Yarn eating puppy

[Twinsmom]

We adopted a puppy from the animal shelter 3 weeks ago. She's a Jack Russell Terrier mix and a sweet, hyper little thing.

 

The only bad habit she has so far is grabbing either the yarn or project I'm working on and refusing to let go. I love to sit on the sofa at night and crochet but it looks like that may not happen for a while!

 

She stretched a baby sweater I'm making for my nephew due in Jan. I forgot if you let go of something she grabs and ignore her she drops it. Instead I started a big tug-o-war for my precious project. Anybody else have a pet dilema like this?

 

[Sugarcoatedlies]

Not so big a dillema, but my dog will pee on a project if I leave it on the floor xD... i learned the hard way

[melkrose]

I have a Jack Russel/Cocker Spaniel mix. He was exactly the same way. We had to keep everything out of his reach. Now he is almost three and its getting better. He ruined numerous balls of yarn. We tried everything to stop him but nothing worked. We just have to keep everything out of his reach. Sorry but it will get better as they grow.

[craziebunny]

Sorry that he ruined your project but I had to get a laugh out of the minds picture of you fighting with the puppy!

I dont have yarn problems from my dog just my shoes!Everytime we leave the house and I forget to put my shoes up she tries to chew on them. Like Hey mom you left me behind!I'll fix you!

[Ldyjarhead]

Jack Russells need lots of exercise and playing. If she is grabbing your yarn, stop what you're doing and find a toy and play with her with that. They are one of the more active and hyper dogs out there. It's not likely to change, so you will have to find a way to work with it, or you'll both be miserable.

 

I've never known a JRT that didn't love a good game of tug of war. Make sure you have a special toy or two for just that, and train her that those toys are what that game is for, and those toys only.

[Craw]

My JRT LOVES to play ball. She never wanted my yarn but the cats are a different story. They climb in my project bag to look for balls and DESTROY. If I'm crocheting and the doggie wants to play, she gets her ball and dumps it right in my lap. If I try to ignore her she jumps on my lap and breathes in my face.

[boksie]

My chis stay out of my yarns and projects. If I crochet while sitting on the couch there is a jealousy thing about wanting my attention. They wrestle with each other to see who gets to sit on my lap (they both can but that's not what they want!) If I'm crocheting while one is in my lap I better pause often and give 'em some attention! Geez, it's worse than when my sons were kids! LOL!

[texasredhead]

When my son's dog, Toby (Mancester Terrier) , comes to visit I have to put everything away and close the bedroom doors. He loves to put things into his mouth and run out into the back yard and he won't let you have it! He has gotten into my crochet bag and ran off with my yarn several times! So, here is a pic of him with a ball of old yarn that I let him have. He has strung the yarn all over the yard and back into the house again!!

 

[watersprite]

:lol The things we do for our pets! Mine (1 cat, 1 dog) make sure that when they want attention, they get attention! They are pretty good now about not messing with "Mom's" stuff, but I don't take any chances -- no baskets of projects on the floor, everything in covered and closed containers when I'm not there.

[alibra]

My Jack Russell Terrier doesn't touch my yarn, or my whips, but my cats well NOW that's another story!!

[glitterhooker]

I know all too well what happens when pets want attention. I live in a house wit h2 cats (one mine one my roomie's.) My roomie's cat is usually the good one. She won't mess with the yarn while you're working wit hht. It's MY cat that is the psycho yarn whore kitty lol. So today I was working on a travelghan and all of a sudden I am noticing it is getting harder and harder t oet the yarn to come off the ball in my bag. I look down from the TV show I was watching while I worked and I see my roomie's cat down there wit h her paws wrapped up in the string comming from the ball!!! She looked at me and just gave this pathetic meow. I gave her a hard time about it for a minute, untangled her and kept working.

[Knit Happens]

check out my avatar lol - your puppy just wants to play with you, ESPECIALLY since you're involved in something else and paying the pup no mind at the moment. Wrap up a scrap ball of yarn for the pup to "play with" - tie some knots in it so it doesn't come untangled and to make sure he can't really eat any of it while you play with the pup and the yarn. My dog will occasionally still stick his nose in m skein now and again, but he's 8 now and the novelty has worn off -- when he was younger he had his own skein of purple yarn tied in knots and when he wanted my attention when I was crafting we'd play with it for a bit and he'd be satisfied and let me craft when we were done. Gotta love those pets!

[rshseaeagle]

I have two Golden Retrievers, one just turned 3 and one is 6 months. My puppy is the biggest chewer I have ever had. She chews on everything, the walls, the puppy gate, my yarn, my hand, anything. My Older Girl just loves to have her "Prizes" which she doesn't harm, she just carries them around very proudly in her mouth.

 

I have a good sized back yard which they go out in every day weather permitting with Mom to play, but even when they are tired from playing it doesn't stop the baby from trying to eat my yarn. It has taken several months and one ball of yarn tied up in knots that is hers to keep her away from Mommy's yarn. Everyone once in a while I will be crocheting and she will sneak a grab at my yarn but she is still learning. .

 

They just want attention! Mom is doing something other than playing with them. I swear they are worse than the kids .

 

Keep working with your puppy and give him his own special toy he can only have when you are crocheting and it will turn this into a special time for him, not to mention allowing you to crochet. It will take a bit of patience and some time, but he will eventually learn that your project is off limits.

 

Never, Never, Never try to grab anything out of his mouth. It will turn into a disaster. Tug of War is the greatest game in the world if they have something they shouldn't. I always call my girls to me in a "happy" voice so they don't think they are in trouble, and ask them "What they Have" and tell them to "show Mom". They will usually come to me and then I can get a hold of them. If you put your finger in the very back of the mouth behind the teeth between the upper and lower jaw against the gums and push your finger between the jaws, you can get them to open thier mouths. Dogs have a tremendous amount of force in thier jaws and this is the only way we can get the mouth to open without risk of injury to whatever is in the mouth and/or your hand. (This is what my vet told me to do). When they give me whatever they have, I reward them with either hugs or a treat.

 

It's amazing what we do for our babies, I know mine are Horribly SPOILED and get away with tons more than my kids ever have.

 

LOL,

Toni

[Twinsmom]

O.K. I added a picture of the guilty party. Doesn't she look totally sweet and innocent? She's got lots of toys and gets lots of excercise. It's just that what mama is playing with looks more fun!

 

I can't figure out what she is mixed with. You can't tell so much from this picture but her face and body look just like a smooth coat Jack Russell but her coloring is totally blonde except for a white stripe down her nose and white paws. She's a pretty puppy!

 

[minx19662000]

jack russel terriers are chewers and diggers. did you try buying her some chew toys and a tug of war rope. every time she goes after your yarn or project you firmly tell her no and give her one of her toys instead. eventually she will get the hint and stop going after your yarn.

[Twinsmom]

Yeah, she's got lots of chew toys. She also has a stuffed toy shark that the boys gave her. She likes to grab onto it's fins or tail and play tug of war.

 

Maybe it's just a matter of training her. Hey, y'all have given me an idea. I think I'll pretend to crochet with some old cheap scrap yarn and start telling her no and giving her another toy. That way I don't risk an actual project or good yarn.

 

Now the hard part is . . . what yarn am I willing to sacrifice?

[birdlady1]

I was somewhat confused when I read the subject line of your thread. It said Yarn Eating Dog. So I thought your yarn was ALIVE and devouring your puppy. Then I realized that if it had been hyphenated, it would have meant something totally different! Yarn-Eating Dog -- a dog that eats yarn!