Reply To: Path of Destruction

[Caroline Yon Yon]

Hi Victoria,
Agree 100% with Judy. I have very high energy dogs (mostly Border Collies and a Mali). I could exercise my collies for 5 hours a day and they would still be hyper. Mental stimulation is key to tiring them out enough that they don’t feel the need to trash the house. If you work your dog’s mind half as much as its body you will find you have a much more relaxed and contented dog. Probably she’ll be grateful for the downtime 🙂
Agility, obedience, hide and seek, games are all beneficial.

We found with our last young collie, leaving high value treats hidden in a room worked well. Obviously be careful where you put them so the dog doesn’t destroy your belongings trying to get them. We made them increasingly hard to get at though so he had to figure it out and make more effort to get the things he wanted.

Really important too, as Judy said, not to make your leaving the house a big deal.

Good luck