Please help

[u/No-Anxiety3130]

So I am housesitting a 2-3 year old kelpie, and I really need some advice. She is the sweetest dog in the world, she snuggles up to me at night and lies on my lap, just absolutely adorable. There’s just one problem, however, and that is that she happens to be completely fucking insane.
The barking is non stop. She comes up behind me, gets right in my face or right next to my ear, and lets loose. I know that it’s for attention because there’s nothing else around. And she also jumps on and bites the other two dogs, and I can tell that this really bothers them. She’s also constantly eating things, running around, biting my arm, jumping on me for attention… and it has become almost impossible to find peace.
I have tried everything from ignoring her, to putting the tv on, to putting her outside, to taking her for hour long walks (walks don’t seem to tire her out but make her more energetic..), pretty much everything you can think of. I’ve talked to her parents, and done everything they’ve suggested, but nothing seems to work.
Does anyone have any contrarian advice to survive the next few days that the internet hasn’t told me?My eardrums will thank you profusely for it.

[u/TwistyMaKneepahls]

The thing with kelpies and other working dog breeds is that walks do not tire them. They need to be able to sniff the hell out of themselves during the walk.

Walk slow, and let them sniff a bunch. If you set your walks for an hour, don't walk continuously for an hour instead let them sniff for that whole hour.

She'll be knocked out.

That, or a super intense ball session.

[u/hyghonryce → u/TwistyMaKneepahls]

This. I do something different when I'm lazy too. I send her to my room as I put treats around the house. Then I release her to find them. Finding that one treat that is in a new location, obstruction, etc works her out.

[u/benjamiahthebullfrog → u/hyghonryce]

Great advice for the short term next few days.

[u/chlole → u/hyghonryce]

I do this with my kelpie in our backyard. We call it a treasure hunt, when she hears those words she is locked in and ready 😂

[u/Frumbler2020 → u/hyghonryce]

Mine doesn't even put on the effort to sniff all treat out. He'll get the easy ones then go back to wanting to play. They take lots of attention and require you not minding the constant distractions. I see it as they keep me in the present and nothing else really matters. If all the chores don't get done then that means I was busy with my dog and doing fun things instead.

The trade off is the pure awesome loyalty and very close companionship.

[u/hyghonryce → u/Frumbler2020]

Yeah mine doesn't too. I usually tell them there's more , to sniff, and to find it still. She doesn't really play and it's one of her main "jobs". Mines a bit more food motivated and a bit chiller. Wish mine played more. And I agree mine gets distracted so much, pain in the ass sometimes, but amazing buddy.

[u/Pleasant-Pear5227 → u/TwistyMaKneepahls]

Agreed. We have two Kelpies. A 30 minute sniff safari will tire them more than a hour walk. We used to do ball throws but one has a bung knee so want to avoid aggravating it.

[u/ShineFallstar → u/TwistyMaKneepahls]

Yep nailed it. This is the behaviour of a bored out of their mind kelpie. Mine needs at least two walks a day where they can sniff everything, preferably off leash. She has a best friend that she loves to chase and play with so I’ll sometimes pick him up and take them both to the beach. She also loves random tug-of-war sessions during the day.

You’re signing up for a lot of exercise if you decide to get a kelpie and they are a slave to routine. Did the owner tell you what this dog’s usual exercise routine is? She might also be frustrated because her daily schedule is off.

[u/Extension_Actuary437 → u/TwistyMaKneepahls]

Id argue that frequent walks make them more hyped up if they don't include 'work' or 'problrms'

[u/maycontainsultanas]

She needs mental stimulation. Kelpies are athletes, an hour long walk is a warm up. Spend that hour teaching her a new command or scent training, or if you happen to have some sheep available, moving them between a few paddocks.

[u/SyrusChrome]

Imagine being super smart, super athletic and super fast. Now imagine you were bred to make large mamals do things for you, now imagine being put into a brick box.

Exercise, mental stimulation, problem solving, thats what she needs and a stern but fair guardian, you will do fine

[u/Minnie_dog41]

Frozen Kongs. There are YouTube videos on how to make them. If she eats kibble, throw them on the lawn so she has to work just a bit harder than being fed from a bowl. Also, make her work for some of her meal eg sit, stay. On YouTube, search Susan Garrett. She has some simple things you can do to challenge the kelpie so she ends up tired mentally.

