Mr_Snow Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Hi, I'm been having problems with my 5 & 1/2 month old Sibe puppy. He's been grabbing small plant pots (with plant in them) and chewing/playing with them, thus leaving the plant & potting mix strewn around the yard. We've taken steps by barricading the plant off with rocks and weighing them down with lots of stones etc but he just goes to the next easiest option. (this case plant on top of his kennel... which he never uses darn it) Now I've been given the "fix it now or else" option by my *SO. Now he has various toys (various balls, tug-ropes plus stuffed toys and sqeeky/chew bones... although he doesn't like the hard rubber toys). Plus he loves to play with palm fronds that have fallen off the tree. which there are heaps in the yard. but... He also has 2 ice-cream tubs he plays with plus we've given him 2 of the plant pots to play with aswell. (Now was giving him hard plastic items a no-no as he'll associate ALL such items as toys?) I play with him most morning for 10 mins before I go to work and again play after work and he gets a 30-45min walk every day. Is this enough or should he get more, and more focussed play? he also attends weekly obedience training. He has the full yard to play (all around the house, front back sides etc ~720 m2). or will we just have to cordon off the plants til he gets older and I deal with the wrath? Kind regards Mr Snow *SO- Significant Other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Creating a barrier is one sure way of preventing damage. When my older GSD was a pup he chewed the corners of the plastic pots and I have tried everything to stop him chewing ... and the only thing that I have found that stopped him is tabasco sauce and extra hot cayenne pepper mixed together and painted on the area. Sounds cruel but plain tabasco sauce was not hot enough for him. When we got our current pup I had fenced off the entire garden area so I would continue to have a garden. The one area I didn't fence off was a thick bouganvilla hedge ... until he started chewing on it ... it is now fenced off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Snow Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share Posted December 31, 2009 we had to do that to a palm tree we relocated, he started chewing and took a fist-size gouge out before we chicken-wired the tree off-limits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 crib stop in a pot, you paint it onto items. Also rotate toys and only feed him out of his toys for a while. Move whatever you cannot be bothered smothering in bitterent or you value. He's an active, intelligent dog. Your SO should be more understanding then fix it or out. Conversely lock him in a room for 8+ hours with no TV, radio, internet or books and let him see what it's like to be bored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted December 31, 2009 Share Posted December 31, 2009 Take the pots you've given him away. Either build a puppy proof baracade or remove the remaining potted plants from his yard and reintroduce them when he gets older. He needs to know which toys are his and not only that, he needs to be shown how to play with them and amuse himself. Buster cubes and treat balls are good for the active puppy or dog, they can work for their meal and occupy themselves. You could also provide raw meaty bones for breakfast, they will also occupy a puppy for some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvsdogs Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 I haven't had a back yard garden for 9 yrs. I have a really large pot with a frangipani in it that they don't touch & the rest on an old table. My 1st bc destroyed a lovely hibiscus I once had in a pot. Fence it all off. If he has access to the yard while you're at work as well as buster cube type toys you can also scatter his breakfast all over & it will take him longer to eat than being in a bowl. After he's searched for all the bits & checked that he hasn't missed any he'll be ready for a nap. I tried the tabasco sauce trick to try & stop 1st bc from chewing some lattice. Did not work, try the above methods. With a large breed pup I would be cautious with long walks until he's older & his joints are properly formed. Ok if you include lots of stops & some training along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Snow Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share Posted January 1, 2010 Thanks SBT, I'll remove the pots (plastic tubs also just to be sure). He gets a bone in the morning during the working week, but lately he's been grabbing the pots either when I'm home or when I go out to pick my partner up. Most things atm are barricaded but he sly'd the last one and I didn't know about it until I got back from walking him and my partner showed me. (My partner loves her plants and gets upset when the plants are destroyed) I'll also see about the deterrent sprays etc. Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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