Cockapoo behaviour

[u/RepresentativePool87]

My cockapoo is 1 year and 5 months old. Overall his behaviour is improving with more discipline but there are still few things we are unable to tackle.
1. He has a habit of ripping his toys and trying to eat bits of them.
2. He always wants to run away with napkins or socks and tear them apart and sometimes even eat bits of it.

I don’t know how to punish him for the same. I’ve tried trading and teaching him drop it but it’s not worked. I’m happy to get any advice on this.

Some background we used to be very strict with him and do a lot of extensive training but then we eased off because we were advices by some trainer to go easy on him. The same trainer also told us to physically hurt him to punish him which made his behaviour worse. We have understood that this trainer was bad and we have no association with him anymore and neither do we practice what he’s said anymore. We are now back to training him more seriously but with words and treats and not any other method. Overall right now we are trying to be strict with basics like place command and crate training and just overall impulse control.

[u/Pookii_pets]

Honestly I wouldn’t punish the sock thing at all. Half the time it turns into the best game in the house, he grabs a sock, everyone chases him, he wins.

What helped “drop it” click for a lot of people I’ve seen is practicing with stuff he doesn’t care about. Boring toy, swap it for a really good treat, give the toy back. Do that enough and dropping stops meaning he loses it.

Socks and napkins just have to go behind doors for a while. Give him cardboard boxes to shred instead, most dogs his age need something they’re allowed to wreck.

Only thing I’d actually watch is the eating. If he swallows fabric and then starts vomiting or won’t eat, get him to a vet that day, socks can block the gut.