anxiety problems. We got her over this by sitting on the other side of the door (took several days) and talking to her calmly when she started to freak out. This stopped her from screaming, but she'll still destroy things.

Yes, puppy-proofing has been all but impossible. My son is 2, and half the time he gives her the toys to chew on because he doesn't understand that leaving the toys on the floor will end badly. Also, like I said, we have such small space in our house that theres literally nowhere to put our own stuff, much less pick up the stuff that has to be out in the living room and kitchen, which is the only area to put her without her being in a bedroom or the downstairs bathroom.

I'll try the other suggestions, including this x-pen several people have seconded.

[miss_teacher]

I think the ex-pen might be a wonderful solution. You could also tether her to you as already suggested. It's a big pain, but then she always within arm's reach so when your toddler hands her a toy you can get it back and stop her from destroying it, and replace it with a bullystick.

I know it's really hard and frustrating, but try to find a way to prevent her chewing on inappropriate things. For many dogs, if you can prevent it and get through this phase the dog will not chew on your things as an adult. But if the dog continue to chew everything and anything he will never learn what is and is not appropriate and might continue this behavior into adulthood. You think he can destroy things now? Wait until 9 month old when he fully int he chew phase and has more power behind those jaws. It's unreal. Some dogs will eat through walls!

Let us know how things work out!!!

[nabaztag_kitten]

My first suggestion is to take a break. Really. Get a friend to take your puppy for a day. Pony up the $25 for boarding for a day. Whatever you need to do to be able to relax for a second and think straight. Really. Your current level of stress and anxiety can only make the situation worse

[miss_teacher]

I have personally done it phenomenally wrong at times.

lol. This is an awesome statement. So true for everyone out there. So honest. And so hilarious at the same time.

[cottonmanifesto]

i totally agree. and it's also important to remember that 5mos old is a very very very trying time in puppyhood.

[ai731]

My first suggestion is to take a break. Really. Get a friend to take your puppy for a day. Pony up the $25 for boarding for a day. Whatever you need to do to be able to relax for a second and think straight. Really. Your current level of stress and anxiety can only make the situation worse.

This is a great suggestion if it's an option for you. We have a somewhat similar, but more minor situation: because of a broken leg and some complications, our dog's crate training has regressed. He used to be absolutely fine in his crate, but now he wakes up in the middle of the night and whines and barks for an hour. My husband and I were at the end of our rope, since he has a really long commute and desperately needs his sleep. We discussed it and decided that we would board Carter at the vet's for the weekend if necessary to give ourselves a break from the stress of constantly supervising him during the day and being kept awake during the night.

[narilka]

I hate to say it's just a puppy thing, but I really think it is that and maybe not enough stimulation. Try running with her? (I don't know what age vets say this is okay to do -- ask yours.) Try a bitter apple spray on all the baseboards and surfaces in whatever room she's going to be left in, and make sure you lock up everything possible.

As for the peeing, rule out health issues, then go back to house training 101.

[my_altered_life]

The only thing I'm going to comment on is the bitter apple. HA! We bought a bottle, she LICKED IT OFF everything like it was a treat. Then somehow (probably ingenuity on her part) she got the bottle off the kitchen counter and punctured the bottle and licked it out of the holes until we found it when we came home. We've used lemon juice and vinegar also, neither of those worked, either.

[andreags]

What about something spicy? Cayenne pepper?

[my_altered_life]

I'm sure that would work, but she isn't chewing on the baseboards or things like that. The only thing she chews on is the bar stools, and we pick them up. Otherwise, she finds something. Even if she has to jump up or stand on things. She doesn't usually chew on fixed objects.

[my_altered_life]

This is something I can see as being a problem, like you said. There is NO POSSIBLE WAY we can exercise her as much as she gets it at the dog park. We have no fence, we live in townhomes and there's no where to take her to play thats off leash, which means that walking/running isn't enough, and no one in our house is going to do that with her anyway. I couldn't run for 5 minutes, let alone an hour, and walking for an hour is no where near the stimulation she gets from the dog park.

[wirenth]

get a longline. will she play ball? frisbee? does she tug? how about a flirtpole? how much training do you do with her and what kind? mental exercise is often as tiring or even more tiring than straight physical exercise. after an hour at obedience class, my puppy is ready for a nap, but he'd play fetch for hours on end without tiring if he could con me into throwing the ball that long.

i would not become too dependent on the dog park. while she's a baby it's ok, but once she starts to become socially mature, the chances that she'll lose her tolerance for other dogs is significant and dogparks are not a good idea for an adult pit bull.

[goddess_help_me]

Just out of curiosity- I see you've mentioned having taken her to the vet for the UTI, have you talked to your vet about these other problems? There can be physical issues contributing to many of these, including clinical depression and anxiety. While training and extra stimulation will certainly help with that, sometimes meds are necessary as well.

I am not fond of medicating for the sake of itself, but having suffered myself from hormonally induced severe depression and anxiety, I can identify with the frustration and confusion it causes. There were plenty of times I'd have ripped furniture to shreds if I'd had the ability ;).

Seriously though, if your dog has an issue like this, or a thyroid problem, trainging and stimulation may not be enough. That aspect should not be ignored, but it may need soem assistance to be completely effective.

Just my two cents.

[my_altered_life]

We were waiting to see if the UTI was the problem, first. She's only been off her antibiotics for a week, and we've only noticed these depression like problems in the last week, as well. The anxiety she's had on and off, but we thought she was getting over it. It seems like all of a sudden, she's getting it back. I'm going to mention it when I take her back in for a recheck.