Things You Can Do With Your Border Collie

[BNM1980]

At the moment I'm teaching Blake (a six month old male) basic commands. He's learning pretty quickly and I'm wondering what we can move on to next. It's time to start doing some research.

 

Training him is my new hobby, so I'm prepared to put in the time. However, I live in a city in South Korea where herding, flyball and agility are simply not an option. I almost certainly have the only border collie in the city of 3 million in which I live. The only other dogs I've seen here are toy dogs and the native breed which are sadly considered food-waste disposal units, always chained up, and whose owners do not do anything with them. The good news is I live on the very edge of the city, with access to mountains and forest walks. There are parks where I can take him too.

 

What activities are there that just involve the owner and his dog? At the moment we go for hikes and play in the park. I have a Frisbee and tennis balls, but so far Blake does not seem very interested in fetch, and I would like something more challenging for him. I'm not completely opposed to dog dancing with Blake, though as red-blooded males, it probably would not be our first choice—but who knows.

 

I would like to know more about the kind of "free-style agility" meets advanced obedience that I've seen a lot of on YouTube: people using their own body (the dogs weaves between their legs as they walk, for example), dogs walking on their hind legs, or backwards, or even doing handstands. It certainly looks challenging! Does this activity have a name? Are there any training resources available?

 

There's a lot of great advice on these boards and I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

 

Thanks.

[silhouettestable]

At the moment I'm teaching Blake (a six month old male) basic commands. He's learning pretty quickly and I'm wondering what we can move on to next. It's time to start doing some research.

 

Training him is my new hobby, so I'm prepared to put in the time. However, I live in a city in South Korea where herding, flyball and agility are simply not an option. I almost certainly have the only border collie in the city of 3 million in which I live. The only other dogs I've seen here are toy dogs and the native breed which are sadly considered food-waste disposal units, always chained up, and whose owners do not do anything with them. The good news is I live on the very edge of the city, with access to mountains and forest walks. There are parks where I can take him too.

 

What activities are there that just involve the owner and his dog? At the moment we go for hikes and play in the park. I have a Frisbee and tennis balls, but so far Blake does not seem very interested in fetch, and I would like something more challenging for him. I'm not completely opposed to dog dancing with Blake, though as red-blooded males, it probably would not be our first choice—but who knows.

 

I would like to know more about the kind of "free-style agility" meets advanced obedience that I've seen a lot of on YouTube: people using their own body (the dogs weaves between their legs as they walk, for example), dogs walking on their hind legs, or backwards, or even doing handstands. It certainly looks challenging! Does this activity have a name? Are there any training resources available?

 

There's a lot of great advice on these boards and I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

 

Thanks.

What about bikejoring or scootering with him on the forest trails when he's a bit older?

[bc friend]

Getting him rock-solid on basic commands is one of the biggest favors you can do for him - it will benefit him all of his life in varied situations. Get him out and keep him socialized, expose him to different races/genders/sexes of people, different environments. Teach him tricks - almost everyone is enchanted by a dog that can do tricks! I don't know about programs available in South Korea but you could check into formal obedience (that's a lot of home-alone practice)! He may develop the fetching instinct when he's a little older - there's also some tips in books, etc. on frisbee/fetch with dogs with low/no instinct. Good luck and enjoy building your bond with Blake!

[urge to herd]

Check out www.clickersolutions.com. There's an email list you can join as well. All kinds of fun things to do with your dog, as well as great advice for dog training in general.

 

You might think about tracking training for you and Blake. Many border collies love tracking and do pretty well at it. There are a couple members here who do SAR training and work with their dogs. I've heard, but have no direct knowledge, that Ed Presnall has written a couple good books about tracking training.

 

Have a great time,

 

Ruth

[Tassie]

What activities are there that just involve the owner and his dog? At the moment we go for hikes and play in the park. I have a Frisbee and tennis balls, but so far Blake does not seem very interested in fetch, and I would like something more challenging for him. I'm not completely opposed to dog dancing with Blake, though as red-blooded males, it probably would not be our first choice—but who knows.

