[vacheron]

Hey guys I have a question. How do I get Vaus to stop messing with his ears? I have been banding his ears for months now to encourage hair growth and he has never bothered them until just recently. He has started to chew them and scratches them until the bands and wrappers break or come off. He only does this when put him in the crate before I go to work in the evening. When I come home in the morning he is a hot mess with hair all over the place and chewed up wrapping and bands.:doh:

He doesn't have an ear infection and I have tried bitter apple, and Tabasco sauce to stop the chewing but nothing seems to help. He scratches them out then. They aren't too tight either. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[KPoos]

He may just need something to chew on and he has that tasty banding and wrapping right there. Do you offer bones or things for him to chew on? I know it's tough because he's in show coat but maybe the ones he can ingest completely might help distract him?

 

[Poodlepal]

Are you banding and wrapping hight enough? Place your band righ under the ear leather (but be careful not to get the actual leather in the band). Wrap and fold into a small package of about two inches long. It should not be long enough to make it into the mouth.

 

[vacheron]

Are you banding and wrapping hight enough? Place your band righ under the ear leather (but be careful not to get the actual leather in the band). Wrap and fold into a small package of about two inches long. It should not be long enough to make it into the mouth.

I band right under the ear leather. He can't reach it to chew but then he scratches the hell out of his head until the wrapping is hanging on by a thread. That's why I was banding and wrapping a little lower but then he chews on them. It's driving me crazy! He has raw soup bones in his crate I got from the butcher, cut up in manageable chunks of course, and his favorite toy. He didn't start this until after I brought Pann, my new spoo into the house. Maybe that has something to do with it.:argh:

 

[KPoos]

Hmm, well they are smart as whips so it could be.

 

[katsdogworld]

Is he possibly responsible enough to stay out of his crate while you're working?
If not, perhaps a snood would work?

 

[jester's mom]

Is he possibly responsible enough to stay out of his crate while you're working?
If not, perhaps a snood would work?

I agree that if he would be good left free, that maybe would cure the problem. Maybe try leaving him loose when you go out for an hour or so and see how he does? I don't think a snood would help though, dogs can take them off very easily and he would have it off in minutes and could possibly get in the habit of chewing them up and even if he didn't, I don't think I would want my guys to learn they can take their snood off whenever they wanted as it would be needed for show time and when they eat.

I wish I had more thoughts other than what was already given and what you have already tried, but I wish you the best in finding the "right cure".

 

[KPoos]

Is Pan out loose while you are gone? Or are they both crated next to each other?

 

[vacheron]

Is Pan out loose while you are gone? Or are they both crated next to each other?

He and Pan were crated next to each other but Pan barks and yells so much to get out that I had to put Pan in the kitchen. My husband couldn't get to sleep at night and Pan would bark and yell until 3 or 4 in the morning. I would come home and Pan would start again with the barking and yelling until I would take him out the crate to go to the bathroom. and feed him separatly .Vaus has run of the house when im home when im sleep. Pann is crated because he is not house trained

 

[KPoos]

He might be upset because Pann is disrupting his routine. Dogs remind me of kids. If their routine gets disrupted they get upset and start acting out. He might have to just get used to Pann and then the behaviors that you don't want will go away.

One thing I will say though is if Pann is crying and yelling and you go to him even if he needs to go out, it's going to reinforce the idea that he has to do that to get his way and he will just keep doing it. Go to him when he quiets for a minute and say good boy and let him out. Otherwise you have to ignore him when he's crying.

 

[spoospirit]

The snood won't work as Jester's Mom said. Taffy will take hers off right after I put it on if I don't watch her and she only wears it to eat.

I agree that Pann may be disrupting Vaus and making him act out. It sounds like he is nervous and that is his way of expressing his anxiety. Is there any way that Vaus can be left out of his crate? I don't know how old he is now but Billy is 13 months old and has been able to be out of his crate for a couple of months now unsupervised and doesn't get into any trouble. He plays with his toys and sleeps on the living room rug.

If he is mature enough and non-destructive, maybe that will help.

Never let a puppy out of the crate when it is actively complaining. Wait until it is quite for a few moment as Kpoos suggested. That way they won't think that they are being rewarded for complaining. Dianne had to do this with two of her pups to train them not to keep barking and complaining while crated. They eventually learned that if they were quiet, they got what they wanted; which was to come out.

 

[vacheron]

Thanks for all the advise. Vaus does have the run of the house when I am home but not when I have to go to work. Hubby is a bit uncomfortable with the dog being out when I'm
at work but he is going to have to get use to the idea.

Pann is being a a little pain in my backside right now with the barking and potty issues and I guess Vaus is sensing that and acting out. I will try my bigboy out all the time now. Hubby wil just have to get use to a spoo following him from room to room!

 

[jak]

Yes, Spoos are well known for their following of you where ever you go lol

 

[KPoos]

He might just be like a big brother and jealous that this new guy is taking his attention and he's super annoying. Pretty soon when Pann settles in Vaus can teach him the ropes and hopefully he can potty train him for you. Dogs have this great communication with each other and if one is really smart and knows the way of things in the house, they can show the other one what to do.

 

[vacheron]

I certainly hope things settle down. Things here are a bit hectic around here. I changed Vaus's wrappers to vet wrap which is a lot softer. He seems to tolerate them more. They make no noise like the plastic ones did and it's a little easier to apply. He has been out all the time for the past couple days and has turned into a real cuddle bug. Pann doesn't like it too much and barks and whines even more now but everytime I take him out he makes a bee line straight for Vaus's wrappers and bands. I sprayed them with bitter apple but he is still being a pain. Pann has been at my home for a month now and is more whiney and noisey. Vaus really doesn't like him too much. I
hope this changes. Plus I hope the potty issues get better with time too. Ah the joys of puppy ownership!hwell:

 

[dbrazzil]

I have a problem with my male toy pulling out the bands on my females head and neck. Should I spray something on the bands or her hair so he will leave her alone? I have had to keep trimming hair to even it out. I don't know if she will ever get a long top knot if I can't keep my male from pulling all her hair out. I hate to keep her crated all the time, since she only gets to be out when I return from work.

 

[roxy25]

Tabasco sauce did not work , so maybe up the antie to habanero peppers lol

So Far I have not band enzo up and his hair is not matting His ears are banded and that is it. I am still trying to get my cousin or friend to braid him up lol I will send you a picture when ever I get it done.

 

[Fur Elite]

dbrazzil, I know your pain. I had similar issues when I brought my male home as a puppy and my bitch was still showing. Luckily she finished before long after. Now I have a young puppy and my male is in full coat. I personally believe my dogs' pet lives are more important than their coat...within reason. I don't crate anyone or keep them seperated. When I see the puppy swinging in the air on the ear wrappers of the male I quickly get him off. They wrestle and play, and if it is too rough I will distract the puppy to do something else. I keep his hair wrapped from the head to shoulders where it is most vulnerable and important.

You may be able to train the toy not to do this destructive pulling out. Why not do some aversion training and squirt him with water whenever he starts to do it.

 

[KPoos]

I was once advised to use an air can just for sound because they really don't like it. It totally works, I'd try it every single time you see that puppy go near those bands make that sound or even try that trick with the coins in a can. Anything that will get him thinking he's going to set off an ugly sound if he touches the bands.