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Is this puppy unusual?


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I work with BC rescue and take in foster dogs when I can. I took in a puppy a week ago. I have not had a puppy in my life for so many years that I am out of practice. Plus, I got interested in clicker training about a year ago, and the more I work with it, the more impressed I am with how effective and fast it is, and how it builds relationship. I feel relieved of the heavy burden of a punishment/reward training system. I have never had the opportunity before to try it on a young puppy. So I have no basis for comparison to know if this puppy is unusual or not.

 

She is about 11 weeks old. Of course she knew nothing in the way of manners when she came from the pound. By the time I had had her in my house for 3 hours I had done 3 clicker sessions with her, about 5 minutes each. By that time she would come when called by her new name, sit smartly at my feet, and hold eye contact with me for several seconds. A week later, she is housebroken, to the degree that as long as I let her out often enough she won't go in the house. And she woke me up in the middle of the night for me to let her go out rather than going in her crate. She knows that going to the bathroom outside will earn her a click. She is fully crate trained. From the first night she has slept all night in the crate next to my bed with no fuss. She is such a good puppy.

 

She's not afraid of anything. It's amazing. If a big dog barks at her she just barks back. New sounds, surfaces, places, nothing fazes her.

 

Now, I am inclined to think that she is a very special, unusually fine and intelligent little puppy, and probably an "alpha" female. But as I said - no basis for comparison. Is she unusually good and smart? Or, is she a typically smart BC and the clicker training is just so effective that it brings out intelligence and potential better than other methods?

 

Opinions, please! :rolleyes:

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Based on my limited experience (Quinn is the only Border Collie puppy I've had and observing friends' puppies) she sounds like a typically smart, fast learning example of the breed. Quinn came to me at 9 weeks and was "housebroken" to the same extent you describe with your pup. He knew when he needed to go out; he preferred to go out; and provided I got him out often enough, we had no accidents (I think maybe one or two pees and never a poop). Before him, I hadn't believed puppies so young could truly understand what was wanted. In addition, your girl sound very confident and bold. And maybe a better attention span than many puppies at that age (Quinn's was about as long as a strobe light for the first few weeks I had him). And perhaps she is less naughty in general than Quinn was at her age. He was a demon for the first couple of months but I've seen other Border Collie pups that were angels all along.

 

The Border Collie puppies I know also pick up words very quickly. I think most puppies thrive with clicker training. My very bright, very stubborn, extremely opinionated Lhasa performs like a circus dog and I credit his early exposure to clicker training.

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I work with BC rescue and take in foster dogs when I can. I took in a puppy a week ago. I have not had a puppy in my life for so many years that I am out of practice. Plus, I got interested in clicker training about a year ago, and the more I work with it, the more impressed I am with how effective and fast it is, and how it builds relationship. I feel relieved of the heavy burden of a punishment/reward training system. I have never had the opportunity before to try it on a young puppy. So I have no basis for comparison to know if this puppy is unusual or not.

 

She is about 11 weeks old. Of course she knew nothing in the way of manners when she came from the pound. By the time I had had her in my house for 3 hours I had done 3 clicker sessions with her, about 5 minutes each. By that time she would come when called by her new name, sit smartly at my feet, and hold eye contact with me for several seconds. A week later, she is housebroken, to the degree that as long as I let her out often enough she won't go in the house. And she woke me up in the middle of the night for me to let her go out rather than going in her crate. She knows that going to the bathroom outside will earn her a click. She is fully crate trained. From the first night she has slept all night in the crate next to my bed with no fuss. She is such a good puppy.

 

She's not afraid of anything. It's amazing. If a big dog barks at her she just barks back. New sounds, surfaces, places, nothing fazes her.

 

Now, I am inclined to think that she is a very special, unusually fine and intelligent little puppy, and probably an "alpha" female. But as I said - no basis for comparison. Is she unusually good and smart? Or, is she a typically smart BC and the clicker training is just so effective that it brings out intelligence and potential better than other methods?

 

Opinions, please! :rolleyes:

 

Hi there,

I hadn't had a puppy since I was a child and when we decided to get a pup, I started Robin and Brodie right out with the clicker as well when we brought them home at nine weeks. They progressed quickly as you describe and willingly pick up anything new. I think the clicker helps a great deal in communicating.

 

Robin has that easy going personality as well. I've seen him start only once in ten months -- we were out on a very windy day and the flag at the post office snapped like a cannon ball right above his head. Then he zeroed in on the noise and looked up at it, like yeah, okay. Brodie has a little more startle reflex - but he's very good with people. They are such a joy to work with...I wish sometimes that I had just one because with constant-one on one, it would be amazing what Robin could learn. But, it just comes a little slower and its fun working with the different personalities.

 

I was working on a trick with Robin and every time he performed the action, he got the treat. After about three or four repetitions, he decided to circumvent the trick and just press the clicker to get a treat. That's when I decided that he could learn just about anything because he can reason things out.

 

Good luck with your puppy...I'm thinking that if she started out a foster, she may well have found a forever home :D.

 

Liz

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I'm on BC puppy number two in as many years and I find them very easy and quick to train. Amazing focus even under distraction. I also use a clicker, though I didn't when Colt was a young pup and he got everything just as fast as Bea is.

 

Both my pups seem to really enjoy training sessions and can generalize pretty well as in we can take it to the park or a friend's place just as easily. I think it helps that they are very food motivated as well :rolleyes:

 

Border collies make us pet owner trainers look goooood!

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