Ok here's another LOL. Sorry if you are sick of hearing about Max, but, well, he's unique :D Another habit Max has developed is getting very growly when we touch his duvet in his basket or put it back in his basket after he has fetched it out. This is a constant thing and he does it with every one. Someone suggested relocating his bed every now and again but that didn't seem to work - anyone got any ideas on how to crack this one ? The other thing he will do is drag his duvet into the front room out of the kitchen and begin to tear it up in front of us - is he marking it as his own or just being a typical big puppy ?

Remove his bed and bedding! Seriously!

For how long or do you mean permanently ?

i WOULD SUGGEST HE ONLY HAD HIS DUVET at night time &
put it away durring the day time

We already do that now because of the dragging and ripping up part :d

I once rehomed a dog like max, his name was Harry believe it or not a labrador,and after months of calls from the new owner with stories of his disasterous behaviour and total destruction of her house the owner said she had nearly come to the end of her tether so had made a list of ten thngs that were good and bad about Harry, ,I said oh good what were they she said well there were nine bad things and one good thing, so I said what was the good thing? she said "that we love him! "

( I think Max's is a very Lucky dog :) )

If it's only his own bed he's destroying can't be all bad :rolleyes:

id remove the quilt too -id not let him have anything he valued or that hed be willing to growl at you over---he has to be made to fell like the lowest there. so other than a bed of nails :) id take it away,

Yes but why :O Is it separation anxiety without the separation - he brings it to us and does it in front of us LOL :D

Well we do love Max and I can probably think of 20 bad things he does, for example I caught him tonight with his head in the sink licking the unwashed plates - seems he likes gravy :D

If he drags it in and chews it in front of you, it is almost certainly either to just be with you, bless his cotton socks, or otherwise for attention. I bet he does get lots of that when he does this, either of the good or bad varitey, and laps it up!

The growling is interestng as he growls when you put the bed back! Is it possible his growling is "talking" - you know how some dogs esp Rotties do this? If it is real growling then I guess it is anothe sign of conflict, like the weeing/sleeve grabbing at the same time.

Aw, give him a cuddle from me!!!!! :D

LIndsay

Hehehe Lindsay - yes he gets attention when he rips his bed up. But he usually disappears to the kitchen to bring his bed round. Most times he just flogs the bed in his mouth as if he is killing it but recently hes brought it round and started ripping it up - so now its out of the way during the day.

Yes Max does talk to us - usually when he's in his basket he sits up and gives you his paw and tells you about the rotten day he's had <bg>. But when hes removed his bed and we try to pick it up its a definate "get off my bed" growl - so we try and distract him with a biscuit so we can pick it up so as to not get into a conflict situation.

Max sometimes moans about cuddles too LOL

sadly i don't have the magic cure for Max but just have to say how much I enjoy reading about him! :D it's better than watching the tv at the moment! I'm sure you don't enjoy his antics as much as we do! you must have the patience of a saint, which is lucky for him.
As somebody said to me when I had Charlie my GSD, it'll all be worth it in the end, at the time he'd just finished eating his 3rd hallway carpet so you can imagine my reply!:D

COMING NEXT - MAX the dog - the video :D

Hi Banger,

I would just like to thank you for bringing Max to the attention of Champdogs. It's reassuring to know that no matter how bad Holly gets, at least she's not as bad as Max :D :D :D :D :D

Seriously though, he sounds like a lovely dog, admittedly with a few problems, but I'm sure that with time you'll manage to sort out most if not all of Max's littles quirks.

Good luck, and don't lose heart.

Fiona

Hello Banger,

Please do not be tempted to treat any bad behaviour (particularly aggression of any kind as 'amusing' - it is not)!

If you allow Max to get away with this 'dominant power game' then he will do or invent something else, again to question your authority and your position, and this will continue to escalate.

When he was acting in this way, and you tempted him away with treats, from your point of view you were trying to remove him from the scene, from his point of view you were REWARDING HIM and BACKING DOWN!!

So put a lead on him and let him trail it around for a while (obviously never leave him alone with a lead attached, as this could be dangerous). Then 'set up' the situation with his bed, that would make him react as he does. The moment he shows ANY sign of discontent towards you (head drop, stare, low growl, lip curl) etc. - grab the end of the lead and jerk it VERY FIRMLY out of the bed or away from the duvet, with a VERY FIRM command of "NO" - and sound like you mean it! Then IMMEDIATELY drop the lead and continue with what you were doing, i.e. go and put the kettle on or whatever, look confident and 'in control'. If he goes back to the bed, do not LOOK AT HIM, just casually walk by, but quickly pick the end of that lead up again, and jerk it really hard to force him out of the bed again, with the command of "NO", and drop the lead immediately, and just continue walking by.

You will be controlling his behaviour, without risk of confrontation to yourself. You will equally come across to him as calm and authoritive, giving him little attention to his dominant deed, except to correct him, like the Leader you are (or should be)! Good Luck.

Denise

We should all be able to approach our dog's beds...but I would train Max to understand what is required.

I would use a long lead but wouldn't jerk a lead hard - done badly it can cause damage, i feel. I would go down a slightly different route and use the lead to get Max out, but actually train a command such as "out" or "off" or whatever, and then reward for the good behaviour of getting off, albeit with the help of the lead at first :D

From reading Bangers posts i do feel, IMHO, that Max gets lots of confused messages, (no offence Banger :D) and so for that reason alone would choose this method.... JMO :D

I do feel too that Max needs more to do, does he for in stance use his nose? YOu can play game s of hunting the toy, searching out the tiny treats etc and all this will get him in terested in other stuff and also exercise his brain. Helps the bonding too :)

Thanks everyone - while some of Max's behaviour is amusing - the aggressiveness is not and thanks for all the oabove suggestions, we will be trying them out. I have to repeat, Max is VERY strong willed and behaviour modification actions that usually work for 'normal' dogs dont work with him. Still I will try anything to get Max well behaved. He was before, when he came back from his residential training so I'm sure he can be again !