help! destructive puppy!!

[dimebag]

hi, i have a rotty x staffy pup. he is 8 months old and weighs around 35kg - 36kg.
he stands around 25inches high and has feet the size of my fist. but he has a really small head compared to the rest of his body. staffys usually have massive heads so im sure its got nothing to do with the mixed breeds. however he did get sick when he was 5 weeks old and he was a lot smaller then he should have been. he weighed just 3kg at 8 weeks old. does anyone know if this might have something to do with his head being so small? the photo i have attatched doesnt show how small it is though it actually makes it look bigger lol.
i also need some advice on how to calm him down, He is really hypo and no matter what we do we cant keep him from destroying everything in our back yard! he eats everything! including our roses with thorns! he eats the tough rubber toys that you fill with food even if theres never been food in them. we cant give him rope cause he eats that and yeah that kinda come back out WHOLE. he eats his tennis balls, every toy we've given him, our plants, bark, boxes, solar lights, plastic bottles, etc.... we give him bones but he just hides them then digs up the whole back yard to try and find them again, but still never eats them! please help! he is driving me up the wall. we take him for runs and walks but theres only so much we can do on a 38+ degree day!
any advice will be much appreciated.
cheers
lani

[brunie's mom]

Sounds like a very bored, lonely, dog...with too much energy.
Can he not be inside of the house with you? does he live outside?

I would exercise him even more, as well as do some training. Mental excercise is very important...you have a mix of two smart breeds...that need a job to do.

Is he in obedience classes? Get enrolled in a weekly class, and do 10-15 minutes of practice training every day, twice a day. Teach him new tricks,etc.

Gina

[moz205]

This dog sounds bored out of his bird and is trying to entertain himself. A bored puppy is a destructive puppy (a dangerous thing) and yes is he still a pup. Exercise and training is key in eliminating destructive behavior. A hyperactive pup is not tired enough or mentally stimulated. He knows he's getting a reaction out of you and that is what he wants. A young pup is a lot of work but I think a young dog is even more. At 20 mths, my guy can still get into trouble- especially on rainy days when we can't get out as much. Sometimes I think it will never end although he is getting better with redirection and training.
His head is what it is. He's beautiful.

[dimebag]

thank you for your advice :) we dont take him to training we never felt we needed to as he listens to us quite well. we've been teaching him things since he was about 2 months old. he knows all the basic stuff along with shake hands, speak, a couple of other quotes he barks at, putting food on his nose, roll over, play dead all that type of stuff. he learnt them really quickly. we just cant think of anything else to teach him lol

he is an inside dog during the day then he sleeps outside at night. thats usually when he starts destroying stuff. also in the morning when my partner gets up for work he lets him inside with him until he goes. thats usually when he destroys the most, after he's gone to work.

as for the excercise i know we should walk him more then we do but we do take him for big runs in the afternoons when it cools down a bit cause he over heats really quickly and so do i! lol. we take him swimming and throw the ball and the frisby around until he's tired. we also have a model buggy that we drive around and he loves to chase that a long with me on my bike! and also at night time we play with him with the lazer light until he's tired. but even on nights where we do these things he still destroys things the next morning. i was thinking maybe a mix with boredom and separation anxiety?

but yes he is a beautiful loving bubbly dog who loves people and other animals. he loves to cuddle, we cant sit anywhere or lay down anywhere without him following us and sleeping either on us or next to us. kinda hurts now hes around 35kg though lol

[TrinaJ]

If he's eating everything in site I would definately make sure that any plants you do have in your yard are not toxic to dogs!!! I would also suggest getting a run for him in your yard with nothing in it apart from toys that are SAFE for a dog if he has to be outside. Try a King Kong (its the black one, you can pick it up from any pet shop), it took my rottweiler between 2 & 3 years to destroy that one. Fill it with treats and peanut butter, he will have tonns of fun trying to get the treats out.

Do you crate him at all inside or is he outside all day? A bored and lonely dog is a distructive dog. I understand that if you work all day you cant be with him, but like i said above, make a run for him that's safe, or crate him.

Do you take him to OB Classes? If not I would suggest you start immediately, not only will your dog benefit from the lessons mentally and physically, you will also benefite the rewards of his behavious. The trainers will also give you tips on what to do with regard to his issues.

Being in Whyalla you are also very close to the water, take him to the beach, dogs love to run in the sand and frollic in the water.

Good luck!

Trina