Jeff&Duke Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 Hello, I need some advice on how to change a bad behavior. Duke is such a pleasing dog, he listens quite well and he’s come a long way. He’s 1 year and 10 months and knows his role in the house, and knows the rules. However, I cannot break him out of eating up a bag of charcoal. My BBQ is covered which he leaves alone, but after I BBQ and I am waiting for the coals to go out to cover the BBQ up again he will get a hold of the coals and destroy the bag and throw the coals all over the place. It sounds cute, and funny, but it’s getting old and frustrating. I have scolded him many many times. This is probably the 10th time it has happened. I have taken all his toys away before, he’s gone without eating a meal as I was coming out with his food and saw him going to town on the bag, yielded extremely loud at him (which I never do), put him into time out, showed him what he has done with negative talk (no’s, bad dog ect). Nothing seems to work to negate this behavior. I’ve caught him in the act most of the time. I’ll point at what he’s done and he’ll drop his ears sit down with a sad face, so he knows exactly what he has done. Yet he’ll do it again. Probably the best bet is to not leave him outside when the BBQ is uncovered, but we’re either eating or going in and out from the backyard and he fallows. He’s such a turd nugget! Errrrrr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 apart from not letting him near the bbq i cant think of anything sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 Dogs have very little consept of punishments you would use on a child like not feeding them and taking their toys away.. they live in the now so doing something like that will just confuse him.. he knows your angry he does not know why! Again dropping ears and sad face doesnt mean he knows what hes done wrong just means he knows your shouting at him and he doesnt like it. Showing him the bag and shouting, he doesnt understand english so again very little effect there. The only way to actually correct behaviours like that is to catch him in the act and correct with a simple NO or AH AH! Does he know the command leave or away? try teaching him one of these and then using that aswell.. so you see him go to the bag and say NO LEAVE... that way he gets the message that he is to leave that alone. It will take some time and effort and there will be times when you wont cant him in the act so there is very little you can do to correct after the fact.. And yep your right on the money with not giving him the chance to get at the bag too this will help keeping it out of his reach maybe on a table or somthing? If he cant get it he cant displease you! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
husky princess Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 one of our foster pups did this on several occations, in the end i just ensured we stored it away in the garage where he couldnt get to it any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff&Duke Posted November 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 He knows the leave it command very well. He tried being sly before when I came out to the backyard saw him moving in for the "kill" did the "UH-AH LEAVE IT" and he obeyed. Its when I am not out there he just has an absolute fasiniation with the bag. Any other bad I'd bet you twenty bucks he wouldn't go for it, but the bag Kingsford charcoal comes in his the best tasting bag to him. Maybe I should look on the bright side, and maybe put him in a Kingsford BBQ commercial... -"Siberian Husky Approved for the best BBQ'ing around. Kingsford, no other coals like'em" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahNukka&Shadow Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 He knows the leave it command very well. He tried being sly before when I came out to the backyard saw him moving in for the "kill" did the "UH-AH LEAVE IT" and he obeyed. Its when I am not out there he just has an absolute fasiniation with the bag. Any other bad I'd bet you twenty bucks he wouldn't go for it, but the bag Kingsford charcoal comes in his the best tasting bag to him. Maybe I should look on the bright side, and maybe put him in a Kingsford BBQ commercial... -"Siberian Husky Approved for the best BBQ'ing around. Kingsford, no other coals like'em" LOL! Good plan! Maybe video him doing it and send it to you've been framed? Get £200! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magical Merlin Posted November 9, 2010 Report Share Posted November 9, 2010 +1 sarah. Sometimes prevention is the best cure...we all baby proof our homes but we always forget to dog proof them (which is why I have run out of shoes! grumble grumble) If you cant get the coal away from the dog then you could try setting him up to fail...however you have to get the timing right. Basically you would put some sauspan lids ontop of the bag (or something that will make a loud noise when it falls off). As it falls and hits the ground hopefully he will be startled by it. If it is scary enough he wont want to go back to the bag. You have to remember to act scared too. Oh my god its really dangerous! kind of scared, we have to get back in the house! (dogs learn through our reactions) You could try spraying the bag with bitter apple, or putting chilly peppers in with the coal. Perferably you would just move it so he cant get to it though. Maybe its his diet? Does he eat alot of grass or herbs out of the garden? It might be that he is missing something he needs. In the UK we can buy charcoal bones that have a bit in them. I use them with my guys when they start to pester the coal and it seems to have stopped them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff&Duke Posted November 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2010 Its not his diet. He's fed better then myself with The Honest Kitchen, and RAW diet. I honestly think he just was simply bored within minutes and wanted to enterain his self. OR he was just upset that I left him outside. When I BBQ I will just put up the coals until I am done and when I cover the BBQ put the coals back. Thanks for the replies, and listening to my some what rant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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