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Instinct vs learned behavior


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I read this article yesterday, and found the info about Ms Ramstead and her dog Bet to be incredulous-

http://news.calgarystampede.com/releases/richardson-claims-the-win-at-the-calgary-stampede-world-stock-dog-championship

After all those years... what I understand about this topic would fit in a thimble. It makes me wonder if dogs also vary in the ways in which they learn BEST. Not trying to inject anthropomorphism here, just wondering?

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Interesting article.  Dan certainly looks like a working line Australian shepherd versus an AKC hair dog.

Re Bet,  I've seen that sudden onset of herding instinct once, in an AKC Aussie.  The dog was 15 months old and a little overweight with owners even more clueless than I was.  This was the dog's instinct test in a round pen.  For about half an hour our trainer did everything to get the dog interested in sheep, including having the owners go out of sight.  All the dog did was stand at the gate, wanting to be back with his people.  The trainer called the owners over and explained that the dog didn't seem to have any instinct at all.  As they were talking casually at the gate, the dog suddenly stood up and his entire posture changed.  In an instant he was ready to herd!

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Occasionally, Border Collie pups (especially during one of the fear imprint stages) have an experience with sheep that will "turn them off".   Afterward, they may want nothing to do with sheep.  Sometimes, we can get them interested again, but often they are turned off for life.  Perhaps Bet had a bad experience early on, and the bond that she formed with Ramstead over the years allowed her to feel comfortable enough to become the sheepdog that she was bred to be.  

 

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