Help! My german Shepard is eating the furniture! - Page 2

Wow! Thank you Mo, Hodie, Renofan, Tuefel and Princess.  Great advice. I am moving the crate into the kitchen and trying again.  Definitely more running- starting today. All the matresses in th house have already been flipped to the good side- we are running out of options. Thanks a million!

dont forget the big juicy bone bonniesmom - she has to have a good reason to spend a little time inher crate and enhance her comfort in there.... dont let her have it when out of the crate, it is almost like a babys soother when he goes to sleep in his cot.
Sh ewill then be able to deal with her feelings regarding the household and activites therein whilst she is also feeling settled, safe and happy.
not speaking to her whilst in her crate is vital - she mustnt feel any outside influence whilst she is coming to terms with being a house dog.
God luck, and please give us perhaps updates weekly. Its the only way to find out if our well meaning advice helps and what was best, you  never stop learning with dogs....
Mo.

Has anyone ever heard of correcting the dog for this? It is called negative reinforcement. Set the dog up and correct with leash and training collar. It works I guarantee it. I call it positive training because it positively works.:)

Do you think maybe I am just asking too much to have a kennel dog become a house dog- with four kids and a very chatty african grey (shouting bonnie, bonnie)- and two other inside dogs?  Is this maybe more than I should ask of her? And do you think a dog can be both? I need to work a few days a week- so she can't be exclusively a house dog- what would be best FOR ME- is if she could be outside when I am not home- in her kennel and inside when I get home.   But what would be best FOR HER-Does this become too confusing for her?  A kennel dog for more than a year and now inside and outside? Kids are easier to raise than german shepards-  shepards are more complex and more brilliant, loyal, loving, uncondtional- the list goes on : ) and chew a couch faster too!!!

It really all boils down to what you will accept from your dogs. My dogs are out and inside. I have 7 at the moment and they are rotated in and out of the house. I do not however leave dogs unattended inside the house if I am not on the property. I have never had a couch chewer...maybe Im lucky but actually I would never ever accept that type of behavior from my dogs. I know how that sounds but it is true. It is unacceptable to me and the dogs know very well what is and isnt acceptable. Thats not to say that they dont test me every now and then but that is to be expected. I usually have two males in the house at night and they stay in their places for the most part all night long and never bother anything. If one did decide to tear up a couch then that dog would learn very quickly that is a bad idea.  

Glory hallelujah, someone who isn't afraid to correct their dog! SportySchGuy-

I`m all for correction too - but this girls history and the length of time the lady has had her, with the unknown part of her background in my opinion could have given rise to stress rather than bad mannered behaviour.
Correct a dog that isnt understanding and is stressed, then you have a worse dog - give it the chance to know what you want, and then correct if you dont get it - then you have a dog that knows black and white with no grey area`s - so whilst I do totally agree with the leash and correction, I think to go back to basics and get the "mechanics" of the house/kennel issue sorted and then start to let the dog know what is allowed would be best.  .  I am not advocating patting her on the head if she chews, a correction at the time of it happening would do no harm, but she also needs to balance herself as a house dog too.
I do believe Bonnie that you can have the best of both worlds kennel and house as you  have described would suit your lifestyle, it just takes a little time.
Mould your dog around your life, dont mould yourself around the dogs life.     Good luck  Mo.

I do correct my dogs.  This happened when I was not home and because I thought they needed one in their kennels.  My house couches are in perfect condition, lol.  

Just don't want anyone to think I allow this behaviour.  All 4 of my dogs are very obedient in the house. 

C

Well umm that is sort of an important piece of info LOL! Yeah thats different. Dont put a couch in their kennel and problem solved.  

Oops I thought you were the OP. Too early in the morning.