Please help me!!!!!

[lolli94]

Lolli and Buddy, my two English Springer Spaniels, are both about 1 1/2 yrs old. They are really energetic and we live on about two acres of land. They live outside and I use Invisible Fence. Overnight they destroy everything...and I mean everything. Garden hoses, toys, anything that gets left in their reach. So, I solved that problem and I kennel them at night. This morning my mom told me that they started digging at the side of the house during the day when I'm at work. They dug out the pipe made to direct rain water away from the house and they pulled insulation away from the side of the house.Knowing them, they'll probably start on the siding next If our landlord sees this, I may have to part with my dogs, and I can't do that! I know they are bored. They don't do this when I am home. Please, any suggestions on how to stop them and how to keep them from being bored! Thanks

[Snowdrops]

First... consider doing things that will occupy their minds ! Kongs stuffed with peanut butter and frozen .... they take time to work through. There are a zillion things you can do to help them in this way. Toys that make them think etc....

Also.. consider constructing a proper fenced and floored dog run. The landlord isnt being picky... he wants his property in decent order.

Springer Spaniels are intense working dogs... (when you did your research before getting them you will have realised that) they cant just be 'left' they need occupation and interest. You are also going to have to put some time and re training in . This is a habit they have obviously got used to be able to doing (you said said they have been destroying garden stuff).

Start from square one with training... add alot of exercise.... ALOT ! Tired dogs are happy Furs !

You can turn this around !

Good Luck !

[Karen]

How much exercise do they get every day? What mental stimulation do they get? They need more to keep their minds and bodies occupied. Do they have toys they can play with instead of finding things to do? How long are they left alone each day? What is your daily routine with them?

[lolli94]

Thanks! I live at home with my family; I have 7 siblings that are home all day with my mom. People are in and out of the house all day long, except now that school started they are inside more(They are home schooled). I usually let the dogs out of their kennel around 8 in the morning and they run around chasing birds before I feed them. I do have the option of kenneling them while I am at work(the kennel is about 6 by 8 feet), but being Springers, they will only be bored and I can't do that to them. Yeah, I knew what I was getting when I decided on a Springer Our dogs have always lived outside and entertained themselves a lot of the time, but since we moved to this house there just isn't much for them to do. I am considering agility, do you know where I could get a set?

[Snowdrops]

They are bored to destruction... literally ! You have to walk them... at least 1 hour hard exercise... preferably 2 hours a day. They are not "entertain themselves" dogs. No dog is. You need to work with them.. re train them ,school them. Agility is a great idea. many parts of the sets you can make yourself. EBay is also a good source.

Get training books from the Library... KNOW what they need !

But bottom line is.. these are your dogs and you are going to need to work with them and provide them with stimulous and exercise.

Again.... Good Luck.. but you are going to need to change your life with them to have happy calm dogs. You CAN do this.

[Husky_mom]

snowdrops beat me to it.. thy are beyond bored.. a bored dog. needless to say a super energetic one will become destructive.. as that's the only way they can get rid of the energy accumulation..

dogs do entertain themselves with each other.. but for like 5 minutes.. and that in no way makes up for the exercise they need to reaaaally be tired and non destructive..

take them for a loooong run.. like snowdrops said 1-2 hrs.. hop on a bike and have them run next to you with a leash or a spring thingy.. and when left alone give them plenty of mental stimulation toys so they keep their mind occupied in something.. that also tires them

[Karen]

Could you enlist your siblings to help exercise them? Have someone take them for a good long walk/run mid-day, or throw a ball for them for a while, etc? You can even make your own sort of agility set-up, and maybe enlist a sibling or two to help with that, and that will get them more invested in the dogs' lives and give the dogs more fun times! Even training to do "tricks" on command is good mental stimulation, and anyone can do that!