I have a GSD of about 6 months, she's quite healthy with good appetite and with a good feed conversion ratio, she's so playful to an annoying extent that she plays with her plates after eating, she even broke one of her plates @ 3 months (ceramic plate)which prompted me buy much toys for her (even the ones that makes sound) but that didn't stop her from still playing with plates and even rubbing it on poops though she's mostly locked up in her cage, so I had to always remove her plate of water and food once she's done eating. Sometime ago, a friend visited me and saw that her cage had no bowl of water and he complained badly that water is always supposed to be within reach for her and I had to explain how she messes her plate up and plays with it, he kept quite and said I have to find a means of putting water in her cage. Please anyone with an idea of how I can always leave water in her house without her playing with the plate and end up pouring it away or messing it up?

sinnermanny: I have a GSD of about 6 months, she's quite healthy with good appetite and with a good feed conversion ratio, she's so playful to an annoying extent that she plays with her plates after eating, she even broke one of her plates @ 3 months (ceramic plate)which prompted me buy much toys for her (even the ones that makes sound) but that didn't stop her from still playing with plates and even rubbing it on poops though she's mostly locked up in her cage, so I had to always remove her plate of water and food once she's done eating. Sometime ago, a friend visited me and saw that her cage had no bowl of water and he complained badly that water is always supposed to be within reach for her and I had to explain how she messes her plate up and plays with it, he kept quite and said I have to find a means of putting water in her cage. Please anyone with an idea of how I can always leave water in her house without her playing with the plate and end up pouring it away or messing it up?

You have an high energy dog that need a lot if exercise to stimulate her mind, she is trying to burn the energy chewing and toys only won't solve the issue. If you are feeding dry food, you need to make water available for your pup in order to rehydrate herself. My dogs don't poo inside the cage so I don't know how to do it without messing everywhere .

First of all..... you dog needs to stop pooping in her cage. If you have the time.... identify the signs and react when she wants to do it.

Ajanii: First of all..... you dog needs to stop pooping in her cage. If you have the time.... identify the signs and react when she wants to do it.

o add to what he said.. u need to learn or know some signs when ur dog what's to poo so that u will send her out. but a little trick can work .. feed her and over feed again when she starts making signs of pooing take her out of the cage and she will stop pooing in her cage

Ok...a dog, naturally never poops where it sleeps...so i am sure it is mostly locked up and so when its time to go, you hear some whining sounds like she wants to cry..please release her immediately or it could really develop into something not cool....also the time of the day you feed her can give you an estimate of when she has to go...you really need to stop this behaviour...u can let her roam sometimes after eating or you take her for a little walk so she can ease herself...as for playing with the plate..my dogs turn their bowls upside down once they finish eating..i dont know if its general buh its weird in a good way...btw..get stainless bowls..easy to clean...

In summary. Do the following; release the puppy in the morning, it will poop and play thereby reducing it restlessness ,but if you are sharing your compound with neighbors try taking the pup for a walk. Secondly, I always prefer giving bones that the dog can't swallow as chew toy. You can also get stainless steel bowl with stands. Don't forget your pup is teething*n so the urge to chew is pressing. If you can't get bones, get rawhide (it is a chew toy)

thanks everyone, it's all noted, it's just that i stay alone, and i go to work in the morning and return in the evening but i take her for a walk once in a while especially during weekends. Furthermore, i have neighbors and some of them have phobia for dogs. I provide her with bones too and these are cattle bones in which she can't munch rather plays with it.

Argh!

Seun: Argh!

pitying me and my dog i guess ?

Seun: Argh!

lol..please what is on your mind?...i am guessing you did not like peoples solutions
and also the fact that you did not see this topic earlier.

@sinnermanny: Please stop using ceramic plates to feed your dog. Use metal plates. The biggest that you can find, preferably from a pet store.

Please create a diary thread for your puppy and discuss everything you are doing to take care of her; I think you're making many mistakes.

doeying: lol..please what is on your mind?...i am guessing you did not like peoples solutions
and also the fact that you did not see this topic earlier.

I just feel that he's doing so many things wrong. This makes me feel bad for the puppy. I need to calm down and revisit the thread later.

sinnermanny: pitying me and my dog i guess ?

Yes. Mostly the dog heh.

I always wonder why most breeders and pet lovers derive joy in keeping their pets on chains or in cages...The kennel was originally built to restrain aggressive and wild dogs...Why on earth would you put a 6 month old pup in a kennel? Why your dog keeps breaking plates and misbehaving is due to boredom and the feeling of being restrained...If you don't have the entire compound to yourself, you can at least make a perimeter fence for her to run around (hope u know what i mean by a perimeter fence). Give her a lot of attention and care too...Dogs are highly trainable and this can be effectively achieved through love. If she poops in her cage, its because you haven't taken time to study your dog to know her body metabolism...i have adult dogs running around my compound, never had the need to restrain any dog. I presently have a pup who sleeps in my room, he's the last pup of my last litter. I relocated him into my room cos he fell ill at 5 weeks, he has since grown out of the illness now but still lives inside. Eversince he moved in, he has never for once messed up my room, he chose my laundry basket as his bed and i never complained. I take him out to pee and wee before i leave work every morning, the moment i drop him in my little garden, he knows i expect him to pee and wee, and we go back inside immediately. I have someone at home to repeat this session about 2 more times before i get back from work.
MORAL LESSON: Study your pet and know his weaknesses, respect his boundaries and you will live hapillly ever after...........

