What angers you most about your dog behavior

[carrie]

Don't give up on the dogs just yet!!!

Trust me - cats are NOT cleaner - they just hide it better and do the digusting stuff with a little more grace!

Really, stop beating yourself up about it - you live and learn. If mistakes were never made none of us would ever learn anything new.

[Pam]

There are two things that I would love to be able to improve on with Bella. First off is her digging. She is most often likely to dig right after a rain! You can imagine how she looks when she appears at the door and wants to come in. The only way around this is to watch her the whole time she's out and correct her immediately when she starts to dig. Unfortunately in really heavy rain I don't always do that so I pay the price.

Secondly, she has "selective hearing." Most of the time when she is in the yard and I call her she will come. The times when she turns a deaf ear to me is when there is an interesting critter slinking around in the woods behind our fence and she feels the need to bark at it. This worries me when I let her out late at night or really early in the morning since I would like my neighbors to continue to like me! When she ignores me then I have to go out into the yard to get her and sometimes I am in pj's.

[Pakarinen]

We had a problem with our lab Chester when he was a pup, he ate his own poo, right after he'd taken a poo, it was so disgusting, he then wanted to come and give you kisses of course and I would yell at him and ouch him away. As he got a little older he stopped and he doesn't touch the cat liter.

[Cincy'sMom]

Cincy is going through a major digging stage right now. It is most frustrating when she is starts digging under the air conditioner or near the fence..places she could get hurt or catch her collar and get stuck. What is worse, is once you catch her and call her to you, she runs the other way. Any other time she does really great with come, even though she is only four months. We are trying to be patient with her learning, some days it is very frustrating.

[jennifert]

I'm never really MAD (like this mad) at Duncan. I get upset with him sometimes but he doesn't make me angry. I try to remember that he doesn't do these things intentionally to make me mad. He does them because it's his instinct or he is bored and looking for something to do or a million other reasons. But, one thing I remind mself all the time is that, although we attach reasons and excuses to their behavior, they themselves do not have that ability and are not doing it for that reason. Do you know what I mean? For example, I'm working right now on tryng to break Duncan of destroying the house if I leave him out of his crate while I am at work. He runs around and rips things up for the first 15 minutes after I leave. Now, it would seem like he does this because he's angry that I left him but really he is stressed out and that's how he is venting. I'm upset that my house is destroyed, along with some of my belongings but not angry at Duncan. (My roommate on the other hand, is ANGRY !!! ) I get upset when he leaps on the front door and barks at the neighbor, I get upset when he tries to escape out the front door, I get upset when he gets out and runs in the road, I get upset when he tries to climb in the front seat of my little Honda while I'm driving...(Actually, that is sometimes funny!! If there are no other cars around... ) Anyway, I can't imagine getting mad at him, like really mad! Collins' roommate, that Duncan has bitten a few times, said that he was mad at Duncan and I just don't get it!! Why waste your energy being angry at a dog who doesn't know why you're angry and could care less that you're flashing them dirty looks! That's the difference between people and animals: people can reason and hold grudges and animals don't. Half of the abuse in this world could probably be avoided if people realized that the world does not revolve around the human species!!!!!!! Purrley, I am not all all saying or trying to imply that you abuse Tess in any way shape or form!!!! I know you love Tess and are very good with her while you're learning how to be a great dog mom!! Angry isn't really what you were, you were upset and frustrated, that's all. That happens to every single pet owner in the entire universe!! Just try to laugh a little at the situation!! Tess is a little girl right? Then imagine her with trying to get all "prettied up" with her stinky breath!!!??? Then you'll laugh at her!! And then try to train them not to do what it is they are doing... OR avoid the situation by moving the litter box. Duncan ate my very expensive favortie pair of shoes last night. But it was my fault since I fell asleep at 7:30 w/o taking him for his evening run. He was in the house all day, bored and then I come home and went to sleep?!? He HAD to find something to do!! Anyway, you're doing fine! Hang in there!
I wish I had an answer to the litter box problem for you but I don't have any cats! My advice would be to yell NO at her when she goes near it. Or move it!!

[C.C.'s Mom]

Oh, I've got a complete list of behavioral problems...

1. Digging. She turned our backyard into a battlefield and I'm still seeing dark clouds when I even think of reshaping her garden design. When we go to the dog park, she starts to dig and she won't come when I call her. It freaks me out, even though I call her while holding her favorite snack: dried catfood.

2. Eating catfood. We've got an open plan house and baby gates are no option as we would need about 10 or so lined up next to each other. Now the cats eat supervised on the kitchen counter.

3. Pee when dad comes home. Still can't control her bladder when he hero returns home from work. And the worst is: she'll quickly refill her 'tank' when she hears the gate opens and knows he'll be inside within a minute!

4. Sleeping in bed. As soon as we're in deep sleep, she crawls silently into our bed, snuggles up between us with her head on my pillow. She has puppy breath and snores.

5. Destroying mom's books. I read a lot and sometimes I forget my book on the couch or on the table. When I return I find Cookie on the sofa covered in little pieces.

6. Running away. This started last week and it seems like she's gotten into adolescense. She ran out of the front door, jumped over the gate, raced over the street (lots of traffic as we live near the town center) and wouldn't come back and kept running. Thankfully the cars stopped until I was able to catch her (in my dressing gown!!!)

