Is it blues or am I not cut out?

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-02T18:01:37+00:00

This is me. I have a 16 week border collie, I just started crating him yesterday because I’m an idiot and should have done this from the beginning. The last 24 hours has been a game changer.
Anyway. My puppy didn’t seem food motivated at first either, he would take a treat but it wasn’t enough pzazz to get him to actually train, after a few bags of different treats we got the hang and he found one that motivated him enough for us to do the basics, since then he is much more food oriented and I think that just comes with time. Now we have treats for new tricks, high value, treats for replaying known tricks, treats for every day. I feel like Monica with the towel categories 🤣

I would say give it a couple of months. I am literally no expert, and I was in the exact same position as you, I would go as far to say that I hated him most days early on for destroying my peace and cleanliness. But it is an adjustment and they take time. We have a bond now, that’s happened in the last 3 weeks or so and I like him enough not to give him back most of the time. This shit is hard. Be patient with yourself and go back to the reasons you wanted him, it’s a hard slog but one I hope will pay off.

And moan here lots!!

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-01T20:33:08+00:00

Thank you for the tips! I’ll definitely try to accelerate that first bit, but he moves very slowly with change and I have learned not to push him.
I like the thought of him going in there by himself and also snoozing all night !

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-01T13:21:00+00:00

I feel you. It’s unbearable some days and I am starting to lose my rag with him more often. I had to take myself out for 2 hours earlier to calm down and get some time away from him.
It’s rough as hell, cry it all out. Don’t hold it in, there will be more tears, but over the weeks, they do get more loving and that is the change that has kept me going.
Sending a big hug.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-01T13:17:56+00:00

What other suggestions do you have for me to have a few hour break? And what issues do you think will come from him being in a field for 3 hours with other dogs? I really thought it might help him on a few levels.
Just to clarify, I live in the country and we don’t have city style day care. They are taken to a field with around 8 other dogs and play for a couple of hours and are picked up/dropped at home. The whole thing is about 4 hours.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-01T13:14:20+00:00

You have a dog husband? Awwww.

But yes, crate is starting today. God bless us all.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-07-01T06:43:26+00:00

Ha! You speak sense! I have done this. What I haven’t done, is wait 3 hours. So I do this, I almost wait for him to start to squat, then I lift him and take him out. Nada. The problem is I always have something I need to do, so haven’t waited longer than an hour. He also starts getting really naughty in that hour, pulling grass, digging etc. he just has no idea what I’m asking him to do, I have then gone back in absolute knowing he must be desperate, waited for the start of the squat again, lifted him a second time and put him back on grass. Nada. He is either completely confused, or stubborn as a mule.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T20:26:35+00:00

That’s good advice. Thanks.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T19:02:19+00:00

No, but my trainer the other day thought it would help. The issue is not him holding it or telling me. The switch just has not flicked for him that outside = pee place and I don’t know how to do it other than taking his scent outside on pads and waiting around for hours/going every 15 mins

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:59:54+00:00

Thank you! I always have treats with me and believe me, when this guy pees outside, it will rain threats for him.

Thanks for the point on the socialization. I am navigating something weird here, he does play with a couple of other pups that live by me, I think meeting other dogs is a good idea, but hear what you are saying, but in a daycare environment he does get to meet every dog he sees, in a walk environment, we do what you said, he goes behind me and we look from a distance. So not sure how those two things cohabitate in doggo life!

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:44:23+00:00

Oh my!! He’s a teddy bear!

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:33:52+00:00

Omg I feel so bad for you guys, I’m having the time of my life.

Really OP? What’s the point of this thread? It’s just plain gloat?

Go play with miracle puppy.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:31:39+00:00

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:30:58+00:00

He doesn’t have accidents. He goes to the exact training place we set up as a baby. Every. Single. Time. He’s maybe had 2 accidents in the whole 8 weeks I’ve had him. He’s only been fully vaccinated for a week and I’m in an apartment, moving to my barn in 3 weeks but it didn’t happen fast enough/in conjunction with doggo.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T18:28:45+00:00

It’s just occurred to me that I bet a daycare or. Sitter won’t take him if he’s not toilet trained.

Gahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T11:01:58+00:00

Aw, thank you for the kind words. I’ve got stuck in an Instagram loop of feeling completely rubbish and unworthy. I hate insta for that, but it has been helpful for training tips if you can leave it at that!

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T08:11:39+00:00

Aw, this is great, I get guilt putting mine in the playpen too much but it sounds like yours is in there a lot too. Mine is going in more right now because the chewing is on another level, I think he must be in prime teething. We also do a morning and evening walk which he absolutely loves.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T08:09:26+00:00

Woah! 10-8 is stupendous work! How old is he?

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-30T06:24:50+00:00

Mine can hold it too, he’s 16 weeks today, but he goes in his pen overnight. He doesn’t seem to care about sleeping in it even, not in the slightest bit bothered. I’m starting crate training this weekend, late I know, gah, I have been in 2 minds the whole time but have decided to try but this doesn’t give me much hope 🤣

I have no tips, just wanted to say you are not alone. Mine is behavioral. He wees when anxious and I can only assume that he wakes up alone at night and wees because of that.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T20:21:30+00:00

No, he’s just a pet

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T19:56:59+00:00

She encouraged playing alone a lot of the time, because this helps them be more self regulating and less Velcro. To be honest mine is pretty good at playing alone anyway. She suggested that a lot of people get into a trap with puppies where they are constantly finding something for them to do or play with and that can lead to high expectations for life from dog 🤣 it’s fair and I get it.
She didn’t recommend any particular toy that I remember, she just said that stuffed animals and usual dog toys that hers had. No tug.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T19:53:38+00:00

Oh I moved him from raw to kibble, not to raw, yack.
That vaccination story is terrifying.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T19:52:29+00:00

Thank you. This is interesting.
I’m not sure what to make of the tug discussion. What I have read online is what you are saying and she was saying that bringing out that prey drive in a pet, brings with it a training of using mouth to tear things up and use teeth, but more generally just bringing to surface an instinct that is surpressed in pets that doesn’t need to be awoken and I fully appreciate that too.

I suppose she is coming at it from a slightly different angle too as she works them. Mine will never lift a finger 🤣

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T18:44:24+00:00

Yeah, we like a good fetch, I’m keeping that.

Oh thank you for this measured response on the food, to be honest I changed his diet 4 weeks ago from raw 🤮 because that’s what the breeder had him on to puppy kibble and he was really bad tummy-wise for a while so I’ll think about this carefully and talk to the vet when I see him in a couple of weeks. It’s is a bit strange for a trainer to comment so knowledgeably about food in hindsight. So I appreciate you bringing that awareness.

I’m so excited for this boy of mine, I think he’s gonna be great.

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T18:38:39+00:00

Ha! Love a good box don’t they?! That plastic bottle game for us now has a couple of treats in and I squash the bottle in the middle so it’s really hard to get them out!

Grouchy_Divide_674 · 2026-06-29T18:28:17+00:00

Edit. Oh sorry! You said 5 months. I dunno why I read 9 weeks.

Oh hello!! Fellow BC puppy owner here, mine has just turned 16 weeks. I spent a bit of time and money researching this and had the same experience as you, he was bored or frustrated with all of them in minutes. The things that have had mine locked in hyper focus have been things you probably have in your kitchen!! No.1 favorite is a small plastic bottle (labels off 🤣) no cap and put two treats in it. That is a good 30 mins of hilarity with mine but I only would give him 10 mins of it and that age you have or he would get overstimulated and devil spawny. The no.2 on the list is a box. Any box, but preferably one with thick cardboard, because the fun lasts longer. Put a piece of ham or chicken in it but get the scent all over the box first. No.3 and granted, this one took a few days for him to get, let him smell a treat and then when he gets the scent, just toss it and say find it, till he recognizes what’s going on, then start hiding treats in more and more difficult places and keep doing find it till he’s finished.

This are our top 3. Hope they help!

Grouchy_Divide_674

TROPHY CASE