Border Collie Pup - 14 weeks has basics

[RobD-BCactive]

Almost a year on and my favourite forum is down this morning, so I'll update here. In at nutshell, the rewards based training is what worked, encoraging positive behaviour and ignoring, directing away & gently preventing unwanted. Reading the thread, at time I found it hard to trust, as more old school methods, were what I was used to.

The pup completed the KC Basic Obed. course 1, which included heeling nicely for short way. Since he carried on with another class and has now begun at Agility.

Mostly he's walked off leash, doesn't chase deer or ducks

As he's got older his urge to puppy play has lessened, most often the leash mouthing is related to that or excitement, like at Agility where many of the dogs were doing it, until they could be worked off leash.

The rewards have changed to, food treats become less good than a game eg) tug after some heel work, and praise (with a gentle "uh oh" style no reward marker). Clicker training has been great technique to learn.

An attempt in my abscence to deter it with Bitter Apple spray failed totally, it's just unpleasant.

Furthermore the postive-reinforcement techniques have been in long run the successful approach. I found "corrections" to try and stop unwanted behaviour, didn't appear to lessen repetition. So they're a recipe IMO for having to always "nag the dog" telling it off all the time.

The key was to work the dog and avoid practising of the unwanted stuff, either playing with a toy, another dog, concentrating on training eg) heeling, doing fetch, carrying something. Basically anything that engaged this intelligent Breed's brain into doing something positive.

Neighbours have a Shi-Tzu young puppy to look after in day for their daughter, they never had a dog and have been doing great, using a similar approach. So it's not just Border Collies!

[nick_j007]

Good work!