rossi Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 My 18 week old collie bitch is turning quite agressive esp with my 19 year old son . She also bites on her lead when going for walks and getting her lead on is a total nightmare i literally have to hold her down to put the lead on and she bites and nips me im worried that we will have to find her a new home if this doesnt stop i really love her and feel like crying at the thought of losing her . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChantalB Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I'd look into rough love by susan garrett. This dog is still VERY young and sounds like it needs a routine set pronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Welcome to the boards! A few questions for you- What does her daily routine look like? What kind of training do you do with her? How much exercise does she get? 18 week old puppies aren't aggressive, they're just puppies. They do what they're allowed to do and what they find rewarding. Reward good behavior, redirect and correct behaviors you don't want. It sounds like she's trying to play with the leash, so give her something else to focus on during walks. Keep a pocket full of treats and work on teaching manners when you're out walking with her to give her something to occupy her mind while you're out and about with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I agree wholeheartedly with what Mara said. In addition, I would perhaps question how your son has interacted with her - has he encouraged rough play (as many young men may do), teased her at all (some people tease thinking it's fun but it isn't fun for the dog), or allowed her to be overly pushy with him? I wonder if she is getting enough mental as well as physical exercise. A tired pup (and mental exercise is more tiring than physical exercise) pup tends to be a good pup, if you know what I mean. It might be wise for you to find a good, reputable training class where they will teach you how to deal with and train your youngster. Best wishes, and I am sure others will contribute ideas that you can use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi Posted September 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 she goes out 3 times a day but i was told off vet not to give her too much vigorous excersize yet i let her off lead depending if it is safe or not .My son plays a lot with her but doesnt tease her ive just started puppy training with her only been to 2 classes but last week she wouldnt come out from under the chair think it was because it was small area and there were 2 staffies there trying to establish who was the boss. Most of the time she is lovely but the lead issues worry me . ive tried giving her a toy to carry with her but she loses interest . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Do you do any sort of training with her at home? Play any games with her? To me it really sounds like she is bored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 www.dogstardaily.com and books by Patricia McConnell Chances are this is a case of miscommunication, not aggression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 she goes out 3 times a day but i was told off vet not to give her too much vigorous excersize ... Why did the vet tell you this? Was she injured at some point and needs to rehab? In general, I don't think that 3 times per day is enough -- of course, it also depends on what you mean by going out (a walk around the block or an hour of hard play). Is your vet familiar with border collies? i.e. my vet has had some interesting advice for me with regard to my dog - too skinny, don't play tug, calm him down (he is not a crazy BC - just energetic). Maybe he doesn't realize that a well-rounded exercise program is not too much for a young border collie. Jovi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 It's possible that the leashing issues are simply related to her being overexcited about getting to go out. You could use a clicker or treats to teach her to sit nicely to have the leash attached. It will take time and effort, but to get a well-behaved puppy you need to spend more time training appropriate behavior and engaging her mind. I'll leave it to others to suggest specific books, etc., that might be helpful. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 I would tell you to learn about clicker training. Once she understands the clicker you can take it on walks with you and click/treat when she walks/takes a step and is not biting the leash. As far as putting it on, does she look afraid of it or is she just trying to play with it? I would sit calmly with her. Get some treats and show her the lead and treat. Put the lead down next to her then treat. Slowly work you way up to touching the lead near neck then treat. Do this over and over until she realizes that the lead going onto her collar is a good thing that she needs to be calm for. To be honest, just like everyone else said, it sounds like a border puppy, not an aggressive one. Aggression is a strong word and I doubt it describes your dog. I would seek out a more knowledgeable trainer who can help you with common puppy issues. Your class you describe with 2 dogs (who sound to be off lead) does not sound like a great class. A good instructor will be able to easily help you with leash manners, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeri Jessee Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Finally a topic I feel qualified to comment on...lol...I have a 6 mo old pup so I am just a bit ahead of you. As the others have said, these babies need A LOT of exercise. I work full time and live in the city so it is hard---I'm not doing much of anything else right now other than raising this puppy and I'm lucky to have a father to babysit her during the day. We do a lot of walking: around the block, at Home Depot, Loews, PetSmart--anywhere they will let you take a dog, and