Question
Shredder
Kristin,
I consider myself an experienced Shiba owner, as I have had 4, all rescued. My 9 year old is a good boy except he likes to escape, and I just lost my 10 year old this past Christmas after $8000 worth of emergency treatment.
A few weeks later a friend of mine who works at the local shelter called and asked me to take a 1 year old female that had been surrendered. Her name is Shredder and that is your first clue. I don't know anything about the folks who had her before, but they had to spay her at the shelter, so that's another clue. The first week she was here, she literally "ate" a $2000 Stickley coffee table.
I know you are going to suggest a trainer, but let me also tell you that I am retired and living on a fixed income. I am keeping Shredder no matter what, and I've since gated off the rooms with good furniture.
The most vexing problem is that she jumps from chairs to kitchen table to kitchen counters. I can't shut her out of the kitchen because that is the path to the dog door and the fenced yard. The cat eats on the counter so the dogs (2 others, 3 in all) don't get her food, and the kitchen table is the hub of our family life. Shredder steals whatever she finds up there, which is not only annoying but dangerous.
Yesterday Shredder got a bottle of 800 mg ibuprofen and chewed the cap off. I heard the bottle hit the floor and got there quickly. I picked up all the pills and made the dogs vomit with hydrogen peroxide. Fortunately, no pills came up, but I was pretty frantic.
So, any ideas about how to keep this damn dog off the table?
Thanks in advance.
Mary
AnswerHi Mary,
Have you tried either removing your kitchen chairs from the room, or turn them upside down, and sit them on your kitchen table, when you're not around to supervise Shredder?
If you can't afford a professional trainer, you can work with Shredder, and teach her a few commands, such as the "leave it" , or "off" commands. You can read about how to do this, here:
http://www.loveyourdog.com/touch.html
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/2061_dog-obedience-leave-command-part2.htm
http://dogobedienceadvice.com/dog_training_jumping.php
http://www.dogtrainingbasics.com/off.html
There are "no-jump harnesses" you can buy that prevent a dog from jumping when you can't be there to supervise. You can see an example of one such a product here:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=640&c=3307+14
It will also help if you remove anything edible left on the counters which can entice Shredder into jumping up there. Try keeping the cat food in a different area of your home. If a child gate won't keep the dogs out of this new area, try this:
Get a length of strong string or cord that's about a foot long. Tie one end into a loop that will fit over the doorknob of the door where to cat food will be kept. Don't tie it too tightly, it should be loose enough for you to remove as needed.
Next, attach the other end of the cord to a screw in "eyelet" screw that you've inserted into the door jamb at about the same level as the doorknob. Adjust the string so it allows the door to only open about 5". This will be an opening that will allow your cats in to access their food, and not allow the dogs into the room. Just remove the loop from the doorknob when you need to get into that room.
I hope that helps,
Patti
Proper diet for our Shitzus
Question
the two puppies (left)
Dear Patti;
I was nearl
Engorged Breasts
Question
mamma
My Friends Dog Had A Litter About
Dog breed?
QuestionQUESTION: Hi Nancy,
I am attaching an image of
Live worms came out in my dogs poop and he has some rashes?
Question
The Rashes
She is 15 months old and is
willpups hair grow back to original color
Question
here is his color befo here is after &nb
