My Dogs have Gone Insane

[Kerryann]

The worst part about that whole story about the new kids is that the mother is always sitting outside smoking her cigarettes and on the phone

The dogs are coming on vacation My dogs love to swim and our place is out on lake superior.

 

[Edna]

You might need to transplant some of those thistles to your back property line
I'm a first grade teacher, and I have this teacher voice when needed:
"You need to leave that dog alone!" Technically I haven't told them to do anything, but they usually think I have.

 

[AustinASU]

Simple fix, put a lock on your door....and sadly your trashcan. And pray they don't decide to chew up your coach......sound like your dog has anxiety.

 

[Kerryann]

You might need to transplant some of those thistles to your back property line
I'm a first grade teacher, and I have this teacher voice when needed:
"You need to leave that dog alone!" Technically I haven't told them to do anything, but they usually think I have.

I kept saying "sweety, she's going potty right now, can you wait until shes done?"
haha..

 

[lisa127]

I'm curious why they can't be left outside in the backyard when you're gone?

No dogs should be left outdoors alone. They are like two year old kids. And I would never leave a 2 year old child outdoors alone while I'm gone. I want to know my dogs are safe and secure. I would never trust them outdoors alone when I'm not home.


Anyway, please explain to hubby that screaming at a dog while carrying her like a sack of potatoes while angry can never help, especially if she does have any anxiety. She's getting into the pantry, not viciously attacking anyone. It's not worth screaming about and scaring the dog. Not to mention ruining his relationship with the dog and the dogs trust in him. The fact that the dog was shrieking really bothers me.

My suggestion is confinement. Whether it be crating if they are cratetrained, using babygates, or confining them to a spare room or bedroom while you're gone.

And yes, those kids sound like a big problem. And their mom. And to clarify, mom smoking outside all the time is not the problem. I smoke outdoors..... Her not teaching her kids is the problem.

 

[Jacqui]

I think, considering the response from the Mother of the wild ones, I would put up a couple "No Trespassing" signs. Let the new kids know they are not welcome in your yard and if they come over it's cop calling time. If they had destroyed my children's toys that were in MY yard, I would have already called the cops. If those children do not learn now at this age, that other people's things are there and such, those are the kids who will be in the future doing worse things.

---

I'm curious why they can't be left outside in the backyard when you're gone?

No dogs should be left outdoors alone. They are like two year old kids. And I would never leave a 2 year old child outdoors alone while I'm gone. I want to know my dogs are safe and secure. I would never trust them outdoors alone when I'm not home.

I am going to disagree on this. I think some dogs should be able to be left outside. For some dogs, their "jobs" are to protect the place when the humans are away. Some folks have great outside areas that are very safe and secure for their dogs. I don't know about your dogs, but my dogs are certainly more mature and better trained then any two year old I know. To put it mildly, just like with everything in life, in some situations outside is a fitting place for a dog by itself. Blanket statements do not work.

 

[Edna]

I have to feel sorry for the kids. Children don't spring from the womb knowing what to do, how to behave. They rely on their parents to teach them what to do. Even children of really bad parents, the parents who don't step up, can learn to be responsible, wonderful, caring people. Show them the right thing to do. Set boundaries. Kindness doesn't come from a position of weekness, but rather from a position of authority. Let them know they are welcome in your world, but they have to follow your rules.

 

[lisa127]

I think, considering the response from the Mother of the wild ones, I would put up a couple "No Trespassing" signs. Let the new kids know they are not welcome in your yard and if they come over it's cop calling time. If they had destroyed my children's toys that were in MY yard, I would have already called the cops. If those children do not learn now at this age, that other people's things are there and such, those are the kids who will be in the future doing worse things.

---

I'm curious why they can't be left outside in the backyard when you're gone?

No dogs should be left outdoors alone. They are like two year old kids. And I would never leave a 2 year old child outdoors alone while I'm gone. I want to know my dogs are safe and secure. I would never trust them outdoors alone when I'm not home.

I am going to disagree on this. I think some dogs should be able to be left outside. For some dogs, their "jobs" are to protect the place when the humans are away. Some folks have great outside areas that are very safe and secure for their dogs. I don't know about your dogs, but my dogs are certainly more mature and better trained then any two year old I know. To put it mildly, just like with everything in life, in some situations outside is a fitting place for a dog by itself. Blanket statements do not work.

