The Border Collie Gathered Every Shoe in the House. Then He Got Chewy.

Heaped against the wall is a mountain of shoes, each one with a frayed toe or a torn strap, and a red and white Border Collie sits beside them with his gaze turned carefully away. His brown ears flop forward, his white chest fur is fluffy, and his profile looks thoughtful. The carpet beneath him is tidy, which only makes the shoe pile look more deliberate. It seems he gathered them all in one place for easy inspection.

Border Collies are brilliant, high-energy herding dogs who need a lot of exercise and mental work to be happy. When they are bored, they find their own jobs, and that can mean collecting and chewing shoes. Shoes smell strongly like their owners, which makes them especially interesting to a dog. Daily runs, training games, and puzzle toys can keep a collie busy, and a closet door or shoe rack can keep temptation out of reach. Loose bits of leather or rubber can be a swallowing hazard, so talk to your vet if a dog eats any. A well-exercised collie is a calm and loving friend.

He does not look too sorry, just thoughtful, perhaps wondering which pair to review next. All those shoes may need replacing, but his smart, expressive face will keep you guessing about what he is planning. Tomorrow he will probably invent a new project, so the shoe rack may need a lock.