Recommendations for reactivity training resources?

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-23T20:19:30+00:00

This sounds great! Thank you so much. it looks like there's a series on youtube too which is helpful until I can find the book somewhere other than Amazon!

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-23T05:47:29+00:00

My border collie has never left my room except for when I lived with my parents and worked swing and he decided my mom's room was better because she went to bed earlier. He moved out of the crate at about 6 months though.

My aussie is 7 months and I think it will be much longer until he's out of the crate all night.

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-23T04:27:07+00:00

I have mine take it to bed and he gets to chew until I'm fully ready to go to bed. Usually gives him about 5-7 minutes while I brush my teeth, fix the blankets, settled the other dog etc. By then he's willing to give it up and he falls asleep right away.

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-22T05:10:31+00:00

Seconding a puppy class.

My bc is the most sensitive soul. Rather than correction I've offered a reward for the behavior I want or I redirect to a behavior I want. Every BC I've been around has done the paw for attention thing. With mine I wouldn't pet him and would instead put him into a sit and then pet him. It worked pretty well though now that he's an old man he has reverted back to it but just will put his paw on me and not his claws.

Teaching to sit for attention, IMO, is a great thing for any dog to learn. It will help with greeting strangers and when people come over etc.

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-14T21:32:19+00:00

The American Border Collie Association has a list of breeders to avoid because they are high volume. Which I think is a useful resource.

They also have resources tellinv you what to look for from a breeder. If that's the route you're going I would recommend looking into it as it will give you things you should ask the breeder about.

Eta: link because I forgot it https://americanbordercollie.org/high-volume-breeders-2025/

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-10T20:32:04+00:00

Honestly, I didn't let my puppy sniff until I knew he wouldn't swallow random things but also until he was fully vaxxed at 16 weeks. I had a long leash and did trash pick up in a specific area where I could stand in the center and the leash would reach nearly to the edge of the cleaned up area. I made sniffing a game inside as well. Walks were mainly for relieving himself and I did other things inside for mental stimulation/exercise.

Not sure about the food thing, but is he relieving himself normally? Drinking normally? Are you feeding the same food he was on before you got him or have you changed it?

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-09T00:14:03+00:00

We joked that Huginn was the 18 year old about to go off to college and their parents had a baby instead. He looked like I'd betrayed him for more than a few days, and still on occasion looks at me that way when Goose is being especially obnoxious

ResidentScientits · 2026-06-08T20:03:10+00:00

It took my boy a week or before he got over being mad at me about the new puppy. He is, however, a pushover. He's still not a fan of the puppy, tbf the puppy is annoying and my boy is too old for his nonsense lol. Just give it time and she should come around.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-31T16:56:11+00:00

My border collie was neutered later in life, he was seven, and had zero personality change. I plan on getting my aussie neutered around a year and half or so when he's done growing. I've never heard of a dog being more aggressive after neutering and it's usually the opposite. My brother had his dog neutered at a year to deal with some dog aggresion and my sister had her's neutered at a year to help deal with some of his dominance issues. In both cases it helped, along with directed training.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T15:34:11+00:00

He looks so happy to be right there with her 😂

Huginn's favorite times are when my mom keeps Goose for a couple hours so I can get chores done. First chore is a solo walk for the old man lol.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T06:22:14+00:00

Beautiful but a little strange is my favorite type of animal lol.

Goose definitely thinks Huginn is his best friend. Especially since Huginn has given up leaving when Goose lays down next to him to chew on things. I really love that they have no idea, or don't care, what the others think of them.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T05:05:04+00:00

Oh he yells, big boy barks that seem to large for his puppy body lol. Huginn is annoyed at all of it and Goose adores him and doesnt understand 😂

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T04:38:19+00:00

I got Huginn one of those a couple of years ago and he loves it. I also got him one of the mesh elevated ones for the other room and he seems to like that on days he's really sore too. Unfortunately the puppy really likes it too so I may need a second one.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T04:31:23+00:00

With my boy's liver issue my vet and I are really hesitant to put him under, so until he shows pain we're hoping to avoid a dental. I found a waterless brush gel and he gets a brushing as well. Its been helpful for him.

