:rolleyes:Hi, Montys mum here again. How should I discipline Monty when he's behaved inappropriately. i.e he's tried to eat my Singing in the Rain dvd!  I DO NOT ever raise my hand to him as I have a feeling that he was ill treated as a baby, he's 15 months old now.  He's a super, special little boy but I need some help on how to sort him out when he's naughty!  Many thanks!

Sorry, but if one of our dogs chews something we consider it's our fault for leaving it around! I'm not a tidy person, but it's a bit like child-proofing the house for toddlers. - it has to be done. It's no good telling a dog off for anything unless you actually catch them in the act - they won't have a clue what you're going on about, and will just assume you're in a bad mood. If I catch our Luke with something he shouldn't have I distract him with something else and then remove the offending object. He does seem to be less prone to chew now that he's reached the grand old age of 2 1/2 :D :D :D
Hang on in there, it does get better! (I think.....) :-) :-)

:-( :-( Spoke too soon! While I was sending that message OH came home, looked at Luke and said, "what's he got?" Behold Luke beneath the dining room table with a plastic bag I'd brought home so I knew what vacuum cleaner bags to buy for my daughter......sigh.....I'd better practise what I preach....:-( :-(

:P :P
I agree, having puppies is like having toddlers, if you don't put it out of their reach they will find a way, then usually sneak off under a table or into another room to 'inspect' it ;)

Funny..on this subjest we have lots of book shelves filled with books. The dogs never touch any of the books in our house except for one. From time to time we find they have pulled this book off the shelves and started to destroy it. No matter which shelf we put it on they find it and chew it and totally leave all the other books. The funny thing is it's a dog book!

One of the few things that my terrier chewed as a puppy was my copy of "The Perfect Puppy."  I should have known what sort of dog I was dealing with then ... :-D

Why not turn it around?  Instead of thinking, how can I deal with him when he's naughty, how about thinking of the lines of:

"How can I prevent him from doing things I don't want him to do?"
"How can I manage the situation so that he does the right thing?"
"How can I teach him what I do want him to do?"

As well as being tidy, make sure he has plenty of opportunity for chewing things you want him to chew.

the only thing my dog ruined was a library book called "the idiots guide to german shepherds" honest.

As I sit here typing, with the corner of the desk missing :rolleyes: teethmarks in the windowsill,  door, dresser and most of the skirting board shredded, I'm trying to think what it is that my dog has ruined.
Nope, minds gone blank :D :D

Dee

Funny how they can be so selective.  Pip (Tasmanian Devil Dog) only selects OH's books from the book shelf and carefully removes cover, to chew, then goes back for another one.  All book cases turned to the wall at present, looks like a scene from Harry Potter at the mo and the book cases are protecting themselves from 'She who must not be named'.

I'd recommend doing the following as an aid to houstraining and teaching appropriate canine behaviour. Get a rolled up newspaper and every time your puppy chews something it shouldn't or makes a mess on the floor, get the rolled up newspaper and hit YORSELF on the head with it as it's your fault. :D

My 'baby' is 15 months old too and he often manages to get hold of things I'd rather he didn't have (usually my smelly old trainers which he likes to take the insoles out of). I just take them off him and try to put them out of his reach. He's pretty good, really, but he's 5' 6 " tall on his back legs so it's impossible to hide everything from him. But basically, putting stuff you don't want chewing out of the way is the only answer.

As I sit here typing this, Monty is looking as if butter wouldn't melt!  I thank every one for their advice, it all makes alot of sense and I am so glad to hear that my dog is not the only one who loves to chew! I will try the tips given, and maybe lighten up a little in my attitude to my favourite little boy!:

don't fall for that 'butter wouldn't melt' routine, thats just a rouse to make you let your guard down
:P :P