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Co-Habitating with a Herding Dog?
Minette
My Herding Brood
I loaded 3 kids and 3 dogs into the truck and headed 8 hours towards home. My youngest, a Dutch Shepherd is 8 months old and I watched her jump from the back seat to the front seat with eyes dilated and open wide. With intensity, she began to stare at the cars approaching and with passion she turned around and ogled them as they disappeared in the distance.
I have been a professional dog trainer for almost 20 years, and I knew what was going on in her pea brain. Her herding instincts were becoming over stimulated by watching the cars pass.
Living with a herding dog can be a bit of a challenge. I first noticed the malfunctioning herding instinct on Thanksgiving Day as I watched the Eukanuba Dog Show on TV and she began to pace and do what looked like a rain dance in my living room. At first, although admittedly I know better, I thought it was a bit funny. But as time progressed she grew more and more out of control, and humor dissipated as I envisioned the TV crashing down on her head as she leaped toward it.
I have 3 herding dogs, 2 Belgian Malinois and my new Dutch Shepherd and both breeds are known for their enthusiasm and difficulty to train and handle. That is why I like them, they are a challenge for my finely honed doggy skills.
But, I think one of the things that sets me apart as a trainer is that I understand the way they think and process information. For my little girl, accurately named “Fury”, there she was in the privacy of her own home when it was invaded by other dogs. Not only did they come into her home, but they consistently ignored her pleadings to play. Playfulness then turned toward anger, a complete lack of understanding and total frustration.
It is not like I had never watched pet related television programs until Thanksgiving, but at 7 months my pup is starting toward more adult type behavior that will undoubtedly increase for several months until she is about a year and a half to two years old.
Understanding is the first matter of business. Why is she all of a sudden displaying naughty behavior?
- First, as we discussed is her age. She is inching toward sexual maturity and with that comes behavior changes. Even dogs that are spayed and neutered still go through these changes, although often to a lesser degree.
- Second and possibly the most important factor, is that I was not meeting her exercise, and mental needs. I had spent the day before Thanksgiving and that morning preparing the upcoming feast. If she had been tired, if her needs had been met; the odds of her noticing the television and caring what was going on would have been significantly less!
- Third, SHE IS A HERDING DOG!! And as such she has instincts that have been developed and bred to be enhanced for my pleasure hundreds of years. As the owner of a herding dog I need to familiarize myself with the traits of the category of dog, and her breed individually.
Herding Dogs are known for their intensity and ability, if not NEED, to work all day
Herding dogs:
The herding behavior is modified from the predatory instinct, to hunt and prey on other animals. Through selective breeding man has been able to inhibit the dogs’ desire to kill while maintaining and controlling the ability to chase and herd.
Herding dogs are also known for their abilities to guard to keep their flocks safe therefore their vision and hearing is exemplary, and they are often very vocal.
Due to their beauty, intelligence and size, herding dogs are often chosen for family pets; however they need to be active physically and challenged mentally in order to be successful pets.
Instincts don’t go away, and if their needs aren’t met they can show up in inappropriate places. They may often nip at their people’s (especially children) heels in an effort to “herd” them. They may vocalize at any visual change in their environment (someone left the toilet seat up instead of its usual down position) or any sounds that they are unfamiliar with.
Sometimes this over stimulation of instinctual behaviors, if not dealt with, can get completely out of control and is increasingly difficult to deal with and repair.
I have occasionally even seen dogs who’s instincts completely malfunction and can quickly lead to severe aggression.
As the owner of dogs often used in the police and secret service field, I also understand my dogs’ abilities and aptitude to become over protective both toward dogs and people they don’t know. Their herding instincts are often channeled to bite people on command, so I must understand that power.
Thankfully, because I am a trainer and I know and love herding dogs I have already begun to mold her instincts to serve me and we often work on obedience.
When she popped up like a gopher in the truck and started hunting for cars to mentally start giving the “stink eye” too, I could command her to lay down which inhibited her ability to see outside. If she could look out the window normally she could have that privilege, but as soon as her demeanor changed she lost the privilege and had to adhere to obedience.
I like sculpting her instincts to fulfill my own needs and to give her added momentum and enthusiasm when we later compete in obedience trials. The important thing is that I understand her, I know what she was bred for and I understand what she wants and what she is thinking most of the time. And, I know when her behavior breaks down, it is probably because I am not stimulating her mentally and physically as she requires!
Do you have a Herding Dog? Herding Dogs are natural athletes, after you have mastered obedience, try an agility class, or teach your dog to use his instinct in a herding, or tracking class! But most of all have fun spending quality time together!
Your dog may need a class or an outlet for all of that energy and intelligence!
84 responses to “Co-Habitating with a Herding Dog?”
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VERY informative – thanks for the great info. The dogs are beautiful !
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@ January 10th, 2011 at 17:48I am a very proud owner of two tri-border collies, Jeep and Rhubarb! Jeep is amazing, highly intelligent,and thus far, fortunately no issues… AS YET!!! But Rhubarb is a law unto herself!! Thanks so much for this article. I will try some “magic” on Rhubarb … hold thumbs!!!
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Love the names!! Is Jeep a male? Females are often more of a “challenge” good luck!
