I hate telling my dog off but he just looks for trouble(lonnnng story ahead)?

Question

i hate telling my dog off it makes me feel terrible but he goes around looking for trouble when we're not home he goes into all our bathrooms and rips up the tissue and rubbish from the bins and knows he shouldn't have done that.

he can open doors..

we dont let him into the kitchen anymore because our food on counters would go mysteriously missing and then one day i caught him red handed...

im not really one for smacking dogs on butts and noses and stuff but i do flick him on the nose and tell him he's been a bad dog.

but recently he just doesn't listen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we dont let him scavenge under the table while we're eating meals, but now he's begun to just dissmiss it when i say Max, no....not right now...off u go....Go.....

recently he ran out of the house and almost got himself roadkilled!! i gave him a thwack on the but and sent him rite off into a corner.

the other day he was being playful and almost bit my hand, which i dismissed because i didnt think he meant it, but i calmed him down and stopped playing.

then he startted growling at me which made me LIVID..

and i told him who's boss and gave him another thwack not so hard tho.

i dont like having 2 have to tell him off for stupid things he knows he shouldnt do, but he wont STOP!

he's 7 years old!

what can i do? any punishments which dont involve pain....

Answer 1

i don't know if it will work for you, especially while you are away, but a squirt gun has done wonders for me and my 3 year old.  they hate it, and it doesn't harm them.  when they misbehave hose them down til they stop, and when you leave.  show it to him, and set it someplace noticable.

Answer 2

take him to the vet, you know some dogs need meds too.

Answer 3

When he is getting into things he shouldn't try using canned air or an air horn.  When you see him getting into something spray the canned air at him (never in his eyes) or hit the air horn button. Tell him no and remove him from the room.  When you are not home keep the doors shut in areas you don't want him (go one step further and put up gates across the doorways, that way if he gets the door open he still can't get in) One other thing to do with the closed doors is to get the little alarms you can put on the door jams.  When he opens a closed door it will break the connection and emit a loud piercing noise..

When he gets rough, instead of hitting him ,do what another dog would do and put him to the ground and make him submit to you

Hope it helps  

Answer 4

Take him to a dog trainer or obdience school!!

Answer 5

Get him a slip lead or pinch collar.

Won't hurt him, just a quick tug and he'll calm down.

Put him his cage when he's been bad or when you leave the house, and ater about a week of this see if he gets the message :]

Answer 6

A punishment with out pain, I wish I knew that one. Punishment without pain is possible, but not for dog. You are going to have to get tougher in a way the dog could understand, try telling him what not to do more loudly. That seems to be the only way without pain.

Answer 7

He needs obedience school.

Answer 8

You have to be firm with him. Sharp tone in the voice, and you may need to use a rolled up newspaper (they make a great noise, but don't really hurt the dog). He's testing his limits with you (I've had dogs since before I was born, and they all seem to do this). You could try a water spray bottle (squirt him right in the face). Some of his behavior may also be for attention, or he's upset (like if you go out and leave him all alone...is that the time he destroys the TP?). You can be firm without being mean. If he gives you puppy dog eyes to make you lighten up, don't. You have to make sure he knows that YOU are the boss. Good luck!

And oregano13, crates are really evil in my opinion. Unless the dog likes them, there is no reason for crates. People who give up on the dog uses crates.

Answer 9

You and your dog need to go to obedience training. The dog does not respect or listen to you and thats a problem. Has he done this for 7years or just started recently?

Answer 10

1. Two words: Crate Training

2. Two more words: Obedience Class

A small investment that will give you a dog that's much better behaved.  

Add: Note that I said "Crate Training".  Not crate your dog.  Properly introduced, dogs love their crates.  Mine voluntarily go to their crates any time they want to relax.  They are a simulation of a den, and provide comfort and security to the dog.  And hitting your dog (even not very hard) is WAY worse than confining them to a safe area to keep them out of trouble.

Answer 11

YOU don't believe in crates and cages because it is CRUEL. Yet you will hit your dog? I'm sorry but this makes ME livid. The problem is not your dog, the problem is the owner. I Can not tell you how many people I hear complain about how unruly their dogs are. When you look at their home life it is no wonder why.

Have you invested in obedience training?

How long has this been going on?

Do you walk your dog at least two times a day for at least 30 minutes?

How often do you praise him for doing well?

How often do you yell or hit him for doing bad?

Your dog has no boundaries because you do not set them. Your dog is not secure because have not shown him that you are the pack leader. Every time your dog does wrong and you flip out and yell and hit him you are proving to him that you are an unstable leader. A dog will not follow an unstable leader because in the wild an unstable leader will lead the pack to detriment. Your dog needs you to be a calm and assertive leader. Being anything else is, as you put it cruel.

Crates are not cruel, many dogs actually love their crate. It is a place all their own and when shown that the crate is their space and that it is safe many will go their just to sleep or hang out on their own. A crate becomes cruel when the dog is left for hours on end all the time.much you like go to your room to grab a quiet moment or lay in your bed to relax.

Your dog is stressed, you are the reason for the stress. You need to TEACH him how to be calm. Ignore or redirect bad behavior depending on the behavior. If your dog is jumping on you, stand up and cross your arms, do not look at him, speak to him or touch him until he calms. Once he calms five lots of praise. If he jumps up again then repeat the procedure stopping praise each time he jumps. It may take an hour it may take two, who cares, it is your responsibility to rehabilitate his behavior.

Leave for a few minutes at a time, making no big deal about your going or returning. gradually increase the time.

All of this seems to me to be common sense but if you are still having issues then hire a behaviorist to come into your home and show you how to work with your dog.

I'm sorry to hurt your feelings with this post but it really is all about the owner and the way they relate to the dog. If you care enough about your dog then you will invest the time and money to get him trained and yourself trained too. The most important thing I can tell you is to walk him... it will help him release energy and help him bond with you among other benefits.  

Answer 12

Hi i know you said you disagree in crates or cages but believe me they are a god send I have a jack russell and honestly she can be a huge handful and i have tested her a few times out of her crate and OH my god never again will that be happening trust me if you leave him with plenty of toys in his (pen) as i like to call them lol he will be a much better dog  

Answer 13

You can't be serious...crates and cages are cruel but smacking your dog for your lack of education isn't?

I feel sorry for this dog (if this is for real).

You have a lot to learn about dogs and how to communicate with them. You can start with the website below if you are sincere.