Tassie

So here's another opportunity to think not just in terms of what you don't want, but in terms of what you would like to see Tuffy be doing instead. This is where you could use your crate or your x-pen to help Tuffy be "correct" .. remember, make the right thing easy and the thing you don't want more difficult. So your meal times could be an opportunity for Tuffy to spend a little time in his crate - or his x pen - some confinement space in an area where he can still see you … with a nice tasty chew thing .. not sure what you could use .. but something like a frozen chicken wing or a dog chew. You will find after a few days, that as soon as he sees you all getting ready for your meal, he will start to take himself off to his "special place" to get his chew. Think always of "can I get the pup to want to do what I want him to do" … think of how to build value in the pup's mind for that, rather than rewarding him with attention for doing what you don't want..... yes, even though you think you're correcting him, in his mind, you're paying attention to him … guess who won.. Again, if you can be consistent with this, your smart little man will learn in no time.

Another one who'd be calling the vet's number and see if they have an emergency contact on there. I'd also add .. keep checking that he's hydrated .. (check that his gums are not getting sticky ) .. and check the colour of his gums and the capillary reflex (press thumb or finger in and check the time before the pale are where you pressed pinks up again. Hope he settles down with continued cool and rest.

Here a Link to a version of Susan Garrett's famous It's Yer Choice Game … which is kind of an expanded version of what @persephone is saying. You can play it sitting in a chair to start with .. which is easier, as you can anchor your elbow to your knee to stop you jerking your hand away if the pup starts mugging the food. It's important not to do this .. just to keep your fist closed, and enjoy watching whata the puppy does next. Jerking your hand away will encourage the puppy to grab at you.

My first thing (because I'm a worry wort} would be a vet check ..just in case there is a UTI or some medical problem. I would be crate training the pup .. it is very unusual for pups to toilet in their sleeping area. And I confine pups with an x pen, with maybe an area with newspapers or your fake grass, and a box or crate, when I can't be actively supervising .. i.e. watching puppy like a hawk for signs he needs to pee. I take pup out on a light lead, after eating, after waking up, after playing .. the key times they will need to wee .. and just wait around near the area they like to toilet. When you get success, reward the pup. It can be a pain to be watching like this, but it is really only for a few weeks. The other super important thing is to clean up any accidents in the house with a specially formulated enzymatic cleaner, otherwise pup has marked toilet spots he will return to. Oh, and if you do see him start to pee in the wrong place, quickly pick him up (that will usually turn off the flow, and take him outside .. then you can tell him he's a good boy when he toilets appropriately. How long have you had the pup? I'd be asking the breeder if the pups had a particular surface they were used to peeing on.

I'd second crate training. I prefer to have pups sleeping in a crate beside my bed, so that if they stir in the night, I can just talk to them and remind them it's sleepy time .. my current youngster, I just put a finger into the crate, she has a little nibble and then settles. If the pup does need to go out to toilet, then you can quickly pop a leash on, take him out, no excitement, take him to an area he likes to pee - bushes, grass .. wait .. be boring ,, tell him he's clever when he pees, then quietly take him back to his crate, pop him in with a treat. The advantage of having pups really close, is that they don't have the chance to work themselves up as they can if the humans are not close .. then the human eventually comes along .. and the pup has achieved company by barking. Not actually what you want.

@Sunny1979, it sounds as though you're making good progress with Tuffy, and that you're starting to really enjoy him. Just remember, he is still a baby, becoming a toddler, so some things he will learn quickly, others not so quickly, and like a human toddler, he will sometimes forget things, or make not so good choices. Learning behaviours that we want, is an ongoing process, rather than a tick off list. So it's helpful to think of each behaviour as a work in preogress, that you will gradually be able to grow and improve. I'm thinking particularly of the "Wait" cue. (Notice that in modern dog training, we use "cue" - a word and or physical signal that is attached to a behaviour and prompts the dog to do it. We tend not to use "command", because that suggests do this thing or else ,,,,. It's a small point, but it does tend to change our way of looking at our training, and assessing how it's going.) So for the Wait .. think about what the finished behaviour will look like, then break it down into very small segments, and gradually build it up. So it might be "can you wait in that place/or in that position while I move away from you ...maybe one step and then return - maybe only moving say your right foot, and then back .. mark and reward success. Then you would very gradually increase distance, or duration in tiny increments .. not both at once. You'd also start in a low distraction area, and gradually add more distractions as the pup begins to understand what you're asking. So you will be progressively increasing distance, duration/time, and distractions, as Tuffy has success. The basic rule is not to make things more difficult till you're having 80% or better success at one level. You can also "yo-yo" around with distance and time .. some shorter, some longer, but with the average gradually increasing. The wait will also become clearer to Tuffy if you are clear and consistent in what you are expecting. If you are returning to Tuffy to reward, you will mark and reward when you get back. If you are going to want Tuffy to come to you, than you need to make that clear by using his release word to give him permission to break the wait. I use the same release word I use for permission to go out a door, get out of the car, etc. The biting clothes thing will eventually go away as he gets older .. again, you just need to be consistent in the interrupt/replace with a toy … every time. I think it took about 3 wees of that to get rid of trackpant tugging with my boy when he was a pup. And as for chewing things left lying within the puppy's reach … ummm…. I eventually learnt to pick things up and put them out of reach. … consistently.