---

Yes, my dogs are well behaved. People with bad intentions however, I don't trust. My dogs will be indoors while I'm gone no matter what. You never know what can happen (due to people or other animals).

IMO, no dog should live outdoors 24/7 either. Dogs are social animals that need to be with their families. I don't believe, however, that 24/7 outside living was what was meant in this thread though.

 

[Kerryann]

I was kind of horrified by my husband but he was just so pissed off. My lab will whimper and cry even when you scold her so I wasn't surprised she was scared enough to shriek. I can make her shriek like that if I grab her by the collar and yell at her so I imagine having daddy carry to her crime was traumatic. She did know she was bad because when we came in she was hiding. Normally she greets us at the door. Yesterday when I was doing food prep I had the pantry open and I kept turning around to find her starting to rummage around in there.
I made the comments about the mom out smoking on her phone all the time, because I guess I might feel differently if she was oblivious to the issues and didn't see them. She may still be oblivious though. I feel bad for the kids so I haven't been mean to them at all.
Yesterday the kids were out playing the neighbors kids and one of the wild kids who was like five kept pushing down the little neighbor boy who is like 2. The neighbors told me yesterday that they feel almost like they cant let their kids go outside anymore in addition to not being able to leave the kids toys. The neighbor talked to the mom and she was basically told that they were just being kids. It's sad.

Oddly enough the lab's neurologist just called me back about this issue. He doesn't think it's a crime of anxiety because she only goes after food. He said that being a food hound is partially because she is a lab but could be exacerbated by the steroids she takes for her allergies. He said that labs are problem solvers so once she figured out how to get to the food she was of course going to repeat. He also thinks it could be a symptom of her feeling better since she is fully recovered from her spinal injury and now that her allergies are under control.

 

[Jacqui]

So kinda a mixed blessing, she is doing better and so now is having the ambition to do more to get into trouble and possibly get her allergies roaring again.

 

[wellington]

If all health issues are better now with her, I say exercise before leaving would help a lot and get some of the different toys you put treats in. The dog is occupied trying to get the treats out. I 100% believe in crating a dog. However, one that has never been crated, well I would rather find a way to keep it like that if possible. As for the kids and the parent. Can't you complain to whoever it is that doesn't let you put up a fence. As the get older the problems will get bigger. Get it taken care of now, while the mother can still (maybe) get a handle on them. I would have already had it taken care of. I give one warning. After that, I use what ever legal means possible to render the problem. My neighbor kid, a friend of my son, has lost many toys that had gotten thrown in my yard. To many items to be broken, or animals hurt, for me to put up with it too long. Good luck.

 

[lisa127]

I was kind of horrified by my husband but he was just so pissed off. My lab will whimper and cry even when you scold her so I wasn't surprised she was scared enough to shriek. I can make her shriek like that if I grab her by the collar and yell at her so I imagine having daddy carry to her crime was traumatic. She did know she was bad because when we came in she was hiding. Normally she greets us at the door. Yesterday when I was doing food prep I had the pantry open and I kept turning around to find her starting to rummage around in there.
I made the comments about the mom out smoking on her phone all the time, because I guess I might feel differently if she was oblivious to the issues and didn't see them. She may still be oblivious though. I feel bad for the kids so I haven't been mean to them at all.
Yesterday the kids were out playing the neighbors kids and one of the wild kids who was like five kept pushing down the little neighbor boy who is like 2. The neighbors told me yesterday that they feel almost like they cant let their kids go outside anymore in addition to not being able to leave the kids toys. The neighbor talked to the mom and she was basically told that they were just being kids. It's sad.

Oddly enough the lab's neurologist just called me back about this issue. He doesn't think it's a crime of anxiety because she only goes after food. He said that being a food hound is partially because she is a lab but could be exacerbated by the steroids she takes for her allergies. He said that labs are problem solvers so once she figured out how to get to the food she was of course going to repeat. He also thinks it could be a symptom of her feeling better since she is fully recovered from her spinal injury and now that her allergies are under control.

Ah, steroids!! I must have missed that part....that'll do it. And I do agree that it is probably a case of once she figured out how to get to the food it is something she's going to try to repeat. I have a food stealer as well. She is 11 years old now and gets bolder with age. I guess she feels she is entitled at this point...lol. And like yours, she also has food allergies. Everytime my mom comes to my house she sneaks her food, and junk food at that!! makes me so mad, but my mom and sister says she is old and should be spoiled now...lol.

