We’ve got a Border Collie puppy who’s nearly 4 months old, and he’s becoming a total nightmare!
He chases anything that moves, runs after us and nips at our legs or grabs our clothes—basically anything he can get his teeth into to bite us.
He does the same with the chickens, the goat and my cats.
Not to mention he jumps up at everyone who visits, regardless of whether they’re dressed up or not!
Plus, with his sharp little claws, he’s always batting at us with his front paws and it really hurts. We have two young children and we don’t want them getting bitten or scratched; it’s really upsetting.
Since he first arrived, I’ve been saying ‘no Chipie, no’ in a firm voice whenever he’s naughty, but I don't think he’s listening. He just wants his own way. He hides under the sofa or a cupboard and then starts all over again as soon as I’m not looking.
He makes off with everything in his path... whether it's shoes, clothes, stones, kitchen roll, or the newspaper—sometimes he shreds it so much you can barely read the headlines!
As for walks on the lead, as long as it's long enough for him to come and go as he pleases, everything is fine. But the moment I shorten it, he starts thrashing around on the ground—he’d practically choke himself on the end of the lead!
We live in the countryside but I don't dare let him off the lead in the fields because if he doesn't want to come back, the more I call him, the further he runs away...
People we know say we should take him to puppy classes, but we don't have much time and there isn't a training club anywhere near where we live...
We’ve had him for six weeks now and it’s getting worse and worse. Does anyone have any good advice? We’re at our wits' end... Thanks in advance to anyone who can help, because it's becoming unbearable now—to be honest, I'm fed up with this mutt...
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I agree with @junlo. If he’s left alone for a long time, he gets his own back by getting into mischief, and if you aren't going to put the time in, there was no point in getting the little fella in the first place.
Actually, he’s only ever left for two hours max during the day; he doesn’t do anything wrong then, but the moment we get home, he starts.
Evening all, I wanted to chime in because if there’s one thing I know inside out, it’s puppies acting up while you’re actually THERE (because when we’re out, he’s an absolute angel!!). The answer to your question is simple: your puppy is just bored... that’s all there is to it.
Get in touch with a dog behaviourist; it isn't a quick fix, but they help us because it ALL starts with us!!!!
Going back to the original post, I get the feeling that you might have had a bit of an idealised view of your new puppy. With your previous dog, you’d built up a whole way of life and set routines over the years... and obviously, every dog is different. You really can’t compare a four-month-old puppy to an eleven-year-old dog. Maybe all those years spent with your old girl made you "forget" about all the puppy mischief, even if it didn't show up in quite the same way back then.
Anyway, that’s just a theory, but it’s the impression I get from reading your messages.
I also wanted to say that we’ve all dealt with those moments where the puppy is just unmanageable and you aren’t quite sure how to react—when they’re hyper and driving you up the wall. I’ve certainly been there myself. But you have to keep things in perspective; putting her in time-out when she’s too worked up also gives you a chance to calm down and clear your head.
Everyone in the house needs to stick to the same rules for the dog and you should take over from one another when one of you is at their "wits' end".
When she tries to get your attention by nipping or whatever else, she’s just looking for interaction. Make sure she’s getting enough exercise (don't overdo it given her age) and tire her out with games... if that's already the case, just ignore her when she nips. As soon as she stops, give her some attention; if she starts again, repeat the process. You can also redirect the nipping away from you by giving her a chew toy, and when she starts gnawing on that, give her lots of praise.
You could also use Kongs or other toys you can fill with treats, which will keep her occupied for ages.
As for the jumping up at people, there are already plenty of threads about that on the forum.
But you have to remember she’s a puppy. Finding a puppy that’s calm, house-trained, and doesn't get into trouble is the dream, but honestly, does that even exist?? Personally, I’d be bored if my puppy was calm all the time! You just need to know how to channel that energy. A puppy takes time and patience, and lots of training—just like a child—it’s definitely hard work.
Something that struck me was your comment, "on the plus side, she’s house-trained"—what would you have done otherwise? That’s all part of the "struggle", but it’s something you know before taking on a puppy.
And don't worry, we work too (and personally, I don't finish at 4pm)!
Mind you, my dog is far from perfect, but I’ve never aimed for perfection anyway. I don’t think you necessarily need to look for something "natural" in an animal; if you go by that, collars and leads aren't exactly natural either. I just think we need to respect the dog for what it is—a dog. If a dog is "happy" doing something because we've taught them to, then all the better. Even if the training itself isn't natural, the method can be based on the dog's specific needs.
I can't just let my dog do whatever he wants; for example, when we're out on a walk, he has a real knack (which I've never seen in any of my previous dogs) for finding cooked bones, probably ones that people have just chucked away. Once, in a field, he found ten chicken feet; it was a nightmare! Anyway, I can't let him do that, so I end up having to take them off him while trying to negotiate a trade.
That doesn't change the fact that he loves foraging around, though, so I’m thinking about trying some scent work with him. That way, he can focus his nosing around on something specific and get a proper reward for the activity—one I won't be forced to take away from him! I haven't started yet, but I'll see if it works. I think these days we sometimes try to force certain activities too much, like agility or obedience and so on. I reckon you have to observe your dog and see what they’re actually capable of, rather than pushing them into an activity we enjoy when something else might be more fun for them.
