How can I keep my puppy from chewing and Digging!!

[USgal-In-Manitoba]

We have a 6 month old PB border collie female pup. She has proven herself with working the cattle and you couldn't ask for a more loyal pup. She is great in every aspect except for the chewing and digging. I've tried at least 4 different pest control powders and none of them work. I've scolded her while she was in the act and she still continues. How can I keep her from chewing and digging?

Somebody please help me out........need some good advice!

Thanks,

US gal

 

[Jeannie]

While I can't help you with the digging (haven't been able to break my own, yet ), I broke mine of chewing with a two pronged approach; 1. I was absolutely scrupulous about keeping shoes, socks, belts, etc picked up and out of their reach, and 2. Trying different chew toys (mine love the cow hooves available at most pet stores or via the internet at PetSmart.Com) until I found one they really liked. Then, every time I caught them chewing on an inappropriate object, I would scold them, give them their chewy, and praise and pet them when they started chewing on it. Worked very well! Good luck with your puppy.

 

[Faster horses]

Yea, that is the best advice I can give you---Good Luck!

We haven't been able to break dogs of doing that. We have just been lucky that Dixie/Dusty is not a chewer. We had a pup that was so bad she chewed up the sheet rock by the door. We finally gave up and gave her away. Then we got a Border Collie/MacNab that we dearly loved, but she did a lot of destruction. Chewed up the seat in our Scout, chewed up the arm rests (and she could get out anytime~my husband always leaves the door open for the dogs to get in or out). This was after we had the seat repaired from the damage of the first pup. Then Pete, our Blue Heeler/Austrailan Shepherd wasn't bad to chew and Dixie, she doesn't chew up anything. And she has finally quit wetting so often. She is so loyal and we really like her.

I think outside of what Jeannie had to offer, they just have to outgrow it.

 

[Cowgal]

Give her/him a shoe. Let them know its ok to chew this one. Try to play and encourage the chewfulness. If and when it chews something off limits... gently wack it on the nose, and say "NO" . Give it its shoe back....
I have had many dogs - they need love and understanding.
Just try to show them what they can have........ it takes time!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

I see by you profile that you are from the Interlake. That would be some where between the Ontario and Sask. border. :wink: :wink:

 

[Cowgal]

I imagine that question is for me?

No actually I am between Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba. Here in Manitoba.

 

[Cowgal]

We are thinking about going to WEFEST in Detroit lakes then swing over to SD to the Blackhills...any suggestions? :!:

 

[USgal-In-Manitoba]

Well, thanks for the advise everyone! I think I'll try the chew shoe or find something that's "ok" to chew on. The digging is just out of control. She started in the flower bed again tonight and I scolded her again. I guess the big thing is making sure we pay lots of attention to her. It seems that on days we keep her really busy she is not naughty but when she has too much time on her hands she gets into her naughty habbits.


Thanks again!

Us Gal

 

[Jeannie]

Give her/him a shoe. Let them know its ok to chew this one. Try to play and encourage the chewfulness. If and when it chews something off limits... gently wack it on the nose, and say "NO" . Give it its shoe back....
I have had many dogs - they need love and understanding.
Just try to show them what they can have........ it takes time!

The problem with giving a puppy a shoe is that the pup cannot distinguish between an 'acceptable' shoe (as in his/hers) and your work shoes or the shoes you simply kick off after a late evening and you are tired. Really bad idea!!!!

 

[Jeannie]

Well, thanks for the advise everyone! I think I'll try the chew shoe or find something that's "ok" to chew on. The digging is just out of control. She started in the flower bed again tonight and I scolded her again. I guess the big thing is making sure we pay lots of attention to her. It seems that on days we keep her really busy she is not naughty but when she has too much time on her hands she gets into her naughty habbits.


Thanks again!

Us Gal

Training puppies is a lot like training colts - the 'wet saddle blanket' principle plays a big part!

 

[OldDog/NewTricks]

Give her/him a shoe. Let them know its ok to chew this one. Try to play and encourage the chewfulness. If and when it chews something off limits... gently wack it on the nose, and say "NO" . Give it its shoe back....