Reading what you said about the small wee after the bigger one …. I guess my first thought would be a vet check, to make sure that there is no mechanical issue. I totally get what you're saying about the dangers outside. the only solutions to that if you wanted to leave her outside unsupervised for a while would be a roofed Exercise pen. Does she ever do a wee on the fake grass .. if so, I would get a few more squares and put them outside. You haven't said if she stops to wee while she's having playtime outside. If so, has she got a preference for substrate // dirt, short grass, long grass, under shade … etc. etc. I would just walk slowly with her on leash when you first get her up in the morning ..(be ahead of her waking up by herself), and just keep doing boring walking .. and observe. (So let her choose the spot, not you.

Thanks for sharing her journey and her gentle and dignified passing with us, @tdierikx.

Oh Yay … what a great update about your little dude @crazydoglady99. He must feel so good being able to resume normal 'service' .. like reogranising washing basket . Long may the good recovery continue.

Please don't think of the crate (or xpen) in terms of "restricting Tuffy's freedom". Yes, it does that .. but is part of teaching Tuffy some boundaries, and giving him a safe place where he can't be pushing you for attention, or getting into trouble, and where he can learn to relax. Funny story … my pushy little 22 month old Border Collie girl has been crate trained from the start. She has always had her meals in a crate, whether at my house, or when we're staying in dog friendly accommodation in another city. Today at lunchtime, the dogs were getting some oil out of a can of tuna in their bowls, as a special treat. My Pippa puppy turned to run to her crate … but it wasn't there .. had it up to wash the floor. She was such a puzzled puppy, but accepted that it was OK when I put the bowl down in the position in the room where the rate would be. And reading what @persephone was saying about dealing with a pushy toddler …. it truly is not easy, especially when they do cute and adorable so well. I'm an experienced dog owner, trainer and instructor …. but this week I still needed someone watching a training video to point out that while I was busy training my older dog, I let my youngster get away with backchatting me, and pushing me to do what she wanted, when she wanted it ….. and I do know better . So just as you can't expect Tuffy to be perfect straight awy, be kind to yourself too, and don't expect too much of yourself. We all make mistakes, and learn as we go on. The important thing is to work out what the boundaries and rules are .. dogs like to know those, even if they rebel sometimes .. just like people, then teach them to the puppy .. good things happen to puppies who do the what we are teaching them, not if they don't. but we will patiently keep showing them and being consistent, and rewarding a darned good try. It's a lifelong journey, based on a caring and loving relationship.

Hi Binz. Ness might not be on here today, so may not get back to you quickly. But I think this FB group might be the one .. or if not .. might have some useful stuff. I don't know as much about BCC as Ness, but I know a bit. At least in some dogs, it is not just heat that can trigger a collapse episode .. humidity plays a role, but part of the trigger stacking at least for some dogs may well be excitement/arousal/stress. You're right in that a lot of vets are not too knowledgeable about BCC, so the more you can find out, the better. In terms of management, you need to learn your dog's triggers, and try to avoid them. or at least avoid the stacking. .. so not running round too muh in the heat … short spells, then rest .,.. preferably with access to a warm paddling pool. Immediate first aid .. stop activity, and get the dog to somewhere where you can wet particularly the belly area with luke warm (not really cold) water, and have them relax in a cool shady place. You've probably discovered these sources, but I'll link them anyway https://www.vetmed.umn.edu/research/labs/canine-genetics-lab/genetic-research/border-collie-collapse https://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/causes-border-collie-collapse-syndrome-7210.html http://bordercolliesinaction.com/blog/border-collie-collapse-bcc/ http://www.usask.ca/vmc/small-animal/medicine/border-collie-collapse.php

