Hello, my dog is a year old and I've had her since she was a puppy. No matter how often I take her out, she still does her business in the house several times a day. She eats everything she comes across, nicks any food she can find, and raids the bins. She's constantly jumping up at me and is always in the cat's litter tray to eat. She's used to my own children, but she growls and barks at kids she doesn't know when we're out. As soon as I take her for a walk, she pulls so hard on the lead that she chokes herself. I can't leave her for two minutes alone in the house; if I even go to the loo she gets into mischief, even though I'm at home all the time. As for 'sit' and 'down', you can forget it—she doesn't listen one bit. I'm at my wits' end and don't know what to do anymore.
I just can't train my dog
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Hi,
Your dog probably isn't doing this on purpose, but she seems to be lacking boundaries, basic training, and perhaps the right kind of outlets for her age. At 1 year old, many dogs are still in the middle of their "teenage" phase and have specific needs. The fact that she’s soiling the house, being destructive, stealing, pulling on the lead, jumping up, not listening, and reacting to children suggests you need to get back to basics in a calm and consistent way.
It's worth noting that punishing her or scolding her after the fact is only likely to increase her stress levels.
To be honest, given the build-up of difficulties, the best thing would be to get some help from a positive reinforcement dog trainer as soon as possible. It can really turn things around and take the pressure off you before the situation gets any worse.
In the meantime, make sure to dog-proof your home and provide her with plenty of physical and mental stimulation (chewing, learning tricks, etc.). Avoid letting her interact freely with children she doesn't know until the problem is sorted.
Best of luck,
Maëlla
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