Q: My Border Collie pups likes to nip?
A: Border Collies tend to nip when they want to move/herd things that don't normally want to be moved, or when they want to get your attention, they see this as a normal function and until told/scolded, they don't see anything wrong with it. Keep in mind that young pups have sharp fragile teeth, what we tend to do is tap the pup under the jaw, just enough to hit the teeth together and jar the jaw. At the same time use a correction (we use "no") to indicate to the pup its actions are not wanted. Tap your self under the jaw and see how it works. Don't forget to reward your pup/dog when he/she does as you ask.
You might be able to simply hold the puppy's muzzle with applying to much pressure, at the same time use a correction, such as "no" to indicate to the pup its actions are not wanted. Again, don't forget to reward your pup/dog when he/she does as you ask.
As with all dogs, teasing and harassing any dog yet a Border Collie is something which children or adults SHOULD NOT do. The dog knows it is not allowed to bite, and in desperate times, the only form of defence for the dog may be the act of nipping the offending child or person.
Q: I have just purchased a Border Collie Pup, we purchased her from a farm and she is not microchipped yet or vacinated, she is 7 weeks old do we take her to the vet now or is she too young?
A: Pups should be vacinated about 7 weeks definately by 8 weeks, about a week before pups go to their new home. Then vaccinated again about 12 weeks/3months, which will last them for the next twelve months, then vaccinate every 12 months. This is also based on the area and any prevalence of disease in that area, and the type/brand of vaccination. Different vets will recommend their preferred brand of vaccination.
Parvo - distemper is an airbourne disease, but at the same time you can visit an area affected and carry it home on your clothing or shoes. It can be life threatening but it is the suffering to the pup and the cost to cure the pup which is the strongest incentive to vaccinate.
As a matter of routine, breeder/s should microchip the pups at the same time. (We have seen the benefit of microchipping as a pup that we sold went missing and when it was found by the pound they notified us. Luckily the pup went missing with an older dog that wasn't microchiped and both were returned to their rightful home fit and well.) Also a microchipped dog when registered with the local (rural) council in NSW, (check your state) is $60 for its life time , which is very good value. Check with your local council as rural may differ in cost structure to suburbia based council.
Q: How can I get my Border Collie to quit chewing holes in our sofa when we leave our house for a couple of hours. She has lots of chew toys?
A: Try a product called "bitter apple spray". It should be available from most pet stores or Vets. Most dogs hate the taste of it and it is NOT harmful to the dog.
Check to make sure that one of its toys or food is not stuck down the side of the chair, don't leave the dog unattended in that room.
Q: I have a one year old desexed bitch, who is inclined to snap at people she does not know. She cowers a little, and then snaps and it is usually with people that she doesn't know, although most people she seems very comfortable with and doesn't worry about. She has been to obedience classes, is kept busy and is basically a very good dog, but I am getting worried about this trait in her personality. An instance the other day, which was probably the first time that she actually looked like she really meant to snap, occured when a delivery man walked into our factory, and she was tied up at the time. She has been going to our factory since she was a pup, and mostly is good with visitors, but with some people she just doesn't seem to like and cowers and snaps a little bit. When my son takes her to the beach, she is good - ignores people and just plays with my son and her ball. She is good with other dogs, and just likes to play with them?
A: If it is a behavioral problem, then we have to look at whether she only behaves this way when left with you/your son is away. Does she see a need to act as your defender, is she simply trying to protect you, if your son is not there has she taken on the responsibility.
Does it only happen when she is tied up - one idea is that she cannot move away from strangers when restricted/tied up, where when she is free from the lead she has the ability to create a distance that she is confortable with and will introduce herself when confident with the situation. Have you released her from being tied up and allowed her to naturally approach the stranger or have you introduced the stranger under friendlier circumstances.
Also if she is tied up at the entrance to your factory, she might see herself as a defender/gate keeper. It will be wise to tie her away from general (pedestrian) traffic where visitors can approach her under a less stressful circumstances.
Sometimes there is a need to speak to the dog the same way we would sternly speak to others/our children/better halves, if the dog hasn't been told that it is wrong, then she will continue to behave in the manner she does. Do not be afraid that you are going to upset the dog, if done at the time the girl snaps, she will quickly relate to that and will modify her behaviour, remember to reward her when she stops the adverse behaviour.
Sometimes we have to trust their instincts, and note her opinion of the stranger, but let her know to keep her opinion to herself.
Q: I have a 13yr old Australian Shepard and a young female Border Collie, who we just got from the Dog Pound about 5 weeks ago and the vet figured she was probably about a year old. My problem ... she definitely has a mind of her own, how do I get her to come right away when called and leave what ever it is she happens to be chasing at the moment, not when she feels like it. As it is now, I really can't let her off the leash as she is so unpredictable?
