[DevaMajka]

So my aunts last dog died a few weeks ago (she was older, and had major organ failure or some such thing <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad"> )<br>
So my aunt and uncle got a new puppy days later. She's a beagle/australian shepherd mix that they got from a pet store (I know, I know...I tried to talk her out of it). She wasn't sold as a designer breed- she was pretty cheap. But anyways...<br><br>
So she is a HYPER puppy. Every time I talk to my aunt, that dog reminds me more of my old dog Piper, who was part border collie, and just needed soooooo much more excercise and mental stimulation than I could give her.<br><br>
She is constantly mouthing my aunt- she has scratches and bite marks all over her arms, and the dog has bit at her face and feet and anywhere else she can get to. This is not aggressive AT ALL, but it needs to stop. She doesn't know what to do.<br>
The pup also chews on anything and everything it can get its mouth on. She ate a bottle of hand lotion yesterday. Chewed up the bottle. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol"><br><br>
My aunt says the dog seems to listen to my uncle better, and that my uncle hits her. My aunt started hitting her too, as discipline (this is the lady who thought I was MEAN for telling ds "Don't hit Aunt. Do x instead." she's the softest person I've ever met!)<br><br>
They take her for a mile walk every day, and throw a ball for her outside.<br><br>
They don't give her rawrides (the vet said not to) or raw bones (the dog before last died because the raw cow leg bone she had been chewing on splintered. She'd been chewing on it for months, so I bet that had a effect on the splintering...ftr, I feed raw)<br><br>
Anyways, I'm going to send her a dog book I got from a thrift store. Dog Training by Bash, it's called. It seems pretty good (I didn't read all of it, but it did say not to ever actually hit a dog).<br>
(I bought The Monks of new skete, to send to her, because I'd seen it recommended, and they pretty much say that hitting dogs is necessary in some situations. I was honestly pretty appalled at it!)<br><br>
Anyways, any advice I can give my aunt, for how to deal with the constant chewing on household items and on people's arms?<br><br>
Thanks in advance.<br>
She definitely should have gotten an older, VERY laid back dog. Neither my aunt nor my uncle enjoy going on walks. They didn't want to have to deal with another dog dying anytime soon, which is why they went with a young pup. Sigh.

 

[daekini]

Oh my goodness. The dog will only get worse if it keeps being hit. Do they have a crate? They should get one right away, if for no other reason than to keep it out of the trouble that gets it hit. And if they have to hit a dog, they shouldn't have a dog. I'd try to find it a new home, where it won't be hit. Australian shepherds are *very* mouthy dogs - that isn't going to stop any time soon. If they can't deal with it, they shouldn't have the dog.<br><br>
Regarding chewing, she should remove the body part being mouthed by the pup, and give it something appropriate to chew on. Hitting is not going to keep it from performing necessary, normal puppy-stage behavior. Hitting a dog for performing it's instinctive, natural behavior will turn what could be a wonderful dog into a total mess.

 

[k9rider]

yeah i agree that the hitting needs to STOP. it can and will cause the dog to become fearful, untrusting of it's master(s), and potentially agressive.<br><br>
one thing that worked really well for my mouthy puppy (other than saying "no bite" and removing his pricker teeth from my arm and putting a toy in his mouth) was to bring him to doggy daycare. he learned from the other dogs that biting too much and too hard ends the fun. just a thought!

 

[rmzbm]

Just another voice saying STOP the hitting & get a crate! Let us know how she makes out!

 

[jlutgendorf]

I don't have much advice, but in regards to the mouthing, one thing that works a lot of the time (for me with friends mouthy dogs) is when they start to chew on you, let out a very loud, very high pitched yelp. Basically you make the sound a littermate would if they got chomped on too hard. Usually stops the dog cold with surprise and gives you time to remove the dog, introduce an appropriate toy, etc.<br><br>
I would also think she needs to take the dog to training classes. and no hitting! There are more appropriate ways to correct a dog than through hitting.<br><br>
~Julia

 

[Eman'smom]

Crate<br>
Obiedance classes<br><br>
I also like the idea of doggie day care, that would be a great way for the pup to burn up energy, although around here they need to 6 months old.<br><br>
Also what about a dog walker, either a professional or a teenager.<br><br>
I'd also be looking into lots of fun toys for mental stimulation and chewing.

 

[DevaMajka]

Thanks a ton for the advice!!<br>
They do have a crate. But...my aunt doesn't like to use it very much because it makes her feel bad. And they have some sort of thinking that "the dog needs to learn not to bite"<br>
It reminds me an awful lot of some parenting attitudes towards kids, kwim?<br><br>
Thanks, and if anyone has more ideas, keep em coming!!<br><br>
And, I know that rehoming dogs is not a good thing, but in this case, what do you all think? She hasn't mentioned it yet, but I know she's thinking it....