What does my dog need to be an outdoor dog?

[Claire2009]

Cos she's certainly not staying indoors anymore!

I have a fairly large secured back garden, grass, patio etc but what does she need? Shall I get her a kennel? Will she use it?

Our 10 month old cross is also a nightmare so now we put her on a long lead in the kitchen before we go to bed

She has enough slack to be able to reach her bed, water, toys and to have a bit of a wander about but having her on the lead means we can keep stuff out of her way that she will chew. We can't just shut her in there because she is a clever pup and can open doors!

I know its not ideal but its a short term solution to something we are working on and hopefully she will grow out of it

I was told once that Border Collies need to run for 14 miles a day!

Not only do border collies need huge amounts of exercise (as do JRTs) but they need vast amounts of mental stimulation - flyball, agility etc are ideal.

I know you have 2 toddlers but you could teach them to play hide and seek with the dog (alone when they are older, if you keep the dog). Take one of her toys and hide somewhere easy whilst she is watching. Say 'SEEK' and encourage her to where the toy is.

Repeat this over and over making it more difficult once she can immediately go to the hiding spot. Use the same command each time.

I had a very dim dog when I was a youngster (Afghan hound) but it loved hide and seek.

I grew up with Border Collies. I don't think its true that they can't live happily in the city as long as they get plenty of excerise, both physical and most importantly mentally - they are sooooo clever and need constant stimulation. This is a real pleasure though (or at least it was for us) and not a chore at all ...they learn so quickly

Re the excerising, I agree with others - she needs more than what you're giving her. Maybe do the walk once a day and then for the other walk, let her do the work. Teach her to fetch and find a nice grassy spot on a field and spend some time throwing and catching a ball. I understand that small childen can't walk for miles, but this way it's only the dog that's running for miles ...the children can make daisy chains

I totally agree with others that your dog is at the worse age for chewing. Our GR was a nightmare at this age and literally chewed through walls

Could you consider crating her?
My dh wouldn't consider it, but I can't help but think that it would have saved a lot of replastering heartache.

It does get better though. Our lady is simply perfect now

Merrylegs has it right. A kennel for night sleeps and day times when you're out is good, though a run shouldn't be used as a way of containing the dog when they could be with you. They want to be with the pack.

Our dog has this regime and he's a fab hound.

Can I just say this scenario:

Dog chews something he shouldnt at 2am. You come down at 7am discover it and tell the dog off by a loud firm NO and ignoring or whatever. The dog has no idea why you are doing that. He will not in any way connect it to what he chewed before. Instead he will simply associate it with you appearing, it will make him nervous, and he will chew more, as a nervous habit.

The onus is on you to prevent it, or supplement it, or do an immediate scolding, which obviously you cant do if as you say it is happening in the middle of the night.

A kennel is not the solution. It is a slippery slope and soon you will be chucking food in and out of sight out of mind. If you cant train the dog and also let it have time to grow out of teething etc then rehoming it is the best option. I appreciate it must be hard as a single parent with 2 children but then perhaps you arent suited to having a dog right now at this time in your life. It is not the dogs fault.

Training classes, even agility classes, will be the best thing for the dog and also probably massively increase your enjoyment in the dog.

Just to add - how is a dog supposed to know the difference between something you value and something he is allowed to chew?

I would try a crate, get your dog used to it gradually, by feeding it in there, shutting it in with treats for short periods etc, then gradually build up until overnight. There are books (try your library) or google for more detailed info.
Mine were both crate trained, in there overnight and when popping out, it means I knew they were safe and also gives them a secure bed when you go on holiday(mine come camping with us). They are rarely shut in their crate these days though.
We did consider getting a border collie pup a couple of years ago when dd was 2, but were warned off them by a breeder as they are known for their herding instincts and being very active, and difficult with young children.
The suggestion of playing alot of retrieve with your collie on one of your daily walks is a great idea, I do this with my dogs occasionally when I need to take dd with me and she doesn't want to walk very far.
(mths is also a very difficult age, your dog ihas just reached adolescence and although her adult teeth have been though a while they can start to teeth again at this age as the jaw is still growing and the teething are mpving. Mine both love chewing smoked bones, and they last for weeks, just don't put them on the carpet when they are new as they will mark it. Hopefully she will get over this stage in the next few months and things will be easier. My dog trained used to advocate lots of short training sessions throughout the day tp keep your dog interested, doing a few sits, stays etc while waiting for the kettle to boil, during the advert break etc.
Having said all of that some dogs are fine living outside. Just need a good shelter - kennel or shed, with bedding and water, and room to play. But they will still need plenty of excercise and interaction and training from you. I would try some other solutions inside first. Good luck with her. And if you do decide to rehome it as a last resort, try a rescue centre, such as the RSPCA, Battersea, The Dogs Trust, Blue Cross, National Animal Welfare Trust etc. some of them have waiting lists, it depends where you live.

How are you getting on with your dog, Claire2009?