How to discipline/keep 1 year heeler from misbehaving, specific problems inside...?

Question

Ok, I don't want to hear "Easily corrected by rewarding good behavior" as that hasn't helped at all... What am I supposed to do? Go "good doggie" for NOT chewing up a plant??

Problems:
1) Digging under fence. I've buried rocks, stopped for a bit, but has started again. He does it in the middle of the night, and not every night, is there any way to stop without building some new fence or a midnight stakeout?? He knows that he shouldn't have dug out because when I find him outside in the mornings in the wrong spot, he acts guilty...
2) I have a garden fenced off by an electric wire, which he conveniently hops over. He also does this only at night, how to stop?

Maybe there is no solution whatsoever to these besides building new fences etc and wasting money, but I figured I'd post to see if anyone had some brilliant ideas =)

Oh, I was considering buying a shock collar? As verbal discipline has no affect, comments on this (besides, "oh no, thats cruel)?

I know you are not supposed to discipline if you dont "catch them in the act", but his body language conveys that he knows he's done something wrong. So is it still bad to get after him, because he DOES know what he did wrong...

Part of the problem is that he is just so hard headed, a trait of the breed... For instance, he chewed up a visitors straw hat, got in major trouble for it and then guess what he did 2 hours later? Chewed up a second straw hat that belonged to another person. Very vindictive little animal... lol

It tried the chili powder--and in less than 20 minutes they licked it all up, not kidding. lol

Answer 1

Well, it sounds like you are a little familiar with the breed you have gotten yourself involved with, but more research might be necessary here. ACDs are very intense, stubborn, opinionated, scary smart, independant dogs. They were bred to make their own decisions and work long hours on their own without any supervision. They are scrappy, and bitey, and will work til they literally drop from exhaustion.
They don't respond to treat training, because they are not usually motivated by food. Therefore, it is challenging to find ways to get them to do what you want. You may bark out a command and have your dog look at you like "You want me to do what?"
Unfortunately, when you bring all that into a home and family environment, you get lots of behavior problems. Your dog is bored, and he is purposely misbehaving as a way of telling you that.
If you Google ACD info on the Internet, you will find a wealth of info on how to train and keep ACDs behaving. You should start soon, as they can also get more aggressive as they get older and once they know for sure they are in control, you will have a hard time getting your control back.
Believe me, I have been there. I rescued a beaten and feral Blue Heeler from a kill shelter, and my life will never be the same. She keeps me on my toes, and it is a constant challenge to keep control. She respects me, and I think that may be the only reason she obeys me. That was a very hard won battle. I had to hire a trainer who specializes in ACDs.
You must find something very physical for your dog to do on a daily basis. Walks are just not good enough-your dog also needs to exercise his brain. We use soccer. She plays very well and doesn't stop until she can't move any more and just lays down. You must also do leash training on a regular basis. This helps your dog to understand who is really in control.

One website I found had a quote from an Australian dog trainer:
"The only good Heeler is a tired Heeler."
Good luck!

One very important thing I forgot! Heelers respond in a very negative way to any kind of physical correction. If you "spank" your dog, you could find your dog defending himself, and that could turn into a bad situation. This is a dog who has a very active and discerning brain; not the average dog-these guys are really scary smart!

Answer 2

Just a couple of suggestions. When I was young my mother enjoyed gardening and a dog I had enjoyed digging in the garden. Wasn't a good situation. It was my job to clean up and bury what my dog left. Making the best of a bad situation I started putting his waste in the holes he had dug and covering them. It wasn't long before he quit digging. Can't guarantee this was a determining factor but I know it would slow me down.
Second if you go the route of a shock collar you might want to look into the invisible fence. You bury a wire along your fence line and the dog wears a collar. When the dog gets within about three feet of the buried wire he receives a shock form the collar. These systems come with flags so your dog can visually relate a boundary and you are suppose to show your dog, by having him on a leash and tugging him back saying no when he approaches the flags, where the boundary is. If you buried the wire three feet in your garden or at the fence line this could solve your problem. Another note these systems aren't cheap. I believe about $300. for a system that will cover about a half acre.

Answer 3

Sounds like your dog is bored, and any attention is better than no attention...even if it you scolding him for doing things a year old dog is likely to do ( like chew up a straw hat or get into the garden!) A Heeler is a working dog, and if you don't give him an outlet for his energy, he will make his own fun...you maybe should have researched the breed before you bought one?!? You can start by taking LONG walks, and if you have a fenced dog park nearby, take him there to burn off energy running with other dogs. If not, I suggest lots of playing fetch or frisbee in your own yard, or getting together with a friend that also has a dog, and letting them have play time together. You may want to check out PetSafe radio fence, since that, combined with your physical fence, might keep him where you want him...Heelers are notoriously tough dogs though, and may not respond to a mild shock. No they are not cruel...letting your dog get run over is cruel. Heelers are quite intelligent and very active, and need something to do...your responsibility as an owner, is to give that to him, or maybe put him in a home that can, and get a more appropriate breed for your situation.

