I feel so guilty..

Queen Bee · #1 02/16/13, 07:40 PM

Since it has been cold at night, I have been putting Jack (our Pitt mix) in our little house (That we use for storage). It has a gas heater, he has a large pillow (that he is de-stuffing a little every night), a Kong bone (new peanut butter and treats each night) and fresh water. We put him back into his kennel each morning. But it has been snowing all day, very cold and very wet, today.. So , I let him stay in the house.. He has been out every 3 hours to play, run and to do his business-- usually for 30 mins breaks.. I say 'house' and he runs to the door and waits for me to let him in.. I dry him with a towel and he settles down..We are in our house with our three smaller, older dogs and he is out there..He has made great progress in just the last few months with his behavior but I am still afraid he will destroy my house/furniture-- so he stays by himself and we are all here--together... feeling sorry for him..

I have been thinking about adopting another large mix breed for him to buddy with.. Dh just looks at me each time I mention a 'brother' for Jack. I know part of his behavior is because of his young age and boredom... So would a friend be a good or bad thing?? Another dog would be #5! Our older pr is 17yrs old and are still active but for short periods and the 4yr old Dachshund doesn't really appreciate being rolled, out run, bopped on the head with a huge paw or licked from head to toe with a huge tongue...

Tthanks for any ideas/advice..

Mulegirl · #2 02/16/13, 08:19 PM

I'm not familiar with the problems you've had with Jack--is it just being too rambunctious for the others? He sounds like he's pretty well trained!

lonelyfarmgirl · #3 02/16/13, 08:30 PM

I would highly discourage doing this because your dog is a pit mix and young. Pits are pre-disposed for animal aggression and the age of 9 months to 4 years is generally 'proving' time. He will wanting to establish dominance. If another dog challenges him or doesnt back off when he challenges you just might have a nasty fight on your hands.

Now I am not saying he shouldn't be around other dogs. Im saying I wouldn't leave him penned with another unsupervised for precautionary reasons. If you are with him while he is with your other dogs, then he is always being kept in check. If he is alone with another dog, well theres no telling. On the other hand, because he is a mix, it might never ever be a problem. JMO

You would be better off getting a plastic cage for him to be confined in at night, and if he needs to be inside, keep him leashed and with you. He will calm down as he grows up.

gapeach · #4 02/16/13, 08:32 PM

I know for us with Sammi, a part Shar Pei, mostly Boxer mix, having our son's pup, who at 8 mos now and as big as Sammi, as a companion has been soooo much help.
Yes, I would suggest getting him a companion, a neutered female who will be about his same size.

Queen Bee · #5 02/16/13, 08:34 PM

Jack is a 3-4 yr old mixed Pitt who was dropped off at our farm a yr and half ago.. He had lots of sores, had the mange (that is not contagious to humans), underweigh and had been abused (had whip marks on his hips/back). He is rambunctious, trash picker, he chews on EVERYTHING, has way too much energy, he knocks the little dogs down by running past them --clipping them.. He knew NO commands, He had never been on a leach, he was almost wild BUT he is lovable... We have worked on commands- sit, come, house, kennel, load, down and he gets them 90% of the time.. I have been bringing him in for short -- highly supervised visits but he has yet to calm down.. We have taken in 60 or more dogs over the last 40yrs and I have yet to have one with so many good quailies that won't calm down..

lonelyfarmgirl · #6 02/17/13, 09:07 AM

Sounds like to me he needs a job. Will he tug of war? Build him a spring pole. I had a pitbull years ago that was crazy and would never calm down. In her kennel, I attached a horizontal 4X4 across the top. I then attached a heavy duty garage door spring to a swivel and eye hook, then a thick rope to that. Make the end high enough to where the front feet barely touch the ground when he grabs it.

After I showed her how to play with it, she would by herself for hours. Went a long way towards burning off extra energy.

Adding: Depending on the size and set up of your yard, they now sell devices that throw a ball for a dog by itself. You have to teach the dog to fetch the ball, bring it back and drop it in the hole. The machine then launches the ball automatically. I don't know what they are called, but I've seen them advertised somewhere. Learning that trick should be easy for a pitbull.

Maura · #7 02/17/13, 01:14 PM

I wouldn't get a pal for him. You'd just be adding another problem. I'd put him on a schedule where you take him out in the morning for some type of hard exercise, let him settle for ten minutes in the yard, then bring him inside. He should have a mat in the house; this is his "place" that you can send him to when he is being annoying. I also agree with having some kind of interactive toy in the back yard so you can put him out there in the afternoon for an extended period of time and let him self exercise. Then bring him back in at night.

Queen Bee · #8 02/17/13, 01:41 PM

Thank you, all. AND I agree, he does need a job. He will help me pull the limbs that have fallen in the yard to the burn pile. He is VERY smart and we love him.. Gonna try one a spring pole.. He gets to run for over an hour am and pm-- He can run for 15mph for almost the entire mile... and then we walk him several times a day letting him 'work' the brush... Since the vet thinks he is part English settler.. I think dh should teach him to hunt--but dh doesn't hunt! So, we will not get him a buddy... I do not need double trouble.. Today, I removed all the stuffing from his pillow , just threw the cover down for him to sleep on and rearranged anything he might want to chew-- he chewed the plug off an electric heater--that goodness it wasn't plugged in! Dh is going to get a large crate for him-- so I can bring him in and secure him before bedtime... I am praying he will calm down..

lonelyfarmgirl · #9 02/17/13, 02:35 PM

Keep us posted on his progress and what you do. I completely understand what you are going through. I have a dober with the same problem. He is a neurotic mess who never stops. Hi name should be crash up derby.
Its just the breed I think.

