# HELP! 3 year old viszla won't stop destroying



## Bears for Courage (Nov 25, 2012)

Our 3 year old Viszla, Courage, has been misbehaving almost every day in the past week. Each time we leave the house we come home to something new that she has destroyed. She knows that she's not supposed to be messing with these particular items, because as soon as we come home she slinks into the bushes with the guilty dog look and hides, but she does it anyway. 
At first I thought it was because she has too much pent-up energy, as many forum discussions say, so I got her a gentle leader and a leash so we can go on hikes in addition to the off-leash time she gets every day. We have only been on a couple on-leash hikes, so I'm not ready to give up on that yet, but it's difficult to reward her with walks when she's in trouble and time-out. It's almost like she is being spiteful for the day before and thriving from the negative attention at this point. 
Someone suggested that we ignore her negative behavior instead of trying to discipline her and then reward her positive behavior even more? Any feedback about this method?
She definitely went through a destroying phase as a puppy, but this is a new one, one where she knows better.
Any and all advice is welcome!
Thank you.


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## Lincolns Parents (Aug 6, 2011)

You can try putting her in a kennel when you leave. She wont have the opportunity to misbehave.


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Hi There! Welcome to the forum! I am by no means on expert on this and you may get more informed advice further on.

My advice, however, would be to add training sessions throughout the day. Maybe add 3 ten minute training sessions each day. This can exhaust your dog mentally. I know when Oso is particularly destructive around the house, he is seeking mental stimulation. 

Another thought, has anything changed in your home environment that may trigger anxiety? Since the behavior is new, you could look for a potential new environmental cause. 

I saw you that you mentioned punishment, time out.... what exactly does this look like? I am very often a fan of positive reinforcement, but it is difficult to either reinforce or punish a behavior if you are not there to see it.


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## AcadianTornado (Jul 30, 2012)

Littlelulu posted in another thread to get the book : 101 Dog Tricks. Plenty of imaginative ways to keep her mind occupied and keep things in check in the house!


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## SteelCityDozer (Aug 25, 2011)

Don't hold back on exercise. Always exercise. IMO She's not being spiteful from the day before. She only cares about now. Crate her when you're gone until she can be trusted again.


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## born36 (Jun 28, 2011)

luv2laugh said:


> Hi There! Welcome to the forum! I am by no means on expert on this and you may get more informed advice further on.
> 
> My advice, however, would be to add training sessions throughout the day. Maybe add 3 ten minute training sessions each day. This can exhaust your dog mentally. I know when Oso is particularly destructive around the house, he is seeking mental stimulation.
> 
> ...


This is right. If you are giving her good exercise you most likely need to start giving her mental challenges too.


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Do you hunt with her? My pups love it and it is the best way I've found to tire them out. Win-win.


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

Bears said:


> Our 3 year old Viszla, Courage, has been misbehaving almost every day in the past week. Each time we leave the house we come home to something new that she has destroyed.


This past week has been tumultous in households across the United States. Traveling families, changed routines, influx and outflow of guests, mad shopping days and all these changes are picked up by our dogs.

The holiday weeks are resplendent with dogs acting out. I'll wager if one looks back through the posts by date there will be multiple "unexplained" behavior changes during and around the holidays. The behavioral shift could be nothing more than the dog becoming unsettled at an environment changing around them. Food for thought.

Ken


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