Answer 4

First, at 1 yr old, he is still young. Many dogs don't really mature until they are 2 yrs old. I had a dog who ate cactus plants (ouch), a recliner and a couch. He turned two years old and it was like somebody had flipped a switch and he was the best dog I ever had.

This may sound stupid, but if he does those things outside at night, maybe you need to bring him in and crate him at night. He sounds like a dog that you can't just "let out" in the yard but must be with him to help him stay out of trouble. A pain right now, I know, but if it keeps him safe and out of trouble, it will pay off in the long run.

Heelers are smart, and Smart dogs get bored very easily, and a bored dog is prone to destruction. He needs a "job" to do to keep his mind engaged. Is there anything you can do with your backyard that would make it more interesting for him? Maybe devote a section of the yard where he is allowed to dig. Bury stuff in that area, praise him when he digs there.
Hang in there with him, he will grow up. Look at his "stubbornness" as determination. He has the potential to be a great dog, even if he is a pain in the butt as a puppy.

Good luck.

Edit: You should never hit your dog. It teaches him that he can't trust you.

Answer 5

Okay it sounds like you have your hands very full. I had problems with my pit chewing everything that she thought was good for her. Until I did something that I feel so bad about doing but it worked. I spanked her with what ever she chewed up. It has worked so far I have had no problems for the last 5 months knock on wood. But the plants they have a special spray at the pet store that you can spray that makes the plants not so tasteful. As for digging that will depend on if he is smelling you can take pepper or chili powder and sprinkle around the fence line ( I know sounds funny) and if he is digging cause of the smell the pepper will act like it does to us. And it is not harmful or leave any lasting affects but he will remember the unpleasant feeling after a few times. As for the garden I can only advise going to your local feed store or home depot and getting cheap chicken wire to keep him out he has figured out that jumping keeps the shock away. And for the shock collar. It is not cruel if use proper and for training only. Once he gets the ideal that getting shocked when he does those things he will continue to stay away, then you can remove the shock part but he will think it is still there.

Answer 6

ok...a couple of things...

first..he isn't actually feeling guilty. Dogs aren't capable of reasoning on that level. What you're seeing is a conditioned response. He KNOWS that when humans see a hole under the fence he is in trouble. It doesn't follow that he gets that he shouldnt dig one.

second, it sounds like he's doing th emost damage at night. Why not consider either bringing him into the house or building a run for him to be in at night? That would stop most of your troubles.

as to chewing...again, they do not reason. The first straw hat was fun to chew. So obviously the second one would be fun too. He really doesn't get the guilt connection.

anyway, instead of building fences build a secure run, ideally with a cement bottom and a well installed fence. It's cheaper in the long run.

Answer 7

Bring him on a leash or if he will come with you to every single spot he digs. Stand in front of each hole..as big as you can make yourself, claim it as yours. Say NO in a firm but calm voice and walk him away from it. Then bring him to an area he can dig...and praise him and do whatever so he..get's it..that is his place. Before he goes to bed take him on a very long walk to tire him out. He is bored that is why he digs. Being in a fenced yard is play time...Not exercice. He is one year old and just like little kids he is full of energy and needs to release it. If you keep kids locked up for too long they become nauty cuz they don't have the skills yet and have not been taught. A shock collar should only be used if their life is in danger by something they have done. The punishment and training has to fit the action. He really just needs you to tire him out. Why does he sleep outside anyway? But wherever he sleeps he needs to be taught manners and what you want from him. Try this, hope it works.

Answer 8

have you ever wormed felix? that would desire to be why he's pooping some lots indoors or he's eating to lots. As for coaching, once you detect him in the laundry room doing his enterprise or in case you are able to seize him in the act end him imediately and take him exterior and tell him to do his enterprise exterior. in case you will possibly desire to chain him for a one million/2 hour exterior that isn't injury him. which will supply him time to think of roughly what he's doing incorrect and permit you to disenfect the section the place he scent his very own potty web site. he will proceed returning to that comparable section till you the two close him out of the laundry room or do away with the scent it is attracting him there in the 1st place. At Petsmart they have a cleansing product made somewhat for cleansing up doggie messes.

Answer 9

He is reacting to your being mad, he doesn't know why you are mad, just that you are.

Quick solution bring him inside at night and crate him. No more digging.

When you see him doing something he shouldn't tell him NO then redirect him, and show him what he should be doing. Then praise.

If he goes for a hat tell him NO sharply, wait a couple of seconds, then give him one of his toys, when he takes it praise lavishly. Also praise lavishly when he chews one of his toys on his own.

It takes time and patience to train a dog.

Answer 10

You hit the nail right on the head, Just put a shock collar on "That Hammerhead", or chain'em up with a tow chain....Thats real positive reinforcement...Git-R-Dun!