Stonybrook · #10 02/17/13, 03:20 PM

I have a high energy hound mix here that we sort of went through the same thing with. He was into everything and on the go all the time. Very tiring. He is still what I would call a high maintenance dog and we keep track of him in the house. I use baby gates to limit where I don't want him to go so he can play with toys in the house within limits. Whe we put him out in the dog pen he would bark and bark and bark. We finally got him a friend at the pound (he picked his own friend) so that he would have company when he was outside. They play a little and then he goes in his dog house and [U]quietly[U] waits for us to go get him. They don't play together as much as we had hoped, but they do play some, he isn't lonely, and the other dog is happy to be out of the pound. I wouldn't get bent out of shape over the "part pit" issue. I think both of mine here have some pit in them. I think it depends on the dogs and how well you know the dogs or can "read" the dogs. Having said that, we are very careful not to leave things out or give them things that would be a source of contention (i.e., no bones!).

Queen Bee · #11 02/17/13, 07:46 PM

Jack only barks if there is someone or strange animal around... If he is barking , We know there is something going on!

Queen Bee · #12 02/18/13, 05:41 PM

Oh my, Jack is on my 'list'.. Last night, while in his heated 'house', he pulled my bee helmet, and dh's bee suit off a six foot high shelf-- chewing the helmet and veil into pcs and chewing a huge hole in the front of the bee suit , a large part of the zipper is missing. He shredded a large roll of plastic that must have rolled off the shelf and two handles off of two really nice screwdrivers... He was walked at 10 for about twenty min. then I was out there at 630am to walk him again.. I really hate to leave him in his dog house (full of pine shavings) when the temps are so low,,, but I can NOT continue to clean up stuff he has destroyed.. There is nothing below 6' in the entire room--except his toys, food water and bed.. I never dreamed he could reach the shelves....

Mattemma · #13 02/18/13, 06:08 PM

I have 2 dogs outside.Large dog crate covered with moving blankets and tarps.Inside I have straw.One is a pup and she chews everything.I have lost clematis,grape vines,and raspberry canes.Now she jumps over a 4 foot fence to where I keep chickens. Puppies are tough.Can you crate the dog in the house? I was but got tired of cleaning poo/pee from the cage.Would be good for a trained dog.

Get some straw.I have the cage door covered with rubber mats and towels.

lonelyfarmgirl · #14 02/18/13, 07:56 PM

Queen Bee this is easily solved! Keep him on a leash when he is in the house all the time. My dober spent 14 months on a leash in the house. He still has to be watched, but he doesn't tear stuff up now.
Then he is always with you and you can keep him in check. If you dont give him the open opportunity to entertain himself, he will pay attention to you instead.

Fetherhd · #15 02/18/13, 08:08 PM

Why not crate train him in the house? This way he gets to be in but is not "out" loose when he is unsupervised. This way he cannot tear things up.

Queen Bee · #16 02/18/13, 08:49 PM

Dh said he will get the largest crate at our feed store tomorrow--tonight he will have to spend the night outside.. It will be 38*..

Ravenlost · #17 02/19/13, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fetherhd

Why not crate train him in the house? This way he gets to be in but is not "out" loose when he is unsupervised. This way he cannot tear things up.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Crate train him so he can sleep in the house at night. Put him in the kennel during the day for set amounts of time and let him be in the house with the other dogs the rest of the time. Take him on walks/exercise him with yard play, etc. so that you wear off some of that energy.

We have 20 dogs. Most of them live in the house. The two in the back yard come in to eat and then go back out. Hubby is out walking the dogs right now. He gives them a really long walk in the mornings and another, shorter one, when he gets home at night.

We have two pitbull mixes. Neither has the least bit of aggression. One of them is very hyper (she will spin when she's excited, etc.) but now that she is older she is a bit calmer during the day and sleeps like a log at night.

I do think he needs crate training and more "family time" instead of being isolated so much.

Maura · #18 02/19/13, 01:10 PM

He needs hard running. A twenty minute walk is a mere warm up for this dog. You need to use a flirt pole, or play fetch/frisbee with him for twenty minutes and keep him running hard. I would also feed him using a treat dispensing toy, removing it after he's emptied it. This will stimulate him mentally.

Queen Bee · #19 02/19/13, 04:59 PM

Thank you , all!!

Last night the "light' went on... This is not a dog problem, it's a people problem... And I have no idea why I haven't seen this before!!

First, let me tell you about Jack's day: At 6:30 am , Jack gets out of the warm little house, where he has spent the entire night... He goes for a fast run approx 20- 30 min.. then another quick walk around the entire 100 acres. He gets to do is business, "hunt' a little at the field edges... THEN, he goes into his kennel. There is a nice large dog house, with fresh pine shavings, his water and food bucket/bowl, his chew toys and Jolly ball. It's cold out and he is bored--so what does he do all day--- he sleeps! Ard 3, he gets another run/walk followed by training --using clicks and commands for 20 min... he gets TLC and brushed. He is with me while I clean his kennel of any poo, while I pick up any limbs, sticks that have fallen during the night--he will help..Then dinner time... back into his kennel while I do my other chores and cook/clean up dinner... Then around 9pm, he gets to go into the warm little house... This little house is full of new/different smells, items on shelves and since he has slept all /most of the day ---he is on overdrive!!!

So, This weekend we will be working on entertainment for him-- a jump pole/zip line... For him to play with. We will start bring him in after dinner to be with us. Dh is picking up the larger crate. Jack will be crated at bedtime...

Thank you all for your advice and ideas. I felt just like someone had hit me with a fist.. How could I have not seen that he is sleeping all day and up all night!