Hello! I have a male beagle who just turned a year old on May 2nd. He is a ball of energy and is quite a handful. One of his biggest problems is his chewing. He destroys the furniture, and it's driving me crazy. I have tried to interrupt him with sounds, giving him his toys, giving him treats whenever he chews on his toys, but nothing seems to work. How do I tell him that chewing on the furniture is bad without being too mean, and what is a good way to stop that behavior?
Also it's really difficult to walk him. It's his way or no way. When I have time, I don't mind going his way but when I'm walking him before going to school, or scrunched for time it's very stressful to walk him. Let's say I'm turning right but he wants to go left, he will put all his weight on the harness and pull like crazy. So I end up having to drag him, but I HATE dragging him like that. I have tried the green-light red-light method, but I don't think it's working in stopping him from wanting to go his way ALL THE TIME. How do I walk him without dragging him? How to I train him to walk in the same direction as me?
Destructive chewing and pulling on the leash
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yummybagel
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Fri May 07, 2010 5:12 pm
Re: Destructive chewing and pulling on the leash
Ill give you some more detailed info tomorrow unless someone else has already popped up and answered... but..
Firstly you cant teach him its bad or wrong to chew furniture when you are not there. If you are not there to say so, as far as he is concerned, its fine.
You quite probably need to increase his exercise and training on a daily basis, so he is much less bored. Try feeding his meals from a Kong toy or two instead of a bowl, give a raw meaty bone (a big one) to gnaw at - dogs do need to chew, it isnt just amusing for him... its a real need he has no control over.
Rotate his toys so he doesnt have the same ones out every day, get a toy box and put them all away except two or three and swap them round every day so he isnt bored of them. Make sure too that his toys are actually fun for him to chew on and play with on his own - many toys are only fun with someone else, and I have come across a lot that just dont interest dogs at all as fun as they may look for humans (and a fair few cheap rubber toys that taste REALLY bitter and nasty...).
How much walking and training do you do with him each day? Take a read through the clicker training thread and also the loose lead walking threads which ar ein the articles section of the forum.
He needs to have a reason to listen to you on a walk - do you talk to him, do you ask him to do stuff, is it rewarding and interesting to put his attention on you whilst on a walk? Or is it boring and predictable... or is it that walks are quite exciting and he doesnt hae any self control?
Firstly you cant teach him its bad or wrong to chew furniture when you are not there. If you are not there to say so, as far as he is concerned, its fine.
You quite probably need to increase his exercise and training on a daily basis, so he is much less bored. Try feeding his meals from a Kong toy or two instead of a bowl, give a raw meaty bone (a big one) to gnaw at - dogs do need to chew, it isnt just amusing for him... its a real need he has no control over.
Rotate his toys so he doesnt have the same ones out every day, get a toy box and put them all away except two or three and swap them round every day so he isnt bored of them. Make sure too that his toys are actually fun for him to chew on and play with on his own - many toys are only fun with someone else, and I have come across a lot that just dont interest dogs at all as fun as they may look for humans (and a fair few cheap rubber toys that taste REALLY bitter and nasty...).
How much walking and training do you do with him each day? Take a read through the clicker training thread and also the loose lead walking threads which ar ein the articles section of the forum.
He needs to have a reason to listen to you on a walk - do you talk to him, do you ask him to do stuff, is it rewarding and interesting to put his attention on you whilst on a walk? Or is it boring and predictable... or is it that walks are quite exciting and he doesnt hae any self control?
West Midlands based 1-2-1 Training & Behaviour Canine Consultant
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yummybagel
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Fri May 07, 2010 5:12 pm
Re: Destructive chewing and pulling on the leash
He gets a 10-15 mintues walk at around 12 pm (my dad walks him for me: I am a college student, so I have classes at that time) and I take him out at around 4/4:30 pm, play fetch and run around a bit, and usually come back at around 5:30-ish. Should I increase his exercise time?
I try to train him 15 minutes, three times a day but sometimes that's hard because of schoolwork.
He does get excited when he goes on a walk with all the scents-especially this time of the year with the nice weather and lots more squirrels and birds running/flying around. He practically has his nose attached to the ground and does not mind anything other thing. But then again, I don't really reward him while on a walk. What is a good thing to do while on a walk to make it more interesting?
I try to train him 15 minutes, three times a day but sometimes that's hard because of schoolwork.
He does get excited when he goes on a walk with all the scents-especially this time of the year with the nice weather and lots more squirrels and birds running/flying around. He practically has his nose attached to the ground and does not mind anything other thing. But then again, I don't really reward him while on a walk. What is a good thing to do while on a walk to make it more interesting?
