Bad Behavior

[Bandit's mom]

My dog is so sweet and gentle and I think he can do no wrong. I guess I have to admit he's not so cute sometimes. He loves to lick the rug. He licks his paws but when I see him licking the carpet, I say," Bandit, bad behavior" and sometimes he stops. I also say "Bandit, "I'll put up the gate." That's the baby gate we use to keep him in the rooms we want him. I don't know why that works. He associates the gate somehow and his behavior. I feel bad because he is bored. He likes to play and go for walks, but sometimes I just don't have the time or I am busy. If he sees somebody from the front door walking their dog, he gets all upset and lets me know it. I feel like a bad mom. I feel like Bandit could have been happier with a large family and kids around him. He is so good. I sometimes feel he is not happy. I never hit him or abuse him. He is so special. Does anybody else feel this way??? Well, thanks and God bless everybody and all their pets.

[Tonya]

Don't feel bad. That is the beauty of dogs, they'll love you no matter what. As long as you are spending time with him, I am sure he is happy. I know how you feel, though. Sometimes I feel guilty for owning so many animals. (3 dogs, 2 cats, 3 snakes, and a fish.) I feel like if I had less pets, I could give more individual attention.

[clara4457]

There are a great deal of toys you can get that can help relieve his boredom. My favorite is the buster cube. Leo will spend hours rolling it around and trying to get all the kibble out. You can also use a treat filled kong. Leo is on a diet so I only fill his with low fat goodies, but it also keeps him occupied.

I know how you feel, sometimes with my job I get bogged down and am away from home a great deal. Before I got Penny Lane as company for Leo, I used to take him to doggie daycare once a week. It was great - he would wear himself out and be a couch potato for at least 2 days. You can also see if there is a neighborhood kid that would be interested in walking him on a daily basis.

Don't feel guilty - I've found that dogs will adjust to pretty much any lifestyle as long as they are loved and cared for.

[Bandit's mom]

I don't feel so bad now. We do love Bandit and he means a lot to us. Doggie Daycare sounds good and some of the recommended toys. I can't give him soft toys because he tears them up and might get the squeaky thing inside. Some of the toys squeak But the suggestions helped. Since I don't send pictures of Bandit, he says hi.

[KatieDog]

I agree--don't feel bad. I also have a dog who looks longingly at other dogs out on walks. But I think she'd do this no matter how many walks she had. She ljust oves to be outside. We've had luck with the toys recommended so far, though Katie did destroy her Buster Cube, so now I don't leave it with her unless I can keep an eye on her. THe only really indestructable thing for us have been Kongs--so she has them in all shapes and sizes.

For exercise--she does get a 30-45 minute walk/run every day plus usually some agility practice in the back yard. I have to get up early to do the walk, but the exercise is good for both of us. We use dog care, too, which is great. But we've also had success with informal kinds games around the house--e.g., when I'm doing laundry or emptying the dishwasher and she just has to have her nose in the middle of things, rather than saying "no," and "leave it" a million times, I ask her for other behaviors ("sit," "down," "stay," "speak," "quiet," etc.). I think that kind of informal training helps reinforce the bond between you and your dog. Also, Katie loves to find toys and treats hidden around the house. That's something you can do together (make Bandit stay, go hide the thing, and then tell him to find it); but you could also hide stuff (like a peanut-butter filled Kong) before you leave.