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Flpping like a fish instead of walking


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I have a border collie who was found as a stray. I am used to seeing this behavior for a short time from any new dog as opposed to lying down and making me carry them.

 

This one 9 month old BC will not get over it. He refuses to allow me to grab his collar and go with me. I even put a handle type collar on him and it isnt helping. He isnt much better with a leash either he pulls and wrangles around the whole time.

 

What do you guys suggest I try??

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We had an unsocialized, untrained neighbor dog like that. He would come over to our place and we could not lead him back home as he would flop down. If I tried to encourage him to get up and walk, he would start using his mouth. He was obviously very well trained in all the wrong ways, or shall I say it appeared that he trained his family just how he wanted them to get his own way.

 

I think putting on a leash to drag around the house sounds like an excellent starting point. Perhaps using a long line outside if you need it might also help initially. You'd still have a way to keep hold of him but he wouldn't have any pressure on him while he did his snooping and business. The dragging leash would also allow you to take hold without touching him until he can get accustomed to that.

 

Some dogs get a really rough start in life. "Bad dogs" are usually the result of bad training (or no training at all). Thank you for helping this one.

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IF the dog is not used to have a leash or collar on him either any pressure creates the opposite reaction - it is normal. The instinct is to fight against the pressure instead of giving into it. So his reaction is to try and get away from the pressure - hence the flopping fish routine. By letting him drag the leash around in the house he is going to setp on it, etc creating pressure on his neck, however slight, and he is going to learn that it is no big deal.

 

When I have a dog like this I teach the dog to target to my hand. Once it is doing that well, I put just the tiniest pressure on the leash when I tell them "touch". I gradually add a bit more pressure on the leash until the pressure on the leash is the cue for the dog to target to my hand. I not only put pressure on to go forward, but I put pressure sideways and on the throat to teach the dog to move back with light pressure.

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I have a border collie who was found as a stray. I am used to seeing this behavior for a short time from any new dog as opposed to lying down and making me carry them.

 

This one 9 month old BC will not get over it. He refuses to allow me to grab his collar and go with me. I even put a handle type collar on him and it isnt helping. He isnt much better with a leash either he pulls and wrangles around the whole time.

 

What do you guys suggest I try??

 

Is there any possibility that he is in any pain(ears, neck, etc.)?

 

Janet

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