Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

DH and I adopted an American Pitt puppy from NSAL for my MIL as a surprise christmas gift in 2007, after she had to put her dog to sleep.

She is named Cayla and will be 2 in October.

Cayla is very affectionate and loving and not at all aggressive with people (unless you are the vet and trying to cut her nails)

Here's the problem.

Cayla is a spiteful b!tch. She gets mad when she's left alone during the day when we're at work. Left without people, I should say, because DH and I drop our 2 yr old lab mix off there everyday to play with her.

Since she gets mad, she takes it out on the house. My MIL has had to replace mattresses, couches and other furniture. More than once. She is on her 3rd set of couches since we gave her the puppy. The first two sets were literally eaten to the wood core.

As a result, with the last set of couches also came the rule of Cayla and Moose (our pup) get locked upstairs when no one is home. It is 2 large bedrooms and noone lives up there so they get the run of the upstairs. They are left with food, water and several different types of toys. Kongs, balls, hard bones etc.

I went up there last night and almost fell over at the damage she has done up there. One of the mattresses has a gaping hole in the middle of it. The walls have been chewed to the beams in several spots. There is stuffing and fabric and random things torn up all over the floor. It is pure chaos.

We tried crating her and she escaped every day. She actually bent metal bars back and got out. DH built a fence surrounding a huge portion of the yard and they run around everyday outside. She gets yelled at, but I tell my MIL it will do nothing because the damage has already been done and she wasn't caught in the process. The damage is ONLY done when noone is home. She knows she did something wrong because when she does and you come home she automatically hides.

The next step would be to muzzle her all day long, which none of us wants to do, especially my MIL.

Does ANYONE have any experience, ideas, suggestions...ANYTHING?

TIA.

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

Increase exercise, training and discipline by 150%, whatever way possible. Dog walkers, reputable dog trainers, self education via books and videos, whatever it takes.

It's clear that the exercise and training she's currently being given is not enough. Focus on what Cayla needs to be a well behaved dog and give it to her, instead of satisfying your MIL's needs, and they will both benefit. Where does she live? I have a great dog walker.

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

your MIL's dog might be bored. I would get interactive toys that she can try to get treats out of and things like that. Since shes a puppy is she still teething?

Buddy use to be VERY destructive too but i bought a hollow bone and put peanut butter mixed with dog treats and he would go at it for hours.

Hope that helps

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

Message edited 8/11/2009 1:46:38 PM.

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

There are lots of interactive toys and things to stuff the Kong with and freeze but honestly, I don't think peanut butter and toys are going to resolve this. Can she get the dog more exercise and take training classes?

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

Posted by JennyPenny



We tried crating her and she escaped every day. She actually bent metal bars back and got out.
TIA.

Re: Need some help for my MIL and her dog- VERY long!!

She needs exercise....If you MIL can't do it, hire someone who can. She needs to run and play and get tired out.
If we didn't run Misty EVERY day for 1/2 an hour off leash, we would have the same kind of issues (we did). Some days we do more than that.

The dog is not spiteful, she's bored. Watch any episode of The Dog Whisperer or It's Me or the Dog...she is very obviously bored and needs to get some of that out of her system.

Good luck!