Bored or content?

[Lacygirl]

We need to switch dogs for a couple of days. Ruger loves to play frisbee and I want to get rid of our cats. Just joking. Maybe.

 

Youtube.com is full of frisbee dog videos. There are numerous training videos as well. Most of the frisbee people will start a dog off by playing tug of war with the frisbee. This graduates to rolling the frisbee on the ground to get the dog to chase the frisbee. After that they will graduate to throwing the disc.

 

Ruger just took to catching frisbees from day one. It has turned out to be the best way to exercise him as well as train him. I would think that if you were determined you could fire up his prey drive to go chase a frisbee.

 

By the way, I prefer the Kong brand frisbees. I don't do competition so I don't need the harder frisbees. Kongs are easy on the gums and teeth. They will last several months as well. The Hyperflites are almost indestructable but they are much harder on the mouth.

Your recommendations seem to fit to our needs. I tried throwing the frisbee and laying food on top to motivate her to grab it, to no avail. If she could watch other bc's, maybe that would help, I'll watch the videos. I've seen bc's so addicted to frisbee's they don't know when to stop! Thanks for the insight!

[Lacygirl]

The stock trainer chargers $30/hour to herd sheep/cattle. She loves it and would require quite a few visits for her to be obedient. Wish I could find someone cheaper.

[Shetlander]

The stock trainer chargers $30/hour to herd sheep/cattle. She loves it and would require quite a few visits for her to be obedient. Wish I could find someone cheaper.

 

Wow, I would love to find that price. I've been paying $40 per half hour for private lessons. But the instructor is great and Quinn has me hypnotized so I'm ok with it. A while back I was at my doctor's and when I was leaving discovered I was low on cash for my co-pay. I remembered I had money tucked away for Quinn's next lesson but I actually found myself thinking I was dipping into his "sheep money."

[OurBoys]

lacygirl,

 

Your girl is very lucky to have you in her life. Your love and respect for her is very obvious and heartwarming. IMHO, a rescue dog knows what bad times are and appreciates the good times (more). Once you expose her to different types of 'playtimes', if she still doesn't show any interest, I feel you will still accept her for herself.

 

When we adopted Jake, he didn't know how to play (he had spent the majority of his previous life tied to a tree). We were lucky because he was only about a year old so he still had a lot of puppy in him. The only toy he liked was a tennis ball. He would pick it up (not toss it) and drop it or he would push it around with his front paws. When we discovered he liked tennis balls, we tried tossing them to him. He would just sit there and let it hit him in the head. It took a lot of tiny baby steps but Jake learned how to catch balls by learning how to catch popcorn. After learning how to catch balls, we moved on to frisbees. We had to start in the house. We then moved to the side yard throwing them short distances. When we moved out to the backyard, we started with short distances and little by little increased the distance. We found out Jake has a different style than JJ. JJ likes to be on the other end of the yard and have the frisbees thrown towards him. Jake prefers being by our side and running after them.

 

Jake was a clean slate when we adopted him. He didn't know any commands. He was housebroken but we didn't know his 'signals' so he had about 1/2 dozen accidents before we caught on. He was crate trained but he only goes in when it's bedtime and has to be coaxed (but at least he never cried or barked). The first time Jake caught a tennis ball when it was tossed to him, DH and I got so excited, we scared him. When he realized he didn't do anything wrong, he started getting excited about catching (but I still would not recommend getting loudly happy). It took many months and a lot of baby steps but it was well worth it. I don't think Jake will ever be the frisbee catcher JJ is but his enthusiasm always brings a smile to my face. In the picture below he missed the frisbee but he still had a blast and as long as he's happy, we're happy.

[Lacygirl]

Wow, I would love to find that price. I've been paying $40 per half hour for private lessons. But the instructor is great and Quinn has me hypnotized so I'm ok with it. A while back I was at my doctor's and when I was leaving discovered I was low on cash for my co-pay. I remembered I had money tucked away for Quinn's next lesson but I actually found myself thinking I was dipping into his "sheep money."

I guess we can't put a price on our precious bc's!

