[AppyPappy]

B-O-R-E-D

[freeeee]

First, thank you for saving pound dogs.

she likes to give doggie kisses which eventually turn into play nips

When they do that, grab their 'lips' and push them onto their own teeth, causing them to bite themselves. Reinforce this with a stern "NO!" You have to do this right when they nip, so they associate the behavior. This is negative reinforcement.

When they only lick you and don't nip, praise them. Positive reinforcement.

I'm still thinking about what to do about them chewing your house.

[general_re]

Two good answers right off the bat. They are, like you said, active dogs, and they'll need lots of activity to keep them engaged, or they'll get bored. And, you'll need to be very firm and swift with behavior that isn't acceptable, like the nipping and chewing.

Nail 'em when they misbehave, keep them busy with positive activities, and over time you should be able to curb the problem. It may take some time, though, and it definitely requires committment on your part.

[ldakers]

Border Collies and Aussies are very intelligent dogs that need to have nearly constant attention. They're very loving and very friendly dogs, but they were bred to work. If they are left to their own devices, they'll figure out something to do - like chew on the siding. We've got an aussie mix ourselves, and he's the same way. Obedience training will help some, but it won't resolve the problem - they're bored. If you're not able to be with them all the time, you should consider activities that will attract their attention periodically. There are toys that will make noise or release a treat on a scheduled or random basis. That might be enough to distract them from their destructive behavior.

As for the nipping, just make sure that you stop playing at the very moment that the nips start. If you allow the nipping to continue, the dog will believe it is an acceptable behavior. Obedience training will make a difference in ensuring you are consistent in your corrections to the dog. Obedience training is really more for you and your family than the dogs. Remember to always treat bad behavior with negative consequences - not getting a treat, a sharp "NO", or not getting to continue playing.

As for toys, the bones are good, other chew toys are good. What we do with ours is get the Kong rubber toys (virtually indestructible) and fill them with a mixture of kibble and peanut butter or kibble and cream cheese and freeze them. This frozen treat keeps them occupied for a good hour or so. Just watch that you adjust their food intake to account for the extra calories!

Best of luck to you. It can be a challenge with dogs, but if you are consistent and you keep them from getting bored, you will have loving companions!

[THEUPMAN]

how to solve these dog problems
wack em with a stick .... it'll make em tender

[Geezerette]

I read the replies to this thread, and you are so right about FReepers coming up with solutions!!

I don't have any helpful info, I have a lapdog Pomeranian, so will just give this thread a big bump to the top for more dog people to read and contribute to!

g

[blackdog]

I raise Border Collies and train them for sheep handling. Our best dog "Daisy" is much of what you describe. A Border Collie is a high energy dog. A farm of endless activity and chores is what makes our Daisy tolerable. Daisy is worthless as a companion pet. They live solely for the purpose of managing livestock. Affection shown to you should be considered a fringe benefit. It actually interferes with their performance as working dogs. For your siding issue, I suspect you may have mice in the wall. She is desperately trying to find something to do. A Border Collie with nothing to do is like a monkey with a machine gun.

[Temple Drake]

Read "The Other End of the Leash", by a woman who has a bunch of border collies that she uses to herd sheep. (Borrow it from the library -- she is a little "Pet Psychic"-ish about her relationship with the dogs , one of whom is apparently her substitute husband, at least in her mind).
Anyway, having had a border collie I can affirm what the others have said -- they are like gifted kids sitting in special-ed if they do not have enough to do. Sheep are not a real option for everybody; agility training however is a possiblity -- there are many websites showing how to set up agility events for your dog in your own yard.
Failing those options, it might be wise to keep the dog(s) with you all day -- that way they feel they are helping you work. My b.c. used to follow me from room to room. She was happiest when she got our family of 6 all into the same room; she would then station herself in the doorway facing away from us, apparently believing she was guarding her "flock" from predators!

[Tallguy]

Great comments from your fellow Freepers! You might want to put your question to a professional behaviorist:

http://www.greatpets.com

They might have a few things to add, but the comments so far will put you on the right track.

[blackdog]

Sorry, I needed to answer your question....

#1)Acquire a property of no less than 20 acres.

#2) Maintain a flock of sheep, ducks, or goats.