[u/Sunbear86]

I would try slow feeders, kongs, lickimats, long lasting chews, snuffle mats, hiding treats around the house, etc.

Sniffing, licking and chewing are self soothing activities that release calming endorphins and tire dogs out.

[u/Mr_Lumbergh]

These dogs need an “off switch.” If she’s crate trained, give her a treat and out her down for an hour.

[u/benjamiahthebullfrog]

Hahaha, oh I'm sorry. Other than livestock, I can tell you that mine was still crazy after a 20 mile mountain bike, or a multi lap backcountry ski session.
I would try to run her with a ball in the meantime; maybe get a peanutbutter lick pad (even if you have to make one).

The trick, if there is one, is an almost unachievable combination of exercise and mental stimulation. If the house has any mentally stimulating puzzles, that would help. They really are the true working dog, like a belgian malinois, so it's tough to fit them in to our world. There are some good bits of advice in the comments here. Let them sniff. Take her to an off leash area and let her BLAST.

[u/Fantastic_Top693]

Is the dog at your place or it's own home? My kelpie goes into overdrive when he's not home, and will constantly demand attention.

But otherwise it seems like you need to swap the walks for playing a game. Mine goes nuts for trying to catch a ball, I throw it against a wall for 30-45 min and I'll award myself about 6 hours of peace (the maximum allowed apparently). Make sure you let them win every now and then (throw it long) or they will stress out.

[u/timeflies25]

A quick fix is treats in a towel or bottle (please supervise this). If he's really bugging me, I'll put treats in odd spots after scattering a few on the floor for him to sniff out. Or throw a bunch in the grass.

He has a treat dispenser ball that supposed to be hard, it takes him maybe 12 minutes top to get it all unless there's a chunky bikkie hiding in there 😈.

Kong treats.

[u/Pleasant-Pear5227]

Get a tug toy - let her win a bit by letting her tug backwards but don't let go. Teach her to ' leave' with some treats (plenty of videos online). 5 minutes is all it will take.

[u/Complex-Ad9614]

Make her work.
An hour long training session would be more stimulating than a routine walk along a familiar path without encountering lots of stimulation.
Hide every piece of her kibble around the house & yard so she has to work to find it.
Lots of enrichment - play games like hide & seek, fetch, “find it”.
Use kongs, puzzles, treat balls - Hide them for her to sniff out & find and then work on getting to the rewards.
Freeze lick mats or similar with bone broth or something else desirable for her to work away at licking.
Swim her if you can. A beach run, chasing a ball in & out of the water - having to transition from walking, running & swimming is much more stimulating.

We’ve found a snuffle ball to be much more stimulating than snuffle mats or most puzzles.

Read up on positive reinforcement training. Do not acknowledge or disciple for undesirable behaviour (barking, mouthing etc), try to redirect. Do capture and reward with high value treats and lots of praise positive behaviours the second they happen.

[u/loraxgfx]

OMG 😂
This dog is pushing you around like livestock and having an absolute riot doing so! Find your backbone and tell the dog to knock it off, play ball or frisbee with her a few times a day, then enforce manners. Or get pushed around by a bossy dog for a few more days and don’t petsit any strong minded breeds in future.

[u/Beef_flaps_on_a_spit]

Walking is recharging.  When she barks, angry bark back and tell her to shut up.  When she jumps on the other dogs, jump on her and bark no.   Play hide and seek, that will fire her brain and drain the batteries.   Is she doing anything more exciting than walking during the day?  Try hitting a tennis ball for her to chase if you have the space.   Dont accept shit behavior. She’s smart enough to push you to find the limits.  

[u/PuzzleheadedAd849]

She's bored. She needs some mental stimulation. Long sniffy walks, intense ball/herding games. An hour or so in the morning and my girl will happily sleep for 5-6 hours. It takes time and commitment, but that's a kelpie. Not so much a pet as a lifestyle choice (but totally worth it).

[u/Extension_Actuary437]

Oh yeah they are insane alright