[Lacygirl]

lacygirl,

 

Your girl is very lucky to have you in her life. Your love and respect for her is very obvious and heartwarming. IMHO, a rescue dog knows what bad times are and appreciates the good times (more). Once you expose her to different types of 'playtimes', if she still doesn't show any interest, I feel you will still accept her for herself.

 

When we adopted Jake, he didn't know how to play (he had spent the majority of his previous life tied to a tree). We were lucky because he was only about a year old so he still had a lot of puppy in him. The only toy he liked was a tennis ball. He would pick it up (not toss it) and drop it or he would push it around with his front paws. When we discovered he liked tennis balls, we tried tossing them to him. He would just sit there and let it hit him in the head. It took a lot of tiny baby steps but Jake learned how to catch balls by learning how to catch popcorn. After learning how to catch balls, we moved on to frisbees. We had to start in the house. We then moved to the side yard throwing them short distances. When we moved out to the backyard, we started with short distances and little by little increased the distance. We found out Jake has a different style than JJ. JJ likes to be on the other end of the yard and have the frisbees thrown towards him. Jake prefers being by our side and running after them.

 

Jake was a clean slate when we adopted him. He didn't know any commands. He was housebroken but we didn't know his 'signals' so he had about 1/2 dozen accidents before we caught on. He was crate trained but he only goes in when it's bedtime and has to be coaxed (but at least he never cried or barked). The first time Jake caught a tennis ball when it was tossed to him, DH and I got so excited, we scared him. When he realized he didn't do anything wrong, he started getting excited about catching (but I still would not recommend getting loudly happy). It took many months and a lot of baby steps but it was well worth it. I don't think Jake will ever be the frisbee catcher JJ is but his enthusiasm always brings a smile to my face. In the picture below he missed the frisbee but he still had a blast and as long as he's happy, we're happy.

[Sue R]

You sound like a pro about bc's. This is the advice I've been searching for. I will check into the games. Today I took her on a bicycle ride w/her on a leash. She did excellent, but I didn't know how far/fast to go. She is a heartworm dog, and sometimes I worry, but I realize bc's are born to run! Thanks much!

 

Thanks for the compliment but I am no expert by any means.

 

We play "find it" and it can be lots of fun. Find something that interests her, and it could be just a dog biscuit or other treat. Initially, put it where she can see it and tell her to "find it". Praise her when she goes and gets it (and the reward of eating it). Eventually, you can advance to hiding it where she sees you do it in the same room, and then on to other parts of the house where she can't see you do it (let her know which room you are going into at first), gradually increasing the challenge.

 

Some dogs can learn the "shell game". Use clear plastic cups or containers at first. Using just one, put a treat under while she watches. Tell her to "find it" and encourage her to nuzzle or nudge the cup over and get the treat. Once she's got that down, put out two or three cups (clear) and put a treat under just one. Tell her to "find it". Eventually, you can progress to opaque cups that she can't see through, and you can mix them up, just like in the real shell game. Something that helps is either cups that tip over easily or a surface that allows them to tip rather than a smooth one where the cups just slide around. A surface with a decided "seam" may make it easier. Some dogs don't need help nudging the cups hard enough to tip them but gentler dogs may need the help of a suitable surface.

 

I would check with the vet on the bike riding. By a "heartworm" dog, I'm assuming she's been cured of heartworm and not an active case? If the vet feels there is no lasting damage, reasonable exercise is great. Make sure that you pace yourself so that she is moving at a steady trot with only occasional canters or gallops of short duration. She shouldn't get over-hot so be careful in warm weather. The key is a gentle, steady pace and a reasonable amount of time.

 

Watch her, stop frequently and check her for panting or other keys that she may be getting hot or tired. Make sure to have some water if she needs it, and let her drink just a bit frequently rather than a lot occasionally.

 

Best wishes! This is one lucky dog - she had a rough start but it's the finish that counts!