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Diane Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 11:42 pm
Jeep is male.. yes! A macho at that! Altho Rhubarb who is 2 years younger, and female, definitely is the dominant one and is an absolute TART!!! Hence the name!! Teehheee
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Cindy Reply:
January 16th, 2011 at 11:44 pm
I have two young border collies, the female is a pedigree and is named Gypsy, we call her “Gypsy, demon dog”, she is very vocal and chases planes and even thunder! Then we have Griffin our gentle boy who gets totally intimidated by demon dog. We have a real challenge on our hands and it takes a lot to remain patient! Love will have to conquer all.
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Lu Reply:
October 19th, 2011 at 9:48 am
I have had two herders at one time and one is always more dominate than the other. I found that giving both dogs some extra exercise; and I mean Mental challenges as well.
I would have both dogs sit/ stay as i walked around the yard. We would do other commands so they wouldn’t get bored. I would first practice one on one then together. They would come when the release command was given but it would be amusing to see them check eachother to see who would flinch to be first. It seems they would work together and their bond became closer.
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Cindy Reply:
October 20th, 2011 at 7:12 am
Thanks for the reply Lu, I will definitely try to stimulate them more mentally. I have found that Gypsy is much calmer after exercise. The collies have a strong bond now fortunately and play all the time. My daughter takes them for walks often. I want to get a treadmill as I think Gypsy could handle more than what we give her at the moment. I also added a Pomeranian in the mix, he thinks he is just as big as the other two, but only the attitude is huge! As you can hear, we have few dull moments here at home with our zoo (adding in the birds and cats).
Cindy
Very informative, great reading thank you.
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@ January 11th, 2011 at 23:37Thanks for that! You write very clearly and it is obvious that you know and love your subject. My own pack includes one German Shepherd, but she is now very old and her herding instinct, once strong in that she was never happy until she had everyone together in the same room, have now fallen off to the level where she needs only to be near one of us as much as possible.
Your dogs are beautiful and obviously very happy xx
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 00:19This was very informative for me as I have a Border Collie. I find that working dogs (herding dogs) are very intelligient. My dog herds my cats until they have had enough of it.
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 01:20Thanks a lot , That was very informative. I own a 3 year old pedigreed GSD . he is gorgeous and wel trained. But I face typical problems with him , which are related to getting very excited too fast and are most probably related to the herding instinct you are talking about . while I am trying some of Chet’s training techniques I would keep this information in mind.
regards
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 01:33I have two 6 month old Aussie sisters (both spayed). They are polar opposites. Thank you for your instruction on keeping the unusual behavior like alerting to my purse when it is “in the wrong place”, or watching the TV when dog shows are featured. I have my work cut out for me, but now I have a place to start training them to an appropriate behavior. Thank you!
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 01:44Great info except I have a dutchy too ! Trying to keep him going in the right direction is difficult. He is almost 2 (we rescued him at 8 months) he is doing exactly what the initial email states. Barking, protective is o.k. but sometimes over the top, and the aggression is starting. Has been to training but seems to forget sometimes. I am worried a little bit because he’s pretty imposing if you know what I mean. Any more advise ?
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Have you lived with a Dutchy before? They are an extremely difficult breed! I have friends that are cops and active military K9 trainers that have no desire to live with a Dutchy!
If he is not neutered, I would do that ASAP! If he is he is still just now reaching his sexual maturity and this is why you are seeing an escalation in his protectiveness and aggressiveness.
He was bred to bite people and work as a police dog, and that is what makes your life so hard, you have to fight an even stronger instinct.
You must make a choice, as to what your expectations for him are…you want him to bark or you don’t, vacillating in between sometimes its ok and sometimes its not is confusing for him.
Lets face it, if called into action, he would protect you no matter what, so I would adopt a strict no barking and no protecting rule. He must see you as a strong enough leader to care for yourself. Let him know you make the rules! This is how I raise my dogs! They would die for me if they needed to, but they know I am a tough leader so they trust me and therefore enjoy other human contact instead of being leery of danger all the time.
You own a difficult dog/breed (I know!!! I do too) so you can’t EVER (well almost) stop working on obedience. Dogs don’t forget, they choose not to do things they don’t want!
Make him work for everything he gets, down stays at dinner time. Split his meals and work obedience throughout the day. Don’t play with him without adding some obedience to your play time (control games)! Don’t pet him without having him do something for you! This will help change his attitude.
Don’t accept his naughtiness! Take privileges away if he barks or growls, and praise him for good behavior and paying attention to you and adhering to obedience! Carry treats with you or a toy and make it fun!
Dutchies thrive on fun and love, just make him work for it and good luck!!
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Peter Reply:
February 2nd, 2011 at 8:45 pm
I just finished Turig Rugas’s (?sp) book “Bark”. He talks about “calming signals” including positioning yourself between the dog and the object and facing away from the dog extend your arms a bit out to the sides and face your palms toward the dog. Supposedly this signals to the dog that you are taking responsibility for protection and it isn’t his job anymore. I haven’t tried it yet but I will.
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I think that this applies to a lot of breeds, I have a PWD and she has the same traits, especially with joggers, My friend has a hound/lab mix and he re-acts like this also when going for a walk. How about letting us know how to correct this bad behavior. Thank you.
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 05:04I loved this. I have a 1 year old mini aussi. She is wonderful. However, she is definitly full of energy. I could use all the advice I can get.
Thanks lots:)
Julie
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 06:33Interesting— our dog is mostly Australian Shepard, and we’ve noticed some of the behaviors you note, though not all. He’s a rescue dog and is getting better every day, but really starts bouncing off the walls when he’s not, frankly, tired out.
