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Great Pyrenees => Great Pyrenees Discussions => : katybug October 29, 2008, 02:48:54 PM
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I need help with anyone familiar with Great Pyrenees. My dog, Gracie, is around seven months now (we think - she was a stray and we got her from a friend when she was about two months). She has developed stealing behaviors. She loves paper and wood products. She is stealing and chewing up my daughter's toys and I am quite frustrated with her >:(. Any ideas would be great!!!
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Oh my gosh........ Luke is 8 months old and I know just what you mean. He does everything you mentioned and more. The last thing was snatching my toothbush out of the toothbrush "thingy" on the wall.
I don't have any answers, am looking for some myself, but I just try to keep the most important things out of his reach. I have given up on the toilet paper and waste basket. But he has gone after my books and that is a HUGE no-no to me.
Best of luck....
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This is not 'stealing' she is just being a puppy! She is in the teething stage and it becomes your challenge to give her enough safe and appropriate items for her to gnaw on and play with. I use plastic bottles like water bottles or milk jugs, bones, rawhides, big beef bones from the butcher, tug ropes, kongs, particularly stuffed with something really good like cheese or peanut butter. I also give things like empty boxes and old magazines- for some reason puppies love to shred paper. And you have to put away your daughters toys If she has a variety of things that are hers and lots of exercise to burn off baby energy things will get better but puppies are just like toddlers and they will get into everything!
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I had this problem with my son's dog many years ago. We learned that it was easier to keep my son's toys in his room or playroom and to limit the dog's access to those areas when we couldn't supervise.
From a dog's point of view, there isn't any difference in a child's toy (especially stuffed animals) and most dog toys. Make sure that your puppy has plenty of her own chewies as well. If you haven't taught her the drop it command, this might be a good time.
I will say that most of my dogs have loved to chew paper. I had a female once that got one piece of newspaper every day that she could shred to her heart's content. That was enough to keep her away from the stack of bills on the counter, rolls of toilet paper etc.
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Luke does have alot of chew toys that I got him when he was real little. Never played with any of them. I reintroduced Mr. Mouse the other night, which is an adorable gray mouse with long arms and legs to grab on to. When you squeeze his tummy, he squeaks. I gave him to Luke and he actually grabbed it and started chewing. Then it squeaked. Every time it squeaked Luke dropped it, grabbed his own tail and ran around in circles. What the heck is that about?
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Silly Luke! Guess that squeak got him wound up!
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Nahhhh, I'm sure your Pyr is being unjustly accused! :D ;D :D Ha, ha!
Seriously though, Cara & Halley both were so funny to watch scope out something and then snitch it. Nothing was safe, from the waste baskets, to toys, to a raw potato on the counter that I'd just scrubbed and set aside to bake. Cara snagged that without even touching the countertop and went and laid down in the corner and munched it down happily. ;)
I can only second (third?) the advice to keep everything out of reach, but I'll add that I do have a piece of my sons' wooden Brio train track that is all chewed on one end. Years ago I caught Cara with it between her front paws chewing away. Though I grumped at her at the time (Brio was pretty expensive back then & like most families with young kids, our money was tight ;)). Now, it's a fond reminder of my beloved pup that was with us for 12 years, but who's waiting for us at the Bridge now. So, protect your puppy from anything that could harm her, but just know that those tooth-y marks on your stuff will someday make you smile & remember. :) :-*
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Ah - but we've missed the greatest theft of all - underpants! Nothing like having folks over to dinner when your Pyr tromps through with yesterdays' knickers...
;D ;D ;D
ahahahahaha!!!! Yep those are her favorite too. She waits by the shower for me to get in and off she goes with"the goods". Also the tissue box and all its goodies she can't pass up either.
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My dog so far has stolen and chewed up my glasses and a motorcycle helmet off the truck hood. He also got a couple of car wash brushes and a garden hose nozzle. I was working on something and had a roll of those blue paper shop towels right behind me. I looked around and they were gone and the dog had snuck up, grabbed them and ran around the corner where he was chewing them up. He only grabs my stuff. Maybe it's a strange doggie way of telling me he loves me?
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I wouldn't complain about them pulling up the carpet, if I were you. I've done that myself a couple of times - all by myself and it's a big job.
THey must have heard you talking about it and decided to help. Good Dogs!! Maybe you could train them to tear it all up and you could hire them out and make a little extra money for Christmas!