Attention seeking behaviour- can anyone advise?

[mumofjewels]

I've had Jewels since January, and she seemed to settle in OK, but from about mid-February onwards, we've had one problem after another! I have clients coming to my house several days a week, and she's lovely with them, no trouble at all. But the main problems seem to be over-excitement at meal times (I now have to shut her out, otherwise she ends up weeing on her bed!), chewing furniture (mainly when I'm in the house, but not giving her 100% attention)- she looks at me and then goes to chew something! I've sprayed things with chew repellent, but now she seems to just 'threaten' to chew things. She also knocks off the lid and steals things from the recycling bin and takes them to her bed, again apparently for attention.  Sticking her outside at mealtimes has helped, but now she's dug a big hole in the grass! Sometimes she just seems restless. If I disappear upstairs for more than 5 or 10 minutes, she seems to look for mischief. Sometimes she's worse when my 6 year old son is around, as she's competing for attention. She also tends to mouth me and the furniture when she gets over-excited. 

My son is an attention seeker too, so it feels like I have 2 of them who can't be left alone for 5 minutes- which is very stressful, and I can't get anything done!

Has anyone else had similar experiences? How did you cope? There are only so many chews etc you can give her! 

[sueb]

Do you think she's getting enough excercise generally, if she seems like she's full of beans? Sometimes they can get into mischief if bored. One of my hounds started to dig large holes, as part of burning off some excess energy. With a firm no when he does it, he's learnt he can't do that, so now just leaps about and chases his tail!!

Is the excitement when she's about to eat, or when you are?

It could possibly be that Jewel may be stressing a bit when you are out of sight, now that she's bonded with you and loving a home life and being a pet, even if you're in a different part of the house. If so, having an old jumper ( with your reassuring smell on) may comfort her, although if she's likely to destroy/chew things up, you could go back to using a muzzle, till she re-settles. A radio on can also comfort a dog, especially talk radio.

A Kong toy can be useful in keeping a dog occupied, you can fill them with a part protruding biscuit, or spread type stuff you put inside, so they have to work at getting to it.

A lot of sighthounds will counter surf or nick things from bins, I put my bins out of reach. It's also very common for greys to take all sorts of things to their beds, who knows why?!

I'm sure others will also be able to advise.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[mumofjewels]

Thanks Sue. Yes, on the whole she gets enough exercise I would say - usually at least a 30 minute and a 20 minute walk a day, sometimes an hour or more. It does seem to be when she's bored/restless or not getting enough attention that she plays up, or when she is bursting with excitement (anticipating a walk/ food), but can also be just after she's eaten and we're eating (hence having to shut her outside after her mealtimes). When I tried making her wait until after we'd eaten, she got so worked up she started to shred the tablecloth! Having said all that, she can be an adorable little angel too!

I might try the radio 4 thing again, and perhaps a Kong toy/ chew when I have to go upstairs. I'll let you know how we get on.

[codiesmum]

Hi Mumofjewels, I am just wondering if you have ever managed to get the attention-grabbing behaviour sorted? The reason I ask is that my grey does the same thing. Basically, if I am in the house but busy working, he will steal something and run off with it - making sure that I watch him when he does it. He will also lean on my arm when I am sat down, so heavily that I eventually have to move. I've had a particularly tough "journey" with Codie since I rehomed him back in February last year - and we still have "bad moments" - (he went to bite me last night so I am upset today). He gets lots of exercise (quite literally loads!) and is well fed, well cared for, has lots of toys and Kongs etc. He could not wish for me. BUT he's still a pain at times. Just feeling low as I thought we'd turned a corner re: him being aggressive towards me, but clearly not :-(

[funnypoppet]

Although not aggressive to people my lady was very aggressive to other dogs. A friend recommended a squirt in the face with a bottle of water. She had used this method when her Westie would continually bit her ankles. Three squirts, with a sharp no, was all she needed to stop this behaviour. Felt bad doing it but she was getting out of control with other dogs and she was very good for the next seven years of her life. Worth a try.