I was kind of hoping for some suggestions of energy-draining exercises or games. These would be especially useful in winter when (as now) we are snowed in!
Thanks very much.
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Look back through the articles and the 12 days of Christmas, there is a game or a challenge for every day leading up to Christmas and most are indoor games. Mental stimulation can be just as exhausting as physical exercise!
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Judy Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 7:53 am
Where would I find this 12 days of Christmas article – I would like to find these games that may be played inside (or outside). I have a border collie and we’re always looking for new “games”.
Thanksyou
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Minette Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 10:43 am
scroll back through our blogs and there is a new challenge everyday http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/ if you scroll way back through I have many games and even some scent detection information (nose work) listed!
Good information. I assume that this is one of the reasons my herding dog is the only one that chases cars. He also has gotten less intent on nipping at heals but has developed a one quick bite to the calf technique only to larger males usually and very often when I am around. This is a country dog on a private airstrip. Any suggestions getting him to stop the biting and chasing? By the way, he also chases some airplanes, specifically the ones I fly.
Thanks
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
The calf biting worries me, because it is a definite liability to you!!! You must keep him on a leash and prevent him from doing this, we live in a sue happy world.
Excessive prey drive and chasing will require desensitization and teaching him other coping mechanisms which will also require keeping him on a leash and working together on your obedience in the presence of cars, and airplanes.
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Peta Reply:
January 24th, 2011 at 4:52 am
Hi everyone,
I have 2 Smithfield Stumpy Tailed cattle dogs. Scout is 9 months old, and Drover is 8 weeks old.
Scout was an ankle nipper and a lets hang off the leg of Mums jeans. After several hours of this i was totally fed up so I mustered all the strength that i could and gave her one heck of a wack on her rump…since then she has not nipped anyone. I also instruct her with gentle when she looks like she might have a breakout.
With regards to he chaseing cars and motorbikes a. she is never alowed out on the street unleased or alone b. from the time we got her we have taken her out to meet the postman who rides a motor bike….. they are the best of friends. c. we take her walking on a busy road and teach her road sense so she is exposed to allkinds of traffic.
We also invested in a training collar…. it is used only when she isnt listening to me……Love your dog Peta
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Thanks for the info, it was a good reminder of why Tio, my Aussie, the “dog with issues,” has them. It was a great suggestion as to how to deal with the inappropriate behavior, i.e., by instituting obedience. Have signed up for an agility class to begin next month. Tio is a beautiful boy who I hope will enjoy the challenge of the class.
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 08:17Great information! I had a Belgian Malinois for 14 yrs. and she was the best and smartest dog I had ever had – and very athletic! They are wonderful!
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 09:11I have a 2 year old rescue that is a Sheppard/chow? mix. Loves dogs and would rather be alone when he is indoors than with people. Extremely gentle indoors and outside anything that moves is a stimulent. This is all normal behavior I guess but i would like to know more about how he thinks
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 09:43I have a 9 month old female border collie Maggie. At 3 months I trained her to lay down by verbal and hand command. She then learned to sit and stay on command. And then the hardest command of all, to come when I call. She is still a dog in training. We walk, play soccer, and soft frisbee, in the spring, summer and now winter. She loves her toys and knows them all by name. I had the luxury of having a great deal of time to train her. I lost my job. But she has been my job.
I have never been so mentally and physically fit and Maggie is the reason.
The one thing I can not stop her from doing is jumping on people when she greets them. We’ve tried kneeing her- sending her to her kennel. She literally climbs up their legs and hugs them. Not very good for Grandma. Anybody have any suggestions?
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Put her on a leash and don’t allow it or teach her to go to a bed, mat or “place” when the door bell is rung. You have to give her other behaviors when people come over. She can’t lay down and jump on someone, or sit and jump on someone. Also don’t allow anyone to pet her if she is not sitting or laying down! She should only be rewarded for good behavior, and jumping can be self rewarding if it is allowed to continue! Read this
http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/break-command/
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Roland Reply:
November 21st, 2011 at 4:48 am
I have a 7 month old Borador and had the same problems with him jumping up on people and know that this sounds like a commercial but what worked me almost instently was putting a thunder shirt on him. When I know someone is coming over I allways put it on him before they get to our house. If someone arrives un announced I take a minute and put it on him. It has made such a difference it is unbielevable. Look them up Thunder Shirt
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Great article. We have a beautiful black GSD mix (per my vet possibly border collie but all Shepard in looks)rescue. He is definitely a herder. Mostly with me. He nips at my heels but not my husbands. We have about an acre and a half and play Frisbee every day for long periods of time (even in snow). However, there are times after exercise that he is more aggressive towards me, like I’ve ignited the herding instinct just by playing with him. Any ideas? He is always glued to my side from the minute I get up in the morning and from the minute I get home at night. Unless he is completely exhausted, I can’t go from one room to another without him following me.
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Play can definitely ignite the prey response! I often use this response to channel my dog’s energy toward whatever we are working with, but it can be difficult and sometimes dangerous if you are not sure what you are doing. You need to incorporate my obedience into the play! It is called control games, if you lay down I will throw your Frisbee, if you stay and leave it when I tell you, I will then allow you to chase the Frisbee. Nothing is free, make him obey a command. If he cannot accommodate your wishes, you may have to back up and work on your obedience. You may also have to find alternative exercise that can be less exciting and demanding. Don’t let him be a bully, and if he is refuse to play with him…this will make him rethink his attitude.
