Every Dog Gets Tired

Our friends came to hang out and brought their French bulldog, D, and Benji played and ran around with him for hours creating a very obedient and exhausted pup. Not only that, but he has gotten into the habit of (sometimes) scratching at the front door when he needs to go out to the bathroom before going in the house. This cue really helps me realize when he needs to go but we generally follow the rule of after every meal, 15 minutes after water, after every nap and playtime.

I have begun to use the 'shake can' which really scares him. I think the first step is understanding the dog before applying all this stuff that will only confuse him. I just want to understand why Benji is doing an action that displeases me before I decide how to deal with it. Why is he chewing the coffee table leg? Why is he peeing in the kitchen? Why does he try to jump up on the sofa? I know getting him tuckered out really helps immensely with dealing with him every day. When he is tired, he is just so much more of a joy to be around!

Bad House Manners

Training Benji is going to be a fulltime job for a while. I have to start from scratch all over again because some of the things I'm doing wrong is my fault and some things just take a while. It is nearly impossible to keep Benji away from human food when we are eating or guests feet when they visit which is quite embarrassing. Benji is beginning bad habits like chewing the trim and shoes, and I'm worried. One thing that HAS worked is taking him for a walk before his bedtime to tire him out. For the first time in the week we had him, he actually slept for the entire night without whining/barking. I was impressed but he ruined it by peeing on our new carpet. I try not to get angry but I am angry, frustrated and in despair. Is this ever going to get better?

What is the best method to training Benji? Should I write up a housetraining/eating schedule so I know when he should pee/poo and should I write a schedule to remind myself he needs exercise or he'll do destructive things out of boredom? I need to organize myself and prepare for the worst--have poop bags and shoes at the door at the ready; leash and collar ready; clean towels for his bed regularly and his toys in one place (they're all over). I think if I know he needs to eat at say, 1:00pm every afternoon it will make it easier for both of us to get some structure and routine.

To work on his separation anxiety issues, I wanted to get a baby gate and block him off in one area of the house. This is always useful when I'm painting or cleaning so he doesn't get near anything toxic or harmful. I think using a babygate will let him have independent time in a constructive  manner (eating, playing, etc) and will be the foundation for when I need to leave the house for an hour or so, and he can play quietly and be assured I'll return. The baby gates also helps me monitor where he is and keeping him confined to a small area makes it impossible for him to soil the carpets and floors.

I need to work on teaching him "come" and "sit" and especially "down" so he doesn't climb on the sofa. He is still too small to jump up on it, but if he knows he is not allowed on the sofa and we say "down", when he grows big enough to jump on it, he will understand he cannot. By the time he is big enough to jump, I'll likely have to use a spray bottle or rolled up newspaper to show him it is not acceptable behaviour.

BENJI BITING A FINGER--ONE OF HIS BAD HABITS

BENJI BEFORE A 20 MINUTE WALK BEFORE BEDTIME

Right now, I just want to start fresh and gain his trust and build our bond. I want to tell him "good boy" when he poos/pees outside, play with his toys with him, take him on short walks and brush his fur. I want him to realize I do love him and I'm not going to treat him badly. I want to get out of the vicious cycle we're in now. There is hope! I know there is!

All about Benji

All About Benji
   Benji is a puppy I share with my fiancee. He is a Border Collie and Australian cattledog mix and is 8 weeks old now. I bought him without doing my research on the ACD breed though I had done research on the border collie before. I think everything happens for a reason and Benji was meant to be our dog. We have had Benji now for 6 days and have detected a lot of issues. From day one we realized he will grow to be a large dog and secondly, he is headstrong and difficult to train which is why I started this blog to document and help navigate the murky waters of training a dog like Benji.
    ACD dogs are canines that work hard. They are work dogs who spend 10-12 hours a day working, usually herding cattle. ACD dogs are headstrong, active and agile. WIKIPEDIA says working collies (Benji) is able to run all day and has great stamina and extreme energy. They are also extremely intelligent and highly motivated to work. Since Benji is half border collie, he is not just bred to be a working dog. As a (half) border collie, he is gentle enough to be a companion and pet.
    Benji has recently been separated from his mother and littermates so he suffers from separation anxiety which is difficult to deal with, at times. My number one step after housebreaking him is to treat his separation anxiety. Since he is a new pup I have been home with him 24/7 but now I have realized he has separation anxiety I have to address it and many articles online have been helpful. He tends to bark (extremely loudly) waking up every dog on our street and squeal loudly until we come back to him. If he is not crated or in a blocked off area, he is by my feet constantly and will even sleep on my feet if I stay still. I want to teach him independence and confidence, and that I--his pack leader--will return!
    Like most pups, Benji is still being housebroken but he really enjoys peeing on carpets. Especially our brand new ones. Working on his housebreaking skills is number one on our list for sake of our furniture but he has been OK with going outside--I don't wait long for him to do something.
    Benji is a biter. He could be just teething but he is quick to snap at a face or hand and uses his teeth on any and everything. I am a bit worried he will bite something and harm himself and I try to get him to bite his toys and not people or innappropriate things like wires--or the TV!
    Benji has tons of energy. He is not old enough to go for walks yet since he's not fully vaccinated and the ground is covered in snow, but I plan to tire the heck out of him and enroll him in some kind of energetic dog classes like agility to give him mental and physical stimulation. I wanted a bigger dog so I would have a companion to run/hike/swim with and I know Benji will love those things. He is also going to be pretty big, so keeping him tired means he'll be at my feet when we return home. That's important!