 

Have a look at this site Attila and Fly and have a look on the internet for Richard Curtis and heelwork to music.

 

I would like to know more about the kind of "free-style agility" meets advanced obedience that I've seen a lot of on YouTube: people using their own body (the dogs weaves between their legs as they walk, for example), dogs walking on their hind legs, or backwards, or even doing handstands. It certainly looks challenging! Does this activity have a name? Are there any training resources available?

 

Sounds like Canine freestyle to me. (A version of dancing with dogs).

 

I do tracking with my Border Collies too - that's something you can do just with you and the dog - as the dog progresses, you need a fair bit of land.

[BNM1980]

Thank you everyone. Great stuff. I'm busy googling your suggestions.

[Indydog]

Thank you everyone. Great stuff. I'm busy googling your suggestions.

 

What an unique location. How did you get your dogs to Korea? I'm assuming he was born some where else.

 

Activies are great but all these dogs want beside sheep is to spend time with their owners. Nothing wrong with long hikes with your dog. Good luck.

[BNM1980]

What an unique location. How did you get your dogs to Korea? I'm assuming he was born some where else.

 

Activies are great but all these dogs want beside sheep is to spend time with their owners. Nothing wrong with long hikes with your dog. Good luck.

 

I actually bought Blake here in Korea from a breeder in Seoul. There are two such breeders in the country, both in Seoul.

 

I live in a Southern province where if there are border collies I have never seen one. In the seven-odd years I have lived in this city I have only ever seen toy dogs (usually carried around by young ladies in handbags), and the smallish native breed, which, as I mentioned, are not considered pets so much as waste-disposal units.

 

Some people are actually frightened of Blake, and often react as if I were walking a hyaena down the street. Quite often people will walk off the pavement and onto the street to avoid us. So yes, you can imagine the commotion when Blake actually jumps on someone at the park, as has happened a couple of times.

 

But most of the attention is positive. I once took him into town and tied him up outside a store that I had to pop into. A few minutes later, I came out and found a crowd standing around him, several of them taking photographs with their mobile phones. And people are always coming up to see him, though they're almost always too afraid to pet him.

 

My friend told me there's an American living in Seoul who has a couple of Rottweilers. I don't know how he gets on, but I imagine walking his dogs is like a scene from Godzilla.

 

All this still astonishes me. In New Zealand, a border collie would not even attract much attention, let alone inspire fear.

[desertranger]

Two ideas. Teach him to play with bubbles and Bucket o' Balls. Take a clean paint bucket and fill it with tennis balls. The teach him to catch as many as he can as fast as you can throw them. withut missing one or dropping it. It has to be a definite solid catch. 'The cycle is catch, drop, repeat. The game is over when he misses one. Then he picks up the balls and puts them back into the bucket. I've taught variations of that game several dogs including one to chase the ball and return it to the bucket. It's a good game for an apartment dog. It's also fast.

[diane allen]

OK ranger, the bucket/ball game sounds fun. However, I would caution AGAINST using tennis balls. Use something like racket balls. The "fuzz" on tennis balls is quite hard on dogs' teeth, esp. if they get dirty, and will grind them down like sandpaper! Racket balls are smooth rubber and soft - just be sure your dog can't swallow one (or get it stuck in her throat!) if she catches it on the fly.

 

diane (Ms. Party Pooper!)

[desertranger]

OK ranger, the bucket/ball game sounds fun. However, I would caution AGAINST using tennis balls. Use something like racket balls. The "fuzz" on tennis balls is quite hard on dogs' teeth, esp. if they get dirty, and will grind them down like sandpaper! Racket balls are smooth rubber and soft - just be sure your dog can't swallow one (or get it stuck in her throat!) if she catches it on the fly.

 

diane (Ms. Party Pooper!)

 

Thx Ms Party Pooper (are you a housebroken party pooper? I didn't know that. Learn something everyday.

[BNM1980]

Today I took Blake cycling for the first time (I only bought a bicycle yesterday) and it went really well. We rode for about an hour, on the road, along the river, through the park, and he seemed to really enjoy it.

