My 8 month old RR knows when I am in the bathroom or ironing room that I am going to be awhile. She knows what she is not suppose to do, but now, when I am in either room she knows she can get away with it. What can I do.:confused:
what exactly does she get up to? How long are you away for? It might just be that she gets bored and therefore starts to perhaps chew things or be destructive in other ways. 8 months means she is in the middle of her teenage years. It's a fun time, but also a time where she will be testing her boundaries and perhaps forget the odd command that she had learned before...
Dogs are so much like childrentrying to get away with stuff the minute we turn our back! The answer is easy-you must supervise her all the time at this stage. She's like a 10 year old kid at this age--not old enough to be trusted alone. Can you let her out in the yard when you can't be with her? Or....what about setting her up to catch her in the act. For instance, leave something on the counter and pretend that you are leaving to the bathroom or laundry but sneak back in time to catch her counter surfing. If you catch her in the act, use a squirt bottle and say sternly "no!" or throw a bean bag at her or an empty can with beans or coins in it so that its loud and scary. Do this "catch ya" game several times a day for a week and I bet it will help. If you come back and find her laying down on her bed or acting appropriately, be sure to praise her.
Good luck--as they say "This too shall pass"...I'm sure its a stage that she will get past.
Thank you Maggiesmom1. I have tried cayenne pepper, bitter apple and mousetraps. She does not seem to mind the pepper or the bitter apple and she just knocks the trap on the floor.
I will do the catch you. Probably, the can with coins or pebbles. She would just chew the bean bag to shreds.