 

[Kerryann]

He also recommended an increase in exercise. Before her injury she was my running partner and we used to run about 5 miles a day and do longer runs on the weekend. She can only do shorter interval runs now and has worked back up to being able to run about a mile before getting tired and limping. He said I should start to push her a bit and not just stop at the first sign of the limp. He thought maybe another .25 of a mile after the limp but no more. Her rear legs are weaker now and could tangle and make her fall if she gets over exhausted. He also offered to put her back into the rehab swims.. for a fee of course Unfortunately since she has had to stop the long runs so did mom. I may have to kick my running back up a bit to help her and myself.

I crated her for a long time after her injury so she wouldn't be too active so I am not opposed to crating. It was just weird how she went from being such a good dog to a naughty monkey in a matter of weeks. Maybe being away from home for a while and getting the idea out of her head will make her forget about the wonderful bread in the pantry.

---

I was kind of horrified by my husband but he was just so pissed off. My lab will whimper and cry even when you scold her so I wasn't surprised she was scared enough to shriek. I can make her shriek like that if I grab her by the collar and yell at her so I imagine having daddy carry to her crime was traumatic. She did know she was bad because when we came in she was hiding. Normally she greets us at the door. Yesterday when I was doing food prep I had the pantry open and I kept turning around to find her starting to rummage around in there.
I made the comments about the mom out smoking on her phone all the time, because I guess I might feel differently if she was oblivious to the issues and didn't see them. She may still be oblivious though. I feel bad for the kids so I haven't been mean to them at all.
Yesterday the kids were out playing the neighbors kids and one of the wild kids who was like five kept pushing down the little neighbor boy who is like 2. The neighbors told me yesterday that they feel almost like they cant let their kids go outside anymore in addition to not being able to leave the kids toys. The neighbor talked to the mom and she was basically told that they were just being kids. It's sad.

Oddly enough the lab's neurologist just called me back about this issue. He doesn't think it's a crime of anxiety because she only goes after food. He said that being a food hound is partially because she is a lab but could be exacerbated by the steroids she takes for her allergies. He said that labs are problem solvers so once she figured out how to get to the food she was of course going to repeat. He also thinks it could be a symptom of her feeling better since she is fully recovered from her spinal injury and now that her allergies are under control.

Ah, steroids!! I must have missed that part....that'll do it. And I do agree that it is probably a case of once she figured out how to get to the food it is something she's going to try to repeat. I have a food stealer as well. She is 11 years old now and gets bolder with age. I guess she feels she is entitled at this point...lol. And like yours, she also has food allergies. Everytime my mom comes to my house she sneaks her food, and junk food at that!! makes me so mad, but my mom and sister says she is old and should be spoiled now...lol.

I hate when people do that. They don't realize it's not nice for the dog because even though she gulps down the food happily, she is going to rip her face off itching in about 15 minutes after ingestion. Most people don't do it because I put a shirt on her that says "I am allergic to everything, please don't make me sick." Some people I still have to scold though.

 

[wellington]

Has your vet mentioned gloucosomine (spelling wrong) (Jack Hanna is in the commercial for it) he may not have, as it is a over the counter joint therapy chew. I does work. You should put her on it if possible with her allergies. Yes, after her vaca, see how she does. If she goes back go it, I would try the exercise and hiding of the treats in toys before crating. Labs are active dogs. I would guess that she found the food out of bordum and the turned food driven.

 

[Kerryann]

Has your vet mentioned gloucosomine (spelling wrong) (Jack Hanna is in the commercial for it) he may not have, as it is a over the counter joint therapy chew. I does work. You should put her on it if possible with her allergies. Yes, after her vaca, see how she does. If she goes back go it, I would try the exercise and hiding of the treats in toys before crating. Labs are active dogs. I would guess that she found the food out of bordum and the turned food driven.

She's on some special pills for her allergies that contain stuff for her joints too, like fish oil? Her back issue was an embolism due to landing wrong from a jump and not joint or disc wearing down. She can't have the pills you buy in the stores because of her allergies. I do have a kong that she loves that you put food in and she has to work to get it out.