 

All my hours (and hours) of loose-lead training really paid of today and I'm thrilled that I have found something I can do with him that he enjoys and which meets his exercise needs. Walking was just not cutting the mustard, the forest is full of ticks, and I inevitably tire long before him at the park (seeing as he won't fetch) not to mention that the parks here now that it's warm are swarming with kids which makes things difficult.

 

Now, for the first time, I have to ask myself how much exercise is too much! It's quite a development.

[Sue_Deutscher]

I am VERY happy for you! I'm going to teach Pete to trot beside my bike as well.

[SoloRiver]

I hate to be a downer, but an hour of running next to a bike is certainly way too much exercise for a six-month-old pup. He is still developing, and you run the risk of lifelong joint problems if you exercise him too hard now. I know, they start looking kinda big and strong when they are five or six months old, but he's still vulnerable. My pup did not start going jogging or rollerblading with me until she was about a year old and even now at 17 months I don't run her for more than a mile at a time like that as she is still filling out and does not look quite mature yet. She gets the majority of her exercise running and exploring off lead at her own pace on walks, and, yes, playing fetch.

 

With a pup, it's not about the physical exercise so much as mental exercise. I would read up on clicker training as suggested, rather than concentrating on tiring Blake out. If he is actually exhausted from hard running it is probably a sign that he is exercising too hard. You will be shocked at how much more worn out he will be after a session of being asked to use his brain. Clicker training techniques will also help you teach Blake how to fetch. My first Border Collie did not fetch at all at first, and it took a long time to teach him to bring the ball back once he started chasing it, as he did not find returning the ball particularly rewarding. Techniques I learned from clicker training helped a great deal. (I will admit, it was a relief to find that my pup, Jett, is a natural retriever and brings the ball right back to my feet without any prompting.)

 

I would also work on Blake's recall so that it is rock solid, and then he will be able to accompany you off lead as you hike through the hills and whatnot if he isn't off lead already. That way he'll be able to go at his own pace and explore too.

 

My parents are/were both from Seoul and I have visited Korea three times, but I have never been to the part of the country you are living in. Sounds very interesting! When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle had a Jindo (or at least, it was supposed to be a Jindo; my understanding is that it is very difficult to get a good one off the island) who served as a watchdog only and lived chained to a doghouse outside. I was so upset that the dog was living outside that my aunt and uncle rethought the dog's situation and gave him away to a shopkeeper who wanted a live-in watchdog so he would not have to live outside anymore. I do understand the reluctance to keep a large dog in the house when it is important to have clean floors. I would love to be able to sit and lounge around on the floor in my house, but with three Border Collies that really wouldn't be feasible unless I vacuumed once or twice a day.

[DJkml]

I agree, running next to the bike is a lot for a puppy (an hour at that!)...most especially running on paved roads period.

 

My pup is only 8 months and I'm anxiously waiting for when I can take her jogging/biking. She's probably a mix so I'm not even sure what "mature" looking would be for her.

 

I hate to be a downer, but an hour of running next to a bike is certainly way too much exercise for a six-month-old pup. He is still developing, and you run the risk of lifelong joint problems if you exercise him too hard now. I know, they start looking kinda big and strong when they are five or six months old, but he's still vulnerable. My pup did not start going jogging or rollerblading with me until she was about a year old and even now at 17 months I don't run her for more than a mile at a time like that as she is still filling out and does not look quite mature yet. She gets the majority of her exercise running and exploring off lead at her own pace on walks, and, yes, playing fetch.

 

With a pup, it's not about the physical exercise so much as mental exercise. I would read up on clicker training as suggested, rather than concentrating on tiring Blake out. If he is actually exhausted from hard running it is probably a sign that he is exercising too hard. You will be shocked at how much more worn out he will be after a session of being asked to use his brain. Clicker training techniques will also help you teach Blake how to fetch. My first Border Collie did not fetch at all at first, and it took a long time to teach him to bring the ball back once he started chasing it, as he did not find returning the ball particularly rewarding. Techniques I learned from clicker training helped a great deal. (I will admit, it was a relief to find that my pup, Jett, is a natural retriever and brings the ball right back to my feet without any prompting.)

