Why do collies chase cars and other vehicles? Having worked with many border collie car chasers over the last few years, it’s my belief that this behaviour is most often initiated by fear and frustration. Border collies that chase vehicles often are taken too near to busy roads when they are puppies and are terrified … Read more
“Border collie suddenly aggressive” is a very highly searched term on Google and unfortunately aggressive behaviour is a common problem within the breed. There are many reasons why a border collie would suddenly become aggressive, and techniques for helping the dog to overcome its aggressive behaviour will vary according to what is causing it. It’s … Read more
With Christmas approaching, it’s important to remember that for dogs, and for sensitive border collies in particular, all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, can be a VERY stressful time. Unfamiliar people coming and going, the different food smells, the noises, the Christmas tree (and all the new rules about not touching it), presents, and … Read more
If your dog is refusing to get in the car, then the chances are that he is afraid of car travel for some reason. However, it’s important to rule out any other issues such as motion sickness or pain, so always ask your vet to check him over to rule these out. Dogs with certain … Read more
Border collies have a strong predatory instinct, and it’s this drive that makes them ideal for herding sheep. They rarely actually kill the chased object, they don’t have the final “kill” element of the predatory response – they are more driven to stop movement. When first introduced to sheep, most border collies will instinctively hold … Read more
Research and ongoing scientific studies have, over the last 10 – 20 years, progressed to looking at emotions in animals and dogs, in particular, a process that we have been taught to focus on during the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Lincoln. This is different to more established forms of dog … Read more
On a recent visit to train Bella, a 4-month-old border collie puppy whose owner was looking for some general manners training, I discovered that the puppy would often disappear into the summer house and amuse herself looking at, and pouncing on, lights reflected from the door onto the floor and walls, moving as the door … Read more
Do you need help with border collie puppy training in Spalding or surrounding villages? I’ve always lived in or around Spalding, and I love the big skies, friendly village life and dog walking with my collies. It’s the place that feels like home and I now live on a smallholding near Gosberton with my collies … Read more
Does your border collie beg for food at meal times or bark if you shut him or her out? The problem: A client had a 5 month old collie that had been allowed to be in the room with his young family at mealtimes but they were finding him becoming a pain so they tried … Read more
Calling your dog when there’s a good chance that they won’t come. Unless it’s an emergency or your collie has a “bombproof” recall and is in the final stages of your border collie recall training, you should NEVER call him if it’s unlikely that he is not going to come back. For instance, he has … Read more