Need some dog training advice

[aldebono]

Heelers are smart Smart SMART! I suggest a training class, not only for her but for you. You will need to learn how to train her as well. Many times, owners are just as much at fault for their dogs behaviors as the dog is.

Otherwise. Teach her what "Good" is. I use it as the bridge when mine are doing something right. A bridge is anything really, a word, a sound (clicker) that is immediately followed by a treat. Treats can be given in tiny tiny tiny pieces.

Let her know you have the treats and then every time she looks at your face and not the treat in your hand "Good!" TREAT........."Good!" TREAT. This way, when she is eating her own food and not the litter, you can tell her "Good!" and she knows she is doing something you approve of.

Get her a kong and fill it with yummy treats. She chews on the kong and it's self rewarding and it keeps them busy.

Telling them how TO act is every bit as important as telling them how NOT to act.

Thats "Good!" for laying down quietly.
"Good!" for ignoring the cat litter.

After she knows "Good" train her to "Leave it".
Put the treats in your hand and let her nose it "Leave it" "leave it" until she stops and looks at you. "Good!!!" TREAT.

Because Heelers are so smart, once you have basic commands down and you know she is just waiting for you to turn your back so she can be naughty, you will have to set her up for correction NOT to fail.

You "step out of the room" she heads for the cat litter, "Leave it!" she turns away from the litter "Good!" TREAT or kong.

Because she is so sensitive, you don't want to set her up to fail by allowing her to get in the litter and then correcting her. You want to prevent it from happening.

She may also need a job. Jobs can be chasing squirrels while you root for her, herding, agility, even carrying a pack on a walk. This is a working breed that needs their body and mind to be worked.

She is very very cute! I wish you the best with her!