So do you guys (and women) over there like dogs as much as American farmers do?  Most of us like dogs, we don't spoil them really,just treat them like a member of our family good enough to live under the porch(like you would feel about your brother-in-law perhaps). For the most part, our dogs are fairly worthless, many of us like to think otherwise though.  I am in  a dog quandry at the moment, which is helping me to take my mind off the fact my wheat is deteriorating in the field.  My wife's sister had a much beloved 11 year old beagle.  Her husband is an officer in our US navy, and when they were moved to Japan, we were lucky enough that they let the dog move in with us, and I do mean in, it was a house dog and I was raised NOT to have animals in the house.  Murphy, the beloved beagle, was just beginning her downhill slide when she moved in, and after an early "situation" where she escaped and I had to pursue her through a soybean field, she began to do things like vomit in our living room.  I was really getting testy about this situation, and about to do something drastic, when I awoke a couple mornings before Christmas to find her dead under the kitchen table( I like to think that was Gods Christmas gift to me).  Being a real dog lover at heart, just not of housedogs, we set off to the pound to rescue a dog, and ended up with two, a big Lab cross, and a Welsh Corgi.  As required,we spayed and neutered them, and I looked forward to a couple of wonderful farm dogs.  Well, they won't keep the varmits away, they bark at everything but people who drive in,and the worst is they tear things up right and left, I cannot count the postal parcels they have destroyed, a grease gun, several garden hoses,the hose cart, chewed the porch swing( they got into a fairly tender delivery from the postman today).  I keep thinking they will grow out of it, but it has been 6 months, and they weren't  pups when we got them.  Anybody out there really good with dogs who either A) can tell me how to break them of destroying things or B) can tell me how to kill them and make it look like an accident or C) wants me to drop them off at their house when I come over to the UK.  I really need some help on this one, we have always have had strays, and they have always been good dogs, these two, well FWi will edit out what I call them.  My wife loves them, and I actually do to, but I am not sure I can afford them anymore.

Oh dear!

Sounds like you have your hands full! As to breaking them of their bad habits, i think a doggy shrink is your only hope (or keeping them outside in a kennel & run combo). We have an ancient Border Collie (useless with sheep, but a brilliant cow dog) and two English Springer Spaniels (my shooting companions!) All three dogs live in the house, and apart from the obvious trip hazard when they are all sprawled about the place, we have no problems with them. We are generous with rubber balls etc. to focus their attention away from furnishings and bits, and woe betide anyone who rattles our gate! that also applies to any furred or feathered visitor to the garden (except our cat!). They get the doggy equivalent of a bumsrush!!

Good luck with your hounds, i hope you find a solution soon!

We have two dogs.  The sheepdog (border collie - type) is still on the learning curve, but getting the idea of how to do her job.  She's great really, a very smart dog and very much up for working but also a good outdoor pet.  Unfortunately she's just not a family pet.  She made a decision at about age 18 months that she wanted to live outside.  If you bring her in she just sits by the door waiting to be let out.  She's not good on lead off farm either, 'cos she can't settle to trot along beside you; not that she doesn't understand the command to heel, she just can't keep to it.  She also gets very nervous of other dogs, etc. if on lead: she's fine with them off lead, but we don't believe in letting dogs off lead except under controlled conditions, such as at home.  One other problem is having been brought up with the cats, of which we have many, she thinks she is half-cat, which I think also gives her some confusion, but that problem will be there for any dog we have.  All that being said, there is no faster learner: I'm looking at agility training to give her more to do, but unfortunately I need training first!

In answer to your questions:

A) We early on taught our dogs they could have as many toys to destroy as they want and that is a 'good thing', but only the ones we give them are allowed.  By making sure they always have something around we have given them they seem to distinguish.  If we allow them to get too bored without having their own toys about then this can break down but it generally works well, I guess because they are rarely allowed to be bored.  Perhaps find an activity each dog shines at, such as agility or chasing things and tire them out by distracting them with this activity.

B) Do you have bears in your neck of the woods?  Just learn to simulate bear injuries and you can give the mutts heroes' funerals for fending off the intruding monster while secretly congratulating yourself.

C) No thanks: we have enough ... do you want a goat?

 

I have two border collies which were supposed to be working dogs but they are scared of the cattle and we don't have any sheep right now so they have nothing to do.  Sounds like your dogs might be bored too...

 

Mine are actually really good but they live outside, and the bitch does occasionally chew things in her kennel.  I guess if you've got no work for the dogs to do you need to give them loads of exercise and something to occupy their minds.  Over here you can get treat balls that might occupy them for a while.  Give them things like bones & rawhide that they are allowed to chew and most importantly teach them to "LEAVE IT!!!" 

Kennel them outside & be hard on them - not unkind, just really firm.  You don't need to get physical, just make sure by using tone of voice & growling at them, that you are top dog & what you say goes.

Lots of doggy training advice on this site http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/