A: As you have only recently got the pup, there must be time for bonding, make this time enjoyable and she will learn very quickly.
Don't forget that as a young dog, everything is more interesting than us, they know we wont go with out them, therefore we can wait for them as they investigate what ever it is that has their attention at that time. Just like any teenage child.
What we use is a long lead, made out of very heavy fishing line or cord, with a small clip on the dogs end and a piece of dowl (wood) on your end. We allow the pup to run away and settle and get use to the line, then call it back to you, and use the line to encourage the pup back to you, then reward when the pup has came back to you. The length of the cord can vary, don't always do recalls while she on the cord, AND always make it fun.
You can introduce a toy which she favours, when she runs away show the toy, if she doesn't come straight away, turn and walk away from her. Let her play with the toy on her return or give another type of reward. If you can, sometimes use the cord at the same time.
Does she follow the older dog, if so call the older dog then walk with the older dog in a different direction, then at the same time call the pup. If you can be active with the older dog, the pup might return quickly to join in with the action.
Sometimes there is a need to speak to the dog the same way we would sternly speak to others/our children, just to get their attention. Once you have their attention practice your recall, and always reward when the pup returns even if there was some anxiety at first. We can not afford to chase the pup away by being cross with her.
Q: How do I stop my Border Collie from barking incessantly at night and early in the morning? He also barks when we are not home. I am afraid he has attained "top dog" status in our family and would like to find out how to gain control of my dog and discipline him without going over board?
A: The strongest word in our vocabulary is "NO", I am yet to own a dog that doesn't understand the meaning of it. You do not have to raise a hand or lift a foot, the seriousness is determined by your tone of voice.
If the dog hasn't been told that it is wrong, then it will continue to behave in the manner that it does. Do not be afraid that you are going to upset the dog, if corrected at the time, he will quickly relate to that and will modify his behaviour. Remember to reward when he stops the adverse behaviour.
Dogs bark for different reasons, it is their primary form of communications. We need to determine why the dog is barking at that time of day; I observed a neighbour recently who when his dog barked he went outside to the dog and asked it nicely to be quite, I don't believe that the dog knew it was wrong to bark because when the friend went back inside, the dog continued to bark until the friend went back outside. In this this situation it was the dog who was in control. The neighbour regained control (and his dog remained a very good friend) when he introduced/leant to use the "NO" word.
Q: Do Border Collies get hip problems and if they do around what age?
A: Yes, some lines do carry problems with hips and elbows which is not specifically a problem with Borders but with all breeds of dogs. The Border Collie can suffer from Hip Dysplasia (HD) but through strong breeding ethics by registered Border Collie breeders in Australia, (and hopefully elsewhere in the world) this problem is being greatly reduced.
As it is not always an inheritted problem, diet and living conditions can also contribute to hip or elbow problems.
The following two sites should give you an insight into H.D.
Q: How does the Border Collie cope with the really hot weather?
A: Though the Border Collie is bred to tolerate the extremes of the Australian climate, you will find many differences in the Border Collie within Australia. Short coats and lighter bodies in hotter weather, longer coats in colder weather. To survive the hotter months, most Borders will shed their undercoat and generally loose weight. They are smart enough to seek shelter and water when working in hotter climes. If you wish to get a pup that will tolerate the hotter weather, seek out a breeder who lives in those conditions and whose dogs have generations of experience with those climatic conditions.
Q: How do you toilet train your border collie puppy to go to the toilet outside once you have taught it to go to the toilet on paper inside?
A: Watch your pup and when it looks like it is going to toilet on the paper, take the pup outside and when it toilets outside - reward the pup. Try and do this in the one area each time, same as when you place the paper in the same spot each time. When the pup goes to the door, take it out side to the new toilet spot and see if it relieves it self - then again - reward the pup. Border collie pups love being rewarded and will learn very quickly. We hope that you are enjoying the company of your pup.
Q: Although not a pure bred, we recently (two months ago) rescued a 2 year old male border collie/american eskie mix from our local spca. Handsome/intelligent looking dog! the dog was picked up as a stray. No previous history, no idea how long left on his own, pp's abit when strangers come to the house. He is finally getting comfortable with us. We cannot trust him left alone in the house when we go out for the shortest time. Does 75% of his duty in the yard during the day but still dirties the basement at night. He is very submissive, must have been greatly abused. I cannot scold him because just the tone of my voice makes him cower and squirt abit. I think he realizes he is doing something bad but does not know what it is. How do I break him of doing this dirty in the basement? I would prefer to keep him in our living area at night. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
A: Maybe (in his younger days) he was restrained at night and could not venture far from his bedding, therefore became used to soiling near his bed.