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catherine Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
what if he refuses to play outside because he’s too distracted?
I was never able to play with my border collie because he does not show interest in play when we are outside the house.
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Minette Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Find something that is his favorite and try playing with it, with him outside…or play together inside!
question please? why would you not want your dog to bark? we have a 5 year old male GSD. max is high energy, high prey drive. we have had several robberies in our neighborhood. my husband and i want him to bark to warm us of a possible problem. he is a hand full on walks however- goes nuts when he sees a rabbit or a coyote. chases them with me on the end of his leash. thanks
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Minette Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 10:51 am
My dogs are allowed to alert bark (2 barks) only, I control their barking so it doesn’t get out of control (woof, woof, a leaf fell…woof woof, look at the squirrel..etc.)
They absolutely bark when someone comes to the door or they suspect something is awry! But, they are quiet when I tell them to be!! I trust them and their instincts and i like quiet dogs!
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Penny Reply:
May 4th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Hi. agree with you on your dog barking. You want him to warn you or keep people away, but too much barking desensitizes you from his bark. BUT, heres something most people don’t think about, Do You Understand Your Dog’s bark? My dog, a pedigreed intact male, has a different bark for different things! It’s like women who can tell their baby’s cries (hunger, cold frightened, etc)
My boy has a quiet bark for me when he is downstairs and is either hungry or needs to go make a pit stop. He will continue this for a while then come up and bump my bedroom door. I keep it closed to keep the cat out or when I’m working. He has a serious bark when he sees a stranger and don’t let anyone come into our driveway! For the mail/delivery person he always comes up stairs to my door (if I’m not getting it) frantically wanting me to see who he’s barking about. When kids are out there his bark is more a ‘let’s play’ bark and you can get knocked down by the tail wagging. He stops barking on his own when the person is gone, and his bark is not quite as loud or intense unless it’s the mail delivery person or someone is in our driveway. If the mail lady does not enter our drive way he is not as intense, but he IS happy to let me know he has successfully made her go away. He definitely dislikes the UPS and FEDEX people. USA
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Great article and comments from others! i do not own a herder as such but find my two small dogs exhibit similar herding behaviour particularly with tv programs based on any living creature… yes, even snakes but especially anything with 4 legs! I have a 9YO Maltese X (male)and a 2YO poodle X Japanese Spitz (female).We had a brief encounter with a herding collie at a lead off park where the collie decided it was his job to do the herding, not my little guy which resulted in a bit of an arguement! I think the best option will be to use some of the suggestions given here and apply them to my dog. As for our younger female, she seems to be following the other dogs lead and is now barking when he does. Seems like she is learning by example!!! Can you give us any advice?
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@ January 12th, 2011 at 19:28Hi Minette,
So interested to read your blog. We have recently adopted a stray who was living on the streets, who is a border collie cross. He is between 3 and 4 months old. We have beeen advised not to walk him too much, as we are told that this can have negative consequences in the future for his joints, leading maybe to arthritis etc.
In the meantime, he plays with our 3-year-old (dalmation-labrador cross, so also pretty active!), but this can get quite manic, so I often have to intervene to calm them down.
He has so much spare energy and runs in crazy circles around our small garden, throwing up the turf with his pounding paws, jumping on our cats and on his big canine brother.
I am doing basic training with him to stimulate him – he chases and retrieves a ball very well already, and I try to wear him out with this, but he just seems to have ENDLESS energy (which I don’t have!)
If you have any advice on how to burn up some of his hyper-energy while not damaging his growing joints, we would be so grateful.
Andie and Andrew Chandler, S.Africa
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Minette Reply:
January 13th, 2011 at 10:46 am
scroll back through the blog for more games http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/ and fun things to do like scent detection (nose work) and other things. Tricks and games are some of my favorite things to write about and work on so check back often!
Also regular non-athletic walking is no problem especially if you stay on grass, but yes pounding the pavement can affect joints! When he is old enough, full grown, and gets your vet’s approval you can start exercising hard together!
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herding breeds are the best ever….but only if you have the time to spend with them
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 01:17What great information ! I have 6 dogs and 18 foster rescue’s. One of my own dogs is a Border Collie 14 years old now, who we rescued when he was 18 months old. Your information is spot on, herders need challenging, even now at 14 he can’t run much but likes to ensure all the others are under control.
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 05:01I really have a problem teaching my anotolian sheep dog the female just dose not want to listen. The male is better They walk with the lead very nicely but other things are really difficult. What must I do
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 07:08Thank you so much for the great article! We have a 1 year old Sheltie who is full of energy! We regularly walk in my neighborhood and parks, etc. My biggest challenge is keeping him under control when a car passes us. We live in a neighborhood without sidewalks but we have very wide streets and usually will only encounter 2-3 cars on our walks. But when he sees one or hears one coming…he immediately sits down and stares at it. As soon as it gets almost by us…he goes crazy. He jumps, barks and tries his best to run after it. I have to hold him tightly by the collar to keep him still. He does very well with sit/stay command until we get in this situation. I’m not sure if the cars scare him or if he’s trying to herd them! I’ve taken the clicker with me and praised him when he sits and lets the car go by without jumping at it, or if he will continue to walk with me. Once in great while, he will do this…but not often. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!!