#PENSIVE# ........ To start with, am having some challenges with my dog.
1. TIME : I leave for work as early as 7:30 am and return by 5:30 pm.
2. LIVING ALONE: Like i said earlier, i live alone which makes me the sole caretaker of my dog.
3. CYNOPHOBIC NEIGHBORS: As a result of my neighbor's fear, i can't release her to play in the compound when am away . Furthermore.... There are little kids in my compound who plays excessively with her and i don't appreciate that (she will grow up being unaggressive)

Reasons why i prefer her being in the cage.
1. To control what she ingests, i have noticed some of my neighbor's children feeding somethings i don't really appreciate to my dog whenever i release her.
2. To control the people/ visitors she sees or have access to because i believe that if i allow her play around in the compound often, she will have access to all of them.
3. My compound isn't floored (Don't know why i rented the apartment sef ) and due to this reason, she gets easily dirty when i release her to play in the compound and picks foreign materials randomly on the ground. @ Seun..... can u permit me to create the diary here since i own this thread ?

Also, place the dog on multivitamins,

sinnermanny: #PENSIVE# ........ To start with, am having some challenges with my dog.
1. TIME : I leave for work as early as 7:30 am and return by 5:30 pm.
2. LIVING ALONE: Like i said earlier, i live alone which makes me the sole caretaker of my dog.
3. CYNOPHOBIC NEIGHBORS: As a result of my neighbor's fear, i can't release her to play in the compound when am away . Furthermore.... There are little kids in my compound who plays excessively with her and i don't appreciate that (she will grow up being unaggressive)

Reasons why i prefer her being in the cage.
1. To control what she ingests, i have noticed some of my neighbor's children feeding somethings i don't really appreciate to my dog whenever i release her.
2. To control the people/ visitors she sees or have access to because i believe that if i allow her play around in the compound often, she will have access to all of them.
3. My compound isn't floored (Don't know why i rented the apartment sef ) and due to this reason, she gets easily dirty when i release her to play in the compound and picks foreign materials randomly on the ground. @ Seun..... can u permit me to create the diary here since i own this thread ?

Mate, I feel your pains...But i still feel there're a lot of things you can do about these...To counter your points, hear my part:
1. I leave for work as early as 5:30am every morning and don't get back till like 8pm...To make up for these, i dedicate my entire evenings to my dogs. We play like we're kids,we have a bond together. This way, they forgive me for staying away during the day.
2.Living alone: Same here, i only devised a way out by hiring some dude who i trust with my dogs, he checks on them during the day.
3. Your Neighbours Fears: you can get a perimeter fence. These are wired fences used in marking out a dog's territories. This could be suitably positioned within your compound. Sure your neighbours wouldn't complain about that. About the kids who play with her excessively, sure they can't go beyond the perimeter fences. I have been in the situation before and i sure survived.

Reasons why you should't prefer putting her in a cage.
1. You can still control what she eats if she's within the perimeter fence. She has more space to run around and hence ease her boredom and burn off calories.
2. A dog's aggression is psychological and doesn't really doesnt depend on her seeing visitors or not. As time goes by, she's gonna determine and identify potential threats and frown at them. It's a thing of the mind. Also, i recommend you socialize ur dog.
3. She can't pick up foreign particles cos the space within the perimeter fence is "hygiene controlled".


Hope i solved all your puzzles...So glad to be of help

arcbay:

Mate, I feel your pains...But i still feel there're a lot of things you can do about these...To counter your points, hear my part:
1. I leave for work as early as 5:30am every morning and don't get back till like 8pm...To make up for these, i dedicate my entire evenings to my dogs. We play like we're kids,we have a bond together. This way, they forgive me for staying away during the day.
2.Living alone: Same here, i only devised a way out by hiring some dude who i trust with my dogs, he checks on them during the day.
3. Your Neighbours Fears: you can get a perimeter fence. These are wired fences used in marking out a dog's territories. This could be suitably positioned within your compound. Sure your neighbours wouldn't complain about that. About the kids who play with her excessively, sure they can't go beyond the perimeter fences. I have been in the situation before and i sure survived.

Reasons why you should't prefer putting her in a cage.
1. You can still control what she eats if she's within the perimeter fence. She has more space to run around and hence ease her boredom and burn off calories.
2. A dog's aggression is psychological and doesn't really doesnt depend on her seeing visitors or not. As time goes by, she's gonna determine and identify potential threats and frown at them. It's a thing of the mind. Also, i recommend you socialize ur dog.
3. She can't pick up foreign particles cos the space within the perimeter fence is "hygiene controlled".


Hope i solved all your puzzles...So glad to be of help

you did try bro, but most of thEse things don't seem feasible while am still in this my present compound because even her kennel is a kinda inconvenience for the landlord but he has no choice due to our agreement before i moved in. So..... trying to create a perimeter fence in the compound would seem outrageous, i will be leaving the house once my present rent is due by GOD'S GRACE and my next abode will permit this GOD'S WILLING.

doeying: Ok...a dog, naturally never poops where it sleeps...so i am sure it is mostly locked up and so when its time to go, you hear some whining sounds like she wants to cry..please release her immediately or it could really develop into something not cool....also the time of the day you feed her can give you an estimate of when she has to go...you really need to stop this behaviour...u can let her roam sometimes after eating or you take her for a little walk so she can ease herself...as for playing with the plate..my dogs turn their bowls upside down once they finish eating..i dont know if its general buh its weird in a good way...btw..get stainless bowls..easy to clean...

Our GSD also behavior d same way yours behaves... The cry to poo, the turning of plates upside down after eating and She is very energetic and sharp!