Border Collie Heck

[Tab]

We have 5 dogs, a hound mix is most annoying, but the Border Collie is something else. Probably a mix of Border Collie and Schizophrenic.

Normally a traditional BC, now about age 10, stays by my side constantly, except when to herd the other dogs (or any other animal) into submission. But certain behaviors are just too annoying.

For instance, repetititve sounds drives him nuts. This could be counting (reciting a phone number, although that doesn't last long enough to really set him off), shuffling of cards - we don't even play cards any more - the shuffling sound sends him into a frenzy. As does the display of a CD or a flashlight (it's the high-frequency random light display), but what takes the cake (aside from card shuffling, which we can simply not do) is emptying the dishwasher, specifically the handling of the silverware. Between the flashing reflections of the silverware and the high-frequency sound of the silverware clinking, he just goes nuts. Unloading or loading is the worst. I try to do it as quietly as possibly, but he gets set off. I'll stick him on the back porch where he can bark and annoy the neighbors, but we have to do it. He used to trip to nip at it (and me) but I put a stop to it, but in frustration now he just barks like crazy.

Even just searching a drawer for some metal tongs or something makes the reflections and/or noise that implies that "fun is coming" sets him off.

He has other habits, but these are the worse.

Any thoughts, other than to just wait out the next 5 years?

- Tab

[david13]

1. The dog whisperer who I must recommend and is excellent has

an episode about them.
They are genetically programmed to work, and to exercise, and run miles for their sheep herding tasks.
He's just chomping at the bit, 'hey, let's get to work'.
On the training for them, they whistle. The whistle indicates to them which way to go, turn left, turn right, etc. Thus they are most sound sensitive.
They are not sit around the house dogs. I guess it's like a bull in a china shop, wrong job.
I won't suggest plastic forks. As they are not environmentally friendly.
But try dog whisperers episode on them, or in his literature (book?).
Good luck.
dc

[MrsBrady]

2. our border collie has to get a lot of exercise and needs to be kept "working"

we gave him his own pillow to destroy over time, so he wouldn't destroy the bed or couch pillows.
He knows that's his pillow to sleep on and to "kill" while we are out of the house. I wash it when it gets too gross...or throw it out once he puts to many holes in it.
It's a full size bed pillow.

He is a front/lead dog by nature, so he likes to go in front of me when we walk outside or in the house. He follows or leads my husband everywhere.
If I'm in the kitchen and my husband is home....I know when my husband is walking up from the bedroom because the dog is in front of him, even if I can't hear my husband walking down the hallway.
We give him a job, even if it is just "sit". He feels like he's doing something. He comes from working stock, so he's got to be constantly working and busy.
He has a certain chew toy that is is obsessive-compulsive with....won't stop playing with it. Some times we have to take it away from him, and give him a different toy.
He has a dog door, so he can go in and out when he wants. Sometimes he likes to go outside on his own...chase bugs, birds and squirrels out of the yard.
Sometimes he rolls around in the grass...sometimes he just likes to sit outside in the sun or shade.

He also runs a path in the back yard. I call it his "doggie default setting" because he was kept (he's a rescue) in a small cage for about a year when he was 3 years old.
We try to limit that behavior, and make him come inside when he does that...but it's impossible to stop him when we are not looking.
Sometimes he does that, and sometime he doesn't. I haven't been able to figure out what sets it off.
We don't walk him every day, but we play frisbee in the back yard with him almost every day. It's a heavy duty cloth frisbee. The plastic ones last only 5 minutes.

He does try to heard the cats when I tell them 'no', as he thinks he's helping us. He does come from working stock, and he loves to go to my in-laws farm to help with the cattle.
But he is so afraid of storms, due to the caging we think.
We just have to constantly give him a "job" to do. He goes through a lot of pillows and very big dog chews. But that helps keep in occupied.

Our guy is a sweet, sweet boy, but many border collies are all work and not always so cuddly. He doesn't get along well with other dogs except other border collies.
When he's playing ball, he's working...it's not a game to him. He'll play/work with us and his "sister" at my in-laws. Taking him to the dog park was a big mistake.

I would say give your dog something to do outside...or even inside...if you can, while you are doing the dishes and then bring him back in if you want.
We don't let him bark in the back yard too much.
Try to exercise him a little more, and play more games with him. Our boy is a lot of work...we have to keep him constantly entertained or busy when he's not napping.

Also he LOVES routine. Knows where we keep his toys. Thinks its time to walk when I go to the cabinet where we keep his leash. Understands English, with or without hand gestures.
He's brilliant, and requires lots of attention.

I just inherited a used bread machine, and he at first thought there was someone at the door. When he's defending the house over some noise he doesn't like, I open the front door so he can look out the screen door.
I pat him on the head and tell him...good boy, you scared it away. ok, thank you.....and I close the door....ok sit down here....good boy. That's the only thing that will shut him up.

And he definitely remembers the neighbor who once gave him a pork chop...he has a certain happy, squeal/bark that I noticed that he makes only when this specific neighbor comes to the door.
"oohh it's the pork chop dude! yea! Hi, pork chop dude!!!! omg omg omg!!! got more pork chops????!!!!!!"

I don't know if I've helped at all. Just maybe give him some "work" to do. He's probably trying to help.

[elleng]

3. That's a great description of handling your border collie,

and a good idea for ANYONE with or THINKING of acquiring one! GOOD FOR YOU!

[MrsBrady]

4. he's a lot of work...but sooooo worth it

:hi:

[livetohike]

5. Great synopsis of life with a Border Collie

I have an Australian Cattle Dog (and a Catahoula Leopard too) and this sounds so much like them. The ACD has to be in the lead and the Catahoula Leopard always follows us behind. We are a sight on a hiking trail. Herding the humans, :-).

[jillan]

6. I had a Border Collie that was like that. Let me give you a tip--

that unfortunately I didn't know when I had my Border Collie.

My dog now is an Australian Cattle Dog - very similar to a Border Collie. When we got her from the pound I saw alot of the same behaviors, and I thought no way am I going to deal with this again, so I enrolled her in dog training. I paid $100 and learned one thing that changed everything - a shaky can.

Get an empty soda can - beer can - whatever you have handy - and put 13 pennies into it. When the dog starts barking - shake the can and say Quiet or whatever command you want to use. It works! At first you need to be persistent...one day Tobi wouldn't shut up and I threw it near her - she shut up. You can use it for anything...jumping on you, tearing up shoes...whatever behavior you want to break. We've had our dog for a year and 1/2 and now all I have to do is show her the shaky can and she stops.

I just wish I knew about the shaky can when I had our Border Collie. I loved that dog - but his barking made me nuts... now I think if I only knew about this, it would've been a much better relationship.

Oh - there was actual research that went into this - so said the dog trainer :)