my pup is very disruptive

[Robert healey]

i aqquired my collie about 2-3 months ago from a rescue centre he was very timid and shy and wimpered when he heard raised voices now he has turned into a very boistruss young dog and very distructive me and my partner have tried everything and are struggeling to think of ways to calm him down and bring him under control.

he constantly barks but gets plenty of attention day and night as my partner is at home with a 4 month baby and gets all the walks and attention when im home from work. at time he is a loving dog to all of us and ocassionaly very obedient. can anyone suggest anything that can help us in our fight to tame our mad max.??????

[Crashless]

What kind of walks are we talking about here? 10-15 minutes of normal speed walking isn`t going to cut it for a BC. My 3 month old pup usually needs about two sessions of 30-45 minutes playing frisbee (I throw it low) and training (heel/sit/come/stay etc.) in order to be a "normal" dog in the house.

 

I'd imagine we're going to have to step it up as she gets older too, so maybe it's an exercise thing? There's a lot of talk about 'mental' exercise on this board, maybe if you can't run him, teaching him 'find the toy' would be a good way to let him burn some extra energy.

 

We're working on this game with Sadie, but basically, you put the pup in the bathroom or something, where they can't see you. Then hide their favorite toy somewhere in the house. Let them out of the bathroom and keep asking for the toy until they find it. Seems to be a great mental exercise for Sadie so far, AND she runs around on her own looking for it - so it's a two-fer.

[Shetlander]

When you say you have tried everything to calm him down, what does that include? Are you training him in obedience? How long are his walks? What games do you play with him? Do you use a crate or special room when you want him to settle and keep him out of mischief if he's being destructive? How old is he?

 

It will be easier for people to offer suggestions if they have a better idea of his age and daily life. Quinn is my first BC and is 8 months old. Finding the right structure for him was very important. Energy levels vary among dogs. He does very well with about 1 hour's walking, another 20 minutes of fetching, about 10 - 20 minutes training plus free play with my other dogs. That's a typical day. Once a week, he goes to obedience class and I take him to my club about once a week to work there. He also has a bunch of fairly indestructible toys to chew and play with. If I leave the house, he stays in his crate. Otherwise, he's loose in the house.

 

Also, I worked to teach Quinn how to settle and just chill out. Apparently that isn't something that some BC's will figure out on their own. You need to find the right balance for your particular dog. Too much exercise and activity and you can create or reinforce a dog who is nonstop on the go. Too little and the dog can go a bit crazy.

[Kat's Dogs]

How much is "plenty of attention"?

 

With Dazzle (even when she was just 10 weeks old) I did "stuff" with her (training/playing/walking) for at least 3 hours a day. Usually more.

 

This is a Border Collie that you are talking about and they need not only attention but training and mental games.

 

So answer some questions that would make it easier for us to help you more:

 

*What kind of walks?

*What have you tried?

*Are you training him in obedience?

*How long are his walks?

*What games do you play with him?

*Do you use a crate?

*How old is he?

*How much attention does he get in a day?

*How much training does he get in a day?

*How much play does he get in a day?

*How much expirence do you have with dogs/dog training/dog behavior?

*Has he been to any classes?

*Is there anything that could be stessful to him in the house (loud noises, ect.)

 

As a basic guideline - more mental (and maybe even physical) excersise.

[yogie]

Hi Rob

 

It seems to me that this shy puppy got to live in a very positive home. He may not be used to having some control. If you teach him what you expect I am sure he will learn if it a positive experiance.

 

Cheers

[mrsjordanjr]

Although your pup turned around with his shyness, you need to make sure he understands who the boss is. I think your dog may need some structured training. You have to be consistant in what you allow or disallow in your home.

 

Your dog will only get more disruptive if boundries are not set now. For instance, let's say he has a knack for barking all the time. You always have to go back to the basics (you'd learn this in obedience school). The basics would be putting him on leash and correcting him everytime he barks. Keep a loose leash and let him make the mistakes so you have an opportunity to correct him but when he barks be quick and timely with your response. After repetition, your dog will start showing signs of changing his habits. The less often he barks, the less corrections he gets. When he stops barking altogether, he gets the privilege of no leash. If he starts barking again, the leash goes back on and he gets some more reminders. It's that simple.

 

One more trick to the trade is praise. You must praise your dog verbally everytime he does it right. In otherwords, when he doesn't bark or stops barking, you praise him "good dog" or "good boy". Praising him is letting him know the correct behavior. You can't expect a dog to know what you want from him until you show him...and showing him is sometimes as simple as praising him for NOT doing something.

 

[ 03-22-2006, 01:31 PM: Message edited by: Eileen Stein ]