gonetotervs

Denise Fenzi has some very good video on Facebook and other places on managing arousal levels with her adolescent male working dog. She uses food scatters as one tactic. Her goal is for her dog to self-regulate rather then her managing his arousal, so she’s doing the long slow route to getting there.

Questions I would ask either a rescue or a breeder: How is this dog to live with or how are dogs from this kennel to live with? to work with? Is there epilepsy or any other health issue in the lines? (Hint: there are no perfect dogs.). How well does the dog/do these lines get along with other dogs/with other dogs of the same sex/with non-border collies? Are they reactive to cars and/or motion? Are there any issues with thunderstorms or noise in general? I’d also ask about the strengths of dog or the dog’s lines, and why the breeder picked those dogs to breed — does the breeder’s vision of the perfect BC match what you want? Why does the rescue think “this” dog is good fit for you versus another dog? There are no right or wrong answers and there are no perfect dogs. But information, honestly given, is always good.

Also, put away the remote, your glasses, and your shoes and whatever else needs to never be chewed. If you have want, you can leave appropriate chewies out -- antlers, rawhide chips, etc. All of my dogs know "five more minutes" -- i.e. a verbal that tells them that something may be happening soon, but it isn't happening NOW. I tend to hit the snooze button on my alarm, and added that verbal. After x months, even the puppy knew I wasn't going to get up just then.

Great job! Also with that rear cross! Proofing weaves -- Send, recall, step into their space, layer, toys on ground, other teams working....

I did some nosework/ scent games with my youngster as a way to keep her occupied and thinking while waiting for her to grow up. If you can find that type of class offered, it is something puppies can do and the other dogs around will be a variety of breeds and ages. Socialization resulted even though it was not on the curriculum....

Shirley Chong has been recommended previously on these boards, but not for a little while. You might want to look up her website, shirleychong.com, and download her (free) ebooks. I recommend doggie zen and a whole lot of her other exercises to install both calmness and self-control in little heathen pupsters. Shirley is a professional dog trainer whom I've never met but her stuff has worked on my dogs. But teaching self-control first makes teaching anything else later just so much, much easier.

I seriously doubt I want a RC because I like being able to hold my dog on a contact if necessary while I move into a position -- but yeah, teaching foot targeting in addition to the existing nose target is now on my list of things to teach..... thanks for this update and good luck in making this stick. RCs are hugely impressive!

I'm looking forward to it!

alligande, I have an auditing spot for the foundations class. My experience with a couple of other online seminars has been that my dog manages to get injured if I have a working spot, and I'm not technologically proficient so videoing myself from a decent angle, etc. is not my forte. I currently train here with someone who does international style with verbals and distance but doesn't have much in terms of puppy/young dog classes. I've started some foundation stuff but am looking to see what can be done better and what I've missed entirely. I'm starting to add verbals to my older competition dogs and find that it is helping keep bars up and commitment as well. I've also ordered the Sylvia Trkman extreme foundations Dvd after seeing a graduation video on Facebook. My youngster is hugely smart, brave and resilient, but she's not got a lot of working stamina yet -- i.e. I can get short amounts of good work out of her but she doesn't have that go-go-go drive some pups do. It is enough to work with, but that's also another reason to audit rather than have a working spot; I won't put pressure on us to keep up if she's not there yet.

Thanks! I'm starting the Shape Up foundations class with my 12 month old youngster, having heard good things about their teaching re handlers who are no longer able to really run. But updates on contact foundation stuff would be great.!

A lot of barking and spinning is IMHO related to a lack of foundation in working at a distance. Poor pup wants to run and jump but doesn't know about "go on" or have any lateral distance skills. Some dogs naturally want to work distance and they really don't do much over-threshold barking. But a dog that has done just heeling or walks on a tight leash can get frustrated by having to be as slow as the handler. While you are checking out resources, I would also check out basics of distance handling. Send your dog around a tree until you can do it from a 15 or 20 ft distance and teach your dog a " go" to get a stationary toy 20 ft away. See if that resolves stuff. It is hard to run and spin at the same time (lol).

Denice -- got my jefferspet rake today -- and THANK YOU! I'm not going to try to get all the mats out today but he's putting up with it and it is getting the mats out. I really appreciate your weighing in on this. It is also doing a very nice job on my girl with the crappy spay coat.

Denise, he doesn't stand. he'll either sit or lie down, and he'll struggle if forced to stand. But I'll try for a mobile groomer and get the jefferspet rake. thanks much Jeanine

My oldest dog, male BC about 12-13 years old, lost a hind leg to cancer. He's great, but I'm having an issue grooming him. He dislikes clippers so I've been scissoring his hair and furnishings but it seems that all I do is cause the fur to mat closer and closer to the skin. Ugh. I'm not sure about letting it grow longer and brushing it -- I hate to pull on his fur near the scar tissue. Anyone else had this issue? Any advice? He's a big enough boy that I don't lift him at all easily. I'm not sure how much experience my local groomers have with amputee dogs and he can't or won't turn around even in the 42" car crate so loading him to go someplace is a pain.

My oldest dog, male BC about 12-13 years old, lost a hind leg to cancer. He's great, but I'm having an issue grooming him. He dislikes clippers so I've been scissoring his hair and furnishings but it seems that all I do is cause the fur to mat closer and closer to the skin. Ugh. I'm not sure about letting it grow longer and brushing it -- I hate to pull on his fur near the scar tissue. Anyone else had this issue? Any advice? He's a big enough boy that I don't lift him at all easily. I'm not sure how much experience my local groomers have with amputee dogs and he can't or won't turn around even in the 42" car crate so loading him to go someplace is a pain.