this week while she is recovering from spay surgery, we are walking laps around the living room. We've starting going to the small dog area at the dog park---little yappy dogs are good exercise. We play a ton of "ball" and she has a lot of (supervised) free time in the yard to play and explore. We practice our obedience, we are only on the 3rd class ourselves but learning to walk on the leash changed our life---it is amazing the behavior you can shape with a clicker and treat. Sometiimes we just go for a ride in the car---I don't know why that works but it does. We are also stocked up on nylabones and kongs aka puppy pacifiers. And even after all of that she sometimes gets overstimulated and rowdy so I just put her in her crate for about 10 minutes of quiet time and that helps. So, hang in there and don't give up on your girl...she just needs an outlet for all that energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossi Posted September 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 she goes for walks over the hills and she loves it and in the garden i spend time training her shes never been injured but my vet said by giving her vigorous excersize at this stage ie .frisbee , catch etc we are storing up trouble for later years regarding her joints . strangely enough when we take her out at night when its quiet (not so many cars, people etc she walks fine ). This issue with the lead has just started happening over the last few weeks but thanks for all the advice it is much appreciated . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Your vet is right about high-impact activities like frisbee or other games that require her to run hard and jump. At that age she should be doing only the running and jumping that she herself initiates (vs. being encouraged by chasing a toy or other activity). Her growing joints will thank you! It sounds like walk time has become a time of high excitement for her. Maybe just spending some time putting on the leash and then going out in the garden to do your training so that the leash doesn't necessarily signal "Yay, it's time for a walk!" will help with that particular problem. Books that are often recommended include "Control Unleashed," and the books by Patricia McConnell. If you get the first one, it will probably give you good ideas for training that can engage her mind and help keep her a bit calmer. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefoot Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Let's start with the idea of aggression in puppies. It really doesn't exist, unless there's really something wired improperly. Puppies are exuberant, particularly where border collies are concerned because it helps them test the waters so to speak. Dog behavior is designed to test the waters of their environment to see what works/gets them what they want. It could also be looked at as trying to figure out what they can get away with; which in your dog's case sounds like she's getting away with just about everything. It's extremely important to establish boundaries and rules for a young dog that are designed to mold her exuberance into productive behaviors instead of what you're currently experiencing. It's your responsibility to establish that structure and communicate it to her in a clear manner. If you're unsure, or unable, to do that, get professional help. Before going further, it would be helpful if you outlined your level of dog experience, and then more specifically your level of experience with border collies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 18 week old puppies aren't aggressive, they're just puppies. They do what they're allowed to do and what they find rewarding. Wet blanket time. The statement above is *not* true. Not saying you have an aggressive pup, simply clarification that they do exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChantalB Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 18 week old puppies aren't aggressive, they're just puppies. They do what they're allowed to do and what they find rewarding. Wet blanket time. The statement above is *not* true. Not saying you have an aggressive pup, simply clarification that they do exist. I agree with both statements. Considering baby dogs I don't think there is any true aggression, but within our standard definition of "puppy" there can be aggression. At about your dog's age (4 months) puppies lose there "puppy license" to other dog's and what an older dog will tolerate from said puppy is considerably less than before. They now view the pup as an equal (so to say) no longer a baby they need to tolerate, and challenges come forth, and that is about the age that I would consider that true aggression starts to stem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 I will clarify then as it was a sweeping statement- most of the time what people call puppy aggression is just a high energy puppy being a high energy puppy. Or a pup that has been allowed to get away with bratty behavior (they've learned that it works so they do it). True aggression is possible but pretty rare in a pup that age. Barefoot raised some good points on levels experience with the breed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChantalB Posted September 25, 2011 Report Share Posted September 25, 2011 I will clarify then as it was a sweeping statement- most of the time what people call puppy aggression is just a high energy puppy being a high energy puppy. Or a pup that has been allowed to get away with bratty behavior (they've learned that it works so they do it). True aggression is possible but pretty rare in a pup that age. Barefoot raised some good points on levels experience with the breed Good clarification! It is true what the non-exprienced people will call aggression or dominance, etc. I blame stupid tv shows.. *cough cesar millan *cough* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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