I can’t really see my dog doing agility, for example. I'm not saying I won't try a few bits and pieces, but I think there will always be good days and bad days (probably more bad ones!). Because he loves foraging, I want to take that distracted side of him and focus it on something specific, rather than losing that part of his personality entirely. It’s actually quite an interesting trait, and he’s been that way since the day I got him.
I’m pretty much in agreement except for one thing: training isn’t just about the pleasure of asserting dominance. My dog doesn't know a huge amount, to be honest—just 'sit' and 'lie down'. Walking to heel has never really been his strong suit, but at least he doesn't pull, so that's something. He also knows his directions; I didn't exactly teach him formally—it’s just something that developed naturally when we’re using a long lead to stop him from getting tangled up. I point out directions with my fingers (he’s very visual, though he knows when it's actually worth his while or not). Recall is also a learning process, but I don't expect it to be perfect.
I personally prefer a more natural following approach, but you really have to observe your dog in the moment to see if they’re in the right headspace to focus on you or not. This is especially true when you’re dealing with dogs that have high exploratory needs—some primitive breeds, wolfdogs, or even gundogs and terriers—so yes, I do use treats sometimes. I’ve never taught my dog a command by forcing him into anything; it’s all about sharing an experience.
For example, teaching him to lie down was a bit of a journey. You can try putting a treat on the floor all you want, but if the dog still hasn't got it after a week, you have to try something else—like sitting on the floor, making a bridge with your legs and putting the treat underneath. That forces the dog to lower himself, and in the end, it becomes about foraging and working out what he needs to do to get the reward. In our modern world, where dogs no longer scavenge through bins (well, apart from strays or the tempting kitchen bin!) and don’t hunt anymore—not that they were ever great hunters, they're more scavengers unlike wolves—I think creating fun search exercises to earn food or something else they enjoy (play, opening a door, etc.) is a great idea, as long as it’s at the dog’s own pace.
The dog isn't really being forced, and obviously, you shouldn’t overdo it with the treats (there are plenty of areas where I don’t use them at all). I work on the principle that training and socialisation should follow an ethical approach, but there are no hard and fast rules; it’s quite instinctive since every dog is different. My starting point was to never frighten my dog (while keeping in mind what generally scares a dog), and as I have a very expressive and sensitive dog, I stick to that mindset and then vary my approach to see what suits him best.
Even putting aside the psychological aspect, you simply cannot pick a dog up by the scruff of its neck. The force exerted per square centimetre of skin is far too high relative to its weight. It’s the same as with an adult cat; it isn't recommended because the cat is heavier and, due to gravity, the pressure on the skin is too intense. (It’s quite hard to explain, really).
This is likely one of the reasons why a mother dog won't pick up her puppies like that once they are over three weeks old. Puppies grow and put on weight quickly, and the force needed to lift them by the scruff could cause them pain.
The idea that a mother dog picks up her puppies this way to discipline them is an old myth that, unfortunately, dies hard. You can quickly spot the so-called "canine professionals" who haven’t had any training in ethology if they are still advising people to use this method.
Evening Tania,
Regarding Joseph Ortega, there’s quite a lot to be said. What he "sells" as a natural training method is, in the end, anything but natural. Firstly, because it isn’t natural for a dog to be trained. Secondly, because the whole point of any conditioning is to make a dog adopt a behaviour that is precisely *not* natural.
Joseph Ortega tells us on his site that dog domestication dates back 100,000 years. I’ll assume that’s just a typo with one too many zeros. The first evidence of a canid in a human settlement dates back 12,000 years.
But when I read things like: "and yet their behavioural repertoire has hardly changed; by perfectly understanding the wild dog (the wolf), we better understand the domestic wolf (the dog)", that really worries me. It’s exactly this kind of logic that is used to justify and establish a dominance hierarchy between dogs and their owners. Besides, Ortega confirms this fear when he talks about hierarchy in dogs: "It’s a requirement of the species; in a pack, there are dominant and submissive members. The dog needs to know its place in the human pack; some will try to climb the ranks of the hierarchy by testing their owners, while others prefer to be submissive and protected."
And you know what I think about that! ;)
Furthermore, I’m always very uncomfortable with obedience and drills when it comes to pet dogs. I don’t see the point of making a dog walk at heel. Nor do I see the "fun" in making them sit, lie down, or stop on command. Is it just for the pleasure of making them submit?
Anyway, Joseph Ortega really isn't my cup of tea when it comes to the human-canine relationship.
Hmm, do you actually have a dog? I do, so that changes everything. Someone who really knows their stuff about dogs told me to do this, and if I told them what you've just said, well...
D'you know what, you're not even worth a reply. "Someone told me, so it must be true"... It's glaringly obvious you're only 12.
Well, I think she's incredibly immature for her age! And when I read most of her posts, I'm just shocked.
Even putting the psychological side of things aside, you shouldn't pick a dog up by the scruff of its neck. The amount of pressure per cm² on the skin is just way too much compared to their body weight. It's the same for adult cats—it's not recommended to do it because they're heavier, so because of gravity, there’s too much pressure on the skin. (Mind you, it's quite hard to explain!)
