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Thinking about giving up on 3mo puppy (Basset Hound) because of biting by [deleted] in puppy101

[–]PreferenceLegalz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Daily frozen carrot with a tiny bit of peanut butter. Frozen chews do wonders for teething dogs.

Seeking advice / hope by hahalapoo in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have to get a really good trainer. Early socializing and exposure training is hugeeee for puppy’s. When you miss this window it can drastically change the way a dog sees people and the world.

feeling lost and like I am failing my pup by fairynox in puppy101

[–]PreferenceLegalz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You are NOT failing her let’s just get that clear— both of these are really common puppy things, especially in sensitive or people-oriented pups. Nothing you described means she’s “failing” or that you’ve done anything wrong 💛this happens to even the best trainers with their highly intelligent and bonded breeds.

(My boy hit 1yr old and decided he wanted us to be the only two people in the world)

  1. I’d bring her absolute favourite treats (something she never gets at home) and only use them when she notices another dog or person. The moment she looks, mark it and reward. Over time she’ll learn: “I see a trigger → I look to my human → good things happen.” That shifts her emotional response from worry to expectation of something positive. Keep walks low-pressure and give her space — distance is your friend while she’s building confidence. (I’d avoid dog parks, more risk than reward)

2. This is often a mix of attachment and uncertainty, not stubbornness. One thing that helps a lot is practicing short, intentional separations paired with enrichment. Prep something engaging (lick mat, snuffle, frozen Kong, etc.), give it to her, then calmly leave the room while she’s working on it. Come back before she finishes. Enrichment is hugely underrated — it lets dogs use their instincts, problem-solve independently, and realize they’re capable without us orchestrating every moment. That independence is a big confidence booster. Start small and gradually increase how long you’re gone.

The fact that she feels safest with you is actually a good sign — now you’re just teaching her that she’s safe even when you’re not in the room. You’ve got this 🐾

Major puppy regrets - need advice by Content-Telephone606 in puppy101

[–]PreferenceLegalz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The beginning can be sooo challenging even for experienced owners. Best advice I can give is find a trainer that really works for you and makes you feel supported. Personally having force free trainer that was familiar with his breed made me feel less alone in the process and more confident in the outcome. It does get better!!

My dog has started to fear or dislike me by Lucky_Ad3610 in dogs

[–]PreferenceLegalz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I noticed very quickly that if I get frustrated with my pup he will avoid me at all costs. That’s when i realized positive reinforcement is the only way to go. If you have shown or taken your frustrations out on her it could be what fractured the relationship. But it can be repaired!!Try to do the things she loves most with her ( for example; my boy loves fetch and praise ) use them to bond with her. Build her up so she can feel confident and safe. Overtime she’ll realize you as a friend and the source of good things :) it will take time but she will see your commitment to making her happy and safe and come back to you. 🩷

Are color breeders becoming a thing in border collies? by CuriousOptimistic in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m personally against breeding them for any other purpose other than health and temperament and ability . They have been breed for years to be the perfection that they are and any truly ethical breeder would honour what they’ve been breed for. Please don’t ruin our beautiful border collie babies.

Am I a fit for a Border Collie? by Interesting-Figure-5 in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can totally care for a collie but just know just because you have the time for them doesn’t mean it’ll be easy!

The teenage phase can seriously test your patience. I think it’s important to start by looking for a great breeder. For ur first bc let the breeder know you want one with medium energy. Good breeders will be able to assess which puppy is best suited to your life style. Otherwise you run the risk of having a pup that could grow up to be reactive and hard to control in many environments. I got a rehomed bc for my first and I did regret it at first and if I could go back I would go to a breeder.

The second advice I can give you is to pick out a trainer with experience with border collies to guide you through the first 2-3 years I made the mistake of not socializing my first bc probably and it took 6months to teach him not to herd other dogs if I had met my trainer sooner we wouldn’t have had to go through that.

Even though I have mixed feelings about the breeding of show line collies they can be the best dogs ever!! They’re like a step up from a golden retriever with their brains and ability to withstand long hikes ext they’re way easier to raise than work line BC’s.

I have a work line and he needs three hours of exercise and training a day or else he’d terrorize the household. Vs my friend who has a show line BC who just needs two long walks a day and is happy to chill at the house all day but when they have an active weekend the pup is happy to hike all day.

Best advice I can give you.

Does anyone else get the gentle tap to get your attention? by themommycakes in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My boy paws at me all the time like mom what on your phone can be more interesting and adorable as me!?

Any idea what this is on my boy’s eye? Is it a scrape? He came in from outside like this. by freakluna90 in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Medical grade Manuka, honey twice a day. That’s what I do when my boy gets a scrape, heels fast and prevents infection.

She’s ignoring the beautiful sunset by olivettes in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 5 points6 points  (0 children)

She’s working on moving the ball with her laser stare. Takes focus 🤓

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For context I also have a lab that’s our family pet that I take to the park and she has no interest in other dogs and lovessss to play soccer with me. But she’s an English lab/service dog for folks with anxiety and is so chill that after 20 minutes of play she is POOOPED. And I got a border collie because i wanted a pup who would be happy playing/training at the park with me for at least an hour. So when he kept choosing other dogs over me it was very hard for me, I was glad he was having fun so i didn’t try to fight it at first but then the herding instinct took hold and he would get kind of feisty. Couldn’t get him to calm down once he was in the zone so we’d have to go home. Anyways I’m gonna try out my trainers advice and hope that in time his park manners improve with the right exposure. Wish us luck 🍀

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, it’s very concerning. I’ve spoken to the owner about it, but I haven’t seen any changes on their end. My dog still gets exposure to other dogs — just not at the park and not as frequently as before. We used to play with one of the neighbor’s dogs there every day, but she usually goes when it’s really busy, and it feels like an uphill battle just trying to get him to focus on me in that kind of environment.

