Who's complaining, not me. I've just said I tell them (the family) it's their fault. I only brought the matter up because Mish asked for times when I use patience with the dogs. I do have to be patient because it's quite annoying to look at a £60 pair of trainers and know they are ready for the bin, when really they had a few months wear left in them.

As for "dogs chew, full stop, end of story" - I have 9 dogs (three of them under a year old) and none of them have done anything to destroy our property, just Fluffles, so it's not so "full stop" or "end of story" - it just means she's not perfect but that makes not a jot of difference to me.

Something like aggression, soiling in the house, anything I consider to have an impact on family life, that would be a problem and I would have dealt with it, immediately. Chewing leather is an inconvenience not a problem. She'll get over it, just like kids go through phases, so do dogs. She knows I'm not happy when she's done it and she's a lovely girl that likes to please. She'll mature and get over her leather thing. If not, I'll make the kids have pvc trainers, that'll make their day!!!! Child abuse that would be, if they didn't have designer trainers on their feet

Dogs do chew, all it means is that your dogs have sufficient things to keep their chewing instinct satisfied without having to indulge in your own stuff!
Becky

Yeah, there are always Nylabones and toys around to chew but that doesn't satisfy Fluffles at this time. She'll get there though. I have every confidence in her.

Hey BenMcF, thanks so much for that clip. I really enjoyed it! Yes, showing a Chi training certainly caught my attention

I must say, those dogs were sooooooo well behaved. I don't know if mine would resist a plate of human dinner if I went out of the room for more than a few seconds Maybe if there was just one dog in the room but if there were more, I think they'd just pile in.

Certainly has given me food for thought. Thank You!

That's a lovely attitude, I can imagine she was upset.
I suspect she will be a lot more cautious now before trying out some of the things she sees on tv...

I hope it all gets sorted out and that Mia is OK.

Wys
x

No prob, I love that you tube channel, its really bringing me round to Chi's, I never realised how smart and attentive they can be.
She is a great trainer - but also good at showing you how to do it - I am sure if you wanted to you could do that too - I think about it sometimes but its much easier just to pick up the plate of food

She is a lovely lady and really loves Mia and although has had a different idea of training her own dog has been happy to go along with treating Mia and me not telling her off (although she thinks I am mad) Unfort I think it is still going to be difficult to change her attitiude as I dont want to lecture her and I dont think she realises WHY Lucy did what she did just that she was 'bad'. I will try and be subtle
I know at least she will not have Lucy offlead when we are about (and Mia isnt ever anyway when Lucy is about)
Its a shame but I think that I wont be able to trust Mia around dogs like this

Cool beans! we are all mellowing out today!

CC & Gnasher, ive started another thread on CM, about bits of his training that people do or dont do. Theres a poll but its rubbish & dosent work, so you will have to copy & paste. Id be interested to see your responses. It isnt a Pro v anti thread. But looking at some of the methods & if you use them or not or modified with your dogs!

Can I ask, why you show her the thing she has destroyed (calmly or otherwise) and tell her "bad", as did you not say she does it when shes alone!!!

So do you think that the way in which you are "teaching her is in fact not teaching her at all, because she still does it?

Well, when I say "alone" I don't mean she's left all alone. She's never alone as she has her Chi friends and when I'm out they all go to the playpen area, so she can only get what she's allowed. I suppose what I meant was that she's not being watched as such. We have a big house, so if I'm upstairs or in the dining room say, she'll take her "find" to the lounge (maybe behind the sofa or one of the coffee tables) and do her dastardly deed in private. When I see she's up to no good, I'll hold the trainer/wallet/purse/whatever and just say "bad" in a low but calm tone. I'm pretty sure from her body language that she knows she's wrong and doesn't usually repeat her "naughtiness" for some time (lulling me into a false sense of thinking our leather goods are safe now )

Like I say, it's not a big deal (yeah, it's cost some money to replace items but I think she'll eventually get there). At least the kids are quite aware not to leave their trainers in the hall/study area or anywhere Fluffles might spy them, so they go neatly on the stair case, where the dogs don't go Suppose one could say she's done me a favour in one way