Q: My 10-month-old neutered Lab-border collie gets lots of exercise, and I do mean lots, since I am training for a marathon and he trains with me. I have read that exercise is the key to curing destructive behavior. But he's a big-time chewer, and it's hard to imagine him getting any more exercise than he does! Do you have any suggestions? Those running shoes he destroyed were expensive. -- M.M., via e-mail

A: Sporting breeds, herding breeds and their mixes are notorious for their high activity levels, especially in their adolescent and young adult periods. That's why I never recommend dogs such as border collies for people who plan to do nothing more than give them a sedate daily walk.

These dogs are just too high-drive for many situations, especially when you factor in that these are also some of the smartest pets around. (Contrast the active herding and sporting breeds with sight hounds such as retired racing greyhounds. Those "40-mph couch potatoes" are often a better choice for a more sedentary household.)

You may be going through a rough patch now, but you'll get through this. And you're a perfect owner for such a smart, active dog.

Normally, I'd say a dog like yours needs more exercise, but since you have that covered, you need to manage your dog's environment and offer him alternatives to chewing what you don't want.

I do like the idea of doggy day care for active dogs, providing nonstop supervised play. I've used doggy day care from time to time with one of my young dogs and have liked it a lot.

If that's not possible, limit your dog's range while you're gone and leave him with something to keep him busy. One suggestion: stuffed Kongs.

You take your basic Kong dog toy, stuff it with peanut butter and bits of kibble or biscuits, and freeze it. Then give it to your dog when you're leaving the house. With a simple Internet search, you can find all kinds of recipes and ideas for stuffing Kongs.

Use a baby gate or other barrier to keep your dog in a small area with his Kong and other chew toys while you're gone to minimize distraction and destruction -- no more free run of the house!

Sorry about those running shoes, but that was your fault, not his. Get in the habit of keeping the house picked up. And if you do see your dog chewing on something non-approved, clap your hands to interrupt the chewing you don't want and then switch him to the chewing you do want, with praise.

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