#3)Your dog must live in the barn, eat when livestock eats, move them from barn to pasture and pasture to barn, be allowed to pace endlessly from one gate to the next gate waiting for the next thing to do with her animals.

That should do it!

[e_castillo]

Our dogs liked to chew wood so we let them play with logs. Some of the logs are large and they have several smaller logs that are their favorites.

[MJemison]

Get them a cow. They need to herd.

[goodnesswins]

THANKS for this thread, even though I have nothing to offer about Aussie dogs.......I now know the dog we will choose from the VET will NOT have any of the Aussie breed in him/her....(We're looking to choose a pound dog any time now.) THIS has been helpful. I thought we would be able to handle almost any dog from Lab size down (we're active)....but now I know better!

[passionfruit]

I wish I knew! I used to have English Mastiffs. They ate most of my side porch. They were loving with my family, but when they became aggressive with strangers, I had them put to sleep.

[KateUTWS]

My border collie is almost three, she went through the terrible two's just like a human child, teething, being destructive, etc. Lola is now a dedicated indoor dog with a tennis ball fetish, she can chase bally 8 hours a day if we would let her. I don't have 20 acres nor do I run sheep but it seems to me Lola is an ideal housedog. She has a regular early morning job of making sure the yard is clear of neighbor cats so our two cats can go outside for a quick visit to the garden. She is a dedicated protector with a knack for making visitors comfortable as long as they throw a ball for her.

Lola has a special fondness for the UPS guy and wishes we would have more packages delivered. Her afternoon job is waiting at the window for her master to come home in his vending truck and making sure he is safe from all neighbor dogs (Could it be the chee-tos).

I see no reason to warn people off owning a border collie because they are active dogs. A daily walk around your neighborhood so she can accustom herself to the local's is a must however. She is asleep under the computer desk as I type this note, however, she leaps to her feet when I move and accompany's me everywhere I go. Expect a lot of companionship from a border collie.

I must admit the first 6 months were full of aggravation, she refused to be crate trained and would eat through the most well constructed cage. She wanted her den to be where I was but it took us 3 crates to find that out.

Attention.....border collies love attention. Love them back and you will be richly rewarded.

[tangerine]

I agree with everything said on this thread so far. I have a Doberman/Border Collie mix.
Active, gung-ho work-a-holics, and smart makes a total terror of owning these dogs for the first two years of their life. How anyone could handle two of these young ones, I can't imagine!!
What broke through to civilized behavior with mine was a very active game of catch and fetch...in a very big field with a large ball, a socker ball, slightly deflated so the dog could grip it. (The ball is put away inbetween workouts.) With this the dog could run as far and fast as she wanted and loved bringing it back for more. Anything smaller was a bore. If i had two dogs, I would exercise one dog at a time like this so they learn to relate to you and any commands or praise that you give about the game, rather than to each other.
Instinctively they fetch and love it, so the game can be varied... such as go out for the
ball, here, there, far, close, drop it or give it to me, wait for the ball to land before going after it, now bring it back to the house. We put it here and you don't get it again until tomorrow. Mine was very pleased to learn all of this and commands learned here such as stay, wait, get, bring....were easy to apply to other situations. They like other
very large toys such as logs to move and big pieces of carpet...but must be taught which
logs and carpet are theirs and which are not...which are 'mine!' (Then 'mine!' also can be applied to may things.)
A second break-through with mine was walks in the woods rather than in populated areas. Populated areas excited the dog, every nose, every smell, every motion, but in the woods, she took on another personality - calm, alert and very attentive to me. (Something I never would have guessed would happen.)
These dogs love work to do, so make devouring a bone work for them - such as I am
doing the computer right now, so you do this bone. Then admire how well it's been
chewed....and go onto the next job...which may be more interactive such a get the mail, take out the trash, collect the laundry, bring in the tools...or sit and wait for me to
prepare your food.

[Vic3O3]

ping

[Vic3O3]

Flyball, if you have time. Search google for 'flyball' and you should get some info. B.C.s are real flyball junkies it seems! Good luck. You could also crate them when you cannot be with them. Or, plant Pyrocantha around your house. Grows like a weed, but with BIG thorns! Nobody wants to mess with pyrocantha!

[Destructor]

Ruff!

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Put your dogs to work, repairing the house. Teach them about good old fashioned A.C.C.O.U.N.T.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y. =[