BustopherJones Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Annie is very protective about her property. When Missy was alive and was the Alpha dog, Missy would take the protection role, and Annie would back her up; now, Annie has assumed the Alpha duties. But I digress... Saturday, I was in the front yard with Annie when a couple walked by with their dog. Annie started barking (in a non-threatening manner, but simply asserting her territorial rights). For whatever reason (the mind is not always clear at my advanced age), instead of her normal command to desist ("ENOUGH!"), I said, "THAT'LL DO!" Annie had never heard this command before; but she immediately stopped barking, and returned to me. I tried it afterwards in a couple of other situations where it would have been appropriate, and it worked, again despite the fact that it was a new command to her. Is there a secret Border Collie language where "That'll Do" is universally understood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDing Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Maybe it's the tone of your voice. I've noticed with my BC, as long as my tone is of disapproving tone, it really doesn't matter what I say. I can say "Pizza" in a disapproving tone, Polo would stop with whatever he's doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Yes, "That'll do" is known by every border collie. They also "know" get outa that! means stop biting what they are running after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 yep it's a known language for the pups and it works great for 2 legged kids too but they will complain that you're talking dog to them. Hey Linda...a few of my dogs had to learn what "get outa that" means. It didn't come real natural to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BustopherJones Posted May 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Maybe it's the tone of your voice. Annie is hypersensitive (she runs for cover if one raises one's voice, even if she is not the target), so I am very careful to almost always speak to her in a low-key, pleasant voice. Such was the case in this incident. Maybe she sensed the intent; or maybe there really is a secret "Border Collie-speak" code that only the experienced working BC owners on this board know about, but (like the Knights Templar) have kept as a secret unto themselves... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 I don't know, Bess came to "here" as well as "Pickle" for my son...LOL again, had to be the same inflection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertranger Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Not only is there a secret BC language there is also a BC version of Mensa they belong to so of course she's smarter than you. For example. We are not supposed to use a stern tone with our dogs and must make our body language friendly and childlike. Of course never, never yell at the dogs. Yet if you get stern with a BC they usually listen and do what you ask. Hands on hips, glare and say get over there will attract a BCs attention. Even a panicked down, stop or recall works. Even better is the very serious "No BS out of you dog, get back to where you belong." Even Jin won't give me any crap when I do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth77 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Well, today the lawnmower was in action and so was Meg, barking hysterically around it. So I said firmly 'that'll do' and she stopped and went away!!!!! I tried it again later when she was over excited and again it worked. Amazing. Should I say it firmly, crossly, normal voice ? Which works best. Any other magic words to share with us ? By the way I find that if Meg say, refuses to sit, if I stand tall and cross my arms she is down in a flash; the crossing of the arms has an immediate effect. What gorgeous , funny dogs they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcnewe2 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 you guys are so full of BS I have trained stockdogs and they are by no means perfect at understanding what I want, guess maybe I use their secrect language everyday so they get tired of hearing it! They do know when to stay out of my way...maybe I cross my arms and don't know it! Maybe it's my nasty stink eye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Dean certainly knew what it meant right away and I never taught it to him. The funny thing is that my mutts completely ignore "That'll Do". They look at me like, "you're kidding, right?" When it's time to go in, I call "That'll Do" to the Border Collies and "In" to the mutts. If I don't say "In", the mutts don't come!! It's really comical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth77 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 you guys are so full of BS I have trained stockdogs and they are by no means perfect at understanding what I want, guess maybe I use their secrect language everyday so they get tired of hearing it! They do know when to stay out of my way...maybe I cross my arms and don't know it! Maybe it's my nasty stink eye? I tend to put my money on the last option!! On the other hand I gather you have had dogs for a long time and may have developed an authorative manner with them by experience. As a first time BC owner I am learning all the time and more than happy to try anything that makes life good for Meg and me. That'll do for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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