Border collie help

Moobli said:
I agree calming training (teaching her to rest on her bed etc) is a good idea as well as the scentwork I mentioned earlier but I also believe that a high energy dog needs plenty of physical exercise as well as mental. You can't put a square peg in a round hole. Whereabouts in the country are you?
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I live where there are lots of remote trails to go on where she gets play time and off the lead walk as it’s fenced in and I also live right outside to a huge field where she goes on on her 20m lead with a ball.
 
Shadow chasing is an OCD behaviour and can be a symptom of a bored or anxious dog. It may start as a fun game but then becomes an obsession. Try to avoid her practising it at any cost - ie don't turn the light on that makes her chase your shadow if at all possible (ie instead of a lamp try putting the big light on), and direct her on to something more productive - ie a bit of fun training, a game with a toy etc. If you up her brain training and activity when out on walks as well as try to avoid situations where she can practise the unwanted behaviour it will hopefully decrease over time.
 
Moobli said:
Shadow chasing is an OCD behaviour and can be a symptom of a bored or anxious dog. It may start as a fun game but then becomes an obsession. Try to avoid her practising it at any cost - ie don't turn the light on that makes her chase your shadow if at all possible (ie instead of a lamp try putting the big light on), and direct her on to something more productive - ie a bit of fun training, a game with a toy etc. If you up her brain training and activity when out on walks as well as try to avoid situations where she can practise the unwanted behaviour it will hopefully decrease over time.
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Thank you it is decreasing with the more training I’m doing so that’s good it’s just right before I go to bed she’s very active and doesn’t want to settle so that’s something I’m working on.
 
For example OP all our established working collies will work, sit in a truck, on a quad, get in unknown vehicles with known and unknown dogs and people, we have one that is sharp, one that is more nervy but they are all fine anywhere and everywhere.
They youngsters are more tricky till they are ready and doing lots of work and end the day tired then get put away to rest with an older dog most of the time but they spend time on their own too.
 
An agility club is probably going to be a good bet- generally most have reasonably exepriecned trainers - you would sign up for a foundation course- they are also used to high drive sports types - or flyball - and you will hopefully find like minded people to help you with training - a good behaviourist is also an option but make sure they are positive reqard based.
 
One thing I recommend for a dog that needs to learn to chill is to put them on a leash that is long enough that you can sit on it and the dog has enough leash to be able to lie down. Then sit and basically ignore the dog for 30 minutes. Do this for a couple of weeks and the dog will learn that sometimes they need to be in charge of their own comfort and chill.
 
Miss Collie is high drive and I rehomed at 7 months and now shes a smidgen under 16 months and I've battled chasing cars, joggers, cyclists, horses and pretty much anything that moved faster than her!

I did a lot of distraction, mark, reward games with her and I've used my existing ball mad spaniel as a distraction -throw ball for spaniel and Collie then notices spaniel and takes off after her. I've done some kikopup and absolutedogs stuff with her and 90% of time now she will walk past things. We might have a little bounce on lead at a particularly rattly van or noisy bike but we dont have the screaming, lunging, spinning in circles drama - and I am in London so not like I can avoid traffic!

It's been bloody hard work and shes good 9/10 with joggers and cyclists in park off lead. It's just that 1 time now we need to beat!

I did a lot of work on what I was calling ninja feeding - sneaking a biscuit or treat close to her when she was sleeping or being still and would cage food in my hands so she could only have it when she was sitting nicely and politely.

I also learnt about overarousal and now I'm aware that some days she just wakes up wired and on those days she might only walk on lead or not at all and she stays at home and does sniff games in the house and garden and practices her obedience.
If she is anything like Miss Collie - and she sounds it. I think you might struggle to find an agility/flyball group that will take her until she can control herself a little more. Miss Collie is banned from agility but I'm hoping the work we've put in since lockdown might mean we will be allowed to start when they re-start and offer beginner classes again.
 
When we first got Luna the Husky, we did a lot of reading and research. Everyone says huskies are not like normal dogs. Well, what is a normal dog? I think all dogs have their own issues (not in a bad way), just part of what they are. Our Collie is ok to walk on a lead on his own, as long as we don’t see other dogs, or too many people. Off lead in the woods/fields, he ignores other dogs unless they approach him, and will occasionally look at people, but stays near me. When road walking, he isn’t bothered by traffic at all, but will lunge at push bikes and motor bikes. The few times we’ve seen cyclists off lead, I call him back and put him on lead and keep a hold. He turns into a savage. K

I am far from an expert, and our dogs are pets first and foremost. Luna has typical husky prey drive, so is always on lead, but she loves everyone we meet. Bo, we take him out in the car and avoid street walking as much as possible. He has come on in so many ways (we got him as a 4yo) and we just work with the dogs we have.
 
TheresaW said:
When we first got Luna the Husky, we did a lot of reading and research. Everyone says huskies are not like normal dogs. Well, what is a normal dog? I think all dogs have their own issues (not in a bad way), just part of what they are. Our Collie is ok to walk on a lead on his own, as long as we don’t see other dogs, or too many people. Off lead in the woods/fields, he ignores other dogs unless they approach him, and will occasionally look at people, but stays near me. When road walking, he isn’t bothered by traffic at all, but will lunge at push bikes and motor bikes. The few times we’ve seen cyclists off lead, I call him back and put him on lead and keep a hold. He turns into a savage. K

I am far from an expert, and our dogs are pets first and foremost. Luna has typical husky prey drive, so is always on lead, but she loves everyone we meet. Bo, we take him out in the car and avoid street walking as much as possible. He has come on in so many ways (we got him as a 4yo) and we just work with the dogs we have.
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Aren’t they funny, yours isn’t bothered by cars but lunges at motorbikes and push bikes, mine couldn’t care less about bicycles or motorbikes but wants to go for cars.
 
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