Do you have a new Border Collie puppy? Beware! That incredibly cute little ball of energy is capable of destruction beyond anything imaginable. If you go out and leave your puppy loose in the house be prepared for a massive clean-up when you return. I'm not referring to the stains on the carpet or the puddles on the kitchen floor. I'm talking about the destruction of things you didn't even think a puppy could get to. Let me explain.

Coco, a chocolate and white Border Collie puppy, whom I know personally was left at home while the family went out for dinner and a movie. By the time they returned their house was almost unrecognizable. When Coco's family walked into the house they thought they'd been burgled.

The bookcase in the living room was tipped over, there were pages ripped and torn all over the floor. The crystal vase from the top of the bookcase was smashed and a clock face shattered. The stuffing from the cushions on the couch was flung all over the room and it was generally a scene of destruction. But it didn't end there. As they entered the bedroom there was clothing spread all over the floor with shoes scatted here and there. Fashion and auto magazine pages were shredded to pieces and the occasional novel accompanied them.

Amongst all this devastation Coco bounded up to her owners and jumped wildly onto them. Their immediate worry was that someone had broken into the house and stolen their belongings so they picked up Coco and lavished her with praise for being safe and sound after thieves had entered their house. However, once they surveyed the damage in the house their affection for Coco turned to anger and outrage. There were no burglars, there were no thieves, but there were bite marks on the shoes and saliva on the cushions. Coco's sharp little puppy teeth were clearly the cause of destruction on the books. However, to this day, the family still don't know how she managed to overturn the entire bookcase.

Coco's owners were so angry and so upset when they realized what had happened that they could hardly contain their emotions. The problem was, getting angry with Coco after the event solved nothing. A dog doesn't understand you're talking about an event in the past. She didn't understand their words, their threats or the profanities. The chaos was just Coco's way of expressing her boredom and loneliness, she didn't know right from wrong.

Don't let Coco set the standard in your home. If you are thinking about training a Border Collie puppy, start straight away. Don't hesitate, don't make excuses, just do it. It is silly to wait until chaos strikes to spur you into action, instead, do your research and start training your Border Collie today.

Once your puppy gets a taste for bad behaviour she might just like it. Avoid bad habits before they take hold.