[Ellie]

Sure sounds familiar when we got Ellie she would not even come out of the crate for 2 weeks and was deathly afraid of me. It took almost 3 months of hard work on the oart of The Fabulous Ms. Leslie to even be somewhat mobile as she was caged for months at atime and completely ignored. She is still a bit leery of me but I am finally able to tell her ready and pick up a bat and she'll run like heck after the ball I mean full tilt. Bringing it back is not always on the top of her list! I do let her work the cats a bit and she likes to keep circling the horses though not behavior I want all the time. Correcting her is very difficult so we'll spoil her first then when the full bordergirl comes out we can redirect some of that energy. She won't play in the yard but man once she is out she can go. SHe is about 14 months now and we figure by behavior really about 6 months. It took almost 3 months just to get her off the leash and if we leave the yard get open when she does get freaked she can run home. Now she even chases swallows after a rain. IT surely takes loads of work and boatloads of patience but she'll be a great dog. SHe loves to herd and work but the basic come sit stay ball etc eludes her. IT took em some time too find words that woudl mean the same thing but would not trigger a bad memory.

People like you are gems and though progress is slow get input from other people who only see her now and then. You know wow the last time I saw you you were knee high to a grasshopper and now you can look me in the eye!!!!!

[Lacygirl]

We need to switch dogs for a couple of days. Ruger loves to play frisbee and I want to get rid of our cats. Just joking. Maybe.

 

Youtube.com is full of frisbee dog videos. There are numerous training videos as well. Most of the frisbee people will start a dog off by playing tug of war with the frisbee. This graduates to rolling the frisbee on the ground to get the dog to chase the frisbee. After that they will graduate to throwing the disc.

 

Ruger just took to catching frisbees from day one. It has turned out to be the best way to exercise him as well as train him. I would think that if you were determined you could fire up his prey drive to go chase a frisbee.

 

By the way, I prefer the Kong brand frisbees. I don't do competition so I don't need the harder frisbees. Kongs are easy on the gums and teeth. They will last several months as well. The Hyperflites are almost indestructable but they are much harder on the mouth.

[Lacygirl]

Your recommendations seem to fit to our needs. I tried throwing the frisbee and laying food on top to motivate her to grab it, to no avail. If she could watch other bc's, maybe that would help, I'll watch the videos. I've seen bc's so addicted to frisbee's they don't know when to stop! Thanks for the insight!

Your comments regarding your cats still has me laughing!

[Lacygirl]

I didn't realize until you pointed out the fact she lays where her safe spot is.

She aqcuired that spot in the beginning. BC rescue then took her away after she was diagnosed with heart worm and every other worm there was (according to the vet.) She was kept in a kennel 24/7 for 4 months (do you think that was a bit excessive?). She went to four different homes during that time.

When she returned home, she went right to her spot...I see now that is her comfort zone, and she's able to watch the action in three rooms.

She has been deemed healthy. The vet even gave a free test to determine if there are any worms after 2 years. He has been very involved with her, giving free tests and exams. It's his way of learning and giving back to a rescue dog he's told us.

[Lacygirl]

Thanks for the compliment but I am no expert by any means.

 

We play "find it" and it can be lots of fun. Find something that interests her, and it could be just a dog biscuit or other treat. Initially, put it where she can see it and tell her to "find it". Praise her when she goes and gets it (and the reward of eating it). Eventually, you can advance to hiding it where she sees you do it in the same room, and then on to other parts of the house where she can't see you do it (let her know which room you are going into at first), gradually increasing the challenge.

 

Some dogs can learn the "shell game". Use clear plastic cups or containers at first. Using just one, put a treat under while she watches. Tell her to "find it" and encourage her to nuzzle or nudge the cup over and get the treat. Once she's got that down, put out two or three cups (clear) and put a treat under just one. Tell her to "find it". Eventually, you can progress to opaque cups that she can't see through, and you can mix them up, just like in the real shell game. Something that helps is either cups that tip over easily or a surface that allows them to tip rather than a smooth one where the cups just slide around. A surface with a decided "seam" may make it easier. Some dogs don't need help nudging the cups hard enough to tip them but gentler dogs may need the help of a suitable surface.

 

I would check with the vet on the bike riding. By a "heartworm" dog, I'm assuming she's been cured of heartworm and not an active case? If the vet feels there is no lasting damage, reasonable exercise is great. Make sure that you pace yourself so that she is moving at a steady trot with only occasional canters or gallops of short duration. She shouldn't get over-hot so be careful in warm weather. The key is a gentle, steady pace and a reasonable amount of time.