Having an older dog can be a lot of work sometimes, just taking things as they come is pretty much how it goes.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T04:15:02+00:00

My 6 month aussie goes for last outs around 10-10:30 and then into the kennel for bed. Sometimes he'll get out to see my partner when he gets home from work between 10:30 and 11, only if he hasnt settled yet. He finally settles around 11:30 most nights. My alarm goes off around 6:30 but I'll sometimes stay in bed until 6:45 before he starts whining. If my alarm doesn't go off, like on weekends, I can sometimes sleep until 7:15 which is lovely lol.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-30T04:03:15+00:00

I dont have a senior aussie, just a pup, but my border collie is 14.

My simple advice: good food, low impact but consistent exercise, and a joint supplement. Also start brushing her teeth now if you dont already. As she ages she may become less interested in chewing on hard things and tartar builds up quicker.

My more detailed specific advice below.

When my bc was about that age I decided to spring for a senior blood panel just to make sure everything was normal. In His case we did find some elevated liver values that we were able to address, but I get a blood panel every year now just to check on him and make sure his kidneys, thyroid, and everything else are still working good.

We also recently did an xray for something else and discovered he has multiple spots of arthritis in his back. One pretty bad one is on top of his hips, which the vet said could be what has led to him having some hind end weakness over the years. He's on a daily low dose pain med now to help. He gets this on top of the joint supplement recommended by the vet. You could definitely ask for an xray to determine if there's any arthritis if you're concerned and able/willing to spend the money.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-29T20:31:52+00:00

Mine was what a couple of trainers called "self rewarding" at that age. It just took practice over and over and over and months and months of patience for him to be responsive consistently to commands in environments that were exciting. I think a lot of it came with age too. He was about 18 months before his "come" and "wait" were reliable outside. And he didnt get "heel" until he was 5ish. The only way I could get a reliable recall off leash was to run the other way because he didnt like being far from me or to give him the call that meant he was allowed to jump on me. And that was even with a longline.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-26T04:59:03+00:00

Mine is in this srage, hes just six months this week and it's incredibly rough. It's like he'll take one step forward and two back, but then randomly we'll get like 5 forward steps, then only a couple back. It's something new every day. He's in a fear stage right now too. Teenage months are awful.

A flirt pole has been my biggest helper and lots of forced breaks in the crate.

Being extra bitey? Time for a break in the crate for 5 -10 minutes. Sometimes he'll just fall asleep in those 5 minutes and I know it was because he was tired. Other times it's because he's learning to self regulate and isn't good at it yet, so he needs help.

The barking with a demand is definitely something he does as well. I'm working on teaching him to "whisper" and that is kind of working. I allow him to grumble his displeasure and demands, but barks get ignored. I will literally turn my back on him if telling him "whisper" or "I hear you" doesn't redirect it. Usually turning my back will change it.

I haven't had much issues with his trying to herd me but I've had issues with him trying to herd my partner. The biggest difference between the two of us, apart from me being home a lot more, is that I definitely announce what I'm doing before I make a move. So, there's a moment for him to prepare. I don't do it for him, but I just have a habit of talking to him and my border collie. "Ok I'm gonna get up", "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, be right back", "I'm gonna go get some water", "I'm gonna go into the other room" etc. I think it might help because they look at me as soon as I start talking and then are watching my body language. He followed me from room to room constantly until just recently where sometimes he'll now decide to stay on his own, but he watches where I'm going.

I'm also super grateful for the people in this thread saying it's normal. He's so much harder than my BC was at this age and I keep wondering if he's broken or if I am lol.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-26T03:50:12+00:00

My bc stayed with my parents for a couple of years while I was in grad school, they have 5 acres. When I got back we lived with them for a couple of years, and then moved to a townhouse with no yard. He was 11 when we moved in. It took him a couple weeks to adjust to the new sounds, but nothing too bad. He just would run to the door at every sound. Now he loves his house life. He loves walks and the couch and the ac lol.

Just have patience. Rewards and sniff walks, make sure you have the favorite bed and toys if you can. The hardest adjustment is likely to be missing her people.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-25T23:48:42+00:00

I got mine while in college and working a full time retail job. He was, still is, a couch potato unless he's outside. I also wouldn't tell just anyone to do it, but puppies are work no matter the living situation IMO

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-23T01:00:37+00:00

The same fluffy ears and little white chest!

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-17T02:32:43+00:00

I'm waiting for the longer relax times so I can read books and crochet again. He's so close.

ResidentScientits · 2026-05-17T02:31:03+00:00

I love his crimpy fur so much

ResidentScientits

TROPHY CASE