 

I would also work on Blake's recall so that it is rock solid, and then he will be able to accompany you off lead as you hike through the hills and whatnot if he isn't off lead already. That way he'll be able to go at his own pace and explore too.

 

My parents are/were both from Seoul and I have visited Korea three times, but I have never been to the part of the country you are living in. Sounds very interesting! When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle had a Jindo (or at least, it was supposed to be a Jindo; my understanding is that it is very difficult to get a good one off the island) who served as a watchdog only and lived chained to a doghouse outside. I was so upset that the dog was living outside that my aunt and uncle rethought the dog's situation and gave him away to a shopkeeper who wanted a live-in watchdog so he would not have to live outside anymore. I do understand the reluctance to keep a large dog in the house when it is important to have clean floors. I would love to be able to sit and lounge around on the floor in my house, but with three Border Collies that really wouldn't be feasible unless I vacuumed once or twice a day.

[BNM1980]

Thanks for the caution, but I think you might have the wrong idea.

 

Blake is now 8 months, not 6. He is also on the large side, at about 18-20 inches at the withers and around 17 kg. And I am not riding that fast. I mostly cruise, going at about jogging speed, and slowing to a brisk walk when there are pedestrians around. I stop to give him a rest and water which I carry in my backpack.

 

The reason I bought the bike, and was so relieved that Blake would run nicely next to it, was that it is very difficult looking after a high-energy dog in South Korea.

 

There are actually no real parks here, and when I say park, I mean any of various school sports fields. So weekdays are out, and now that it's getting warmer, a lot of kids are at the "park" until quite late on weekdays and weekends. (Korean kids study until late and are allowed out of the house until late; in fact, it's not unusual to see kids as young as 9 and 10 outside as late as 11 or 12 at night). And because Blake—to them a "big" black-and-white dog of a kind they've never seen before—is a huge novelty here, he attracts a lot of attention, most of it unwanted.

 

Also, Blake is just extremely energetic and if he doesn't get a good run he will not settle down in the evening. As I mentioned, a walk—even a long walk—is not enough. And I am working on obedience, every day. His recall is good and getting better (we practice a few times a week at the "park" when it is finally almost empty, around 10 pm—however, see above!), and he has all his basic commands down. But he needs to run, run, run twice a day or he just won't settle.

 

And finally, as for walking and running on concrete, in spring, fall and summer, there's simply no alternative but no exercise at all. Last time I took him into the forest he came back riddled with ticks: 23 that I pulled off with tweezers, and another three or four that fell off dead after he had a double Spot On treatment. I have just explained that parks are not really an option until after 10 pm.

 

A lot of dogs run on concrete. My last dog, a cavalier spaniel, ran with me everywhere on concrete, pulling me on my skateboard (I was fourteen) and never had a problem. Blake has been running on concrete since we got him and I check his toepads regularly for abrasion and so forth.

 

I have been under the impression (from the books I've read, and what I've read online) that there is no clear answer to the question, "How much exercise?" for a BC, but that the general answer is: "A lot!" For puppies, someone on these boards said, "About 10 mins for every month", which has been my rule of thumb. Blake has been getting about 2 hours of time with me (walking, training, playing, etc) since we got him—and I have to say, it never seems like enough. He'll come home from a run or bike ride looking tied, but 5 mins later he starts playing with his toys! The hour bike ride I mentioned was our first, and a good part of that was spent getting Blake to learn to loose-lead jog next to a bike, which he'd obviously never done before.

 

At the moment, I'm taking him for 30-40 minute rides twice a day. Obviously, I am not dragging him down hills at 65 km per hour. It's really Blake who sets the pace, otherwise we'd end up hitting the road in tangle of man, dog and bicycle. He starts of very fast. When he slows down, I slow down. And when he starts to look tired, we cruise home.

 

Does anyone see anything wrong with this?