Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Ladies with dogs, please give me hope!
Omggggggg! Okay Bruce is insane. Just plain out of his mind. He's an incredibly smart dog, just SO full of energy I don't even know what to do anymore. he is super nippy, which I am praying is only because he's teething (he does generally stop if we have a hard bone handy for him to chew on) and he is constantly trying to steal pillows/shoes/towels/etc. and will not give them back! Not even for treats or anything, and he's too fast for us to catch him.
I've read all the books and taken him to classes so I know the general principles behind training these things, he's just not intersted in learning them when he's at high energy. And yes we walk him and do training activities to try to tire him out.
I'm not asking for advice so much as some hope that this is all part of the puppy phase (he's 5 1/2 months) and he will be a normal dog eventually....
(p.s. Not posted on pets board because i imagine they are sick of me whining, and I know you ladies will be nice) 
Re: Ladies with dogs, please give me hope!
April 2010 Siggy Challenge: Next Vacation Destination
He will calm down, I promise!
Our pup is a year and 2 months and he's calming down more and more everyday. That's probably not that comforting when you have so long to go, but it's something. And once all our dog's baby teeth were gone, he stopped chewing on everything in sight. He's got teeth like razors now and chews through even the hardest Nyla bones, but you can sick your hand in his mouth and he'll gum and lick you. He's really good about wearing himself out, too. He'll run circles around the living room and then plop down on his bed and nap the rest of the night.
It's a long road, but I swear it gets easier. Just hang in there!
Is there a dog park near you? Maybe socializing (aka wearing him out) with other dogs will help him lose some of that energy.
I'm sending good vibes your way in hopes that he settles down soon!!
Shmel's Blog
I am the proud Mama of two wonderful furbabies, one I adopted when she was 6 months, and the other was a bit older. It sounds like because Bruce is so high energy, that he is not being stimulated enough. I know it may sound a little weird, but some dogs can be too active for their masters, and vice verse!
This is going to sound crazy, given what you are experiencing right now, but I would give serious thought to getting Bruce a brother or a sister (ducking the imaginary rock you're probably tossing my way...lol). Our Beagle was quite the active pup, and while she never chewed on any household items, it seemed really clear to me that we weren't enough for her. She was bored. By the time we both came home from work, a walk and a couple hours of people time didn't seem to stimulate her enough. Hubs thought I was nuts when I told him that she needed a sibling. He actually resisted, all the way to the rescue site.
But once he saw how they were together, he admitted that it was the right move. Kinsey O'MacKinsey, the Irish Beagle is now 5 and a half, the Trevor the little black dog is now 3 and half. They are inseparable, and it a joy to sit out back and watch them chase each other around the yard, wrestle and play. And yes, they do it in the house as well! Thing is, they wear each other out, and come to us when they are ready to settle down and get petted and spoiled.
Again - I know this may sound nuts to you right now, but training two dogs is no harder than training one...and Bruce will have a buddy to help him use up some of that energy :-) Barring that, I would recommend keeping him plenty of chew toys around that he will know are his, and you may have to experiment until you find something that the really takes to! GL!!
Liz -- actually I can handle waiting until a year haha... it's very aggravating now, but the part that bothers me is the fear that he will never chill the F out, so that is helpful to hear
Mel -- we do have a dog park but we are scared to take him there. since he's a pittie, many of the experts advise that they really shouldn't be in the dog park b/c if god forbid something happened, it would be instantaneously newsworthy just b/c of his breed. And, truth be told, they do have the potential to be very dog aggressive. He does have a friend in our neighbor's dog, so we go over there and play (they have a fenced yard, we don't) once or twice a week which definitely does wear him out!!
