dub Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 i got my BC puppy last weekend and he's the best so far, i'm just wondering since i live in a city how border collies are about running off after rabits or squirls when not on a leash [like when walking to the back yard or when heading to the car for a ride]? i have a 2 yr old shiba inu and have never had any probs.with her running of but wanted to know if border collies were known for it. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 It depends a lot on the dog; my girl is highly sensitive to movement and if she sees a rabbit is gone, despite all the training we have done. Squirrels she can ignore if I catch her attention before she's taken off after them. In the city I would not trust a dog off lead unless you have spent a lot of time working on obedience and such - there are too many cars and one slip can end tragically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat's Dogs Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 A lot of training can fix it. Dazzle never showed any want to chase a squirrel but then just the other week I was walking her off leash on a woodland trail and she started going after one. I just calmly said "Dazzle, Come." and she turned right around and sat before me, thinking it was just another set up that I had done. It really depends on the dog though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 You didn't say how old your pup was, but I can tell you from experience I wouldn't let my dog "off leash" outside until the pup has received a pretty good foundation in obedience training. Do you live on or near a busy street? If you do, I would recommend using a leash even to take the pup to and from the car. Once your pup reliably responds to you on a recall you can safely take them to some places off leash. Squirrels, rabbits, cats, neighbor kids, bicycles, cars, etc. are a HUGE distraction to a puppy and you could have tragic results. Allie is 9 mos. old. We live in the city and do a lot of leash walking, but go to dog parks, hiking on trails, etc. off leash quite often. 98% of the time she minds extremely well to the commands to "come", "heel", "sit" and "stay" when we are going to the car for a ride or leash-up (we also do a "potty" command because when she was small she had a few mistakes in the car). Once in a while, though, she gets distracted and will veer off after a raccoon or a cat that comes into our yard. So, as a fellow "city dog owner", I recommend good, intensive basic dog training before allowing the puppy off leash unless it is within a fenced yard. I concur with the others that it does depend a lot on the dog, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Agree with the others about the importance of having dogs on lead until they have a really solid recall (tested in safe conditions, and under distractions). Even then, I'm a believer in safety first, so my dogs are on lead anywhere near traffic. They are also trained not to get out of the car without invitation - and for the most part, that doesn't happen until they have their leads on. To me, it doesn't matter whether other people can let their dogs off lead in 'dangerous' situations. I need to know that my dogs are as safe as I can make them. I also am aware of my responsibilities to otherroad users. I do not want my dogs to be causing an accident. All of that said, I worked and still work) very hard on having a solid recall, and my dogs do enjoy lots of off lead time where and when it's safe. (For example, now in summer, I would likely keep them on lead in areas where they could be off in winter - that's because of snakes. All Tasmanian snakes are very poisonous.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitch Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Couple things to keep in mind: 1. As a puppy, your bc might always stay near you and come when called - but all that *can* change once they hit their 'teenage years' . 2. As a fellow city dweller, I always keep Dublin on leash around traffic as a bc's attitude can change very quickly. For example, for the first 15 months of his life, Dublin ignored all cars...in the space of one week, he went from ignoring cars to trying to cut them off/chase them. It is a deadly behavior and one I am working on correcting. If he had been off-leash when this change happened - well, it might not have been pretty.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allie Oop Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 I think the bottom line is -- better safe than sorry. On several occasions, Allie has suddenly lunged toward the street, but because she is always on leash around town she didn't get smashed by the traffic. :eek: Once you are away from traffic and in a safer environment (dog park, etc.), the leash can be removed. (Pup still needs a good recall anywhere off leash.) Why take a chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kat's Dogs Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Also as a city Border collie owner, anytime you are close to a street, I would keep the dog on leash, even just for short trips to the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 No dog could ever be considered safe off lead around traffic. Well, probly a seeing eye dog, but they are put through training that is very intense. Even if they know to stay out of the road, if something startled them and they jumped the wrong way, well, you can't un-crack an egg and you can't take that moment back. My muttly Cheyenne was a trucker dog for her first 5 yrs and she was taught to NEVER go from grass/dirt to pavement because sometimes we had to stop in less than desirable places and in all kinds of weather. However, she is a lazy dog and she is a chicken, (on her mothers side I think) so running after something was not a prob, and she had been around big trucks so long, lil ol 4-wheelers never scared her. So there exceptions, but as the others said, why not be safe? Besides, if you keep the dog on lead except when it is perfectly safe to take them off, they learn when they can romp and run and when they can't alot easier. IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 ok thanks all, JJ my pup is only 2 months old. i wasent going to take him anywhere near the street unleashed we just walk to and from the house to the back gate and to the car, and my older dog who listens to me very well is always leading the way and no my street is not a busy street at all. i just wanted to see what you all would have for advise,hes such a good boy and seems so smart already, but just wanted to see if running of is in there nature Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Border Collies TR Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 By the age of 7 months probably he will start to listen you. He must learn the command "no" first of all. And "stay" when you are on the corner of sidewalk. Do not let him/her without a stay. Let him/her by the command "go". My Whisky is living of the leash since he is 6 months old. And we have really heavy traffic in some parts of the district. You can also get his interest by producing chasing games like throwing ball or frisbee. And show him that you are the only entertainment for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaBC Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 I live in the city and my dogs routinely go from the house to the car, etc., off leash. That being said, your question asked how border collies are about chasing squirrels, rabbits, etc. Obviously, that's going to vary from dog to dog, but most bc's have a very high prey drive. So, in my experience, your dog has a good chance of bolting. Be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck C Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Originally posted by dub:i got my BC puppy last weekend and he's the best so far, i'm just wondering since i live in a city how border collies are about running off after rabits or squirls when not on a leash [like when walking to the back yard or when heading to the car for a ride]? i have a 2 yr old shiba inu and have never had any probs.with her running of but wanted to know if border collies were known for it. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck C Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 BC's vary of course. My dogs have been focussed on me (and any ball I may have) that they have largely ignored the critters they come across. I think they assume other dogs/cats are pets and that they are little humans. Chuck Originally posted by dub: i got my BC puppy last weekend and he's the best so far, i'm just wondering since i live in a city how border collies are about running off after rabits or squirls when not on a leash [like when walking to the back yard or when heading to the car for a ride]? i have a 2 yr old shiba inu and have never had any probs.with her running of but wanted to know if border collies were known for it. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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