The problem with giving a puppy a shoe is that the pup cannot distinguish between an 'acceptable' shoe (as in his/hers) and your work shoes or the shoes you simply kick off after a late evening and you are tired. Really bad idea!!!!

I agree shoes or Boots don't work and the leather will just turn them on to your saddle, reins ect.

I use Bones or pig ears – or two or three shocks inside each other filled with news paper and a knot make a good toy – They seem to like the sound of the paper.

A squirt bottle full of water with a little ammonia will help if you squirt in their face

Dog have pack instincts – how does one dog show another dog who is the boss – grabs it by the neck and shakes it

If you hit your dog in any way you will teach it to duck off

To scold your dog take a hold of it by it's neck – lift it's front feet off the ground – sake it – look it in the eyes and say !!!NO!!!

I have a 2 wire hot fence at 10" and 18" around our garden No digging dogs

Dogs dig other places – fill the hole with their Scat and cover with 1" of dirt - Kennels ect.

Dog chews Leather leashes – punch holes about 6" apart down one leash Weave #14 insulated wire down leash stopping about 10" from dog end and tape off

On the other end add an alligator clip to the wire – we have away to snap the lead end to a fence and clip the alligator clip to the hot fence

One bite and you dog is broke of biting leashes

 

[Jeannie]

Good ideas, OldDog/NewTricks! Thanks!!

 

[USgal-In-Manitoba]

Old Dog/New Tricks,

Wow! Those are all awesome suggestions! Thanks so much.

Our old Border collie learned about electric wire around the flower bed when she was just a pup and we've never had a problem with her since. We dont have a fencer for the flower bed right now otherwise we'd put the wire up to keep this new little pup out. She has gotten a few good zaps out of the fence around the pasture and she just goes nuts so I think it'll work.

Someone else recommended the solar shock collar, not sure if that's the exact name of it, but you put it on your dog and when it comes within a certain range of the detector the dog gets zapped. I would go with something like this but I don't want to teach her that it's bad to come near the house (flower bed is right in front of house).

What part of California are you from? Northern/Southern?

Thanks again!

Us Gal~

 

[Faster horses]

I don't know about this but a dog trainer told us this works. Trim the nails from the front feet pretty short and that will stop them from digging...

Little Dixie/Dusty never dug or chewed up stuff. We counted our lucky stars, too! Wonder what makes dogs do that? I think perhaps it is the more 'high energy' dogs.

We have had Aussie's that were terrible to pull the clothes off the clothesline. Now not as many clothes are hung out to dry so that is not the problem it once was.

 

[OldDog/NewTricks]

A friend of mine had a boarder collie that would cross-over on a cast
Cast = sending your dog out to Fetch Animals
Dave would cast his dog to the right and the dog would cross-over and come at the animals from the left

Dave took 2' high chicken wire and ran it 4' foot off the out side fence making an alley all the way down to about 5' from the back out-side fence - he had a alley on the left side and right side - he start them in an alley and tell them to "Fetch" - they soon learnd to not cross over - I use Eledtric fence wire and have only had to eledtricifi it one time - but then my dogs all know what that wire is

A "cast" is nice when you can't see the animals - Like over a hill or down in a steep brushy canyon send your dogs in and they come back with 1 or 10 to 12 cows while you sit on the ridge under a tree.

It's said that 1 cowboy with a good dog can do the gathering of 5 or 6 good cowboys

Story
A few friends and I were in a local Watering Hole when a man came in to say that the ranch they worked for had a Bramma Bull in with his heifers - friend Johnny and I had our dogs and I had my stocktrailer - everyone else headed to the barn and their horses

Johnny and I drove up to the fields fence - pulled staples on 4 fence post - I backed the tralier up a little past the wires - with Johnny on one side and me on the other we worked the wires just under the back of the trailer - cast our dog out and loaded the bull right there and put the staples and wires back and went back to watering hole - 3 drinks later the other cowboys showed up… … … Johnny - That Bull? - - he turned to me - You Gota Bull in the Trailer - - By God - I think I do! We had to repeat the story

I'm camper about 25 miles south of San Jose in San Martin, Ca. - - our home place in Gilroy (Garlic Capitol) is a Home Depto and shopping centers