Thank God she stays away from the cat litter box now.

[purrley]

Thanks everyone for the reply on this topic. Yesterday was just as Jennifert said - very frustrating. And no - I don't think I abuse Tess and I would never do that no matter what she did. I just have to get used to the idea that she's a dog and she's not doing her doggie things to intentionally upset me and I need to learn to see the humor in all that goes on. Yep - I'm learning - first dog experience and this a.m. everything went really well. Tess was kept away from the litter box, she asked to go potty a couple times and I left with a much happier attitude. Besides when I get upset it only causes me a problem. Tess doesn't care bless her heart. Tess is 4 months old and I think she's starting to teeth - she chews on everything she can get her little paws on (except the chew toys I bought for her ). She's got 3 nylabones that she'll chew on, but given half the chance she goes for electrical cords, shoes, socks, cloths and even chews on Braydee (my 1 year old tabby). I understand this is just a phase and it will stop eventually I HOPE!!!!. Anyway thanks everyone for the re-enforcement - we'll make it

[joycenalex]

alex is very very food motivated. he has never missed a meal in the almost 6 years we've been together.what makes me the most angry at alex is when we're out walking or at the park is when he eats anything that is remotely or was formerly edible; tossed away bones, rotten food, cat poop. he has gotten a couple cases of gastritis and since his epilepsy medicine is time sensitive and given in food, when he has gastritis, it makes that balance much harder to get. i can stop him while he's on leash, but off leash and a call of "drop! what are you eating?" does not mean "chew faster"
i realize that he is a dog and the urge to forage will never be overriden even though he is well fed.
he hasn't chewed anything in the house in years, he rarely messes in the house, so i know i have a lot to be happy about, but the off leash eating really does bother me.

[Dixieland Dancer]

Originally posted by C.C.'s Mom
Oh, I've got a complete list of behavioral problems...


4. Sleeping in bed. As soon as we're in deep sleep, she crawls silently into our bed, snuggles up between us with her head on my pillow. She has puppy breath and snores.

Thank God she stays away from the cat litter box now.

C.C.'s Mom,
Do you mean you actually don't like PUPPY BREATH. Personally, I don't see a problem with your number 4. LOL LOL
I love it when they snuggle but I guess I could do without the snoring!

[C.C.'s Mom]

Dixieland Dancer, the description puppy breath sounds very harmless, hehe! It would be nice if the doggy toothpaste came with menthol, but no..... beef taste!

[sabies]

Everyone has bad days especially with young dogs. Sadie used to do it all - dig, runaway, roll in bird/animal poop but over time she grew out of some stuff and I learned how to prevent undesirable behavior. For example - she gets a certain look and/or posture when she is about to roll in a smell, and I can spot it a mile away and yell "no!" - and she knows I mean it.

It just takes a while for dogs and owners to really know each other!

[evelyn1157]

the things that zoey does that frustates me are:
1) eat her own poo- she knows she's not suppose to do that coz that would mean punishment so she only does it when she knows i'm not looking or when she runs upstairs knowing i'm downstairs.
2)doesn't eat her own food-but she'll wait patiently in front of someone who is eating even when she knows that she won't get any.
3)bathing time- she struggles when i bathe her and tries to attack my hair dryer when i dry her.
4)running away-when she see's me holding the tweezers to pluck her ear hair or cotton bud to clean her ears
5)she'll urine and poo outside her 'toilet space' when i', not looking
that's abt all i can think of at the moment

[jackiesdaisy1935]

I can honestly say I never get angry at either of our Schnauzers.
I would like a few changes but nothing earthshaking.

"I would love it if Daisy would come to me just one time on the first call, instead of licking her butt, getting a toy, stopping by her Dads, licking her feet a couple of times and then coming to me."
second
"I would like it if Perry would kiss on the cheek, instead of flicking out his tongue for a kiss right when you are going to say something and he gets you in the mouth."

That's not too much to ask, do you think?
Jackie

[RachelJ]

Originally posted by jackiesdaisy1935
"I would love it if Daisy would come to me just one time on the first call, instead of licking her butt, getting a toy, stopping by her Dads, licking her feet a couple of times and then coming to me."
second

Jackie, that is so funny. Daisy and Hannah..if it wasn't how they looked, I'm sure we could switch these two and not tell the difference.

[yorkster]

What (used to ) frustrate me the most with my dog Scout, is when I adopted her at 3 yrs. old, I found out she was not housebroken
It was a LONG battle to get her there: 'accidents' daily at first, then 2 x a week, then once a week, etc.
I could never get her to understand until I actually caught her in the act. I even did the bad 'rub her nose near it' thing when I got to my wits end. I felt that all I did for at least 2 months was clean dog pee AND poop. Went through alot of Natures Miracle!

Well, today she is fabulous in the house, however it took 2-3 months to get her there.

Now, her thing is the getting into the cat box for kitty tootsie-rolls! It's not a good thing, but I don't think it is horrible either- dogs just DO EAT gross things. Fact of life.
I would prefer she did not do it, and I try and watch her, but it still just happens................I just don't let her give me a kiss for awhile!

It is much better than when she was not housebroken. Almost anything is better than that!