Back with new questions

[gailminni]

Hello again guys. I started a topic called "Breeder" around 3 weeks ago and everyone was so helpful.

 

I found a what seemed to be PB BC at a shelter about 59 minutes where I live and went to visit her today. I wasn't expecting much as her pic on PetFinder wasn't very pretty. But I decided to go anyway. She is just beautiful (to me, anyway).

 

When I called earlier I was told she was laid back. That I didn't see. We put her on leash and took her outside. She was pretty excited and jumping up all over us. She was loving though and laid her head on the humane society employee's lap.

 

What concerned me was she would not take a treat from me. So I thought my treats weren't to her liking. But then she wouldn't take a treat from the employeee either, and it was one she is used to eating. I was told she normally ate them.

 

She seemed happy. Could this have been caused by over excitement or stress? All of my training will be based on treats or food reward and, of course, lots of encouragement. I will be using clicker training.

 

One last question. She has been at the shelter for three months. That's a long time. Do you think permanent psychological harm would be possible in that period of time?

 

This is really the last question. Is there any way to tell if she came for a working line or show line? This will not affect me getting her, just want to know.

 

I plan to go back in the am.

 

http://www.pedigree.com/03Adoption/Adopt-A-Dog/Select-A-Dog/dogDetails.aspx?dogid=26937404

 

Thanks to all and especially everyone who encouraged me to rescue!!!!!

 

Thanks.

Gail

[Jescano]

Is there a particular reason you are only relying on treats and food for training and not toys as well? One of my dogs(not a BC) will not take treats when overexcited or on a leash(still listens, will just take a treat and spit it out, weirdest thing)

 

I doubt permanent psychological harm has come from being in the shelter for 3 months.

 

Kudos to you for going the rescue route!

[mum24dog]

Many dogs are kennelled quite happily as long as they get exercise and stimulation as well. If that's what the rescue have been doing the fact that she has been there for 3 months isn't a cause for concern in itself. Most dogs are very resilient and adaptable, which is why we coexist so well as different species.

 

It's quite common for BCs not to be interested in treats if there is something interesting going on and any dog may refuse them if stressed. From your description she doesn't sound shut down from stress. When you get to know her better you will work out what she considers a reward.

 

She doesn't look like she comes from show lines from the photos but working lines isn't the only other possibility. She could have been bred as a pet, or for sport, or just be a random accident. The only way to find out if she has working ability is to try her out on stock, but she could still be working bred and not be very good at the job.

[gcv-border]

I agree with the above 2 responses.

 

BTW, I think she looks really pretty from her picture. I like the less hair, leaner look. Speaking of her look: I would not think she is from Barbie collie show lines particularly because she has less hair, is lighter-boned and is more stretched out - at least that is what I see from one fuzzy photo which may not be all that accurate. All attributes which draw my eye to her more so than the sturdier, fuzzier BCs which are the promoted in the breed ring.

 

Treats: She was stressed. You are a new person. She is finally out of her cage, and is excited! Not unusual to refuse treats because she is over threshold. Because she was still loving despite her stress, is a good sign.

 

If you adopt a rescue dog, please buy Patricia McConnell's book "Love At Any Age" (I think that is the title.) It is a short book, but excellent read that explains what a rescue dog may be going through and how to deal with any unwanted behaviors (but you may see only good stuff from your dog!)

[gailminni]

Thanks for the replies. As far as walks while at the humane society, I think that happened approximately once a week when volunteers came. Pretty sad life for any dog but better than the alternative I guess.

 

I can use toys for rewards and yesterday bought several. I guess I just preferred the treat method. I hope she was just excited.

 

I've read a lot about Patricia Connell's book, and I'll get a copy.

 

The picture from the link doesn't do her justice. I think she is very pretty. I just couldn't understand why she hadn't been adopted in three months.

 

OK guys, wish me luck.

 

Gail

[WildFlower]

Best wishes! She looks lovely. Please let us know how it goes!

[GentleLake]

I agree that her not taking treats may just be a matter of her having something much more interesting to focus on, namely a visitor and all the personal attention. What attention starved BC needs a cookie when there are people and novel experiences to focus on?

 

Ditto with the reports of her being laid back. She may indeed be laid back in the normal routine of the shelter, but very excited when there's a new person visiting and more attention than usual being given her.

 

So, what I suspect is that she'll willingly take treats when she settles into a new home, especially since they said she usually takes them now. And it may be that the treats they have aren't the highest value treats, either, probably just whatever people have donated to them and probably not very special. You'd have the opportunity to experiment with different and higher value treats to see what she really responds to as a reward.

 

I agree that from the picture she doesn't look like a conformation breeding, but, as previously mentioned, it's not a very good picture. Even so, she looks like a beautiful dog to me, too!

 

You should have seen the first pictures I saw of Bodhi in the shelter. I still don't know what attracted him to me from those photos. And he turned out to be a very handsome dog when I met him, and even more so when he was being fed well and had gained confidence.

[BCjetta]

My young one will not take treats if stressed. She's the first dog I've had who is not food obsessed no matter what. That being said, if I'm clicker training her and she's not nervous or stressed or scared, she will work happily for the food. She will also work for toys, but again if stressed or scared will not.

[gailminni]

She's home now and very sweet. She has one brown eye and one blue eye.

 

She's peed and pooed outside every time (I've taken her out frequently) and never even started to in the house. I have her tethered to me. It makes me wonder if she was previously house trained.

 

She almost stopped pulling on a leash as I just stop when she tries.

