My dog picks up things. How do I stop this unwanted behavior?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You need to teach Sofi basic commands: come, sit, drop it, leave it. You can't expect a dog to know how to do this things naturally. Leave it is a great command, as when you see her going for something you can use it. Also drop it is great because once she has something you can call her to you and have her drop it/give it to you. She is a young dog and sometimes it takes 2-3 years to grow out of this. I would pick up things you do not want her to get in to, close bedroom/closet doors and confine her when you are not home. I would also hire a trainer or take her to classes if you feel teaching her these things yourself will not go well. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This is undesired behavior and it is ideal to correct now while she is young and small. I would recommend leash training her and using treats as positive reinforcement for good behavior. If she stops biting you when you say "off" or "no" then you should reward her with a treat. Another training method is negative reinforcement. When she does the undesired behavior, a spray bottle filled with water is used to spritz her in the face while saying "off" or "no". If training is unsuccessful you might want to consider contacting a trainer for advice and for puppy training classes. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I find that flipping puppies that misbehave on their back in your arms or on the ground and holding them in place for a minute or two helps. I've had some fairly aggressive puppies that this trick worked well with. Also, saying in a stern voice "off!" or "stop!" when the unwanted behavior happens can help correct this as well. I would also consider incorporating a spray bottle filled with water and using this every time the puppy becomes aggressive. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend using a spray bottle filled with water and spray Zhuri in the face whenever this behavior occurs and say "off!". You can also use an empty can filled with coins and shake it loudly whenever this behavior occurs and say "off!". I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would suggest using a citronella spray collar or bark collar and see if this helps deter Austin from barking. You can also try using a spray bottle filled with water and every time he barks, spray him in the face lightly and say "no!" or use a can filled with coins and shake it loudly and throw it on the ground near Austin when he barks and say "no!". I hope this helps with the barking! These tricks worked great for my own pet but it took patience and persistence. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please remember to rate this answer as helpful or not. Thank you!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This can of course be an issue as she could eat something tha perhaps upsets her stomach or even worse that causes an obstruction. The best thing is to teach her by continuously letting her know that that is unacceptable behavior. Otherwise, another option is using a basket muzzle when going outside which may prevent her from getting things in her mouth. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend using deterrents such as bitter apple spray and spray it directly on your couch or use a spray bottle filled with water and every time you catch her chewing, spritz her in the face and say "off!". Loud noises such as a can filled with coins or an air horn can also help deter her from chewing. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.