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Well as you all know I struggled with Gracie at first, the issues we had were endless! Whew! glad that's over!!!! I told you how far she and I both have come. Gracie is around 10 months old and she knows and does some amazing things, My worry? What now? I can't go to a class or anything like that, to far away. I have taught her many many tricks, she is a whiz at learning, I know that her potential is not being met. She seems bored in fact. I've never had a BC, she looks at me like......you got nothing don't you? I walk her on our property (43 acres ) put her in the truck which is one of her favorite things, whenever I can. I think she only really likes the truck to see cars, bikes, trucks and other things go by so she can FREAK out!!! She does like to stick her head out the window. I think Gracie needs something more, something to challenge her, nothing I can think of is doing that. I know this dog needs and wants more, any suggestions out there?

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I would also recommend crating the dog or using a dog-seatbelt so she can't be a danger to you while you drive.

 

Do you have places you can take her off your property for leashed walks? Leash walks in new areas will challenge her mentally (impulse control).

 

We live in a rural area and frequently throw the dogs in the car and go walk in town (sidewalks!), many different parks, bike paths, different neighborhoods and so on. We think nothing of driving 20-45 minutes for different walks and hikes on a weekly basis. Yesterday we went to a new bakery/cafe in the city, picked up some delicious bagels then drove to the waterfront. Ate with the pups on a bench then walked an hour on the trails.

 

We have a great new bike trail on Lake Erie that we frequent. The dogs see, hear and smell new things, meet new people. Some larger cemeteries also allow dogs and can be a relaxing place to walk (don't forget bags).

 

There are a never ending amount of tricks to teach as well. YouTube is great for getting ideas and instruction. Look up "kikopup" on YouTube as she has trick videos from simple things to more complex. There are many other people who provide free instructional videos as well on there.

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Dog trick "titles"? Is that actually a thing?

Well, sort of. It's mostly a list of tricks. You can send off the application (and have it verified or at higher levels videoed) if you want the little certificate and recognition.

 

But as a means of giving people something to work toward and lists of things to do with their dog? It's pretty danged great, particularly when there are limited real world options or financial issues. Just 'download' the application and work through the lists!

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Canine Musical Freestyle might be fun for you and your dog.

Definitely anything that you can teach her to do with you would be good. There is an almost infinite variety of You Tube videos showing behaviors you can teach your dog and border collies excel at every one of them.

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Do I just put the crate she sleeps in, in the truck, or do they sell crates especially designed for trucks? Her crate wouldn't necessarily fit. Gracie is still young and I think she will calm down considerably in time, meanwhile I agree with you all and will look into getting one. Gracie going back and forth, in the front in the back, is not a good time! she doesn't get in the drivers seat but its still dangerous. Do you all think maybe Gracie needs another dog like herself? Would it be a positive thing for her or no? Bella is far to little to play the way Grace wants to play. I didn't know if having another BC would be a good idea or not.

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I use a quadcopter and remote control car for my bc mix and boy does he love it. Herding using technology is what we call it. Also, I have a golden retriever and she want to play rough and my bc mix wants to play chase. So, I take it upon myself to play with each of them the way they want.

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Do you all think maybe Gracie needs another dog like herself? Would it be a positive thing for her or no? Bella is far to little to play the way Grace wants to play. I didn't know if having another BC would be a good idea or not.

 

IMO getting another dog to try to alleviate the problems you're already having with a dog is rarely a good idea.

 

Don't get me wrong. Multiple dogs can be wonderful. But if you're having training issues already what would make you think that you wouldn't have training issues with another dog as well? It's more than twice the training (because you now have to deal with 2 dogs' interactions as well as individual behaviors) and usually twice the work. And if both dogs are puppies or even adolescents then they very may well bond with each other leaving you to have to work diligently with each dog separately to make sure they bond with and listen to you rather than choosing each other.

 

I'd say get a handle on this dog before you start thinking about adding another one. When you've got Gracie well trained and behaving the way you want her to, then think about adding another dog.

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I use a quadcopter and remote control car for my bc mix and boy does he love it. Herding using technology is what we call it. Also, I have a golden retriever and she want to play rough and my bc mix wants to play chase. So, I take it upon myself to play with each of them the way they want.