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 17:14Thank you Chet, I love reading your dog training tips as it keeps my game sharp for the family problem dogs I run into here in the Kern Valley. I have now 2 Queensland Heeler females. I have been training them for a little over a month. They are very smart and in comparison to the Border Collies I have had they are a bit more suspicious of things than the Collies. I think they could really be trouble for someone not prepared for all the bumps in the road…Thanks again for your help!
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 18:50Interesting article. I’ve a 1.5yr old neutered male GSD/Boxer Mix. Rio he is a only child:) & protective, listens well & is very smart. Recently he’s started the “Stink Eye” in the car especially towards other dogs he sees & has started when we are out on walks, hackles come up, growls & sometimes barks but the stub tail is wagging.
Was wondering what to do about stopping this aggressiveness before it get out of hand
Thanks
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@ January 14th, 2011 at 19:56We just got a female puppy from our sister-in-law she’s part Feist, and part Cattahoula Abby. She is no where near completely trained. She was born Oct 31, 2010, so she’s not quite 3 months. Our problem is we have a 16 year old Rat Terrier named Ginger. Abby jumps up on Ginger nimps her on the neck. I have Chet Womach’s online Hands Off Dog Training Secret. Have not found anything to address this issue. Only thing that comes close might me the leave it command, or something about aggression. I have already taught her to sit, stay, and come. She is still mouthing. What do I need to do next. My wife and I are keeping them separated until we have a fix on this one. Thanks in Advance – Chuck Widdop
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@ January 23rd, 2011 at 12:41Hi, your dogs are beautiful. I own a Belgian shepherd tervuren so when I saw your photos of your Belgies I got excited. My puppy is 5 months old and beautiful. I think she going to do superbly in the breed ring. I also have the jumping up problem but she also barks at [people and dogs when we go walk a nd gets so excited and shrieky when I get to a puppy park or anywhere for that matter. She is so loving and beautiful though. That is the only two real issues with her. She plays with dogs and generally not scared of people too much. She also can go to peoples houses with dogs if they are friendly and get on there.
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@ January 28th, 2011 at 22:48Minette,
I have two border collie mix breeds who are both exceptionally wonderful and each a handful in their own way. Nesta is a 3 year old male with tendencies of excessive barking/whining/growling at any time of day if he hears anything walking by or even for no apparent reason at all. The whining is the most obnoxious and I feel awful because I do not know what he is trying to communicate to me or how to make it stop for my own sanity. He also nips at my toddler nephews and other family members when they try to enter my room. Torrey, on the other hand is a 5 year old female who is more easy going in the apartment but growls at the occasional passer by which sets off Nesta’s excitement and a bark-fest between the two begins. Also, when we are leaving the apartment morning, noon and night for our walks and park dates, Torrey becomes a deranged beast. Tugging on the leash or barking persistently until a toy or whatever object she can carry is in her mouth. (If we ever lose a ball at the park she has to carry the Chuckit(TM) so as to not make everyone– including herself– deaf. She has even ripped a doggy waste bag out of my hand thinking it was something I could throw for her to chase.) They both get worn out first thing in the morning at the park and two or more other times during the day. I am not sure what to do anymore. PLEASE HELP!
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@ March 20th, 2011 at 20:00Thank you for sharing this great synopsis. Together with the comments, it provides a great education for the uninitiated, and encouragement for those who have experienced similar challenges, and know that it is all about “understanding” first, and then “control”.
ernie pease
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@ May 4th, 2011 at 06:35Hi. Glad NOT to have one of these types of dogs. I know GSDs are from the herding group, but my dog tends more toward the guarding group. I never have problems with TV with my boy. He will watch bits of TV or the PC, listen to other dogs bark or make sounds that he is familiar with, but he never gets antsy about it. He likes to ride in the car, go to PetSmart to be around other dogs and check them out, but he never gets weirded out by them. He is intact (not neutered) just made 2 years old and is more interested in finding a female, besides playing with me, his cat, going for walks (chasing the occasional bird or squirrel) and keeping the mail lady or delivery people at bay. He has a sweet personality and really wants to find that girl of his dreams. I’m more interested in getting him in a closer conformation class for show. Just for stress training I take him farther away from home in different directions and let him lead us back. This is fantastic for the German Shepherd brain. He has an awesome memory, and I do everything I can to encourage him to use it. He most definitely does not have a ‘pea brain’. It amazes me how much he picks up day to day, and shows me he understands. Sometimes it’s scary when he does things, and I find I have underestimated his mental capacity. Exercise is very good for keeping him in shape and wards off boredom, but talking to him and even asking him simple questions using the same few words gives him the time to find a way to let me know he understands, if this is what he wants or if he just wants my attention for playtime. You’d be surprised to learn just how smart your German Shepherd is as apposed to some other dogs.
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Sherri Reply:
November 25th, 2011 at 10:34 am
Hi Penny, I was wondering where you live and if your GSD found the girl of his dreams. We have an 8 month old beautiful purebred but not papered GSD, Mikayla. I wanted to let her have at least 1 litter of pups before we spay her.
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Lovely article
I have a female German Shepherd Dog, Indie.