 

I still couldn't get her to eat the prepared treats so I broke down and gave her very small pieces of hotdog. She about knocked me over to get to them. After using that as training treats for a while she even started eating the other treats. I think she considers me as a "hotdog" machine as she now is glued to me. She's learned to sit whenever I stop walking and looks at me as if to say, "where's the hotdog?"

 

Her only bad problems have been jumping up on people and licking, but now she's just about stopped that, especially with me.

 

So thus far this has been too easy.

 

I've not yet tried a lot of play as her fun toys have not arrived (they'll be here tomorrow). I ordered her a flirt stick, soft frisbee, supportably indestructible balls and, of course, some pull toys. This just all happened so fast.

 

I'm so thankful for all of you who have helped me. I am a happy momma.

 

Gail

[GentleLake]

Congratulations!

 

It's going to be so much fun watching her personality develop.

 

Have you decided on a name yet?

 

ETA: Can't wait to see more pictures, too!

[mum24dog]

I love a happy outcome.

 

Sometimes it seems that whatever is said about rescuing rather than buying from a breeder who doesn't sound the best it is falling on deaf ears but clearly not in this case.

 

I'm so jealous as I need another dog myself but have to wait before I can have one.

[alligande]

Enjoy your new friend, she looks very pretty to me just my type of border collie. Our first border collie spent 6 months in the shelter system, we always felt it took close to a year for his true personality to come out (bossy, demanding and down tight cocky), but he certainly suffered no long term damage from it.

[gailminni]

Thanks guys.

 

I must have the most laid back BC EVER!!!

 

She just follows me around now untethered. The only time I leash her is outside. She sits still every time. I've not once heard her whimper, growl or bark! She won't even go after a ball! I think she's a hound in border collie clothing.

 

The neighbor sometimes lets their pooch (sorta small, brown short hair) run loose. Well, she was in our back yard today when she went out and there was a stalemate. The other pooch stood very still looking in every direction possible. My pooch stood still but stared at her like a laser. The look was intense and her nose kept twitching. I stood there for a minute just to observe. Just more of the same. When I moved on I got no argument. My baby doesn't act like she has an aggressive bone in her body so I don't know what that stare was about. Any guesses? I mean, it was HER yard, but only for one day!

 

I live in Alabama so I named her Tide. My mother says she thinks of laundry detergent every time she hears her name.

 

I will try to figure out how to post pics as I would love your opinion of her (as far as class).

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

Gail

[urge to herd]

Gail,

 

Congrats on your lovely dog! I know you've gone about this with much thought, good for you. Here's word of warning. Your most laid back bc ever is likely in a honeymoon phase. She's still looking around, thinking, 'Hmmmmm. What's this mean for me?'

 

In a week or so, you'll see more parts of her personality emerge. She'll probably test her boundaries at least a few times as she settles in and gets more comfortable.

 

The best advice I've ever read on these boards is to start as you mean to continue. Set your routines and expectations from the beginning. She'll settle in more quickly with the consistency.

 

I don't mean to scare you, but do expect some different behaviors than you're seeing now. It's all part of the process.

 

Ruth and Agent Gibbs

[gailminni]

Thanks for the advice. I've actually saw a little of that come out today. She's still pretty laid back but she barked at joggers going by, got very excited when a friend came by (followed her everywhere for a while, which gave me a little break, lol), actually chewed on her ball for a few minutes, and ran around the house at lightning speed for a minute, although she will not do it outside.

 

She still will not have anything to do with her other toys, not even the flirt stick, but I haven't tried her Kong yet. This is like having a new small child around.

 

She actually slept in her crate last night by her very own choice (door left open) when the day before three superheroes couldn't have gotten her in it. We did have a few episodes of clicker training which included hotdogs for treats.

 

I'll try to post some pics taken today.

 

Gail

[gailminni]

Pics (if it works)

file://localhost/Users/gailherring/Desktop/IMG_0078.jpg

file://localhost/Users/gailherring/Desktop/IMG_0079.jpg

file://localhost/Users/gailherring/Desktop/IMG_0075.jpg

[GentleLake]

Be careful if you're using a lot of hot dogs for training. They're high in salt and nitrates or nitrites that aren't especially healthy.

 

you could bake some chicken breast (be sure they don't have added salt, i.e. broth), inexpensive cuts of beef or pork, or cut up cheese. These will all travel as well as hot dogs in a bait bag and be a lot healthier in the long run.

[GentleLake]

I wasn't able to open the pictures. They don't come up as links, and nothing happened when I copied and pasted.

[juliepoudrier]

She has a cute face. I love a tri!

 

J.

[Falon's Mom]

Couldn't see the pics eith.

[Sue R]

You've gotten some great advice, and kudos to you for adopting a shelter dog!

[NorthfieldNick]

My young dog, who is pretty much un-motivated by food, loves cheese. String-cheese (those mozzarella sticks they mostly sell for kid's lunch boxes) are perfect- individually wrapped, easy to break off a small bit (my dog won't bite the end off), and they don't really melt or get too gross if you leave them in a pocket or the car

 

I'm sure your girl will come out of her shell as time passes. The advice to start as you mean to continue is great. Treat her like a puppy- let her explore and figure out her world while you guide her into the boundaries you'll want for her as an "adult." She's probably not used to a lot of interaction, and once she figures out that you're not going to disappear, she'll become more independent. Or not... I have one who still follows me everywhere 4 years later. Makes it easier to keep him out of trouble