 

Watch her, stop frequently and check her for panting or other keys that she may be getting hot or tired. Make sure to have some water if she needs it, and let her drink just a bit frequently rather than a lot occasionally.

 

Best wishes! This is one lucky dog - she had a rough start but it's the finish that counts!

[Lacygirl]

Your post has been most helpful. I wasn't aware of the find it games until now. These should challenge her in a manner that suits her.

I was so glad for biking instructions. After a spill this morning with some road rash, we kept going. Now I will be aware of her signals she may have for me. After our ride she seems to be restful for the whole day........I'm not sure that is good or bad!

She seems to want to stop and sniffl along the way. Is it best to not to allow her and train her that when we're biking, we are not stopping?

The vet has cleared her to excersise with no restrictions. She recently was given a heartworm test which was negative.

Thanks so much!

[bc4pack]

Another suggestion... you might want to check out some of the other dog email lists...

ie The Yahoo group 'shy-k9s' or 'clickersolutions' .... since you don't have too many trainers

near you the groups could be a good resource for training and other activities. There are just so many

things you can do on your own and you don't always need physical access to a trainer if you've got some good

support behind you.

 

You might find something interesting:

 

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles

 

Your dog might enjoy and benefit from 'targeting' excercises.

 

http://www.fearfuldogs.com/targeting.html

 

 

Just a thought.

[Sue R]

Sorry about the spill and hope you are okay!

 

She needs to learn, just like in heeling, that she stays at the right pace paying attention to the job at hand, moving along with you. Make sure you give her plenty of time on lead or otherwise to sniff and check things out and do her stuff. You can stop occasionally but let her know that you are choosing to stop, not her. As you said, make sure you read her signs so you can tell when she *needs* to stop and you can do so and let her attend to her needs (water, slowing down or resting, potty business).

 

Sounds like you are doing a fine and considerate job of looking to make her life full and fun. Best wishes!

[Ruger's Dad]

Lacygirl:

 

Just another thought. Ruger has an intense fascination with sqeaky toys. He loves to play with squeaky balls. I believe the reason that he likes the squeaky toys is they sound like an animal in distress. A while back when we were at a dog park there was a dog that kind of squealed a couple of times. That got his attention big time.

 

My wife and I have had cats for years. When she bought her Springer I was kind of mad at first. I didn't want any more animals. I ended up training her and she is really a great dog. Springers are a much better pet for most people than Border Collies. There was a short period of time when we were catless and I loved it. My wife got our current cats from the Vet clinic where she works.

 

Ruger was my idea. We now have two great dogs and two cats which I would gladly give away. I will never get another cat. The one cat we had that I really liked acted more like a dog that a cat. I will bet that is the same case for most cat owners. Cats are useless. As a matter of fact, I love my daughter-in-law's Chiquaqua and would take one any day over a cat. So what if a cat can use a litter box, when they barf up hair balls its always on the carpet.

 

When I come home the only reason a cat might greet me is because its hungry. I always get mobbed at the door Ruger and Casey. Ruger wants a quick pet and brings me a frisbee. Casey meets me with the biggest grin you will ever see on a dog. She gets her pets and goes to find her ball. Then the three of us go outside and play.

 

For any cat lovers out there just remember one thing, a city will NEVER build a cat park. LOL . I can see more ugly posts coming.

[Lacygirl]

Lacygirl:

 

Just another thought. Ruger has an intense fascination with sqeaky toys. He loves to play with squeaky balls. I believe the reason that he likes the squeaky toys is they sound like an animal in distress. A while back when we were at a dog park there was a dog that kind of squealed a couple of times. That got his attention big time.

 

My wife and I have had cats for years. When she bought her Springer I was kind of mad at first. I didn't want any more animals. I ended up training her and she is really a great dog. Springers are a much better pet for most people than Border Collies. There was a short period of time when we were catless and I loved it. My wife got our current cats from the Vet clinic where she works.

 

Ruger was my idea. We now have two great dogs and two cats which I would gladly give away. I will never get another cat. The one cat we had that I really liked acted more like a dog that a cat. I will bet that is the same case for most cat owners. Cats are useless. As a matter of fact, I love my daughter-in-law's Chiquaqua and would take one any day over a cat. So what if a cat can use a litter box, when they barf up hair balls its always on the carpet.

