Skye Intro and Help Needed

[areias]

Okay. I have a new addition (yes, a third one). I also need help with her.

This is Skye. I had just gotten to work, went inside, turned on lights and such. Went to go turn off the light in what we call the smokers cage (a small enclosed area with a gate that sits on the other side of the building) and there was a dog there, tied up (we get drop-offs regularly). She is an English Pointer mix and determined at about 10 months of age. So, I took her inside, let the manager know. She was put in a kennel and they were going to call animal services to get her taken away. So, to make a long story short...I did a heartworm test on her, it came back negative..brought Zoie over to make sure she was good with dogs..she was...I vaccinated her and brought her home. She was already spayed, seen by a scar. When I got her home, I found that she was also housebroken. Here are some pictures of her...
http://areias.zoto.com/img/45/7ffbfa047d2214203d8887a696297313-.jpg
http://areias.zoto.com/img/45/a5b2ba90703e69b61dcc43601ff55365-.jpg
http://areias.zoto.com/img/45/94386a262a34434fb42487d068861fab-.jpg
She was also very possesive the night I got her home, getting very snippy with the other dogs and went after Romeo when he wouldn't give up a rawhide. I wasn't sure if I was going to keep her, which is why I didn't say anything here. She has gradually gotten much much better about that, over the last few days, so she is pretty much here to stay.

However, her and the cat do NOT get along. The cat is fine as long as she is just walking around, but the second the cat takes off running, Skye is on her. She looks like she thinks its a chew toy. I can correct her (tell her NO) and she will stop but the second I turn my head she is back at her. The cat kind of defends herself, and tries to attach herself to my dogs head, but Skye isn't deterred. The cat has taken up residence in my bathroom, which isn't really fair to her.

Also, she has become extremely destructive. The first time I left her alone, I found this:
http://areias.zoto.com/img/45/7eb71264f5301b0449b9146952d64ecf-.jpg
and she had also torn up any paper material that was lying around and on the counters (IE-my electric bill that was lying up on the kitchen counter). So I went to my moms house and got the big crate (its huge) and I have been keeping her in it when I leave. I don't put her in it at night, she usually just sleeps. I am also not usually the type to keep a dog crated if it's already housebroken. All my dogs have graduated out of the crate. And then I woke up this morning, I was asleep on the couch so she was out here last night...

http://areias.zoto.com/img/45/a56823277a512efbe09c5dbc3d7d1e5b.jpg
:eek: Those were clothes for good will sitting in a box by the door, and everything else within reach. She had also taken all the utensils out of my dish drainer on the counter, and somehow gone into the bathroom and chewed up my toothbrush (cat was under the bathroom sink when I found her). She ate a whole box of ginger snaps (also on the counter). Needless to say, I was not very happy. I'm not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions other than crating her all the time? She does this too if I'm home and not paying attention. They have a huge box of toys and they go to the dog park almost every day, except Fridays.

She is also always extremely up in my face when I eat. I don't have a table to eat on, she I'm usually in the computer chair or on the couch. I tell her NO and she'll go away for a second but then she will come back over and tried to lick your hands. She also stole my TacoBell that I brought home last night, it was in a bag well, on the counter lol.

So thats it for my extra long post...hope you enjoyed the pictures. :p Any suggestions would be great.

[sanford8916]

She is really cute. I don't know what to tell you to do but I had a dog who would chew the blinds and it was just because she couldn't see outside, so we would leave them up just enough so she could still see out. Maybe she needs to be treated like a young puppy would be, crate when you can't watch her and alot of training, maybe an obedience class will help her too! Good luck with your new girl, she is so sweet looking! :)

[Toby's my baby]

Does she know any commands?? Obediance classes can be a huge help with stuff like this, usually.

Maggie was very destructive about a year and a half ago, and we almost had to rehome her, but, after obediance classes, she got MUCH better. I think part of it was because she was lonely (she didn't get along with Boo boo at the time, and we didn't have Autumn). After we brought Autumn home, she completely stopped, and hasn't done anything since. Being you already have two dogs I'm sure that isn't part of the problem. Does she get along with Zoie and Romeo?

