Tips for helping rest my crazy border collie

[meandmygirl1]

My adorable but v energetic border collie has pulled a muscle and vet recommended complete rest for a week and then 10 minute walks and slowly build exercise up.

She is going stir crazy as used to lots of exercise. Am trying to take her places when we going out in car so she can be part of family and enjoy the scenery but am limited to what I can do. She has reverted to naughty puppy habits and is digging up my lawn again.

Dog walker came in to let her out for toilet break only this week and she refused to do toilet as was annoyed she wasn't getting out with her pals!!!

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Are you in the Canine Enrichment facebook group? Lots of good ideas there www.facebook.com/groups/canineenrichment/

I'd also be using it as an opportunity to teach lots of ridiculous tricks just to keep her mind active e.g. mine learned 'sit pretty' during the recent snow, which is a trick of no practical application, but learning it kept him entertained!

[rosegarden45]

Ahh must be so difficult to handle a collie who can't go out. I feel for you and your poor dog. My collie is about 12 years old (rescue so unsure exactly) even with his tired old legs he is desperate for a walk at least once a day and is very persistent at asking after a certain point in the day. We cannot go a single day without taking him out, whatever the weather and even when he's been unwell. From recent experience with a friend who has a collie/springer puppy (probably even more energetic!) she had to keep up with the tricks to prevent mischief. She's recently taught the dog to tidy the house. It started with tidying up dog toys into a basket and then became tidying the kids toys away. The dog is so intelligent and they love learning. Good luck. Hopefully you can use this time to learn some cool tricks before the summer dog shows start and you can get out there winning some rosettes 😃

[wishiwasacollie]

I am in exactly the same position. Border collie...6...back leg issue. Shes on anti inflammatories and no more than 2 20 minute walks on lead a day. She was used to 2 2 hour walks off lead ball chasing a day. I work from home and she cant go to dog walker. Its been an interesting time. ..... I have brain training games and we do tidy toys and roll a ball on the carpet. She is in the huff with me and lies at my feet humffing. I think she knows why but i feel awful. 10 more days of rest and hopefully her leg is healed. The vet did ask on way out if we were insured in case it was the cruciate.
Sorry didnt mean to de rail. Just feel your pain

[hennipenni]

We’ve just finished 10 weeks crate rest with our cocker. our savour was frozen kongs, stuffed plastic snakes, bones (appropriate ones) snuffle mats etc. Couldn’t teach him tricks as hes too bouncy. Spent lots of time with him lying on the floor stroking him and brushing him.

[Nesssie]

Teach her the names of different toys, teach her 'left' and 'right' etc. Lots of brain games. Lots of food puzzles.
What about swimming? Could you ask your vet about hydrotherapy? Although it can be pricey.

[ThisIsTheFirstStep]

Wow, I feel for you, collies are crazy enough when they've had enough exercise.

As others said, lots of tricks if possible, kongs and other enrichment. The Nina Ottosson games are good for collies, especially the level three ones. Anything you can set up where the dog needs to do more than one step to get to the treat would definitely work with a collie.

Can she do any exercise at all? Some light agility could work but maybe best to ask your vet as obviously you don't want her getting more injured.

[littlemisscomper]

Train her to find things for you. Ours will find keys, hat+gloves, purse and phone when asked. A useful skill for if we actually drop things out and about! We train her by shutting her out of the room, hide the item and then let her in and ask her to 'Find it!'. When she finds it lots of praise and a treat. You can use a toy at first to get her introduced to the concept - 'Find your squeaky pig!' etc.

A frozen kong is a good idea.

Lots of grooming?

Interesting new toys or equipment for her to explore - maybe a child's play tunnel, a plastic bottle filled with interesting rattly things (only under very close supervision!!), a bowl of water with floating dog toys and ice cubes in it, a large tray like you have for underbed storage with a pile of damp play sand or compost in it - a toy hidden in the middle for her to find, a new toy hanging from the ceiling by a rope (again, only when you're in the room with her!), bacon flavour bubbles, rearranged furniture in the room she's in, a cardboard tube from inside a clingfilm roll with treats inside (you can use pliers to fold the ends over so they don't fall out), that sort of thing.