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Aries
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Location: Yeovil, UK
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15-03-2007, 12:51 PM

My dog seems aggressive

Hi there, just in need of some advise really.

My partner and I have just adopted a 4 month old dog. She is lovely with us most of the time but not anyone else and after the first week she has started barking at night and showing aggressive behaviour. She has a lot of energy so we walk her twice a day, but she growls and barks at people (even if walking in different direction on the other side of the road) cars, bikes, children, any noise really.

At home if she hears any noise from outside or the neighbours house she starts barking really loud. I'm too afraid to let her into the garden as she barks and scares the neighbours and next door has a dog which they let out most of the day, and she sends my dog crazy just by being there.

Today as I was putting the rubbish out she tore into the bag and took out an old pizza slice which I tried to gently take away put she barked and growled and nearly took my hand off. I had never seen her act so aggressively.

We've never shown her any anger and have been training her with a clicker. She can now sit and shake hands. She's biten my son's arm twice just while he was watching TV and i'm not sure what to do now really. She's usually obedient when its just me and her but out of the house she forgets all training and seems scary.

Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to improve things please. We have owned a dog before (although she has passed away now) but haven't really come across this behaviour before. At night time she doesn't whine or cry when left alone, just barks loudly for ages.
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Ramble
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15-03-2007, 01:03 PM
Is she a rescue?
4 months is very young, still a real pup, but it's time enough to have had a tough old start in life. How long have you had her for?
Before you can start sorting her behaviour , it helps to have a good idea of why she may be acting like this.
BC's are reknowned for their herding behaviour which could well be why she's barking at cars etc, but then if she has always lived in a kennel and not come across things like that before she may also be very fearful. Her protecting food may also be rooted in something else.
As for biting, it may well be no one has taught her bite inhibition, she will also, at 4 months, be teething....
Probably not a help, sorry, but hopefully may be able to help more (as will many others more knowledgable than me) when we get a clearer picture of where she's come from!
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Aries
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15-03-2007, 01:54 PM
Hi, thanks for your quick reply.

We got her from a family whose child was aparently allergic to dog fur, they didn't know this until they had got a dog. They said she was lovely, no problems at all, its just that their children come first. We visited the puppy a week before we decided to take her home and it's only a few weeks later that she's showing these problems.

I've just had a look at some of the stickies and things and I think a lot of this must just be puppy behaviour. Thinking back now, I should have offered her a treat and asked her to drop the pizza rather than atempt to just take it away.

Maybe all this is due to lack of exposure to the real world from the start.
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Hali
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15-03-2007, 03:09 PM
Hi there and welcome to Dogsey.
I'm not a trainer/behaviourist, but would just make the following suggestions.

One thing to remember about border collies is that the vast majority do need to be worked and they do need to understand their role within the family.

'Work' can include retrieving a ball, learning tricks etc., but they do need to use their brains as well as their bodies. You don't say whether you play with toys etc. with her, but if you don't, you may well find that she will focus so much on playing with a ball that she will lose interest in barking etc. at other dogs/people (though of course at her age, you do need to be careful about the amount of exercise you give her). When on the lead, you can carry the toy and distract her with it as bikes/people pass etc.

I find that my BCs will be more attentive over a toy (particularly a squeeky one) than food. It also helps if you have a special toy which she doesn't get to play with all the time - only when you decide. When finised, the toy gets put away.

Collies are very bright & pick things up very quickly...but this means bad habits as well as good. They will quickly learn what they have got away with and will do it again and again. You need to be firm (not harsh) and consistant with the training and this should include your son (if he is old enough to get involved in her training - you don't say).

When she does something you don't like, as well as stopping her doing this, you should show her what she is to do instead (e.g. chewing something she shouldn't have - give her something she is allowed to chew).


Puppy training classes would be a very good idea, if possible try to find one that has some experience of collies.(shouldn't make any difference if the trainer is a good one, but it will give you confidence to know that they understand the breed.)

It may also be worth considering a behaviourist, not necessarily because she needs one, but to help you understand her, why she does things and the best way for preventing unwanted behaviour.

Good luck and let us know how you get on
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Wysiwyg
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15-03-2007, 03:47 PM
Agree with the above advice and suggestions

I'd also suggest some reading material: try Understanding the Border Collie by Carol Price, an excellent book. Perhaps also get a mag every month, Dogs Today and Your Dog often have useful behaviour and training articles in and taken over the year can add to an owner's knowledge substantially I feel.

Also maybe get "Why does my Dog?" by John Fisher - don't take too much notice of any rank theories he may mention as he did a public U turn on them just before he sadly died, but the book generally is very interesting and owner friendly.

Books by Gwen Bailey are always good, I like her "What is my dog thinking?" and feel it is an essential for many dog owners to just help tune in to canine body language.

Also see if near you, you have a good trainer:

http://www.puppyschool.co.uk/uk_train.html

or

http://www.apdt.co.uk/trainers_area.asp?area=Somerset

Always pop along to a class and see if you like the methods used As mentioned, I'd be thinking about a very special toy which can be used as a special play/training reward to get her ever so slightly obsessed with - collies will often become easier if toy trained.

Wys
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Aries
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15-03-2007, 05:01 PM
Thankyou very much for all your advice and suggestions.

She has loads of toys to play with, she especially likes the squeeky ones, although she seems to become bored of them very quickly. I didn't think of having a special toy that she can only play with at certain times, i'll have to try that. We've been playing fetch in the garden when the neighbours aren't out but she soon gets bored of that aswell.

Next time we'll take a toy with us when we go for a walk. She doesn't want treats when we're out for some reason but the squeeky toy should get her attention!

I'll look into sorting out training classes and those books you suggested, thanks again all.
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Hali
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15-03-2007, 05:10 PM
Originally Posted by Aries View Post
She has loads of toys to play with, she especially likes the squeeky ones, although she seems to become bored of them very quickly.
when the toys are there all the time, dogs often do get bored of them (though I still like to leave my two with a few to play with anytime they want). My two get so eager & excited when their 'special' balls (1 each) come out, yet I have had these special ones as long as some of the others which they are completely bored with.

Its partly up to you to make the game as exciting as possible, but I think its also a good idea for you to finish the game before she gets bored... leave them wanting more!
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Wysiwyg
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15-03-2007, 06:35 PM
Yes! there's an art to using toys - always leave them wanting more and, the toys belong to you and you allow your dog to play with them when they've done something fab (well that's thegeneral idea anyway ).

Terriers tend to love squeaky toys, dogs who chase often go for balls/frisbees/kongs on ropes.

My Belgian loves her kong on a rope as it is a bit unpredictable and often makes her work to get it as it bounces...

She's only allowed it for training and for special play times, and for making good choices...never is it just left around for her to chew and play with as then it loses its appeal as already mentioned...:smt002

Wys
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Ramble
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15-03-2007, 08:39 PM
Sorry just come back on!!!
I agree with everyhting thats been said above. your pup is displaying puppy behaviour, BCs are full of energy, but more importantly, they need their brains exercising on a daily basis. Don't be scared by that. that can also mean as well as decent runs etc, a good couple of 10 min training sessions a day. The books Wys suggested are a great start for you!!! i'm sure you'll get it all sorted!!!
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