TimB

I have the pleasure of looking after a gorgeous BC for a few weeks. Somewhat frisbee obsessive. In the interest of keeping things interesting for him I was wondering how best to use his frisbee focus to teach him other things. He has clearly got into the pattern of chasing and retrieving the toy before dropping into a down at the thrower's feet....seems happy to do that to exhaustion. However he doesn't seem to have a sit command and I suspect the down is just a natural reflex. He doesn't seem too interested in food so basic luring and shaping might be tough. How best can I use a frisbee to work on a few other games, commands and/or tricks? Can you lure with a frisbee? If I am living with him for a bit I would like to make his time mentally interesting as well. Any advice appreciated.

Well I suppose if anyone can find Amelia Earhart it would be a border collie http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/amelia-earhart-island-dogs/ Fancy a tropical vacation with your dog?

Hi, I would like a bit if advice please. I am fostering a one year old (yet another - what is it with BCs at this age?) petite pure-bred prick-eared gorgeous BC. Unlike the other BCs I have looked after this one seems to be both low-drive (or at least judging by what I have seen do far) and super nervous. As best I can tell she was bred in a quiet rural setting, probably with no men around, and came to her last household at about four months old - so not much socialization. She has basic house-manners but little else. She is super reactive and twitchy - jumps when the breeze picks up, when she sees something on the horizon...you know the picture. When I walk her it isn't that she pulls but rather jumps off in random directions either to see something or to get away from some environmental change. In the present circumstances I don't have access to a quiet empty fenced off area so I am tending to walk/work with her on a long 20 leash. I have been patient and in the home let her come to me...responds to some bribery. My question is really where to start with her? I don't think I will have her too long as the owners may be able to take her back..but you never know. She is super smart - well, she is a BC - and I tend to believe that engagement is key. But then all the BCs I have worked with have been drivey so once engaged they were lots of fun (if hard work). Some of my non-BC fosters have been really shut-down nervy types and I know it is just time often...but I wonder if there is any more BC-specific advice on engaging this type. Thanks for any thoughts.

Thanks very much for the advice. It was very helpful. I will modify my approach. I am in New Zealand. Does anyone know if there are any BC rescue organizations over here?...can't find any

Higher brain-work to physical-work ratio?

Hi y'all The shelter I volunteer at seems to be having a rash of BC surrenders around the age of 6 months to 1 year. Is this the usual age the owners (who have various excuses, none of which I really believe any more) start thinking, "OMG, this thing has no off-switch"? Actually as far as I can see, they most certainly do have that switch but it is usually only accessible after you have worked their brains and body enough...just wanted to be able to give color why they might be being surrendered when I talk to potential adopters. Also...as I am totally falling for the breed (had been a GSD/Mal afficionado all my life) I was looking for some advice on how to manage their shelter time. My observation has been that they deteriorate very rapidly in the shelter, go OCD quickly and drive everyone around them nuts. I have been handling this by just breaking them out of jail and taking them out all day to trail run with me, chase balls and do as much obedience/trick work as my rather questionable mechanics will allow. The current one is sleeping quietly at my feet after a 20k run (probably 40k in his case with all the fetch we played along the way)...but I know if I move I will get that intense "What's next?" look I am falling in love with. Anyhow... Any thoughts and advice on how to manage the shelter time and prepare them for being adopted would be helpful as, despite all the farming in this country (and sorry I don't know any sheep either), there aren't any BC specific rescues around here (and I don't think I will survive the required trail mileage, fun tho' it is)... Thanks, Tim