Freddie Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Hi, I live in the UK. I have just got home from walking my 4 1/2 month old border collie puppy. She normally has good recall but will suddenly chase after people in the park barking aggressively a just totally ignores me. It seems to be men walking on their own. I have tried taking tasty treats to encourage her to come back to me, squeaky toys to distract her and playing with her to discourage her from doing this. Today was the worst, she was very happily playing with 2 other border collies and then suddenly set off after a man who was just walking, she barked very aggressively and jumped up at him. When I eventually got her back I carried her over to the man to apologize. I keep her on the lead for much of our walk due to this behaviour. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden's Mom Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 The treats and squeaky toys are all good ways to encourage her to come back to you, so I think you are on the right track with regards to making the recall an exciting and happy thing! However, it sounds like you are missing one especially helpful tool... a long line attached to her collar or harness. Given that she's approaching the teenage years of "selective hearing" a long line will always give you a way to reel her back in when she decides not to heed your recall. The long line should be light enough that it won't slow her down when she's running, although I guess you'll have to make sure it doesn't get tangled when she's playing with other dogs. Regarding her behavior of charging people, how long has this been going on? If it's something that just started I'd wonder if she's going through a fear period. I'd continue to socialize her and give her GOOD experiences with people and strangers, but be very careful not to let her continue the chasing behavior, even if that means she's always got a leash or long line attached. You don't want it to become a routine thing for her to chase and bark at people and the more she does it the harder it'll be to break her of the habit, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Thanks Camden's Mom. She has been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I have ordered an extendable lead today, so will see how I get on with that. We are very secluded where we live so she only sees people when we go out. I have tried my best to socialise her by visiting friends and walking her in town. I will continue to take her places daily where she will see people. I was very upset today when she chased and barked at that man it seemed so aggressive, she does not show any aggression to us at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks Camden's Mom. She has been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I have ordered an extendable lead today, so will see how I get on with that. We are very secluded where we live so she only sees people when we go out. I have tried my best to socialise her by visiting friends and walking her in town. I will continue to take her places daily where she will see people. I was very upset today when she chased and barked at that man it seemed so aggressive, she does not show any aggression to us at home. By extendable do you mean a flexi lead? The kind that extend as the dog pulls while you hold a large plastic handle? You'll want to return that when it comes in the mail if that is what you ordered. Those don't give any control over a dog and in my opinion is the least helpful leash to use for a dog that chases or reacts strongly on a leash. What you want is a long line, a light weight rope that drags on the ground while you hold the other end. You can use that to start teaching and proofing a recall (away from strangers) so eventually you can call her off before she starts chasing/charging at people. Searching the boards here for 'car chasing', the 'look at that' game will also provide some guidance for you. For now you can walk her in public on a 4-6 ft leash at your side and let her be in sight of strangers and have positive experiences around them. She may only react the way you saw when given that off leash freedom so proofing her recall will allow her to safely be off leash around people in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kian's Mom Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I know someone who had to have stiches because of a flexi lead. The dog got away from a little girl and was running by so they tried to grab the handle and missed. The cord ran through her hand as to the ER we went. I have used a nylon horse lunge line. So definitely what Waffles said, and very good article geonni banner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Oh, geez, no, you do NOT want to use a flexi-lead. If she catches you off guard while the leash is extended, you have NO way to get her back and she can easily pop that handle right out of your grasp. Those things are dangerous, especially if they wrap around your hand, your leg or the dog's leg, and you have very limited control of your dog in a crisis.Just get a nice length of line about as thick as your finger and use that. You'll have way more control, you can reel her in and let her back out. Tie some knots in it every few feet so you can step on it, if need be. It sounds like she's just a little over her head and doesn't know how to control herself, so you need to be the one to offer the control and help her learn calm and composure.For now, I would not let her be off-leash in a park until she learns to settle down around people. See if you can arrange her play time with other dogs in places where people are not likely to pass. It may just be a fear period - that's not uncommon - and it will just take some time, patience and training for her to come round right. Best of luck! ~ Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I know someone who had to have stiches because of a flexi lead. I've not had to have stitches, but I have gotten a painful cord burn from one. Not mine, I'd never have one of the things. But one of my dog sitting clients uses them for their 2 ill behaved small dogs (a JRT/BT mix and a Shiba Inu) who don't have any leash manners. Any leash that has a printed warning on it of the dangers for serious injury isn't something I care to use. I take my own leashes along now when I take care of those dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camden's Mom Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I bought a Flexi lead for Camden when he was a young puppy, pretty much with the same expectations that you have, Freddie. I wanted him to have a bit more freedom to wander in open spaces (like a park), but didn't entirely trust him off leash yet. I got the Flexi leash and tried it out for a few walks and here's what I thought... 