 

When I come home the only reason a cat might greet me is because its hungry. I always get mobbed at the door Ruger and Casey. Ruger wants a quick pet and brings me a frisbee. Casey meets me with the biggest grin you will ever see on a dog. She gets her pets and goes to find her ball. Then the three of us go outside and play.

 

For any cat lovers out there just remember one thing, a city will NEVER build a cat park. LOL . I can see more ugly posts coming.

I just bought a squeaky toy, maybe that will entice her. I realize Springers are great dogs. Thanks for your post!

[OurBoys]

I just bought a squeaky toy

 

That's great, lacygirl! Were you able to get a treat dispensible toy too?

 

JJ has this one toy that's he's sooo obsessed with, we only pull it out once every few months and then it takes him about 3 weeks afterwards to stop begging for it. We call it 'red light'.

 

While we were at Petsmart one day, we realized we weren't showing the cats much attention so we bought one of those 'laser' lights for cats. (I think it's more of a flashlight type of light and not a 'laser' light but we still don't shine it in their eyes.) You can have them chase a small round light or change the lens and have them chase a red light 'mouse'. The 1st time we shone the light to play with the cats, they just about got run over! They had to stop playing because JJ just took over. We couldn't believe JJ enjoyed it so much!

 

It doesn't work with all dogs. Jake totally ignores the light (but he enjoys chasing JJ while JJ's chasing the light). Just keep your eyes open. One day you might find something by accident your girl enjoys just as much.

[Sue R]

I would NEVER use laser light to "entertain" a Border Collie. It is just encouraging pointless, obsessive behavior. Some Border Collies obsess and chase shadows, airplanes, leaves in the breeze, etc. This is just more of the same and very counterproductive.

 

Just my opinion but a strong one.

[juliepoudrier]

I agree with Sue on this. I can't count the number of time people have posted to these boards asking what they can do to fix the obsessive behaviors they've created in their dogs by playing with objects like laser lights. As Sue noted, once JJ becomes obsessed with the movement of the light, he might transfer that obsession to other things, like shadows, dust motes, leaves, small flying insects, etc. I too think playing with a border collie with a laser light is a very bad idea. And once such behavior is ingrained, it can be nearly impossible to break.

 

J.

[Bo Peep]

I am one of those that made the mistake with a laser light. Usher was only about 3-4 months old and I stopped. A friend told me she had made the same mistake and 5 years later if she pointed to the ground, the dog would go nuts. I immediately stopped and to this day, Usher still goes up and down the hall from time to time looking for the light. I only used it to play with him a couple times. A really bad mistake.

[Lacygirl]

I would NEVER use laser light to "entertain" a Border Collie. It is just encouraging pointless, obsessive behavior. Some Border Collies obsess and chase shadows, airplanes, leaves in the breeze, etc. This is just more of the same and very counterproductive.

 

Just my opinion but a strong one.

I don't think our girl would enjoy the light anyway.

One more question for you. Lacy demands a pat ( which she gets) about every 15 min. while we are sitting down for the evening or on the computer. Is this her way of commanding reassurance to feed her low confidence level? She will lay down after her pat, but it is constant.

Thanks for your opinions, I respect them.......

[OurBoys]

In regards to everyone who posted about the laser light--Thank You!! Since finding out how JJ reacts to the light, DH & I have been kinda, sorta at odds with it. He says since JJ enjoys it so much, why not?? (Not that JJ's spoiled!!) And I would tell him there's something about it that's doesn't seem right....like you can the wheels turning in his head or something. I had a hard time trying to explain it but after reading your posts to him and letting him think about, he admitted it might not be a normal obsession. Again, Thank You!

[Ruger's Dad]

I made the same mistake but with the garden hose. Now every time I water the plants Ruger has to get soaked. When I wash the cars Ruger has to get soaked. If I leave the hose in the yard it has to get chewed in two. At least he dries fast.

[juliepoudrier]

Ruger's Dad,

I have several hose-crazy dogs and it drives me nuts. I can't water livestock or do anything with the hose without having a bunch of barking, raving lunatics running around and going after each other and the water in a frenzy. It's just not pleasant early in the morning, or ever, for that matter.

 

J.