If we treat the dog as a 10 week old pup, we would watch to see when the pup wanted to go outside to soil. The dog would stand maybe scratch at the door, show symptoms of needing to go or may start to go but caught by you and taken outside, soiled then rewarded when the dog is finished. This may be the best place to start.
Maybe feed the dog earlier allowing you time to walk the dog before it gets dark, also good bonding time.
You might have to sit with him at evening/night while he relieves himself as it may have been during the night he was roughly treated (maybe a barker or escape artist during dark hours) therefore he doesn't want to go too far from a place of comfort, when he goes then you must reward. Obviously your voice must be part of the reward to reassure the dog during time of stress.
Some times it comes back to the dog not knowing that what he did was wrong until sometime later, then when spoken to it is well after the incident, the dog shrinks back knowing it has done something wrong but not knowing exactly what it has done wrong (do I make sense) this is where you need to watch, let him know exactly when he is wrong, take him outside, then reward well when everything is right.
I recently travelled with 4 young dogs, 2 x border collies and 2 x cattle dogs, none having been away from home before let alone for ten days. During the course of being away they learnt that they would be walked every night before being confined and walked early in the morning before anything else happened. After a couple of days/week they were waiting for me (sometimes made a bit of noise if I was late) to walk them, especially in the morning.
Routine, bonding and confidence; confidence building through the routine and bonding.
Q: I have a Border Collie and she is 31 months old when we first got her, she was in poor condition and the vet seemed to think she may have picked up something from the dogs home but she got better. She has always liked lying on the bed with us and being lazy but we have recently moved house and she has gone very quiet she goes out for walks etc and is eating but seems sad. Please help as she is like a child to me.
A: A couple of theories are.
After living in a dogs home and just getting settled in a new home (yours), she moves again. This may have happen several times before she went to the dogs home and she is seeing the same routine start to form, and it scares her. You have to reassure her and involve her in as much of your activities as possible.
Maybe she became very friendly with a neighbours dog that help her settle in her new home (yours after the dogs home). She has since moved again and lost that friend. It might have been something in the house that settle her that you left behind.
Was she a creature of habit and that habit been broken since moving. Has your lifestyle changed since moving, so its not the moving thats worried her but a new routine for you.
Has something in the new neighbourhood scared her or reminds her of a past life (pre dogs home). We are getting a bit deep aren't we.
Has she simply matured, and simply enjoys what she has. The quiteness she demonstrates might simply be contentment.
Dogs like children can reflect us, they pick up when we are not happy, is stressed or nervous. Maybe the move has sapped you in some way and she is simply reflecting how you feel.
As long as she continues to eat regularly and enjoy her walks and you involve her in your activities we believe that she will revert to normal.
Q: We have a 12 month old Border Collie and during the day, he tends to disappear for up to an hour at a time. We have now found out that he chases neighbour's livestock, as well as our own small flock of sheep. How do we stop this tendency to wander off?
We do generally keep him active but as we live on a rural property he thinks any animals are available for chasing. We don't want to tie him up everytime we go inside to do something but are worried that he thinks it is alright to wander off.
A: It great that your pup shows a strong interest in herding but don't let your dog chase any livestock .... farmers don't understand (or care) whether your dog is playing, working or attacking their sheep, they dont like it and the end result is that your dog will get shot. It becomes very expensive if he chases sheep into a dam and they drown or they drop because they are over worked especially this time of year with the sheep carrying lambs.
We don't like tying up dogs, but we do have pens which the dogs go into when we are not around. The pens offer shade, protection and an area to run if they need to amuse them selves. They are cheap to make and will out last most dogs, this is good as we all want our dogs to live a long and healthy life.
The other thing you can do, is not let your dog in with the sheep unless you or other family member are there. This is needed in the training process, both in teaching him to work the sheep and teaching control when you don't want him to work the sheep.
It has been said in past answers to questions. In most instances a dog will do something or continue to do something upto the time it learns that it is wrong, we must tell them that it is wrong but we don't have to be hard on the dog.
Q: I am getting a girl puppy of only 9 weeks old. What generally should I feed it at this age, how much and how many times aday?
A: Most breeders have feeding charts prepared, I'm surprised that you were not supplied with one.
Most reputable dog food brands produce excellent food for pups, always ensure that the dry dog food is of a suitable size for the pup to eat. Maybe soak half and leave have dry. Leave plenty of water. You can give diluted milk but watch for soft droppings if too much milk.
Feed 2-3 times a day, if the pups eats in small amount then more meals of a lesser amount. Err on the side of too much food, the pup will leave what it cant eat and you will get a feel for what it needs. With dry food, try different brands, it is difficult to recommend any as all of our digs preferred a different brand from pup to pup.
Normally at 6-7 weeks our pups are eating meat such as raw chicken necks/wings, red or white coarsely minced meat and/or boiled vegetables stirred into their food.
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