Kennel Difficulties

he needs loads more exercise. you have to remember he's a young terrier mix - and they are very high energy.

Maybe he needs something to do in his crate too - like chewing on a kong toy or something. being young, he's probably getting bored and restless. I'd either insist the walker exercise him more thoroughly, or find someone who is able to wear him out.

ninagrace

She’s often not walking him long enough (15 minutes instead of 45)

Not even closer to what a dog should be walked, even if she claims your dog walks fine, if she is going to walk your dog for only 15 minutes you will have the same results that if he didnt walk whatsoever. 15 minutes is only a "warm up", once he is ready to really go at it he is returned home.

Chewing, or trying to escape the kennel, can both be signs of anxiety.  If you even suspect that your dog walker is harsh with your dog, you should change dog walkers.  Also, a walk, even if it's 2 hours long, is not enough for the working breeds.  They also need to exercise their minds!  Try getting some interactive dog toys for when you are home to supervise him.  Nina Ottosan puzzles, and The Pyramid are good.  I also like the bubble machines that let your dog chase chicken flavored bubbles.  There's a thread on "Bored Dogs" that I posted for people to add their dogs' favorite boredom busters.  If you think your dog may be prone to separation anxiety, here are some links to check out:

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Soon-Patricia-McConnell-Ph-D/dp/1891767054

The crate I would buy if I owned a Pit: http://www.smalldogcarriers.net/sd-proselectempirecages-large.aspx

And just some good general information on Pits and crating, etc.: http://www.pbrc.net/rotate.html

spiritdogs

Also, a walk, even if it's 2 hours long, is not enough for the working breeds.

If somebody walks a working breed for 2 hrs and that's not enough then the walk is not accomplishing it's goal. I walk my dog for 45 minutes every day with a backpack on and when we are back home he is ready to relax. I also exercise his mind as a form of self control by having him walking next to me at a human pace.

A 2 hrs "walk" smelling left and right and every tree in sight will only cause the dog come back home in an exited state of mind. A good calm and relaxed walk brings home a good and relaxed dog

 When did walking dog become so complicated? I walk my dogs for the exercise, to spend time bonding with them, and to give them the mental stimulation of getting out of the yard. They currently get walked for about 30 minutes, or Kivi goes for a 30 minute jog with me, or we go to the dog park for 30 minutes or so. They can do what they like in that time as long as they keep up and don't forge ahead. Some days Kivi comes home from these walks excited and does some zoomies afterwards. Sometimes he comes home relaxed. There's no rhyme or reason to it. It's just about his mood that day. Whatever state he enters when he gets home, though, he settles for sleep by around 9pm and that's that until about 4pm. Same with Erik. That's their routine for the most part.

espencer

spiritdogs

Also, a walk, even if it's 2 hours long, is not enough for the working breeds.

 

If somebody walks a working breed for 2 hrs and that's not enough then the walk is not accomplishing it's goal. I walk my dog for 45 minutes every day with a backpack on and when we are back home he is ready to relax. I also exercise his mind as a form of self control by having him walking next to me at a human pace.

A 2 hrs "walk" smelling left and right and every tree in sight will only cause the dog come back home in an exited state of mind. A good calm and relaxed walk brings home a good and relaxed dog

You don't just walk your dogs if they have backpacks on.  Um, your walk works to tire your dog because that's work.  

I have to disagree on your premise about the self control issue.  Having a dog continually walking next to a human is probably very boring, and there are other ways to teach self control without making the whole process "complicated."  A dog that has a two hour walk, while being allowed to "smell left and right" is just being a dog, and probably has more mental stability than the dog that goes on a forced march.  I have never had my dogs come back from a "scenting walk" in an "excited state of mind."  They come back happy and go lay down under my desk for the next hour while I type on dog.com;-)

spiritdogs

Having a dog continually walking next to a human is probably very boring

spiritdogs

probably has more mental stability than the dog that goes on a forced march.

Speculations

spiritdogs

A dog that has a two hour walk, while being allowed to "smell left and right" is just being a dog.

A dog with resource guarding is being a dog too, a dog that marks inside the house is being a dog, as dog that gets into a trash can looking for food is being a dog, a territorial dog is being a dog, a dog that chases the house's cat is being a dog.

Is a dog not a dog anymore when the human teaches him not to do all that?

Hi, ninagrace...it sounds like your dog is getting good walks from you so that is good.  I am just wondering if you have a fenced yard. At his age he still needs to do the maniacal puppy run and some kong chasing. If you don't have a yard, then maybe a friends, but not an off leash dog park. It doesn't have to be a big area, just somewhere that he can do what young dogs love to do.  If you can do this for him on a regular basis, it will help with everything. We always hear the word Pitbull but the word Terrier needs to be heard just as strongly. 

I'm concerned that he is getting marks from the gentle leader.  That tells me that he is not doing well on walks with the dog walker which is maybe why she is not walking him the full walk.  Also make sure the gentle leader is always attached to the regular collar.  If he is struggling on walks with her then he can chomp through the leader in the amount of time it takes for her to stop and say hello someone.  Also if he is walking past cats or rabbits or feisty dogs you need that second collar and you need to make sure he can't back out of either of them.  No prong collars, but a good fitting martingale is good, just in case he bites through the leader.

