# Another GSP question



## LaytonArcher (Jul 13, 2009)

Guys, 
Need some advice. Per previous post we rescued a GSP and have loved having him. Probably the most loyal and sweetest dog ever. However, he is tearing the house up. Destroyed a section of carpet, scratched the hell out of two doors and jams. He will not take to a kennel just barks and chewed up a wire kennel. The wife is growing tired of the destruction.

Any suggestions on how to control the behavior...we are exercising him and I plan to get out and do some grouse hunting with him. We know he was abused by the first owners and I think he has seperation anxiety. Any suggestions on how to solve this behavior? I have never owned a GSP, but my other dogs have always loved their kennels and have never chewed anything.

Any help is appreciated...I don't want to send him to another home.

LA


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

Get an additional dog. Probably not what yo want to hear but they are pack animals and always and I mean always do better with a friend. Two dogs are far easier to keep than one. I promise.


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## LaytonArcher (Jul 13, 2009)

I have a 9 year old lab but that doesn't seem to have helped thus far. Just got a call from my wife saying he was just laying on the bed got up and left a big pee spot. Not cool give the matteress is 1 month old.

I appreciate the thought.


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## Trooper (Oct 18, 2007)

Do you have a place outside to kennel him? He's going to need a bark collar for a while. That and lots and lots of good chew stuff. But get him out of the house when no one is home or both of you will be homeless!


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

How old is he? You need to start at ground zero. If he is not house broke that is the starting point. He needs to be let out regularly and can not be left out of your sight while indoors. If you want him to go in a particular place in the yard he needs to be led there each time and praised when he does good. He needs to be corrected at each and every mishap including with anything he she never have in mouth.

First thing is you and your family need to be on the EXACT same page and each person must follow the corrections to a tee.

As far as the kennel goes. First, get a better kennel and give him something in there that will keep him occupied. Nylabone a radio near by may help him get through his anxiety.


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I would suggest a single chew toy. Not lots of them. Let him figure out that it is okay to chew that one thing and nothing else.


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## LaytonArcher (Jul 13, 2009)

thanks for the suggestions....he has never gone inside the house before and he was out several times before the incident. I will try a better kennel and see how that goes. we gave him a rope to chew on and that seems to help a little....I do have hunt collars but not bark collars is there a suggestion on the type or one you all would recommend?

LA


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Most bark collars work well, I have had good luck with the Cabelas brand and it comes on sale often for around $30.

Shed antlers make great chew toys and they last a long time. Another great thing that has worked for me is to call a local butcher shop and find out what day they are cutting beef, stop by that day and buy meaty beef bones. They come with meat scraps and suet on the bones and my dogs will eat the entire bone. My butcher sells them for 40 cents a pound and I will buy a huge 20 lbs bag for under $10 and it last a long time. I freeze the bones and feed one every week or so. Since they are frozen there is no rotten meat smell and the dog will eat the entire bone in a few hours. They will crap out bone (white poops) the next day but its probably good for their digestive system (wolves do it). I have been doing this for a couple years and have not had any problems but as always the risk is yours. This really helps take the chew out of them between the meaty bones and the antlers laying around the yard.

Put a good 10'x 6' kennel on a concrete pad, quality fencing with a tin roof, buy a quality insulated dog house (dog den from gun dog supply is the best) and let the dog exercise every day and you should be good to go. Clean the poop daily, spray out with water every three days and change out drinking water, disinfect kennel every month. Sure it's work but I would rather clean up dog crap than watch TV. I won't let a dog in my house, my kids mess that up enough without adding more chaos to the mix. 

Keep this in mind-->life to too short to deal with a head case of a dog. If he doesn't fit your style send him down the road and get another, there are plenty of good dogs out there, don't let yourself get attached to a crazy one. Same goes for a man looking for a woman or vice verse. Good luck


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## goonsquad (Sep 15, 2010)

obedience, structured training not just running around excercise, and consistency in both. 
Dogs need both excercise and structured training excercise for them to be mentally and physically fit. Get him trained up on basic obedience (revist the training for the rest of his life!), then start training him to do something, retrieve, tricks, hunt, etc- it doesn't really matter what you train him to do, just get him to use his mind. I try to train two-three times a week, revisit basic obedience once a week and let him have a long unstructured playful excercise twice a week. All on different days. 
This allows him to not get bored with training, burn up the anxiety and stress, and tire himself out. 
My dog is a family member so he lives inside. He has a kennel that he eats and drinks in, and sleeps in while he is there alone. He has the run of the house while someone is there with him but he is not allowed to chew on anything but his toys. 
He is most exhausted after either a day of hunting or a day of training. His excercise days (which are over an hour long) just burn off the "wiggles".


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## cornerfinder (Dec 4, 2008)

I hate to be that guy that says the things you don't want to hear, but&#8230;.. some dogs should live with your mother in-law. If that dog don't hunt get rid of it.


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## LaytonArcher (Jul 13, 2009)

thanks all for your comments!...The dog has had some training or is just smart...he understands sit stay and lay down. With the news of the pheasant hunt...I plan to try some hunting with him and see how it goes...Thank for everyone's advice.

LA


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