# Help.... Standard Poodle Being Bad



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Wow, that is a problem. You may very well have to tether her to you or limit her access to certain parts of the house until this is resolved. Supervise her more closely and when you can't, she needs to be limited to an area where she cannot get into this kind of trouble - such as a crate, expen or a room where she has toys and something to chew such as a pizzle stick but not items she is not allowed to destroy. I really don't know what to say because I haven't had this problem - and I'm sorry that you are dealing with it. I'm just going to throw some ideas out and hope that something here might be useful for you.

When I got my tpoo years ago as an 8 week old puppy (she passed away 12 years ago) and I got my minipoo a year and a half ago (she was almost a year old when we got her), I was super diligent to keep anything and everything that they could possibly chew/play with that I didn't want them to, away from them. Everything - it was hard work to remember to keep the shoes hidden in the closet, anything small off the floor except for dog toys. My goal was that if my young dogs never learned to chew or play with things like shoes or dirty laundry, then when they got older they would ignore them. It worked for me. Of course with spoos, they can reach things on counters and tables that a mini or tpoo can't so your area that you have to keep bare is much larger. It sounds like you have done this - but did you do it diligently - keeping "accidents" to a minimum such as maybe once a month or less?

Have you tried putting bitter apple or hot sauce on items to deter her? I used hot sauce on some plants that my cats used to chew on as kittens - a couple of applications over time helped teach them that house plants were not for chewing - at least not those house plants.

Have you trained "leave it" and "drop it". Leave it is the command to tell a dog to walk away from something they are interested in. Drop it is when they have something in their mouth and you want them to spit it out immediately. Some people may use different terms for the same concept.

Are you chasing her when she grabs something and making it a fun game for her where you chase her? Is this a way for her to get attention? Even negative attention is attention. If so you might have encouraged this behavior. Are you punishing her which is a form of attention?

If you can't figure out a training solution, you may need the help of an experienced dog trainer.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I agree with Skylar...."Leave it" and "Drop it" need to be trained! She's right on about chasing becoming a game too!
Being that she is a Spoo there aren't many places that are safe from 'counter surfing' so poodle-proofing all areas, at all times, is a big must for you......good luck on that one hahaha!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree with all of Skylar's comments but would emphasize that until you train her not to do this she has lost loose in the house unsupervised privileges entirely. She should either be in her crate or ex pen or tethered to you to keep her out of trouble. This could be dangerous.

We have used tabasco sauce to great positive effect in getting our dogs to stop chewing inappropriate objects (including mouthing hands). Another aversive that some people use to extinguish bad behaviors is a squirt of full strength vinegar in the dogs mouth. Your timing for this has to be incredibly good. The vinegar has to be delivered in 3 seconds or less or it is just unfair. When Javelin was going through a mouthy phase recently I put vinegar on the back of my hand.

In addition to possibly using corrections to extinguish these behaviors you need to teach really reliable leave it and drop it with positive reinforcements.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

As others have said, this is a difficult "habit" to correct. I have, in the past, set traps for bad behavior. Much like the pile of tin trays on the kitchen bench, that when the dog steals a piece of delicious meat tied to them, fall and create a cacophony of sound, frightening the dog/puppy and sounding the alarm so that castigation can be applied. You could try attaching something similar to a desired item, such that, when it is "stolen" you are alerted and can IMMEDIATELY take action to correct the behavior. Once in the dogs possession it is too late. Taking it back becomes a game. Intelligent dogs play lots of games. All of life is a game to a standard poodle. How you show your displeasure and correct the behavior could be very different for different dogs. One dog would be upset simply by being told they are being bad. Another might need some kind of IMMEDIATE punishment as with Catherine's vinegar. I used to keep a rolled up newspaper handy with my dogs. Some would disagree with whacking a dogs rump with it but in any group of dogs discipline is applied by the top dogs in a much more violent way. A spoo could not be hurt or damaged by less than a very solid object. They are tough dogs in the backside. Others might like to add their ideas for corrective actions. Praise and treats work best but I see little to praise in this behavior.

Eric


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

With the behavior your dog is showing , I say she has had too much freedom too early. I would lock the doggy door, and go back to a "letting her out to potty" program. I would also attach a long clothesline to her (with a few knots tied in it to make grabbing it easier). The long line would put an end to the "chase me" games because you will now have the power to reel her back in. I know you are saying that she waits until you are out of sight to be bad, but if you leave the room, and then come back to check on her, you should be able to catch her in the act. Boy, is she going to be surprised when she takes off and hits the end of that long line. Me, personally, I am okay with having a dog that "leaves" things on command (even if I had to reel her to me to get her to do it). So if you can get her to leave, or drop the object on command... and then reward her with a bit of chicken, you might just provide her with motivation to change.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Assuming that the fun of the game doesn't lie in tearing stuff up, it must be your reaction she is after. Could be it started as a puppy, when grab it and run led to a glorious game of chase, and is still reinforced by your reaction even though that is negative. As others have said, I would work hard on Leave and Drop it, along with lots and lots of games of exchange. I would go right back to baby puppy steps, offering somethinng not very valuable, swapping it for something really good, then giving back the first thing too. Overr and over and over again, several times a day. I think I would also try to put the grab and run on cue - perhaps with a paper bag filled with rolled up paper or something else harmless and worthless. It is obviously something she finds very rewarding, so using it as a reward for good behaviour might work!


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

ericwd9 said:


> As others have said, this is a difficult "habit" to correct. I have, in the past, set traps for bad behavior. Much like the pile of tin trays on the kitchen bench, that when the dog steals a piece of delicious meat tied to them, fall and create a cacophony of sound, frightening the dog/puppy and sounding the alarm so that castigation can be applied. You could try attaching something similar to a desired item, such that, when it is "stolen" you are alerted and can IMMEDIATELY take action to correct the behavior. Once in the dogs possession it is too late. Taking it back becomes a game. Intelligent dogs play lots of games. All of life is a game to a standard poodle. How you show your displeasure and correct the behavior could be very different for different dogs. One dog would be upset simply by being told they are being bad. Another might need some kind of IMMEDIATE punishment as with Catherine's vinegar. I used to keep a rolled up newspaper handy with my dogs. Some would disagree with whacking a dogs rump with it but in any group of dogs discipline is applied by the top dogs in a much more violent way. A spoo could not be hurt or damaged by less than a very solid object. They are tough dogs in the backside. Others might like to add their ideas for corrective actions. Praise and treats work best but I see little to praise in this behavior.
> 
> Eric


Eric, I agree with you a swat on the butt never hurt a kid or a dog. I used a plastic flyswatter, (and said flyswatter when correcting them) maybe had to crack them 2 may 3 on Cayenne. Now I just say loudly, "Do I need flyswatter", whatever they are doing the stop immediately. I figured I would have a surgery bill with Cayenne if I did not stop her from eating things


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## patticake (Apr 17, 2017)

I might need the fly swatter, Asha has taken up barking at me for fun.


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