Help with dog training?

Young dogs chew. You can try to actually *train* her. Until she is trained you can crate train her and crate her when you are not home.

You need to "Puppy Proof" your whole house. Whatever she can reach should be raised high up away from her reach or taken away. Make sure all switches are off when not in use & when no one is supervising her.

Is she allowed to roam freely in the house when you're out? If yes, you need to crate her or put her in a playpen. You need to confine her so that she does not chew stuff when nobody is around because you don't know what she will put in her mouth & swallow.

This mouthing habit will slowly ware off as she matures. You need to correct her if she does chew but make sure you do it there & then not after she has already done it because she won't know what you're correcting her for. Just be consistent with her & make sure your house is puppy proof. Bringing her out for socialization, play in the park & training will help to calm her down as well.

Hope this helped.

How long are you leaving her for?

Collies need something to do when being left alone or they will make something to do, usually, this is chewing. I suggest getting a Kong, this is great for a Collie it really keeps there mind going. This is the sort of idea: http://www.petplanet.co.uk/shop_store/Kong_Toys_fo... or you may want to crate her when your out.

My Collie gets the house to herself when we are out now she's trained, she wasn't crated but was given Kongs.

If she is also chewing when your around then you have to train her out of it. When she starts chewing something take it off her and give her something she can chew.

I also suggest "puppy proofing" your house, covers up wires or keep them were she can't get them etc.

Just be persistent.

You won't get her out of the habit in a week! You need to make sure that all electrical cables are out of sight.

Buy a couple of Kong toys (pet shops sell them - about £5 each). Fill them with small treats (mini bones or smear them with cheese spread) and leave them for her to find. Make sure she has plenty of her own toys to chew.

Another option, if she will take it, is to crate her when she is in the house alone. It is not cruel and some dogs take to it really well. WE tried this with my younger Retriever but she didn't like it. Our older one was good in it until she was about a year old - then she decided she wanted to stay outside of it. Some people swear by them but you do need to introduce it gradually.

Do some research on the internet about crate training. Also, if you bought her from a reputable breeder, ask his/her advice.

Good luck and best wishes in your new house.

Our collie also chewed everything - including the leg of a rather nice antique dining chair, which we did not notice at first as he was very quiet about it!

We used a crate/cage for him, which he still sleeps in now as he considers it is his place. When we leave him, he goes in his crate quite happily.

He also has a selection of Kongs too. Be very careful what toys you give a 'chewer' - Toby will completely destroy a rope ball or toy within no time, and eat it, so we no longer give them to him.

It is a good idea to give him things to think about, so perhaps doing some agility or flyball would be good for him.

The only way you will stop her is to confine her when you aren't there to train her. Buy a crate - introduce her to it gradually, always give her a biscuit or a toy when she goes in there and gradually extend the time you leave her in there.

When you are there, watch her like a hawk and if you see her considering chewing on something a loud "Leave!" should be enough to deter her, then praise her and give her a reward like a tiny treat or a toy if she's toy oriented. Collies are clever and they soon cotton on - but it will take more than a week

What you are describing is separation anxiety which is quite common in Collies.

To help I would need further info such as when is she left along and for how long. What has she been taught to do so far? Is she house trained? Can she walk on the leash properly (at your side or behind you but never in front). A dog who walks in front of it's owner is a dominant dog and the leader of the pack and all step should be taken to teach any dog to walk properly. Who lives in the house? Who take the dog for walks? What form of discipline do you use for the dog?

If you provide more info I will try to help as best I can.

EDIT*****

Dogs do not respond to verbal chastising.

I have 7 Border Collies and never leave them loose when I am out.

They go into grates for up to 2 years.

You needed to grate train her from a very young puppy.

I suggest you start now before she kills herself and burns the house down.

After all you wouldn't leave a young child alone in a house and this also applies to puppies.It is our responsibility to make sure they are safe.

When every you see her do it say no and stop her. sooner or later she'll get that what shes doing is bad and she'll stop. Buy he bones puppy's love chewing on them and it might help if you haven't already bought them for her.

Watch how Ceasar Millan does it. He does it better than anyone else.