She sometimes does display some of these problems, but she gets around 2 hours of exercise a day so she is well behaved pretty much all the time. I love her
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@ May 5th, 2011 at 01:22Thank you for this great article on herding breeds. Yes I too am a fan and have had 3 GSD guide dogs over a 16 year period. My first 2 only displayed herding behavior when playing. However my current guide dog is by far my most challenging. She is 5 now and wants to herd things sometimes even while working. I can feel her body tension and changbe in pull trhougth the harness and yes sometimes she vocalizes. I lived in downtown Portland and had problames wiht skateboarders constntly targeting my guide dog riding at us comeing inches from us sometimes. I know part of her problme was although she was getting physical exercise walking and mental stimulation working she was not getting adequate play time. I had moved to 400 square foot studio apartment and she did not have a yard or any play space (my first and last time to ever make that kind of mistake). Maturity, more play time and more focusing work have helped. I do make her sit and use food to refocus her. I initially did not want ot use food thinking i was rewarding her however after doggie pushups (sit and down routines) were inaffective, good 2 handed leash corrections were ineffective I did find makign her sit and holding the treat up to my face making her focus on me really helped. She does much better. I know herding breed are rarely used any more for guide dogs but I love them and love the challenge of the breed adn excatly what you mentioned I love how they think but also recognize that they can easily become over stimulated in a hectic urban environment. Do you have any other suggestions for working on herding with skateboards? It would be much appreciated.
By the way I commend you for taking on the challenge of Malinoise. I love them but they are a handful. I see you like a dog that keeps you mentally stimulated too. I admit a personally get bored with a dog that presents absolutely no challenge in its every day work, I guess that is why I have not given in to the now common retriever you see working as guides for the blind.
Thanks
Mei Ling Wong
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Minette Reply:
May 6th, 2011 at 8:10 am
Mei,
I would work on desensitization, and get her at a safe level around skate boards all of the time. If the organization that placed her is around, I would request help from them! It is a good organization’s duty to help when their clients are struggling with behavior problems. If that is not possible I would request help from another sighted friend who can see the problem before you “feel” it. Then I would redirect with commands and a firm leave it! Working at a safe distance and then slowly approaching until the skateboards mean nothing. It will take some time, but I bet she will learn to ignore them and they will become less exciting the more she sees of them!
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Hi Everyone,
I have a 6 month old Chihuahua & she gets up every morning @ 4 a.m.
We go outside she goes for a small pee then wants to come back in to play. She will NOT return to her crate.
We walk 3-4 kil. a day to try & play her out but all she does is sleeps most of the day then goes to her bed on her own by 8-9 p.m.
What does evryone agree how could I change this habit of her’s.
Thanking You in Advance,
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@ May 24th, 2011 at 16:07I have a 1 year old sheltie who carries on barking every time I leave or close a door in front of him….He stops after a minute or two when I do not return …..He really carries on and is quite loud .
Does the same thing when someone pets him on the outside and then they leave …
any suggestions?
thank you in adviance
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@ June 6th, 2011 at 11:17We recently got a pure white German Shepard puppy. Her name is Rhoska and she is about 4 months old now. I know she will grow up to be a beautiful dog some day. And I can already sense that she is very intelligent.
So far we don’t experience too much problems with her, but she has the tendancy to urinate whenever she gets happy or excited or even when she thinks she is going to get scolded for doing something bad.
Will this pass over time or is there something I could do to teach her to stop doing it?
And do you have any other advice on how I can nurture her to be the beautiful dog she could become?
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Minette Reply:
June 24th, 2011 at 8:37 am
check out my other article, it will help you!
http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/submissive-urination/
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a great article thank you
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@ June 28th, 2011 at 07:41Weasel, my 8 year old Pembroke Corgi is a great big dog in a little body. He gets along well with my inside cats (9) and his brother, Doug The Pug. Occasionally chases the outside cats, but follows commands to stop well. Graduated near the top of his obedience classes. Great traveler! We drive to Florida every year and he rides in the back quietly and is a great motel dog. I love the little herders, Pembrook and Cardigan Corgis, Blue Healers are the only ones I have personal knowledge of. An Invisible Fence allows him to run the double city lot and keeps him and Doug safe. I’d recommend a Corgi to anyone who likes the herder attitude. DAR
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@ July 14th, 2011 at 07:27Hi there
Thank you for the information. I have a 1yr old Sheltie female Molly and she can be a challenge but I wouldn’t change her for the world. If you have any more info on how to deal with them let me know. Thank you again this article is a Godsend. She wakes both my husband and I at 5,30 every morning now I understand the herding instinct.
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@ August 8th, 2011 at 06:37Consider “scootering” or other pulling exercises for dogs who need an outlet for excess energy. I attended a pulling clinic that featured 4 dachshunds pulling a scooter together, a pair of Border Collies, several pit-types (Staffies and the like) and some Golden Retrievers in addition to the expected husky types. In the winter, these dogs go skijoring (pulling a person who is on skis) and sledding. In summer, they go “scootering.” Some of the larger ones also pull carts. The exercise requires only a handful of commands, can be done by dogs of all sizes and is fun for everyone!
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@ August 9th, 2011 at 07:04We have a Briard, Allie, and when we take her to the dog park, people either love her or hate her, depending on whether they “get” her natural instinct to herd their dogs! It’s a wonder to watch her race them at top speed and start circling them in tighter and tighter circles. I doubt she even knows why she’s doing it. Instinct is an amazing thing! Makes me wish I had a few sheep for her.
But those who don’t understand that herding instinct think she’s just being aggressive and, in all fairness, not all the dogs at the park particularly want to be herded! So it’s sometimes a problem. Definitely need to keep them busy.
