rokit_sientist Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 I own a border collie that I adopted from the animal shelter when she was about 8 weeks old. Somebody had dropped her off after she had been too wild for them. She is almost eight months now, and a beautiful girl. She is my first border collie, and I had no idea how smart they were! The only problem I have is that she will only listen to my commands. As much as we practice, she refuses to listen to the same commands from anyone else. What do I do? Thanks for any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cholla1 Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 ---"The only problem I have is that she will only listen to my commands. As much as we practice, she refuses to listen to the same commands from anyone else."--- Would you explain that a little more? What kind of "commands" are you talking about? What kind of "practice" are you into that she needs to "listen to other's commands"? Do you mean other family members? Are you starting to herd and the dog is not working off the stock, if you are not helping it, is just looking at you and you want it to "turn on" to the stock and listen to any one directing it? I can't quite figure any other time you would want your dog to listen to someone else. Maybe a little more information would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokit_sientist Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 Hi there.. I'm so sorry I didn't explain in detail. We are just a normal suburban fam that got a dog at the animal shelter that happened to be a full border collie. When I say commands, I mean sit, stay, come.. etc. She acts like a complete lady to me, but if anyone else tells her to sit, come... she just looks at them like "forget you" and goes the other way. We work with the other family members and commands, yet she refuses to obey. The other thing is that she was just laying on the floor tonight. My three year old was next to her. He was singing, albeit an irritating song.. and she just leaned over and snapped at him. She's NEVER shown any aggressive behavior. Now I just don't know what to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokit_sientist Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 This was a link to our online photo album, so you could see her.. but I saw a GOD AWFUL pic of me.. so I'm editing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKM's Mom Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 It sounds like she only respects your position in the pack order. I wouldn't expect her to obey a three yr old but she has to understand that he is higher in the pack order than she is. I hope you had a real "coming to Jesus" talk with her when she snapped at your son. While I am not a fan of physical corrections, they do have their place and this was one of those times IMO. Since training is a hard thing to explain over the computer, I suggest you take her and the other family members to an obedience class where they can all learn more about training. HMK's Mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokit_sientist Posted December 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 HMK's mom, Yes, I think she spoke directly to Jesus. I think an obedience class would be good for all of us. I thought I could do it myself.. little did I know.. Thanks for responding. I am a little disheartened after today. Plus, she's been doing this weird thing for two days.. running from window to window barking and growling at NOTHING. I take her out to play.. we play fetch for EVER.. but jeez.. she comes back in, and is barking at imaginary things again. I think I have a neurotic dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 Are you sure that she's barking and growling at nothing? Fergie does that window bit when the evil grey terrorists (squirrels) are around. It often takes me ages to spot where they're moving surupticiously in the high branches, or sneaking down the tree trunks. Now, when they're cavorting at high speed in packs, I spot them immediately. But Fergie sees all their covert activity. Your dog may be announcing Code Orange in the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Devils Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 Part of the problem sounds like your dog could be bored, hence running back and forth between windows and things... You need to work the brain not just physical exercise to wear out a border collie. I suggest going to an odedience class with the family but also work on tricks and other learning things at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaos Posted December 28, 2003 Report Share Posted December 28, 2003 consider that the running and barking may be about lights and shadows.. my BC has been allowed (unfortunately to develop some compulsive habits around glimmers/rays of light and shadows.. things that we are frankly not accustomed to noticing yet she takes great interest in and tries to play with and pounce on.... if this is the case, you may want to stop it right away and try to redirect the excitement into a more intelligent use of her energies... good luck sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted December 29, 2003 Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Eight months old? Think five-year-old kid! That's what you've got - and she sounds like a handful, a wonder, and a typical border collie. The previous posts are right, especially in winter: exercise her brain. Hide her favorite things around the house (active, but doesn't have to involve you constantly). Teach her silly tricks (better if they have some application in life later, but if not - oh well!). And look into that obedience class - the socialization, if nothing else, will be worth it. Have fun! diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokit_sientist Posted December 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2003 Thank you all so very much for the much needed replies. I had no idea she'd require so much. Just this morning.. she woke me up at 4 to take her out. She always comes to my bed and wacks me by hitting me in the head with her hand (her paw she uses as a hand..) I definitely have never owned a dog like this. She knows some tricks. She can shake, catch food in the air (she taught herself that one), and when I say..go check on the children.. she'll run to all three rooms and look at them. I'm not sure what else to teach her. I'd appreciate any recommendations. I've already hidden her toys.. i liked that one. She's found one, and I'm throwing it over and over again as I type. You know, I was never a "dog person" but she has changed me. Gosh, I swear she's human sometimes. I'd do anything for this dog. I'd even consider sticking a few sheep in the yard just for her. Now, if I can just get her to obey sit for my husband. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted December 31, 2003 Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 For ideas on more tricks to teach, find the book "Agility Tricks: For Improved Attention, Flexibility and Confidence" by Donna Duford, publ. by Clean Run Productions. (Its on www.cleanrun.com web site and probably available elsewhere as well.) It has some really fun things - mostly mental, though all involve some physical motions. The "tricks" are actually things that are good for the dog - like stretching, or warming up for agility, but also good even if you're not doing agility. Its so fun to see dogs "get it" when they figure it out! diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK dog doc Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 As a BTW, Finn (who is 19 months) WILL obey other people's commands, but first he looks at me to see if I think he should. So in a sense he is NOT obeying them, but me, since I said he should do what they ask. (This is even if they have food, which he's quite motivated by, though toys are better.) He's not the only BC I've seen do this. However, when I'm out of town and he is staying with his breeder, he seems to obey her just fine. If I am not there he'll accept another authority. I agree with the others that snapping at children is something that has to be nipped in the bud, and that BC's need a lot of mental stimulation. For a long time it was fine for me to just tire Finn out physically, but at a certain age (for him about 7 or 8 months) his brain came in the mail and suddenly it was NOT enough just to tire him out physically. I had to challenge him mentally. (Then his hormones came in the mail at about 10 months and his brain was sent back by return post for re-tooling. We didn't see it again until he was about a year old.) Your dog may always listen best to you and regard you as The One, but in a family situation, it's usually necessary that she acknowledge other family members and do as asked. When I've taken obedience, the instructor has always allowed other family members to attend the classes and trade off as handler (even older children are allowed to do this). Hopefully your instructor will allow this as well (though you may have to ask). Are you having that thing where you can't remember what life was like without your BC? I just love that part... (I admit I'm a bit of a sap this way...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HKM's Mom Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Life before BC's??? I forgot what it was like until I had to spend a day at home while the dogs were in the kennel. Why those kennels aren't open on Sunday is just beyond me. Gosh, no one to snuggle with at night, no one to demand I get up at dawn, shaved an hour off my morning routine, no one staring at me like an impatiently while I fixed their bkfst., and went to the bathroom all alone. I was miserable. Paced the house like a lost soul until I could pick them up on Monday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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