Not a Lab - an Irish Setter

**Laceezmom** · 09-01-2011, 10:57 AM

My son has a crazy, tall, goofy Irish Setter, about 1 1/2 yrs old. He has moved to a new house across from a park and the dog is wild about the squirrells. He has broken two windows (no injuries) trying to get the squirrells while watching for them from the back of the sofa. My suggestion is to make the sofa an unfriendly place by setting up well padded mouse traps that will snap (but not hurt) if he gets up on the sofa.

Do any of you dog trainers extraordinaire have other ideas? thanks. I think Irish Setters are much harder to train than Labs.

**deidra** · 09-01-2011, 11:09 AM

my suggestion would to be train the dog Leave it. He will pull after squirells on walks,chase them if he gets lose. So Leave it would come in handy. Also an alternitave would be to get blindes. So the dog couldn't see the squirells. How much exercise does his dog get? if not enough it could make it even more intense for the dog. Since he is frustrated/excited and has a lot of energy to burn. Irish setters need a lot of exercise!

**BigBrownDog** · 09-01-2011, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Laceezmom

My son has a crazy, tall, goofy Irish Setter, about 1 1/2 yrs old. He has moved to a new house across from a park and the dog is wild about the squirrells. He has broken two windows (no injuries) trying to get the squirrells while watching for them from the back of the sofa. My suggestion is to make the sofa an unfriendly place by setting up well padded mouse traps that will snap (but not hurt) if he gets up on the sofa.

Do any of you dog trainers extraordinaire have other ideas? thanks. I think Irish Setters are much harder to train than Labs.

I've used a scat mat on various surfaces over the years to keep dogs off (counters, beds, sofas). I did have a similar problem with my Dutch Shepherd who would use my dining room window seat to scout the neighborhood for squirrels. The scat mat kept her off of there successfully without me being in any negative reinforcement of her behavior.

**Laceezmom** · 09-01-2011, 10:26 PM

A scat mat sounds like a good idea but Dierdre - Smartypants - putting up blinds is brilliant. The house is under renovation so they can tape paper over the bottom sash. Don't worry about his exercise level - he gets about 18 hours per day - swims, runs, walks, play and helping the constrution crew when not breaking windows. Six foot high solid wooden fence was first completed project. He used to go to daycare but they banned him because he climbed the six foot chain link fence like a monkey and would go over the top. What a goon - sweet dog though.

**deidra** · 09-01-2011, 10:41 PM

WOW He gets a lot of exercise!!!! My dogs would be in heaven but I try to keep them on the same schedule as if I was in school adn not on summer break right now

My uncle has blindes up since his rottweiler who is a sweat heart unless she see's a cat barks and barks. He taught her leave it and sometimes it works but she still barks here and there. She tries to put her head under the curtains though and she gets a strong don't think a bout it,lol.

**HarveysMum** · 09-02-2011, 03:53 AM

Setters are crazy, but adorable. My MIL has had 3 and said they were the hardest dogs to train that she has ever had, they never seem to grow out of that puppy phase. Jumping through the window is a concern though. Is he using the sofa as a 'springboard' to the window? If so, i would move the sofa. Re-enforcing the 'no' is always good but will only work if someone is there to catch him in the act. I like the scat mat idea.

Another thought, one of MILs setters use to always run into the patio doors if she seen a bird, she was trying to get out to get the bird. She did it soooo many times that we began to wonder if she realised the glass was there. Maybe worth sticking some decals on the window to make it more obvious. MIL used old CDs at first, if i remember correctly.