How best to discipline a JR pup

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MyBoyChe

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Hes 9 months old, generally no trouble but has started to dig up my plants and run round the garden with them. Im not sure whether he thinks its a huge joke or knows its naughty but I simply cant catch him and he wont come back to me. He dashes about with the plant in his mouth and wont come anywhere near me, even when I tempt him with a biscuit or feed the other 2 dogs biscuits. I just have to leave him to it, once he has shaken the plant to death he will leave the bits and come trotting in. Obviously theres no point in shouting or smacking him once hes dropped it. Ive tried chasing him into a corner (failed) and throwing a blanket over him (failed, but gave the neighbour a good laugh). He wears a long piece of string attached to his collar when we go for walks as sometimes he wont come close enough to be caught and this allows us to tread on the string and nab him, not practical at home though as too many places he could hang himself where he wouldnt be noticed straight away. Is it something he will grow out of do you think, he's a terrier so I know different rules apply than to nice, normal, sane gundogs (my 2 springers look genuinely horrified when they see him misbehaving). In the greater scheme of things its a few plants so not worth getting majorly stressed but was just wondering whether there are any tried and tested methods to stop him!
 
Our 5 month old pup loves 'gardening'. We've found the best way to stop her digging up plants is to distract her by digging a hole. That suddenly becomes far more interesting.
 
I like Amymay's suggestion. Do something interesting that doesn't seem like you're trying to distract him.

If getting a biscuit isn't reward enough to leave the plant, try and see if you can't find a treat that he finds irresistible, for example dried liver, blood pudding, leverpostej (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leverpostej), natures:menu treats, goodogs treats or schmackos. If there is something he thinks is tastier, save it for special occasions, such as leaving plants alone.

If he's not food orientated, does he have a favourite toy that you could use?

I've seen and read about suggestions for building a sand box to the dog, so you can hide toys or gnaw bones in the sand, and let them find it.

Have you tried long line with a harness instead of a collar? Personally I think it is a great training aid, to teach a dog that you can always reach them/stop them from running away from you. If you use a harness, it means less risk for neck damage, but I still don't think that you should really let him wear it unsupervised, so maybe you need to consider restricting his access to the garden, until he's learnt that he should leave your plants alone.


Or perhaps buy something like this type of garden compost net

Compostsilo_01_round%20jpg.ashx


and put up as a fence around the plants you want to keep.

(Image found through Google image search, and copied from this site http://www.betafence.net/en/fences/...den-management/garden-management/compost-silo)
 
He's not being naughty, just doing what comes naturally to dogs especially terrorists. Don't chase him! That will only make his recall worse.
Find a squeaky toy or something to distract him and reward him when he leaves whatever it is. Make yourself more interesting and fun than digging the garden up.
 
With our labrador pup (and I know that is as far removed from a JRT as can be) if she has something I want I curl up in a ball on the floor and make a squeaking noise. works every time...I then gently hold her - not the 'prize' - say give it and take the prize and immediately reward her with something else.
Lucky I don't have neighbours!! I also hope by the time she is a working dog I won't have to go that far!
 
Springers looking on horrified?! My little demons have decided that a plant I looked for for ages and was eventually given the right name on here-is so delightful that they have to yank it up and play with it all the time! And apparently the lavatera is fabulously tasty! They chew it, eat it, rip off bits to play with, they are sods! Saying that, at least they don't destroy their beds like Jakey used to, massacred sheepalike on the patio daily.
 
Haha! I love JRTs. They are so funny.

On a more serious note, yes distract him with something more interesting! Does he like squeaky toys? Anything that will be more fun to him than digging up your garden.

PS. My GSD has a lovely habit of ripping apart small trees so I do feel your pain! X
 
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This takes me back to my rottie days..I remember .my pup proudly strutted into the kitchen carrying a whole uprooted rose bush in her mouth..
Since then I've covered the most precious plants with a roll of wire,until the pup has learned the leave it command...squeaky toys are your best friend at this time...divert,divert....
One compulsive digger we thwarted by inserting ornamental flagstones in between planting to dissuade digging..they were removed as dog got to adolescence and stopped digging.
Lots of walks and training at this age will tire the pup both mentally as well as physically. Your mantra is a tired dog is a good dog...it's so true.
...a bored terrorist ,oops terrier,will rule the world!
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_garden.php
 
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