Hello
I have just took in a 2 year old Weimaraner that I bred. The owners could no longer keep her. Let me tell you a bit about her first.
The first year of the couples lives they spent with her all the time. The second year they went back to work and left the dog home alone. She destroyed their bed, lounge you name it.  The owners called me to say they wanted to get rid of their dog, I went straight away and picked her up. When I got her I notice three things. She was over weight, her nails so long they were curled under, and no hair on the end of her tail.
I had to house cage her because she started to destroy things in my home too, but she keeps nibbling her tail.  When the phone rings which is odd, she belts upstairs to my bedroom and trashes the bed linen.  But only when the phone rings.
Now with the tail....is this worry?
How can I break this habbit?
She has settled in so well, she loves my other dogs, and if I leave her, I leave her in a huge house cage big enough for two dogs, with chews, treats, toys, kong with treats in.
She can now be in the house during the day with me and is fine, she is so happy her tail never stops wagging. She is fussy and just a lovely girl. I have to break other habbits such as jumping on window sills, jumping up door ways, and jumping up me. She is stopping this all gradually but her tail she still nibbles.
I vaccinated her last week, flea treated her and wormed her. She has been on long walks to take her mind off things. But still she nibbles her tail. She will lay down on the carpet quite happy then turn around and nibble it.
Could it be glands?
I thought this was just because she had been stressed being left home alone all day and has got a habbit.  What do you all think ?
Nutkin

Hi Rachel, I would not be surprised if the phone ringing sets off the behaviour because the phone may have rung a lot when she was left alone and reinforced the fact that she felt abandoned.

I expect the tail nibbling is very much like flank sucking in some breeds or thumbsucking in humans, a form of stress relief.

It sounds like stress that has developed into a habit to me too.  As she is no longer stressed it is just the habit that needs addressing.

Have you tried bitter apple spray, it stopped my dog sucking her foot

As a last resort what about a collar, can't remember what they are called, like you get at the vets.  A bit extreme perhaps, but it could break the habit.

Good luck
Sandra

Where do I get bitter apple spray?

I think it is just behaviour problem but I do not know how to address it.
She is very strong willed and when I tell her to leave it she wont. But
she is still having to learn that I am her new mummy.
The vet gave her an A1 ok check last week. I was going to re-home her
but as she is quite a problem I shall leave her with me as long as it takes.
Nutkin

Most Pet shops sell it or you could try http://www.hubintsecured.co.uk/acatalog/HUB_Int__Catalogue_Anti_Chew_12.html

Sorry I have forgotten how to do links, you will have to copy and paste.

It is very effective and well worth a try.

Regards
Sandra

Tail biting is often linked with anal gland impaction, so my first port of call would be to get that source eliminated........  Then there's stress - dogs can expereince stress from all sorts of strange circumstances, and without knowing your lifestyle it's difficult to suggest what the cause may be.  I would never use a spray collar to try and distract a dog from this kind of behaviour as while stopping one obsessive behaviour, you could be opening the door for another......

How about tying something to a buckle on collar (soft toy, chew) so that as soon as she starts you don't say anything but just put the collar on so she has something else to distract her ?

Christine

Digger

I wasn't recommending a spray collar, sorry not very clear.  It was one of those collars that stop them getting at their stitches you get at the vets.

Sorry for any confusion.

Sandra

Has anyone heard of Bitter Bite? Couldnt find bitter apple. I bought it in Petsmart and says you can put on bandages or skin but not a lot. Hesitant to use it until I know it is okay.

Thanks Gina

I think you mean the Elizabethan collars. I have one of those. The
trouble is I dont think she would want that on. She is still settling
in here. Poor girl got left home alone and went into destruct mode,
I think the tail is all part of her stress. I have had to deal with her
very carefully and loving. She would not take any treats from my
hand so I had to reward her with love. She was put on an extending
lead for a few days and she would not come when called. So I spent
one day walking here there and everywhere with her, I would call her
and if she did not come I would reel her in. Now she is off the lead and
comes first time. I never have to call twice. So that suggests that she
is learning.
I am going to try and get some of the bitter apple spray in the next couple
of days and see if that helps.  I hate seeing a bald tail.
I am taking another dog to the vets tomorrow morning I will ask him if he thinks it could be the anal glands.  I could pop her along in the car and he may
see her for me.

Bitter bites ok

just under a different name to bitter apple spray!

Rox

Sounds like stress/habit to me too. Just wanted to say, be careful if using bitter apple etc. It's very good but if she has any broken skin, it will sting!

Good point, her skin though is not broken her tail
is just bald. Like a plucked chicken ha ha.
She seems so happy with us, but of course you never
know whats going on underneath. She loves it of course
because I am home all the time with her. She does not
get her own way either. She has had to learn some new
rules which has come very hard to her. As I dont take no
for an answer. But she is coming around each and every
day. I am just still thank ful the owners called me and did
not just hand her over to a rescue centre.
Nutkin

Another good taste deterrent is Albas oil. Re the phone behaviour, have you a phone that you can change the ringtone on? If the sound changes, she may (a long shot I know) not associate it so much with her "previous life" and alter her behaviour towards the sound.

Is it possible to turn the sound on the phone down??  it may be that it startles her.
If you have a mobile phone you could try to train her to sit and get a treat/fuss/fun game when she hears the house phone ring.  At least she will be hearing it under controlled conditions.  You may want to keep her on a lead when you try this so she can't hare off and trash the bed ;)
eg. dial home phone on the mobile but don't press call, have your weim sit in front of you for a really tasty treat and press call, phone rings and dog should be focussed on you for the treat, treat your weim - but don't let her run off!  repeat regularly and she should learn to associate the phone ringing with you and treats :) and hopefully forget about trashing the house.
I don't know if it'll work but it may be worth a try.  Good for you tho on getting this far with her, she's lucky to have come back to you.

I can not change the phone tone unforunately. However I think the idea
of calling my home phone is an excellent idea and reward treat her.
I shall go and have a go with her now.

Nutkin

I hope it works for you, let us know how it goes
Good luck

Regards
Dill