Ok so I have a 3 year old Olde English Bulldogge. First off, this damn dog chewed on our couches for A LONG TIME. I can reuappholster (sp?) just about anything now. (new couch in 2 weeks YAY!) he will def chill out but it def takes a long time. at three years old, just last night she did her lil crazy run on the couch off the couch up the stairs on the bed off the bed down the stairs on the couch off the couch grab the toy do it all again... its been raining and nasty here so she has not been out to play much and it shows... i would def try and walk him as much as possible or at least get him panting for the recommended 30 mins a day or longer. do you run? try taking him, expect him to not be so into it at first but maybe run with treats and never let the dog stop unless you stop (i've had my arm be yanked more than once over a fancy twig on the sidewalk). if you are concerned with him pulling or anything buy a Gentle Leader or Harness (http://www.buygentleleader.com/App_Content/media/gentleleader/GL_EWHComparison.pdf
I've had some friends make real progress with those.
I don't know what your living situation is but the BEST thing we ever bought for Shelby is the Invisible Fence. I was SOOOO against it til i considered what would happen with no fence after she ran into the street a few times... very expensive but we can let her out and have no worries she will run off or leave the yard. plus we can throw the frisbee and ball and not have to keep her on a leash.
I mean keeping him away from a dog park cuz he can get aggressive is def a concern but Shelby isn't so nice to other dogs either (she hates them she thinks she is human i swear to god) and we are taking her for a meet up with a serious trainer over it. BUT if I have her ball she pays no attention to anything else and will ignore the other dogs. It would be crappy for you if your guy ends up un-socialized because of a stereotype. If anything you should try and take him to a puppy play group that is supervised by trainers so he at least gets some exposure.
Ok sorry to rant and rave lol but good luck! puppy issues are so difficult!
9 Glorious Months!
My Photography Blog!
Awwww, Bruce.
LOL He's so cute. I think he'll eventually settle down too. I wish I could say when. I guess it all depends on the dog, how much energy they need to get out and how long it takes to wear himself down. My childhood dog Prince liked to run and play and steal my sewing thread and other stuff I'd have to chase him for but he never got super hyper or jumpy or anything. He didn't wear down playing until he was probably 12 years old. LOL
Mike and I were pretty set on getting a dog when we were in the apartment but now I think we're leaning towards nixing the idea. Our NDN has been bringing his dog Holly over to get her used to us [so she won't bark at us thru the fence all the time when we're in the back yard]. Holly shat in our yard Saturday night and Mike stepped in it before he had a chance to clean it up; I think he decided that he doesn't want to deal with cleaning the yard on top of walking, feeding, grooming, vet trips etc., plus we're never home long enough during the day to give the attention a dog needs. Amanda is home all day wtih her dog Ginger during the summer and when she's at school the dog keeps her grandpa company. I'd have liked to have one again but I know it's a lot of work after having Prince for almost 15 years growing up, and it was a lot easier to spend time with one when I was in high school/college and not working full time.
Our dog (Corgi/Shephard mix) used to nip a lot, bark at us for no reason, and chew the trim and wall, but she did grow out of that, thankfully.
She is a little over 1 year old now and has recently started to steal. It is so annoying! Stealing my glass drink coasters, cell phones, socks, shoes, tv remote, basically anything she can reach. Last night I had to move everything to the center of the coffee table to make sure she wasn't going to steal during the night, but she still managed to get the tv remote. I use the "bitter apple" spray, but it doesn't phase her much after the spray wears off. Maybe with him being a puppy that would be something that would be good to help him, since he is still learning he might have more hope than my little thief, lol.
The getting a second dog is a good idea, but it would be best to get little Bruce trained first. Sometimes the older dog will revert back. Having him play with the neighbors dog is good though. Are there any other dogs in your family that he could play with too?
Good luck! It seems it is never-ending sometimes. Once they learn one thing, they find something else to do.
I agree that keeping Bruce away from the doggie park is not a good idea. Maybe just go to the dog park and keep him on the leash. At least he'll be in a new area where he will be stimulated. IMO, the more you socialize him the better it will be.
Shmel's Blog