Heeler chews and digs

Question
Hi
I have a heeler/samoyed.  He is a year old now.  He is extremely smart! I'm not just saying that because he is my dog...we have had a few other heelers and they weren't this smart. I would like for him to stop chewing things and digging. He does not chew any of our personal things like shoes we leave lying around and such.  If I tell him to stop chewing as he is chewing something ...he will then take the item and chew elsewhere ...lol  As for digging, he will dig right in the middle of the yard! I am hoping that this is a phase and he will grow out of it. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Robin

Answer
He may stop chewing as he gets older - at his age, he is probably still setting his adult teeth into his jawbone, and MUST chew to do that.  So, provide some hard chew toys or interactive toys to keep his mouth busy without having him chew inappropriate objects.  If you need to retrieve an object, simply "trade" for it by offering him a treat in exchange.  As for digging, that is a very hard behavior to stop, so I usually advise people to create a "digging pit" for the dog where he can dig - in other words, make him a sand box.  Hide some Milk Bones, or biscuits in it and go outside with him and help him dig them up - yay, he gets a prize for digging in the right place.  Discourage any digging anywhere else by redirecting him to the digging pit.