Scratching Floor Help

[Jumpin'Jack 68]

Hi,

 

I got a lurcher from a rescue (although intend on working him with my non rescue lurcher - he has been worked before and was found straying).

 

He keeps scratching the floors.

 

He has scratched and ripped a hole in the kitchen lino and has today scratched the living room carpet and put a hole in it.

 

Does anyone know why he would be doing this and how to stop it?

 

Thanks

Rebecca

[Newlamper 4]

Giv the dog a smack on the nose and point out the floor ie the hole.

The dog will soon understand.

Not too hard tho that would be cruel

[trenchfoot 4,243]

You may have unwanted visitors under the floor. If he is doing this as a "nesting" process, I would crate him. Oh and exercise him till he knackered! that and a belly full of grub should see him sleep soundly. And he will thank you for it

[sowhat 1,572]

He may be used to lying on something, either a nice dog bed or a quilt, or he may have been in a kennel with straw .

My dogs tend to scratch their beds before they lay down,it can be quite annoying at times.

Hope you get it sorted

[skycat 6,173]

This could be down to stress: the last thing you should do to a dog you've only had a short while is hit it. I would contact Jim Greenwood: who is one of the best dog behaviourists and lurcher men around. He does a lot of work for Lurcherlink ( a lurcher rescue charity) dogs with all sorts of problems. Contact Jim here: http://www.jandjgreenwood.co.uk/

 

He will talk to you on the phone for free, but charges for visits as this is how he earns his living.

[Guest long-tail]

how long was it kenneled for in rescue could have been continualy scratching at the base of a kennel gate maybe now cant stop the habbit,will need breaking somehow though

[Jumpin'Jack 68]

This could be down to stress: the last thing you should do to a dog you've only had a short while is hit it. I would contact Jim Greenwood: who is one of the best dog behaviourists and lurcher men around. He does a lot of work for Lurcherlink ( a lurcher rescue charity) dogs with all sorts of problems. Contact Jim here: http://www.jandjgreenwood.co.uk/

 

He will talk to you on the phone for free, but charges for visits as this is how he earns his living.

Cheers Sky.Am a member of LL and have already booked to see Jim on the 11th

[Jumpin'Jack 68]

Trenchfoot - He gets 2 meals a day and 2 walks a day. One on lead and one off lead with my Saluki x and Bull x Pup

 

Sowhat - He has a bed and a crate

 

Longtail - He was in there a good few months

[deano's TJ 45]

id say stress withit being a rescue dog time will tell or it could be boredom make sure it gets plenty of exercize !

[Jumpin'Jack 68]

id say stress withit being a rescue dog time will tell or it could be boredom make sure it gets plenty of exercize !

He's getting plenty of exercise mate

[skycat 6,173]

This could be down to stress: the last thing you should do to a dog you've only had a short while is hit it. I would contact Jim Greenwood: who is one of the best dog behaviourists and lurcher men around. He does a lot of work for Lurcherlink ( a lurcher rescue charity) dogs with all sorts of problems. Contact Jim here: http://www.jandjgreenwood.co.uk/

 

He will talk to you on the phone for free, but charges for visits as this is how he earns his living.

Cheers Sky.Am a member of LL and have already booked to see Jim on the 11th

 

Good. Do let us know what Jim says and what he advises: it will be useful information for lots of people.

[Casso 1,261]

Hi,

 

I got a lurcher from a rescue (although intend on working him with my non rescue lurcher - he has been worked before and was found straying).

 

He keeps scratching the floors.

 

He has scratched and ripped a hole in the kitchen lino and has today scratched the living room carpet and put a hole in it.

 

Does anyone know why he would be doing this and how to stop it?

 

Thanks

Rebecca

the mutt has drive energy seeping out in what has become a habit formed tension release, get him out using other avenues of drive, hunting , lamping ,mooching , ball play , tug play something that results in a positive interaction involving you and a huge use of energy

show and encourage him to express drive in other forms,

get him expressing it orally its most natural and feels better for the mutt,

[Jumpin'Jack 68]

Hi,

 

I got a lurcher from a rescue (although intend on working him with my non rescue lurcher - he has been worked before and was found straying).

 

He keeps scratching the floors.

 

He has scratched and ripped a hole in the kitchen lino and has today scratched the living room carpet and put a hole in it.

 

Does anyone know why he would be doing this and how to stop it?

 

Thanks

Rebecca

the mutt has drive energy seeping out in what has become a habit formed tension release, get him out using other avenues of drive, hunting , lamping ,mooching , ball play , tug play something that results in a positive interaction involving you and a huge use of energy

show and encourage him to express drive in other forms,

get him expressing it orally its most natural and feels better for the mutt,

 

 

Going out lamping tomorrow night on my new permission to see how he does

[beast 1,884]

i agree with casso, although i would use different words. this sounds like what the behaviouralists call stereotpical behaviour. lots of intelligent animals develop strange habits if allowed to become bored or stressed for long time periods, such as the bears you see swaying in a zoo or chained elephants trying to pace in a circus. the dog has developed the habit in kennels as a response or coping mechanism to boredom, and once these habits develop they are very hard to stop. if the dog starts diging when you are there, distract it. dont tell it off andd certainly dont smack it. and DEFINITELY dont smack it if you come home and find some damage after the event! you need to find ways to break this behaviour pattern, getting the dog tired then leaving it with a nice big feed so it sleeps is a good plan, toys like kong balls and even big meaty bones are great. try to avoid leaving the dog in any situation where it can cause damage, prevention is better than cure. but the only limit to solving this problem is your imagination, there is loads on the internet about "environmental enrichment" so get googling!!

[Casso 1,261]

natural canine behavior expressed as pups such as mouthing chewing or biting are just that, there is no malicious intent in fact there is no thinking involved

 

these outlets or expressions are hardwired into the canine for thousands of years they must be expressed in that form at that age is a compulsion which in turn leads to a level headed adult dog

 

the problem is in a house this behavior becomes unbearable with modern living and tempers fray and a pup gets slapped or beaten and subdued, the discipline will probably work but the compulsion to express drive orally in the pups mind is now a problem with the owner there and may even format itself into a activity which is still an inherent part of his drive , digging , there is no thinking involved its instinctive in both cases, energy has got to come out somewhere,

 

if ya can get him out hunting great, i would think he will find it difficult to pick up the bunny at the start and i doubt very much he'll be softmouthed because reading between the lines his oral inclinations may not be up to scratch and heavy handed ,

i found dogs that have been disciplined for oral inclinations as pups especially sensitive ones ,slower to pick up as adults and may fumble about with the first few withholding the oral mouthing process needed to catch,

 

try getting the pup to express his bark and his bite , it is more satisfying for the dog to release the bite , if a dog doesn't love to bite something then he NEEDS to bite something, and letting it out in that form with a tug item will pay dividends in your relationship,

all the best with the mutt, the problem will cease once natural canine behavior starts,