Chewing - While puppies naturally have several chewing stages in the midst of teething, a bored ACD will chew destructively (we are talking: eating wooden doghouses, demolishing water buckets, even chewing on rocks which causes extreme damage to the teeth). Additional exercise, companionship with humans, companionship with other animals will help eliminate this behavior. There are also substances that can be made or purchased that can be applied to objects to deter chewing.

Stealing - A thief is a nuisance as he steals shoes, toys, clothes, anything of a human’s that he can carry off. This is a request for attention and companionship.  Thievery usually goes hand in hand with chewing.  When teaching young pups not to steal, it is most easily done by using a sharp command "No", "Leave It" and then substituting the stolen item with a toy that is ok for the pup to have and play with.  This teaches the pup that some things are hers, but some things are not!

Digging - Some people say that all dogs dig and to some extent and this may be true, but a bored ACD will dig and dig and dig and dig (get the picture?). As with the thief, deterrents are to provide exercise, companionship, and toys for the dog’s amusement. In hot weather, ACD’s may dig to reach cool/moist dirt to lie in. Providing a child’s pool 1/2 full of water or other sources of water will help deter this type of digging.

Disobedience - Bored ACD’s may become unruly (a lot like children) when bored - even to the extent that they refuse to obey any commands. In this case, the dog has become bored and lost respect for his human. This behavior requires re-training with the basics of obedience and consistency.

Aggression - Undisciplined and bored ACD’s may become excessively aggressive to other dogs and people. This behavior requires a return to the basics of obedience , consistency, and demand of respect from the dog.  Respect can be a difficult thing to master, but it comes from the dog knowing and believing that you, the human, is the alpha (leader of the pack).  That respect is gained most easily from consistent discipline of the dog.