Giving "the eye" to non-sheep?

[Frogs & Dogs]

I'm just curious if anyone else has a BC that will give "the eye" to animals other than livestock. If so, what other animals?

 

I've noticed recently that Kit will crouch very low and kind of sneak up on dogs that we're approaching from a distance. When she gets reasonably close, she rushes at them. Her behavior looks suspiciously like what I've seen labeled as BC's giving "the eye" to sheep. I'm hesitant to label it as such because I've never heard of giving "the eye" to other dogs, but to me it does not look at all like a play bow - it looks like a predator stalking its prey. Also, she won't do it unless we're approaching from a distance and going in opposite directions (dogs facing each other). I should clarify that Kit is extremely friendly with every dog she meets; after she has convinced herself that they're not livestock, she wants to play play play. I've been trying to keep tabs on what kind of dogs she does this to, but I see no pattern - today it was a dalmatian and a pair of pugs, yesterday it was an overweight geriatric lab, and the day before that a fluffy sheltie mix. I've even seen her do it to other BC's! She does it both on and off lead. Am I alone here?

[Tranquilis]

Suka will try the cats. Not all of them, mind you, just the males. She stares at them, and stalks them, and makes horrble faces when they blow her off. Terribly frustrating to her, that they just don't seem to be able to 'get with the program...'

[mbc1963]

I've met several dogs over the years who act this way as Buddy approaches: they lie on the ground, crawl forward, lie again... as if they're stalking prey.

 

Now, the thing I find interesting about this is that Buddy - my very reactive dog who doesn't like to meet fast - will immediately break into delighted play with dogs who approach him this way. The slow crawl/pounce thing seems to be some kind of universal doggie sign for "I'm not gonna hurt you. Let's play tag!" A lot of owners apologize, thinking that their dogs look aggressive when they act this way, but in Buddy's mind, at least, it's the opposite of aggressive.

 

Mary

[desertranger]

I taught Jin to walk up to someone (usually a pretty girl I point out) sit and look at them with the eye then do a little butt scootch toward them. Funnier then hell. Can really unnerve people.

 

However he does eye other dogs, and sometimes when he goes all stiff tail.

[Ms.DaisyDuke]

Actually, my very first experience with a border collie other than my own, this is what happened. We were at an off leash park and Daisy was a puppy. We came across an old man and his old dog. I was excited to meet another bc owner, but all of a sudden his dog started to crouch and walk up on us. It scared the crap out of me. He'd lie down and then come towards us, the whole time eyeing us up. I must have had quite the look on my face cause the old man started laughing and said, "don't worry, that's how she meets people". (Un)Fortunately Daisy is greatly lacking in the instinct department and has never done that to anyone.

[Ooky]

Now, the thing I find interesting about this is that Buddy - my very reactive dog who doesn't like to meet fast - will immediately break into delighted play with dogs who approach him this way. The slow crawl/pounce thing seems to be some kind of universal doggie sign for "I'm not gonna hurt you. Let's play tag!" A lot of owners apologize, thinking that their dogs look aggressive when they act this way, but in Buddy's mind, at least, it's the opposite of aggressive.

 

That's really interesting! That's how Odin approaches dogs that he really wants to play with. He developed this behavior after I allowed 3 other dogs in the neighborhood to "skool" him a bit in dog-dog relations when he started lunging at other dogs (which they hated). He just wanted to play, but was VERY rude about it. These three wonderful dogs (all much larger and more dominant than he) were a true lesson in how a little goes a very, very long way towards correcting some behaviors, IF you speak dog language. One of these dogs was a huge mastiff mix and the owner said he was amazed at how after a play session his dog actually liked Odin, as I guess that dog usually hated other male dogs. But Odin was submissive enough that it works! Also, he's done it to a few neightborhood cats as well, but the sad fact is that only a very few cats who don't live with him trust him enough to come up to him.

 

However, when he does this crouching thing, it's absolutely nothing like his real "eye" on sheep. His real "eye" is very upright, and is a very intense stare. The only thing that drops is his head, and he widens out the stance in his front legs but otherwise doesn't crouch. HIs expression when giving real eye is intense, serious concentration. His fake eye expression towards other dogs is what I would descirbe as friendly, excited, and hopeful. His fake eye expression towards balls or frisbees is intense but sort of overstimulated and playful.

[jrid]

I have a dog that glares at other dogs and he is not playing when he does it. I have to keep a constant watch on him when he is out with my other dogs to make sure that he does not go beyond staring at them. My other dogs will be running and playing and he just lays around and glares at them.

[desertranger]

Jin does the same thing until he;s sure of what and who it is. Sort of like the way he would approach a flock of sheep. Crpuch, approach while checking it out. Pretty normal behavior from my point of view.

[Lizmo]

My working bred Border Collie doesn't 'give' the eye to anything other than sheep/balls/toys. But my show-bred Beagle will do it to other dogs.

[border_collie_crazy]

Happy does it to everything, I seen her stalk an eye a nativity scene in someones front yard, any toys, all animals smaller then her(exept dogs, although she has "herded" runaway dogs back home before) I have to be very carful with her around my smaller animals as she snaps at them when they dont do what she wants, its an obbession with her. luckly my one small animal that is not caged(my rabbit) can hold her own and chases Happy out of the room lol, I used to think it was an inidcater of real stockwork..not that she would be good, but that she would be BAD. but on real stock her behaviour is completly different..on stock she actually LISTENS, doesnt get grippy and doesnt get sticky.not at all like the hardheaded, stubborn, sticky and grippy dog she seemed to give the apperence of lol.

 

Misty gives eye to cats and stock. thats it lol outside of that she is a very upright, loose eyed and bouncy dog.

[bcnewe2]

it looks like a predator stalking its prey.

 

I think it's called misplaced prey drive, friendly or not.

I see the LGD's doing it to each other and they "attack" each other in play after. Sorta stalking. These guys are young and I feel they are practicing for the real thing but we call it play.

[Laurelin]

Summer the non bc does this when she plays. The only way she plays is to crouch low, stalk, circle, then nip heels of other dogs. Very different from my others who are all about body-slamming and bouncing and making lots of noise.