I guess the last thing I would say for now is that if your dog walker is being rough with him, then she is leading him down a bad path.  The other thing is playing too hard with him.  Pits are so easily overstimulated.  We all have our own ways of playing with our dogs, but we also have to have our own way of stopping the play and going to complete quiet.  So maybe find out what she does just before she crates him.

Give us a little more info regarding your home and also where he came from.  If he was a rescue, you've given him two safe nurturing months now.  Depending on where he has come from, he is starting to get a sense of belonging.  As good as that is, it brings new challenges.  

  Thank you all, I really appreciate the input.

Unfortunately we live in Chicago and don't have a fenced yard.  There are fenced playgrounds we play in, but that’s for around 30 minutes three times a week. I’ll look into this idea though, it’s a good one.

This behavior is so sudden that I really feel like it is the dog walker. We rescued him, so we haven’t had him for that long, but he’s never acted like this before. The gentle leader definitely left him some marks, he has very sensitive skin. Those marks are more from the hair on the skin being in a certain position and never involved blood. Lately I’ve been noticing marks around the back of his ears, under his chin, and on the sides of his face that are either currently bloody or scabbing. Granted we’ve only walked him on the leader for two/three weeks before this new dog walker, but we’d never seen any marks even remotely similar before she started walking him. It really just breaks my heart to see him hurt.

Today we bought a bigger kennel [5’ by 4’ by 3’] and put it in a more central place in the house [from the bedroom to the living room], and hopefully that’ll help.

Thank you all again :]

 I would be concerned about the Gentle Leader marks as well.  My pittie wears a Halti but has worn a gentle leader in the past and has very sensitive skin (she can't wear most collars because they rub her) and has never gotten marks like you describe from her head halters.

 I will definitely agree that it's *very* possible that walking along is not enough to satisfy his needs.  Sally is 5 and can go on a 3 mile walk and come home ready to play with Jack.  The backpack idea is a good one (make sure you properly condition him to the pack to prevent injury).  Doing obedience exercises (Sally loves these), using puzzle toys, or playing scent games involving hiding treats around the house for him to find or hiding yourself around the house for him to find will be good opportunities for mental stimulation.  I'm not sure how much room there is in your house, but you could try playing with him with a toy called a Jolly Ball.  They are actually a horse toy but Sally LOVES them.  We have one attached to an old leash that we drag and bounce around and have her chase--it really takes the edge off the energy level. 

 Marks behind his ears, like he's being dragged?  Ouch! Maybe one of your neighbors has seen him out with the dogwalker, and could say whether he looks happy or not?

I hope that he likes his new kennel, and feels more relaxed in it.

ninagrace

  

Lately I’ve been noticing marks around the back of his ears, under his chin, and on the sides of his face that are either currently bloody or scabbing. Granted we’ve only walked him on the leader for two/three weeks before this new dog walker, but we’d never seen any marks even remotely similar before she started walking him. It really just breaks my heart to see him hurt.

Today we bought a bigger kennel [5’ by 4’ by 3’] and put it in a more central place in the house [from the bedroom to the living room], and hopefully that’ll help.

Thank you all again :]

The bigger kennel is good.  He can shred most toys in a few minutes though so you need to have a large Kong for him to play with.  Even then, he can take a Kong apart in no time.  Hopefully, he spits things out as opposed to swallowing them. Really though, he should go to sleep in his crate. 

The marks are a concern.  It sounds like he has had some encounters or maybe just one.  Marks like that, where there is no actual tearing, are usually from impromptu quick scrapping.  Does you dog have a history of street fighting or street survival?  If so, dogs who try to meet and greet him, but ultimately try to mount him, could cause him to react and a fight will ensue.  Any chance the "dog walker" has taken him to a dog park and he has been in a quick scrap?  Or maybe a quick scrap on the street?  Was he emaciated when he was rescued?  If so, it is a strong sign that he has had to fight to eat...and on and on it goes.  Just food for thought. 

 The marks could very well be from improper use of the Gentle Leader.  If you didn't notice any marks before this dog walker, then I would have some reservations, too.  You could sew some polar fleece over the nylon to reduce the chafing if it's due to sensitive skin.  But, if you have only had the dog for a short time, remember that rescued dogs often "scope out" their new situation, and do not exhibit their full range of behaviors until they feel confident enough.  So, if the dog has arrived at the conclusion that he can do that, simultaneously as you hired a new dog walker, it may not be the dog walker's fault.  I think the suggestion about asking a neighbor to observe and report to you is a good one. 

There are marks, blood and scabs on his face from the head collar? Geez, I would not be using a tool that was leaving damage on my dog like that. Imagine the out cry there'd be if you had said you had him on a prong collar and that it had left marks and blood along his neck. It shouldn't matter what the tool is, if it was leaving any injury on my dog like that I would be taking it off straight away. There is nothing gentle about a tool that causing your dog's face to mark and bleed.