Border Collie nipping people on walks

Thanks so much for all these brilliant ideas! It’s mad – in just a few hours on this forum, I’ve learned more than I did in three sessions with professional dog trainers...

I’m going to try out the different strategies suggested. In any case, it’s fascinating to see how dogs from the same litter can be completely different. Kari often sees her sister, who was adopted by someone living just down the road from me, and she couldn't care less about cars, bikes, or people... Kari, on the other hand, is really drawn to anything that moves and can be chased or herded. It took a few runs together for her to understand that the game wasn't about jumping up at me to tell me where to go, but simply running alongside me without trying to nip or nudge me.

Regarding the targeting tip, that might be a bit of a challenge as Kari tends to be a bit scatterbrained. A trainer once described her as a "butterfly" to explain how she’ll happily join in an exercise or a game, but if she sees an actual butterfly fly past, that's it! She’s off in her own little world and completely forgets what she was doing with us! Kari seems to respond really well to praise, perhaps even more than treats or toys (she doesn't have a "favourite" toy), so I might try focusing entirely on that to distract her from people on one hand, and to reinforce a "stop" or "stay" command when we pass people on the other.

By the way, nobody has given me their thoughts on Treibball yet. Is it a good lead? Could it help satisfy at least some of that herding instinct that Kari seems to have such a strong drive for?

Also, I’ve been reading loads of different opinions online. I noticed that giving a dog "jobs" to do around the house could be great for their mental stimulation and focus. Do you have any ideas for "chores" I could give her? And more importantly, how do you actually teach them, for example (to mention a video I saw yesterday), to help empty the washing machine?

What you’re saying there, Lorna, reminds me of the "LAT" (Look at That) game—a training technique that helped me quite a bit with Léon.

The basic principle is to teach a dog to look at a target (you can practice at home with a toy), and then look back at their owner to be rewarded (with treats, play, etc.).

At the start, I followed the concept to the letter. So, I’d say "Where’s the person?", Léon would look at "the person", then turn back to me, and I’d add in a cheerful voice "Yeees, there’s the person!" while giving him a treat.

I soon stopped using treats and just made a point of being really enthusiastic whenever we had a potentially worrying encounter on a walk. It became a bit of a game between us.

That covers the wariness aspect. When it comes to the chasing/herding side of things, it’s a different matter.

It’s important to find substitute activities for this dog (herding etc.), but I’ll be honest: that won’t be enough to break her bad habits on its own.

The chase instinct is extremely strong in certain breeds and they never really get "full" of it; on the contrary, it’s very addictive. Just because a dog spends an hour chasing a ball doesn't mean they’ll have any less desire to chase a car.

In reality, these games should mainly be used to help the dog develop self-control and to put certain commands in place.

In this case, for anything involving chasing, the command you really need to work on is the "stop" or "stay".

From what I've seen, holding a static position is often effective in helping the dog understand that they shouldn't be bolting after something.

You need to work on it out of context first (at home or on a quiet walk with no moving targets around), then gradually move into real situations with the dog on a long lead (by anticipating, you need to give the command before she gets triggered).

Remember to praise her when she stays calm too; sometimes you can nudge dogs into the right mindset or energy level, a bit like you would with toddlers.

When there's something scary around, using a cheerful voice and giving them some praise can really influence how they feel.

Try to project a sense of joy or positivity before she even has a chance to react or panic—you can sometimes see a real shift in their mood that way.

With my current dog, I can often snap him out of it just by praising him. When he looks like he’s about to charge or growl, I go: "Buck?! Ohhh, yessss, what a handsome boy! Who’s a goooood boy then!" and just like that, the little guy completely forgets he was about to kick off five seconds ago, lol.

Mind you, it doesn't work every single time, but it’s definitely worth a go.

@Marie: Do also pay attention to details that might seem insignificant to us but can really influence a dog.

Is she less comfortable with certain types of people (age, gender)? Is the passerby carrying something or wearing a hat, etc.?

Sometimes you can get quite a surprise.

I’m fostering a German Shepherd at the moment, and he acted aggressively towards three people before I realised they were all wearing woolly hats, hoods, or caps.

As it happens, that's the only thing that bothers him... As long as you’ve got nothing on your head, he’s a total softie.

Ah, great to have you back ;-)

Perfect timing!

Hi there,

Like Lorna, I find it staggering that three "pros" haven't been able to sort out issues that are so typical for a Border Collie.

I live with Aby, an 11-year-old Border, so I really do understand your situation. I'm lucky enough to be a tennis coach and I can take my dog to work with me, so she has a "job" to do—and that's the most important thing. Simply taking a Border out for a walk, no matter how long it is, just won't be enough.

Ideally, of course, you'd be able to get him into some herding work. You could also try playing with a frisbee or a ball in your garden to teach him how to manage frustration and how to stop the activity whenever you decide.

We're seeing more and more Borders or Aussies with aggression issues because they aren't getting enough activity to satisfy their natural instincts, but I can promise you that a happy, well-adjusted Border is a total joy.

I'm currently a part-time tennis coach and a dog-walker the rest of the week, and I'm also starting to work as a dog trainer—Aby is the perfect assistant!

Yes, you're right, this nipping and biting – basically this aggression towards walkers – has been going on for several months now. The point you made about it becoming "ingrained" is spot on, as the behaviour is definitely being reinforced over time. Like a friend said to me: "To be honest, she probably just loves nipping people; she can't help herself and it's more rewarding for her than whatever telling-off she gets afterwards." Because I should mention that I do, of course, scold her whenever she goes for people we pass.

I’ve also wondered if there's some underlying fear involved, as her "attacks" are often from behind. The other day, I bumped into someone I know and she started barking and growling, but didn't actually nip because the man stood perfectly still on the path. He tried talking to her, but she just cowered on the ground, looking absolutely terrified. There must be some anxiety there too, which is really strange because she used to be so incredibly sociable – she’d go up to anyone for a fuss and roll over on her back for a belly rub!

On our next walk, I’m going to try and work on desensitising her to people passing by, so she learns it’s just a normal, everyday thing.

Thanks again!