Sky! and her need for my attention.

I apologise now for the long post!

Went back to work today after having quite some time off through illness. It wasn't a full day and only 4hrs, until I work back up to doing full shifts. Throughout the time off I've been off, Sky has been with me all the time. When I was first ill as I mentioned on here before exercise was difficult, but as I've got better sky has had a great walk most mornings.. Along with the exercise came a great change in her behaviour! She still had her 'staffie moments', and issues as below but I think it's helping. (I hope)

However after coming home today, I've found she has managed to get an ink cartridge for my printer off the shelf, and you can imagine the rest. Now when I came in I knew she had done something, as she didn't greet me but sat their with her ears down. She didn't even look at me, so I knew it was mega bad...As I saw the utter disaster I shouted at her to go to bed, and she did staying their for about an hour. Now every morning i've got up Ive walked her, and this morning the plan was to walk her when I got home. But I recall Sky following me round this morning, so I assume she was thinking 'I'm going out', only to be told 'see ya later'. Sky seems to have to attitude of if I want something i want it now, or ill just act up, as i'll explain more below.

So Nearly at the age of 3, i'm not sure I can trust her out the crate anymore. But also I think there is something else at play here, which i'll try to explain. For example when ever I use the phone sky is all over me. If I go into another room to use the phone, she cries. If I go into another room and just shut the door she is fine. Same when anybody is around , she has to be there involved in whatever is going on.....This is even at the point where I don't bother going out anywhere to sit down with her, as once I sit down talk to friends, or have lunch, she cries, cries, cries until I give her attention... Embarrassing it is really. Even when I drive to her walking spot, if i get out and talk to someone, she is crying at the window, knocking the hazard lights, indicators on etc.

Now she is exercised everyday, I play ball games with her you name it, everything I can. A lot of the suggestions from this site I've implimented but it's like i've got this child who only wants my attention 100%, or gets annoyed and frustrated if I don't..Prior to this Ink cartridge incident, and leaving her alone.  I have to move everything from shelves so their is nothing she can find to destroy. Before leaving the house, I have a massive dam list of things I have to move, relocate so she won't pull them down. Strangely furniture/sofa's are not her thing! it is like cardboard, paper, things that seems fun to pull apart, shoes etc.

To top if off though, I take Sky to a fun day every month which she enjoys. But even the person running this says that I need to train her. My parents who look after her also same the same. I just don't know what else I'm suppose to do to make her behave and stop crying. When I'm in the house, just me and her, she listens to all the commands I give her until someone comes to the door or the issues I've mentioned above occur.

Now My question is am missing something? because I am clueless..

Thanks

James.

I know that must be incredibly frustrating, but I think you need to take a step back and remember that this is a dog and not a child. Sky has canine understanding, canine needs, and canine responses. In my opinion, dogs don't have the ability to be naughty as in doing something to wind you up, although they can most certainly learn that x behaviour gets them something they want, such as attention.

Dogs are social, pack animals. Although many, many dogs are fine on their own, others do need company. Also, many dogs need to learn that being left is ok. Sky possibly falls into the latter category.

You've had some time off and she was used to you being there with her, sometimes taking her for walks and playing with her, then suddenly everything changes! You've gone, and there's nothing for her to do, no company to be had. She's upset and frustrated, so she finds something to do to occupy her and to take out some of her frustration on. She had no idea it was an ink cartridge (or even what one is), it was just something that caught her eye.

I know it's really easy to see a dog's submissive gestures as knowing they've done wrong, but what they are doing is in fact anticipating that you will be cross. She knows that something gets that not-nice reaction from you and tries to appease you in advance. If this has happened before when you've been out, she might even just associate you coming home with her getting a telling off.

Your response in this case underlines it. You shouted at her and sent her away, even though she was trying to appease you. To be honest, she'd probably chewed the cartridge so long before your reprimand that she may not in fact have had any idea why you were behaving like that, so is more likely to associate it with you walking through the door.=.

As for the crying, it sounds like a) she does need company and b) she has effectively trained you to respond to her when she does cry. Again, it's a simple question of x behaviour gets something I want. She's done it time and again, and you've responded time and again, so she knows it works. It's not her fault, she's only doing what she thinks is the right thing to do at that particular time.

I'm all for training, but it has to be training with understanding of how a dog thinks. From your post here - I'll confess I haven't read back any of your earlier posts - it sounds like you seeing her through human eyes rather than dog eyes, and it sounds like she's learned some unwanted behaviours because of it.

My suggestion would be to find a good, modern trainer who will help you get onto her wavelength more, and who will be able to give you some tools to help with her current behaviours. Not only should they be able to get Sky back on track, they should also be able to help you have more options as to how to deal with things when they crop up without getting cross.

At the moment it may be a small mountain to climb but with the right help you'll get there!

Great advice from Liz. I don't think I can add to it really.

Again fab advice from Liz

Fantastic advice from Liz!

I believe that because you have spent most of your time with Sky over such a long period of time this has become the norm to her. I would probably say she might be suffering from a little separation anxiety. This kind of stress can lead to destructive behaviour and by destroying something that she knows isn't hers will get your attention. Liz was right about the whole 'shouting or telling off when really you don't know when she did wrong'. She will associate that with you walking through the door instead.

Having a behaviourist is an option and im sure they will help you through and give you fantastic advice but in the mean time, I would personally start to ignore her cries until she stops and THEN give her attention, by reacting to it, shes winning. Its difficult I understand because it can be consistent and loud, but it will eventually work. Also I would start by leaving the house for 5 mins, coming back, 10 mins, coming back etc... don't make a big fuss over her when you do walk through the door either, greet her when shes calmed down.

Is there a room you can leave her in with little to destroy like the kitchen, and leave plenty of toys and frozen kongs to keep her occupied. Walking her just before you actually leave for work will mean that shes bound to be tired and will hopefully sleep most of the time your out anyway.

With patience and consistency, Sky will be right as rain in no time

Cannot add to Liz's post. Brilliant advice!

just a thought i know you say she is walked daily but for how long and is it on lead or off lead?agree brilliant advise from Liz

good advice