Carol
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@ September 4th, 2011 at 10:21Great article on herding breeds. I did some research before buying my GSD. I’ve always adopted dogs but was willing to go through a breeder for my GSD, having never had one and knowing their reputation for being aggressive and stubborn. Kai just turned 2, and is beautiful, intelligent dog. I had him neutered at 18 months. At 3 months he was an ankle bitter, jump up, rip mom’s clothes pup, until a started swatting him on the rear with rolled up magazines. the behavior stopped in a day. I took him through obedience school at 7 months. He did well I used pinch collar because of his tendency to yip, spin, and melt down when he saw someone in the neighborhood on our walks that he wanted to say hi to. I could then walk him past anyone; kids, joggers, cats sitting on lawns, other dogs. He was perfect on leash. At about a year he went through a very painful ear infection and would growl at me when i got near him. I corrected him sternly, but it had little affect. At about 18 months, our walks became nightmares. He lunges( dislocated my finger once trying to hold him), at people walking down the street. The same with cats, although I have 4. He’s a barker and ignores me when i tell him quiet! He has more energy than anything I’ve ever met. I’ve given up walks for fear I won’t be able to hold onto him someday. The strange thing is, I can take him to Pet’s Mart and he’s an angel. people come up and pet him and he loves kids. I’ve resigned us to playing frisbee in the backyard. i try to give him at least 40 minutes of hard running exercise a day. We could go out at midnight and he would be ready to play. He also seems to be afraid of alot of things, I think that’s where alot of his aggression is coming from. I’m looking for ways to keep him busy and give him some confidence. He seems quite bonded to me but often doesn’t listen and other times he’ll do exactly what I want.
Patti
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Minette Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
http://www.thedogtrainingsecret.com/blog/utilize-gentle-leader-similar-head-halters-dog-training/
Try this, it will give you more control and you will be better able to control his aggression. Continue to use positive reinforcement, no more stern corrections!!!! Look through my articles for more help!
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Patti Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Thanks so much for your input, buy I’ve tried the gentle leader, no good! I also think, and I’ve known some of the best dog trainers around that a stern correction is sometimes warranted with an animal who always wants to be in charge. I’m not talking about abuse or hitting them over the head with a 2 by4, but they need to know you are the dominant force, and need to be obeyed. He gets plenty of love and affection and positive reinforcement also. I’m just baffled at the change in this dog. Maybe it’s just his age and the fact that his protective drive kicked in a little too strongly. As with people, they’re all different, and what works for one may not work for another. Thanks again.
Patti
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ADRIEL STEWART Reply:
October 2nd, 2011 at 8:24 am
I have a 17yr. 5yr. and 2yr. old austrailian shepherds… They can be a handful…but your blog has given me some helpful hint on the breed…My two males (17/2)are laid back and always listen to me…my female lynnelou is a runner and refuses to listen when outside…shes outta sight until she decides to come home so I have to keep her on leash because we live on the edge of town…for the two yrs. Iv’e owned her I have tryed to break her of this habit..with limited results… the other two stay at my side until I send them off..could it be because she was tied to a box for three yrs…when I take them for a ride her eyes bulge out and she wants to go after anything that moves…including oncomming cars..It took a yr. for me to teach her not to jump from the truck while it was moving…she’s come along way but still has a ways to go… when I got her she did’nt know any commands..now she know all I require but the running…any sugestions?..would be a help..I have tryed food…would run her in stripmines if she’d stay with me but last time I tryed she was gone for a day..regardless thank you for your blog I will look at her as a herder not as my girl and try to give her more activites…
Sue Reply:
February 4th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Years ago I had a rescue, Ruffian (picked his bloody body off the road after he was hit), If there was any way for him to run past anybody at an open door, hr shot out like a bullet. I never could break him of it but found early on that he felt he owned the car and would go with it. I would hop in the car and drive up and down the neighborhood allies as fast as he could run. In 10 minutes or so he was glad enough to have me open the door and allow him to collapse on the back seat.
This is no good for training but it kept him out of trouble and off the busy streets.
I have an almost two year old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. She has a very pleasant temperment. She only barks for alert and is submissive. She had stopped nipping but recently started it again when someone new comes and she wants their undivided attention. She does not jump on me, but she always jumps on guests unless controlled on the leash. I have tried to practice with willing friends, but it seems to take about 3 – 5 minutes for her to calm down and obey. Then she lays calmly at my feet. This is getting tiresome. I have trained her to be a certified therapy dog going to kindergarden, nursing homes, etc. and she is fine after the initial time to calm down. Of course, she is always leashed in those situations. Am I just lazy and not being consistent? I want the verbal command to work. Thanks for your help.