I would do as sanford said, pull up the blinds a little bit. Is there a chair or anything by them? If so, I'd pull that away. Try to keep most things out of her reach, and crate her when you are unable to watch her. Try to teach her that when you say "no" it means "stop" and not to keep about it after you turn your head. Good luck. Sorry I wasn't much help.

[BC_MoM]

Poor girl! Obviously no one has dedicated even a moment in their life to teach her her manners. :(

She's a beautiful girl, though! Congratulations.. I hope things start working out as she learns the ropes better. :)

[buttercup132]

Wow she is really pretty!!!

Rockee was like that with Hank when we brought him home. We just muzzled her and let her be with him and eventually took it off and she played with him by chasing him the first few days but now she just ignorres him. I dont know if thats any help.

And why not just put her in the crate when you eat? Or at least when she comes up to you when you have food put her in the crate for 5 minutes or something then let her back out and keep doing so until she learns.

[pitc9]

As far as the destruction when you are not home... IMO the best thing would be to keep her in a crate! For her own safety as well as your sanity! ;)
It took years before I could leave my 2 out of crates when I wasn't home. but they still get into trouble once in a while. (see my latest thread :o )
As for the in your face while eating, Bud does that to me, and I've taught him "Back up" he scoots back. Doesn't work Everytime, but he's getting the hang of it!
Oh she's a cutie! I love her brown ear! Too Cute!
When I leave the house I hide treats all over the place to give them something to do, I also leave the TV on. I think it makes my pups think I'm home and watching them so they don't get into (too much) trouble.

[Suki Wingy]

She's really cute as well as your other pups. I don't really have any suggestions other than what has been said though. Deffinatley keep her in a crate when you're not there, and make sure it's the covered up kind. Put her in there when you eat, also. Niño was trained to go in his crate when wee ate when we got him.

[cyber-sibes]

She's very pretty, I hope it works out for you. As mentioned, obedience classes would go a long way to solving some of her behaviors. You would have someone who is very dog-savvy to help you with some these issues. 10-months old is still pretty young, and it's a shame no one worked with her before this. of course, if they had, she might not have been "dropped off" in the first place! Some people seem to think dogs train themselves. :rolleyes:
Good luck, looking forward to seein gmore pics of all of yours!

[lv4dogs]

She sure is a beauty! I LOVE english pointers.
10 months is still pretty young, so she's still kind of in the puppy stage.
I suggest keeping her crated when you are not home or can not keep a very close eye on her. When you are home I'd suggest keeping her on a lead that is attached to you so you can keep an eye on her. I also strongly suggest getting her enrolled into a reputable obedience class.
Pointers are active dogs and she is still young so I also suggest you give her more exercise than what you currently are.

Good luck with her. If she doesn't work out you can send her my way.;)

[areias]

Thanks for the replies. I think I was just really frustrated that morning. I think what happened is that was the first morning I had slept in later-til about 8:30, and I think she was bored and probably had to use the bathroom. She is doing better, I have kept her crated at night now. She is crated when I leave. She still picks up things to chew on but usually I catch her before she starts.
As far as trying to steal things I am eating, she still does that, but is getting a little better. She is very responsive in doggy language, if I turn my head a little and look her straight in the eyes for a second (say if she's sitting next to me) and she averts her eyes and moves away.

Her and the cat are having supervised playtimes to try to adjust her to them. I work on obedience with her a lot, sometimes at the dog park and sometimes here at home.

[dab_20]

She really is beautiful! I'm glad that she is getting better. I agree, the crate would be the best solution for her destruction.

Take her for a walk before you leave the house. You can get a doggy backpack so she wears out quicker. The doggy backpack should weigh 10-20 percent of her body weight. Taking her for a walk before you leave will put her in a natural resting mode so she'll be more content and stay out of trouble while your gone.