Nice

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I have seen both plastic and metal crates used in cars/trucks. There are many levels of quality and a very wide range of cost for crates. The type of crate and cost I will leave for others - and you can check the archives for the same topic as it has been discussed several times.

 

The most important issue with a crate in a vehicle is to make sure it is well secured. If you do get in an accident, an unsecured crate (just like an unsecured dog) can become a dangerous projectile (dangerous to the dog and/or dangerous to you). Do not secure with bungee cords. They are too stretchy. I prefer the adjustable strapping found in home supply big box stores or auto stores or WM.

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IMO getting another dog to try to alleviate the problems you're already having with a dog is rarely a good idea.

 

Don't get me wrong. Multiple dogs can e wonderful. But if you're having training issues already what would make you think that you wouldn't have training issues with another dog as well? It's more than twice the training (because you now have to deal with 2 dogs' interactions as well as individual behaviors) and usually twice the work. And if both dos are puppies or even adolescents then they very may well bond with each other leaving you to have to work diligently with each dog separately to make sure they bond with and listen to you rather than choosing each other.

 

I'd say get a handle on this dog before you start thinking about adding another one. When you've got Gracie well trained and behaving the way you want her to, then think about adding another dog.

I agree, per usual I didn't think about the possibility of them bonding to each other and leaving me out. I think Grace is going to eventually do wonders, I have no doubt about that, she is growing into an amazing animal. I can't tell you how smart she is , she is impressive, it's me thats the dumb one lol, for now your right, we will continue growing together and taking our walks, we love our walks. Grace interacts with other dogs and people, when she first see's humans she barks and wags her tail, she comes up to them at a crawl, I don't know why she does that she just does. with animals bigger ones she lets them know she is not a threat by crawling up to them then rolling over, smaller dogs she lets them run all over her and she crawls to lick them, she starts to play by taking her paw and swiping at them but her paws may hurt them so I'm there to remind her that they are babies. I would do anything for Grace to ensure she stays happy and healthy. I take your advise to heart.

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Do I just put the crate she sleeps in, in the truck, or do they sell crates especially designed for trucks? Her crate wouldn't necessarily fit. Gracie is still young and I think she will calm down considerably in time, meanwhile I agree with you all and will look into getting one. Gracie going back and forth, in the front in the back, is not a good time! she doesn't get in the drivers seat but its still dangerous. Do you all think maybe Gracie needs another dog like herself? Would it be a positive thing for her or no? Bella is far to little to play the way Grace wants to play. I didn't know if having another BC would be a good idea or not.

 

 

I would recommend getting a crate designated to go in the car. What type/size of vehicle do you have?

 

Wire crates are too easily bent or crushed, so you want a decent plastic crate that isn't quite so crushable or bendable. The point is not just that it restrains your dog while you're driving, but that it could save her life in the event of an accident. A few years ago, an agility handler fell asleep at the wheel during a long drive and clipped an 18-wheeler. All six of her dogs were ejected from the vehicle. One dog was killed outright, three were located by people who stopped to help, one was lost and subsequently hit by a car and killed, while a third was found, terrified and alone, after an exhaustive two day search.

 

So, if anything ever happens, even if the accident itself isn't that bad, the outcome could be tragic for Gracie. Any car accident, even just a fender-bender or sliding off into the ditch, can terrify a dog. If a windows gets broken a dog can leap right out into traffic. Or if police or emergency personnel reach inside the vehicle, she could either panic and bite someone or panic and leap out the first open door into passing automobiles. Please don't risk her being loose in the car. There are also doggie seatbelt harnesses, though you'd want to do some research as not all are that good. I have a couple sets from Kurgo.

 

Sorry if I'm coming down heavy on this, but I lost a dog once to an unsecured gate which let him out onto a busy road. My greatest fear is of my dogs ever getting lose during a car accident.

 

Lastly, getting a dog for a dog is not always a good thing. They do learn from each other and that includes the things you don't want them to learn! :rolleyes: But also it pretty much just doubles your work and responsibility. If you ever do get a second dog, do it for your own reasons, not to occupy her.

 

~ Gloria

 

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