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@ October 2nd, 2011 at 20:17i have five dogs three ratterriers and one jackrussell and one jackrat puppy .there was peace in the house until the jack russell came. when she was a puppy they all played fine when hannah the jack russell was coming into heat she started getting agressive with mattey the smallest of all the rats she almost died .i nursed her back to health and she made it .and yes my dogs are spoiled not to the point they run me or the house. i’ve babied mattey but there all my babys and i love them all.the agression got pretty bad if anyone came to the door and they all went in there hannah the jack would attack mattey to the point of drawing blood and i had to reach in and pull them apart. there where two times i got bit and my hushband also when breaking them up. my hushband is not as patient as i am but hes not abusive . he had me get a shock colar and it worked while it was on her but i hated it. things slowed down and got better. hannah had puppys and i’ve just always kept an eye on both of them. it still happened if hannah thought mattey was going to get the attention so mattey kept her distance. it all stopped for a long time as i kept working with them without the colar and staying aware of the triggers with hannah. now the puppy is 4 months old and its starting up again and now shes going after my oldest rat cassie which is 9 years old. she wants to dominate and i see how she wants me for herself alot of times tryed everything i don’t want to give up on her because i love her shes apart of our family and she has alot of good in her and shes alot of fun. don’t know what else to do
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@ October 11th, 2011 at 08:11I have a 17 month old australian shepherd male. He exhibits all the traits you mention for herding dogs but the one thing that really upsets me is he doesn’t only herd my cats, if he gets hold of one he grabs it by the neck and shakes it. he has actually drawn blood. When he was about 5 months old he almost killed one of my cats who was then a kitten. how do i stop this. i do know he needs more exercise and attention. My daughter wanted a pup for my granddaughter so i bought him for her last year. she was supposed to do the training and care. she moved out in january of this year and i was left to take care of him. i am 65 and i work full time. do you have any suggestions as to how i can best train him and exercise him. i have some health problems so i’m not very energetic but i do love him and i don’t want to get rid of him. i hope some day my daughter will be in position to take him. right now he’s too wild for her to have in an apartment. I desperately need help. What will neutering do for him?
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Gordon Reply:
January 24th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Pat, I’m on my second Aussi. My first one lived for fifteen years and I now have a six year old mini Aussi and I understand the issues you are having and I fear that if your Aussi does not get some training she could possibly bite someone or a your granddaughter. His behavior will only get worse. Please see if you can’t find it a good home with someone who understands this wonderful breed and its need for exercise.
I trained my mini to chase and catch a Frisbee. He loves it and we do it a minimum of every other day. We take walks if we can’t play catch.
Good luck, Gordon
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I have a standard poodle. Would he be considered a herder?
Thank You
Ken Greely
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@ October 16th, 2011 at 13:08thanks for the info; I have two border collie puppies at this time: the male just turned one and is much easier to handle then the younger female! the female Is turning one next month also and is more aggresive with children and other dogs. she likes to herd kids as well as men and I admit I am lacking in the mental stimulation. She barks and growls aggressively as well as nips other dogs both at our house and when she is a guest. We have just stopped taking her out as a result. any advice to what i should start with? it would be very appreciated!
Zoe
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Minette Reply:
November 29th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
work on obedience and teach her impulse control! She is trying to control her world but needs to learn that you are in control!
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Zoe Reply:
December 4th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Ok sounds good, i’ll give it a try!
thanks!
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I have a Great Pier – born ll-ll-l0
He is wonderful
Large- very smart – very much a puppy yet
will reread this article – thanks
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@ November 29th, 2011 at 16:15My tri-colored Sheltie (Jet) is so much happier when he gets enough exercise. I good frisbee session, long walks and our weekly agility class does the trick. (Although he still enjoys trying to herd our two cats)
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Minette Reply:
November 30th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
hehehe my cats get herded occasionally too! Such is the life of a cat living with a herding dog!
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Hi,
Well have a Belgian sheepdog female, spade and she is a certified therapy dog and also the Red Cross Dog for our community. Super smart, very obedient, super going to care homes, great at home, but has one very annoying problem. Before I get to a home or the Post Office or home or wherever she has once been and taken out she starts barking……She will not stop have tried everything known and of course will not put an electric shock collar on such a great dog, so maybe you have an idea????
Kathleen
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@ December 31st, 2011 at 07:54Thankyou for the letter. I have a Blue cattle dog ( Shadow ) who has been showing many of the characteristics you mentioned. I will endeavour to try and stimulate him more both mentally and physically.
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@ January 26th, 2012 at 00:13Hi Minette,
I have just adopted a Shepard mix but he looks more of a Boxer mixed with Irish Setter. My issue is that I have a 13 year old cat and she is good with dogs, but the new dog Dorado he is 6 yrs old, and he has no aggressive manners nor is he being mean, but he wants to heard my cat and it really scares here. I tried to introduce them and he just lunged at her and so I put her up stairs but that is not fair to her since this was her house first; I have called several places about this type of manner and asked if it is trainable? I have been told that it will take time, with some training; I have gone on line to look up this issue and not much is out there for this type of issue so I am asking for some helpful insight.
Dorado is very smart, well mannered, he obeys simple commands, likes his create, lets you know if he has to go out side, I put a pincher collar on him for walks so he does not pull, takes a bath well, he is very affectionate. What are some of the things to do to stimulate him I do live in a large farming community but I don’t know anyone yet since we just moved here to WI.
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Minette Reply:
April 29th, 2012 at 11:12 am
You are going to need to put him on a leash in the house. I would not use the prong collar on him during this, as you don’t want him to associate the cat with pain or discomfort.
Also make sure the cat has a place to get away from him, she should have her own little room free of dog smell or surprise visits.
Now you must teach him to leave it and to do down stays at your feet until he shows absolutely no interest in the cat at all.
I have taken hundreds of dogs from shelters and brought them into my home, my first rules were that the dogs were always on a leash and never able to get to my cats and that my cats had their own room in case they were just so disgusted by the dog they needed a place to go
Good luck, set boundaries and you will see success in no time!
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