1. The way the product is designed there is ALWAYS tension on the leash, which didn't do us any good as I was actively trying to train "loose leash walking". The only way around the constant tension was to unravel the whole thing out of the plastic handle and lock it so the leash is completely out. I tried this a few times and only succeeded to get the dog tangled every couple of steps. At which point I had to catch up to him and try to untangle him from the leash while trying to maneuver that big, clunky, plastic handle. 2. I never felt so disconnected from my dog during a walk as when we used the Flexi lead. He would wander around, completely unaware of me, and it made him much more tense on our walks as he'd always be "on the look-out". It really didn't feel like I was walking *with* my dog. It felt like I was taking a walk and my dog was up ahead of me doing his own thing, which at that age was NOT what he needed. I have a feeling if I used the Flexi leash now I probably wouldn't mind it as much. However, for a young dog that needs guidance and is still learning how to behave properly in the human world, I think the Flexi leash is actually more harmful then helpful. 3. The recoil on that thing really is scary. You probably think we sound like a bunch of paranoid, crazy dog people talking about how dangerous a leash is, but let me tell you, that thing has some torque!!! After unleashing him once, the metal clasp slingshotted back at me so hard it left a massive bruise on my leg!! So, yeah, there are some safety concerns to say the least. I also hear they break easily if you've got a dog who pulls a lot. I think the long line is perfect for when you're allowing her to play in an open space. However, I really think a 6ft leash is the best training tool for teaching a young dog how to walk nicely on lead and not over react to the environment (in your case, people walking by). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I like flexi leashes for a few situations, but keeping control of a rambunctious, still learning manners puppy is not one of them. I have used them for leash breaking very young puppies because there are fewer jerks and getting tangled up (though very young puppy Quinn just sawed through the cord and took off, most of my usual puppy wrangling tools were useless with him ). I will also use it in some obedience training and I use an extra long one if I keep Quinn on lead at the beach due to rangers patrolling for scofflaws. You definitely don't want to get caught up in the retractable cord and they are easy to drop. Also, if you fall, you will not be able to hold on to the flexi the way you might a regular leash.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnfrank Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I believe that breeder is in Thunder Bay so http://tbayhumane.ca/ would likely be the people to contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thanks, Mtnfrank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway61 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Those flexi leashes always seem to find their way into the wrong hands. I've seen some very bright people look awfully dumb when it comes to how they "control" their dogs in public. When my boy was still playing Little League there was a coach's wife that would take their standard poodle to the games. This gal was super nice and Harvard educated, we all liked her. But she would let the dog roam as far as that lead would go and he'd be up in everyone's business while she casually held conversations with the other parents, totally ignoring the mischief the dog would get into. And one time, the last time I was able to bring my own dog to a game, her Poodle got into a scuff with another dog (not mine) while she wasn't paying it any attention. Sure enough, the next day we all got the email that we could no longer bring our dog to the games So ever since then I go "uh boy, one of them" whenever I see someone using those flexi leashes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 So ever since then I go "uh boy, one of them" whenever I see someone using those flexi leashes. Yup, as with any tool, it can be misused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patriciag Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I have two that I use with my mini aussies, but Ella never leaves my side unless she has to potty or is sniffing something. She never goes more than 2 feet in front of me. Ruger, however, is behind me going and in front of me coming. I recently switched him back to a regular leash to see if I could get some consistancy with him. I solved the constant strain on the leash for Ella by putting a block on the leash about where I would want loose leash to happen. It works great. When the leash is retracted it stops at the block and there is no strain on her neck. Ruger's came that way. I would never even try to use one with Logan, if and when, I ever get him to walk nicely. Not going well, that part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnfrank Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 Forum glitch??? How did post #12 and #13 who come from a thread in another section get inserted in this discussion???? they are in the from the Bellaclan thread in politics and culture!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I actually posted my reply (#13) before realizing the post I was responding to was in the wrong thread. Not sure how #12 ended up here, but suspect it may have been operator error as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnfrank Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I actually posted my reply (#13) before realizing the post I was responding to was in the wrong thread. Not sure how #12 ended up here, but suspect it may have been operator error as well. Could be... but I certainly don't remember posting in the wrong thread and reposting to the correct thread!!! Was quite surprised to see that post in here today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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