New pup

jiblets1

Hi all, hope you're all having the first glimmers of summer wherever you are...

I've just got a new pup!!!

Am most excited.

But, of course, there are a couple of garden issues. Mainly, our problem is that our pup feels the need to nibble on anything that dangles, and is mainly enamoured with my begonias and fushias as well as every leaf and blade of grass around!! Any tips? She would much rather sit on my border than my lawn, and I'm not sure my not-quite-yet-established garden can take it!:eek:

FROSTYFRECKLE

Hi Jiblets1,

Sorry I have no tips but from my experience best wave bye bye to your lovely garden, until your pup has been trained. Your pup will pee on the grass and turn it brown, dig anything and anywhere, eat anything, oh and maybe leave wee "presents" for you:eek:

But it will be all worth it in the end:T

marshmallow79

We ended up putting fencing around our patio just to stop our dog digging up our newly layed turf (he distroyed the previous one to the point that it looked like there was never any grass there to begin with!:eek:).
What sort of dog have you got jiblets?

jiblets1

She's a border collie, 8 weeks old. She's gorgeous and obviously very clever, but she is (as they all are) SO lively.

evilgoose

Awww - Border collies are sooo cute as pup's.

Try not to make trying to get her off the borders into a game, otherwise it'll be an uphill struggle! or reward her for coming off the borders - as you've said - they very clever and she'll soon figure out that - "ooo a pressie if I sit there and then get called off"
You can buy a sour tasting spray to dis-courage her from chewing (it's for clothes or a dog lead -but may work on plants).
I dont think that chewing grass is an issue - not sure though if it a sign of a slightly upset tummy?

My dog's 10 now and she's pretty good, she has her route, which we've resigned ourselves to the fact that - its her's!

sarah_smurf

Could you put some sort of boarder round your things... or get some big pen in the garden to keep her in if you're doing something? The sooner she learns not to do it the better

My sisters got a dog that a cross with a boarder collie and she happily untaught any training (if any) he had when he came from the dogs home, now I could happily kick him (and my sister with him) over the next doors fence & not ask for the return of them the pigs lol... the wench has ripped all of dads food he was growing up and ate or shredded the lot, along with digging an escape route :D:D Dogs hey can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Oh the joys that come along with having pets:rotfl: :rotfl:

And I heard (don't know how true or false it is) that it's ok if dogs eat grass as it clears them out? Can't even remember which idiot of a family member told me that one lol, but the other mutt we have is a Staffy and she chews on any long grass any chance she gets along with the flower heads, and now has my flaming sisters collie cross dog doing the same... may as well bang their heads together if it'd actually do some good.

sarah_smurf

:D:D You'll have to post us a piccy of your new doggy :D:D

Optimisticpair

jiblets1 wrote: »

She's a border collie, 8 weeks old. She's gorgeous and obviously very clever, but she is (as they all are) SO lively.

They are marvellous dogs, I have had one since I was a child when possible, .but you do have to stay one step ahead of them. They are logical in a kind of irrational way if you know what I mean.

One of my collie crosses learned not to chew up plants the hard way - she had a go at my "eau de cologne" mint. The look on her face said it all - "erk that smells nasty, tastes foul and I feel queasy" ever quick to spot a new weapon in the armoury I planted a lump of the mint round where I wanted her not to go and it protected the plants lovely..

jiblets1

Thanks for those tips. She seems to already know that I don't want her to do it, which is progress, but for the moment she thinks it's funny to wind me up at certain points of the day.

Shall try my best to get a pic up later, I'm getting to grips with my new laptop here, and not used to it yet....

vaalford

Hi,
To stop your puppy eating your plants and digging up everything, only take her into the garden on a lead for a little while, or go with her, for two things only:
1) To "be clean"- always in the same place, after each meal and as soon as she wakes up, and when she does perform...loads of high pitched praise
2) To play with you, with a tennis ball/tuggie toy. Use the time to train her...she'll love you for it. Keep her attention on you. If you want time to yourself, dont put her in the garden, put her in a playpen or crate.
Soon she'll associate the garden with peeing, pooing (in the right place)
and playing with you, not exploring and getting into mischief.
Dont let her play by herself, it is too dangerous for her and your garden.
Fuchsias are poisonous, as are most plants that slugs dont eat. If a snail wont eat it, dont let your dog eat it. Most dangerous is the cocoa mulch, which is delicious and highly toxic to dogs.
When your pup goes on the border say NO! OFF! The pup will work out where it should not go by trial and error. I have three big retrievers, all from 8 weeks old, and a lovely garden... it works.
Grass never hurt a dog.
Have fun.. a few hours training now and you'll have a marvellous dog for life.
Is she an herbaceous border collie?

jiblets1

vaalford wrote: »

Is she an herbaceous border collie?

Very droll....

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Thanks for the advice.