Bad Bad Dog.. What do I do?

 I've told you about the animals I had while we were growing up, right?  The 'I' that is spoken of is really 'WE'; as a family.  

When we moved from New York to Florida my mother and father brought Prince with them.  Our faithful loving German Shepherd.

 I loved that dog.

We all loved that dog!  And he loved us.  As long as Prince was around, I wouldn't even suggest getting close to any of us 5 children.  He didn't care for the Florida heat but he wouldn't let anyone on the yard or even close to the house.  He was a great protector.

 

Prince wasn't the only dog we had growing up.  There were plenty between my mother and father; and my mother and step father.  So, training a dog and tending to a dog isn't new to me.

What is new to me, as a very destructive dog.  WE have one of those.  While all my children are grown and have families of their own,  when I met my sweety;  he had a family of 3 dogs.  

The oldest of the bunch is Bandit.  A chihuahua.  Bandit is about 15 years old. 

Chihuahuas have serious bathroom training issues.  As in, Bandit would use the bathroom where ever he wanted.  This picture was taken our living room, before I learned it is all but impossible to train him in the bathroom area.  Now he stays on our extended back porch, and my sweety is responsible for picking up Bandits messes.  Because of it, I hardly even sit on the back porch I worked so hard on any more.

The next on the list would be Tesla.  He reminds me of Hooch when he runs.  His mouth flows with the pace of a full force run.  He is scary looking and his muscles are impressive.  He is very thick, and I love it when he is really full.  He is massive. When the sun goes down, Tesla parks himself on our front steps.  Scanning the road for wrong doing.  He stays on the steps until the sun comes back up in the morning.

Tesla is a Bull dog.  His jaw strength speaks for itself.  His bark alerts us to unwanted guest.  This ability to make it to the front gate, while a threat 'thinks' about entering the land;  keeps the bad guys at bay.  

TESLA

The newest member of the Dog Clan is Baby.  She came to us, we think someone put her over our fence.  When we searched high and low, we could not find one single way she could have gotten into the yard.  Baby is already protective of the property.  She keeps the Boys in check.  Baby will make it to the front gate before the boys most times, and once they hear her bark; watch out!!

Baby holds her own with the guys, and she gets a lick or two in when she has had enough of the boys.  The greatest thing about Baby, is she sleeps like a human.  It is the cutest thing ever.

Baby is a hot mess.  I love looking over when she falls asleep, and seeing her like this.  To top it all of, that little girl can sure snore.  And she is loud when she enters 'deep sleep mode'.  Just like a human.

Last of the Dog Clan is Thorn.  He really puts my patience to the test.  Every last nerve on days, is stretched to the limit.  No matter how many times we tell him NO about something, he does it.  It may not be right then and there, but walk away and see what happens.  Or wait until morning. 

Thorn is the only one who rips up everything.

Destroys anything.  

He's The Unmaintainable one. 

 I am even sure I have new gray hair because of Thorn.  

Don't let that cute face fool you.  Thorn is responsible for killing many potted plants.  What dog pulls over the pots, takes out the bulbs of Tulips; and crushes them with his bite?  Or does this to my Hibiscus plant?

He is putting his nose into the pot and pulling out the potted soil.  Right down to the roots!!

I don't know how the plant is even still blooming.  The Blooms are such a pretty orange reddish color. 

Just look at that flower..

Two days ago, when my Aunt Linda was visiting;  my mother, her sister {Aunt Linda} and myself went out.  I walked to my house and told them to drive over and pick me up when they were ready.  I wanted to put my tennis shoes on before we went out.  

An OCD Feet Fetish I have.

When I walked out of my front door, I noticed one of my yard flag poles mangled.  The American Flag ripped to shreds.  The pole was bent even.  I picked it up and placed it on the stumps I have on the patio.

I was crushed.  I couldn't even speak when I seen what Thorn had done to my American Flag.  It had been in the yard for a month, why would a dog do this to a yard flag?  To my plants?  To anything I put outside?  When I got home, I took pictures of the mangled Flag Pole and hunted for the shredded American Flag.  I couldn't even drum up enough anger to yell at Thorn.  

Heart broken was all I was feeling.  

It crossed my mind that maybe Thorn was Anti American!!

Even when I place the Flag pole in the ground, next to the other yard flag I have, it was more apparent how bad the American Flag fight was.   I didn't think my heart could sink any further, until I seen the Stars and Stripes laying in the front yard.  In pieces.

With what was left on the mangled flag pole, and the Stars and Strips I picked up from the yard.  I
didn't collect it all.  I think Thorn really ate parts of the American Flag.  

How does a dog cause so much problems?

What do you do with a dog that just will not listen?  

That will dig holes everywhere in the yard, trying to get to China?  

That will not leave the potted plants alone?  

That bullies the smaller dogs?  

That is Bad bad bad? 

 Sometimes.

How do I train a dog that seems to be UN- Trainable? 

HELP!!!  I am past the point of suggesting a new place for the dog.  I am ready to call some one and Adopt the dog out.  I know this would crush my sweety, but it seems to me that Thorn needs something that WE just can not give him.  Maybe his acting out is from our busy schedules, in which case, Thorn is NOT happy.  

Do we keep an clearly UNHAPPY dog against his will?