discipline

Question
How would you disicpline a dog Who chewed your furniture or personal belongings?

Answer
Unless you catch a dog in the act, any punishment is useless and will only confuse the dog.  Most of the better trainers are moving way from punishment.  When you catch a dog chewing something it shouldn't, give it a sharp ''Ah, ah, ah!'' and offer it one of its toys.  If it is holding something, your sock?, make eye contact and follow its name with ''drop!'' in a quiet, but firm voice.  Maintain eye contact until it drops the forbidden object.  Then praise it.  

A mousetrap is very effective in making a dog leave something alone.  Most
dogs will stay away from anywhere they were surprised by a snap.  The best
part is that it is not you that is correcting the dog.  It works whether you
are around or not.  The mousetrap is very patient and is always on task as
long as you reset it.  You can try Bitter Apple spray from the pet store.  Many dogs will leave things alone treated with it.  

Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate.  Other dogs may
not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with.  Still your house and dog
will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away.  The dog may be
happier in its den than loose in the house.  It relaxes, it feels safe in its
den.  It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
its self.  Dogs that have been crated all along do very well.  Many of them
will rest in their crates even when the door is open.  I think the plastic
ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling.  They are harder for
dogs to open too.  Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
something the dog can't pull in and chew.  Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys.  Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter.  Don't leave
anything in the crate the dog might chew up.  It will do fine without even any
bedding.  You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

Accidents and damaged possessions are the fault of whoever was watching the puppy.  When you are watching it, immediately correct it as soon as it goes for anything except its own toys.  


A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate.  Praise it for going
in.  If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
Feed it in the crate.  This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
time for more than one dog.