digging, chewing and dragging off our carpets

[tlovincountry]

Please help! My border collie is one year old and has gone crazy with digging. :confused: We have tried putting his droppings in his favorite spots but he will just go elsewhere. We were told he was bored and needed exercise and attention. We have given him tons of toys and have tied ropes with toys onto the eves of our home to keep him occupied by playing tug of war. We take him to the park daily and run him for up to a half hour and then take him on a long walk. We have set up play dates to wear him out. Lately we have muzzled him when we are not able to supervise him to keep him from taking our welcome mats and digging but I hate doing this. we are about to move into a home with an immaculate manicured yard and I am afraid that if I have to give him up that someone else will put him down due to his disobedience. I love this dog very much and wish to keep him so please give me some help.

[CaelinTess]

Is this dog living outside or inside? If the dog is living inside most of the time, have you tried crate training and then providing the dog with Kongs, etc. to keep busy while you're not there?

 

Have you tried obedience training & games to wear out that busy Border Collie mind? I know that works with mine.

 

If the dog is living outside, then maybe some kind of kennel with cement/rubber mats or whatever they are doing these days... I don't have one and haven't looked into it, but that might be an option.

 

Another thing to try is to sink a kiddie wading pool into the ground or build a digging pit just for your dog. You will not be able to train the dog not to dig, I don't think, but you might have luck training the dog to dig in a particular spot, especially if you make it rewarding with hidden toys, biscuits, etc.

 

And still another option is doggy daycare. That will keep your dog busy, and he will have some new buddies, too. (: Or if you can't do that, maybe someone nearby has a dog and you can trade dogsitting times? Not sure that would work if you are working during the day and that is when this is happening... some people find a doggy daycare near their work.

 

One lady I worked with actually brought her dog to work on the weekends, but during the week, when the weather was okay, she would put the dog in a crate in her car (car was parked in a parking garage, so cool in the summer, warm in the winter). She said that the dog had to stay in a crate at home, so this way the dog at least got an hour walk at lunch time and 4 other short breaks during the rest of the day.

 

I know someone on this board will have great ideas, so be sure and check back.

 

Allie & Tess