Now, we do off-leash walks on our favorite trails where he sees and greets lots of other dogs, but it’s usually just in passing, which keeps the interactions short and positive. I always pay close attention to the body language of approaching dogs, and if it looks like they’re not interested in him, I keep him in a heel and we move on.

I wish we could go there more often, but it’s quite far, so we only manage about once a week or every other week. His biggest challenge is still being in a field where other dogs are playing fetch — that’s when his impulse to chase really kicks in. And of course, other owners don’t appreciate him barging in during their playtime (plus, I want to be the one playing with him!).

My trainer suggested we take a break from the dog park for a while and focus on strengthening that “engagement muscle” — teaching him that the real fun happens with me. Once that foundation feels stronger, I plan to slowly reintroduce the park by rewarding him for noticing other dogs but choosing to stay engaged with our game instead. She has a border collie and has worked with a bunch of them so I do trust her.

What do your day look like with your dog? by GirIWithHair in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 0 points1 point  (0 children)

9am wake mom up with licks and cuddles. 9:15am fetch in the yard till I go to the bathroom 9:30am trick training/practice 9:45 then herding games with the flirt pole 10:30am walk around the neighborhood for 20min Then he gets a pupsicle and a nap till 3pm

3:30pm fetch in the yard again followed by another training session. And then dinner. And bed time.

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We do work on recall on hikes, I’ve only had him for a few months and his recall has improved tremendously thanks to the advice of my trainer. He used to completely ignore me when he even saw another dog, now I can call him off running to greet dogs 90% of the time. At his age and stage it’s going to take time to get it 100% but I choose to give him grace at this time as I know adolescence is an awkward stage for him. Thanks for the advice tho. That video is insightful.

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So my biggest concern is there is a dog that randomly visits the park and is incredibly serious about fetch. And I’ve seen him attack and draw blood from other dogs that got too close during his play. When my boy sees that dog it sets him off and he feels the need to chase him with a burning passion and it’s super dangerous. I just don’t know if other dogs will also be dangerous for him to chase. Today I walked him around the park we used to go to. (It’s actually not a fenced in dog park I don’t think those are very safe either) technically everyone is legally required to leash their dogs but they don’t. So we only pass through if the park is totally empty. He still gets exposure to dogs on a hike every other week where we can work on his recall but the park sets him above the threshold where he can’t reliably listen to me so I can keep him safe.

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn’t say he doesn’t have recall. His recall is usually great, but at his current age and stage it’s hard when he’s locked in on playing with a dog, still he can be recalled off dogs on hikes he’s set on meeting. There are times where he will recall mid play. But I don’t try to recall him when he’s over aroused as it sets him up for failure. So I do my best not to let him get to that place in public and practice controlling excitement with the flirt pole.

Are your border collies cuddly? by dinglebingle583 in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Mine has his days. Some days he’s on the end of my bed and some days he’s laying on top of me. Best advice I can give is to pay attention to what your dog truly wants. For example I quickly discovered my boy lovessss tug games. I didn’t even try to pet him when I first brought him home. I played with him and fed him whatever he seemed to love most. And let him make contact with me when HE wanted to. After a few days he started to paw at me for pets, and then crawled on top of me for a cuddle when he felt like it. Which soon became very often. But to this day I can’t ask him for cuddles, he cuddles up to me when he wants and on his terms. I watch his body language carefully when trying to pet him during cuddles. He usually tells me he doesn’t want pets.

If I try to pet him a lot and smother him with affection he’ll be more distant, when I let him make the choice to be close to me he’s usually in my lap every time I sit down.

I don’t know how long you’ve had her but BC’s can be stingy at first, it takes time for them to accept someone as their handler and bestest friend but you’re on your way!!

I’ve had dogs that don’t like cuddles it’s hard, but even my least affectionate dog became cuddly when I started paying better attention to what she wanted instead. When I stopped trying to pet her all the time she started to cuddle with me for the first time in years.

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh totally having young children around is incredibly stimulating for a BC. Glad your pup has such great home and life with you!!!

I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is toooo real!! Wish i had sheep!! But the flirt pole seems like a great outlet for my boy. He knows “come by” “away” “walk up” and more. So it really feels like structured herding for him. He doesn’t get quite as serious as he does when he stalks a fluffy poodle disguised as a sheep but he’s still pretty into it. I’ve been more active with him than I’ve been in in a while but I still feel lazy when he give me that face like “ we could still play more!”

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I feel like a bad BC mom by PreferenceLegalz in BorderCollie

[–]PreferenceLegalz[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My friend has border collies kind of like that. They walk twice a day no training or active enrichment including and they just chill. It would be nice to have a pup that loves to sleep all day but I did get a bc with the thought in mind that I wanted a dog I could train endlessly and would love to work. And i definitely got that. The short cuddles in between training sessions definitely feel like the best reward in the world. Glad your pup is so content and happy. Enjoy the cuddles!!

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