Doberman training

[cariehealy]

We have a 5 month old doberman puppy, but we cannot get him to stop chewing our leather sofa. We have tried everything but he does not appear to take any notice. Does anyone have any ideas of the best way to stop him from doing this?

[flump1]

Hi, when he is near the sofa and looks like his is going to chew/ nibble it , try spraying your pup with a gentle mist of water from a spray bottle just near his face, .He will not know where it is coming from and maybe, just maybe it might distract him. You may repeat it for a while until he learns !! Good luck with him !

[misundrstood]

flump 1 i dont like dogs or cats but i can see your answer makes sense it is unpleasant or unexpected from the animal and that will help make them stop or you can try putting something they or he or she doesnt like around the area that may put them off cariehealy

[woofgang]

at five months, pup should understand and comply with "NO" when you are there. I completely get that when you are not there its like leaving him with a great big chew toy so deny him access to the room with the sofa in when you can't supervise. When you are there and he starts chewing, tell him no and distract him with a toy. If he won't be distracted then physically remove him from the sofa and tell him NO and keep on doing it

I remember reading about that Supernanny woman being asked how you get a child to keep a sunhat on and she said "its easy. You put the hat on the child, she takes it off you put it on again AND KEEP ON DOING IT!!"

Is he disobedient about anything else? I am not advocating puppy abuse but he's going to be a big boy when he's older...I'd make sure that you have control now!
My big boys (seven months and over 25 kg each) are weimaraner GSP crosses so I know whereof I speak!

[tinglepie]

look I have suggested this before but it has been ignored because eveyone on here has there head stuck up there bottom of late. food blend some chillis (prefferably birdseye) add a bit of water and swear over parts where the dog chews. THIS WILL STOP IT


FACT

[woofgang]

actually we tried this with our weimaraner pup some years ago when he was chewing our pine table and he licked off the chilli then chewed the table!

also it would probably mark the leather

[doglady]

Keep a lead on him in the house. Put a dog gate in the doorway to your lounge so he doesn't start scratching at the door. When he chews the sofa, get up, grab the lead, don't say anything to him or give him any eye contact, take him out of the room and shut him out. Sit back down, still don't look at him. Give him a few minutes, let him back in, again without saying anything or looking at him. Be consistant and do it every time he chews.

The message there is that he doesn't get told off or get any attention for being naughty, but if he chews the sofa he gets put out of the room. If he can behave he can stay in with you. Make sure you tell him he's good if he's in the room and not chewing the sofa, and give him something else appropriate to chew on.

Also, get his mouth checked by the vet to make sure there is nothing hurting him and making him chew.