It won't hurt Tuffy to have boundaries established for his behaviour .. although he might try to convince you that he's being badly treated, and he will likely have temper tantrums .. he's a baby becoming a toddler. Puppies coming into my house do not have free run of the house the whole time. At night they sleep in crates beside my bed ..we have a bedtime routine .. outside on lead for toilet, inside to pick up treats, then off to the bedroom to get in the crate .. get treats, door shut, crate covered if it's not too hot, and goodnight. If puppy stirs in the night, I can just put my fingers in the crate, to settle pup down again .. or when they're very little, get them out of the rate, on lead, outside to toilet, thenthe bedtime routine again. For my pups, crate time is very special .. their meals are fed in the crate, their best treats come when they're in their crate for nap time , and they have to sit politely (as they do at doors, gates, car door etc., for permission to get out. It's just habit after a while. But you need to be consistent. I also use x pens to limit the pup's freedom to roam in the hose when they are young. Once they can be trusted, the x pen can go .. but it's handy if for instance you have visitors and want the pup to be safe and calm and not bugging, or being bugged by the visitors. Each puppy we get improves our skills as dog trainers and responsible owners .. but that doesn't mean we get it right all the time. Just today, I was laughing when I read a comment from a trainer in an online course I'm doing... this was reviewing a video of some work with my 22 month old Border Collie pup. .."Don't let her dictate to you when it's her turn..... She needs to learn to be patient. she is a really smart girl and i think will always try to push to see what she can get away with." And I've owned and been training dogs for over 30 years … so I really should know better. But each puppy challenges us to do better. You are doing a great jov of observing Tuffy's behaviour, and finding out information about what

Probably not the worst, but I would say not the best .. and although he talks about acquiring foundation stock from an ANKC breeder who was retiring, there is not mention of ANKC registration, and the Teacup thing would be a red flag for me. (Check the warning about Teacups on the DOL breeders page). Another red flag for me would be that the website is pretty much all marketing .. a little personal information, but no pictures/details about parents of the pups on offer. And in one of the testimonials, there is a mention of ' the building", and ""staff .. all sounds a bit commercial. @persephone … it does say they're in Darwin … but perhaps there has been a bit of copying and pasting in the construction of the website.

Mine are picking and eating little green apples too .. so I'm getting pretty herbivore poos sometimes, but maybe not to Bindi's extent. I believe that's right about the phosphorus . and magnesium, in veg water. ANd the cooked sweet potato shouldn't hurt.

My dogs don't think it's abnormal. And Sunday at Dog CLub, Pippa had a nice little on lead play with her good BC friend Molly .. then next minute, they were side by side happy eating grass … so maybe the grass is really good at this time of year. (Mine aren't doing it to induce vomiting either .. just coas they can.

Aargh .. typed reply, hit wrong button .. lost it. Anyhow .. I really don't know much about SM .. just read up on it a bit because of friends with Cavs and knowing a few breeders. I think it's pretty rare here, and AFAIK it requires MRI. Reading a bit more about it yesterday, it was probably a red herring, since an affected dog would likely be showing more symptoms. Being the worry wort that I am, if this were my dog, I would probably be requesting a neuro specialist consult, because of the OCD. I do feel sorry for the OP, seeing this behaviour in an otherwise sweet dog of a sweet breed. I would certainly be trying to bring the appointments forward, although in view of the workload, that could be difficult. It's very stressful all round, and anything that would reduce the time those stress hormones are circulating in the boy, would have to be a plus. Hence why I would be looking at a crate or at least a solid xpen.

A few thoughts. This is a fairly unusual behaviour in a CKCS I would have thought. So it would be ringing alarm bells for me. Have you discussed it with his breeders .. they may have come across it somewhere in the breed before and may have some ideas. And because of his breed, I would be cheking whether the lines behind him were clear as far as possible to determine, of Syringomyelia. And as far as crate training goes..... I would be considering giving it a go. If he loves his food, then it would really be a matter of putting his food in his crate when he is not in the room, then opening the door and leaving him to it. Is your VB a trainer as well? Sometimes VBs who also train can have some really valuable suggestions. .

My two have Blackmore's Paw Osteocare .. biggish circular treat .. you could break it into smaller bits to hide in other treats I guess. Mine just gobble them, but then they are not fussy at all about what goes in their mouths. Originally recommended to us by a rehab vet. Other people have had Dasuquin treats recommended. They do come in large dog and small dog versions.

Good luck with your appointment today, and yes, you are fortunate being in Melbourne with lots of great specialists in various fields. Down here in Tassie, for the really specialist stuff, we're reliant on visits from mainland specialists who come down every 6 weeks or so.

If your vet hasn't already suggested it, if the puppy were mine, I think I'd be raising the question of maybe a referral to a vet cardiologist.

@Sunny1979, you and Tuffy are doing a good job of learning together. There are some great resources out there on relationship based and reward based training. Have a look on YouTube for Kikopup and Donna Hill, just as a start. Remember that you are actually training Tuffy all the time, .. or he's training you. So it's really important to be mindful, as you are being. And if you reach the end of your patience, or Tuffy is showing you he's either too excited or too tired to learn, then a little timeout in his crate or x pen is a great idea. I using a toy or a substitute chew toy to redirect the chewing activity you don't want, the idea is to teach him that it's OK to chew and play with the substitute you're offering .. toy, cardboard roll or whatever, so you use the little interrupt noise, then tease him a bit with the toy to get him interested and let him play with that. It can take quite a lot of repetitions .. took 3 weeks to persuade my Border Collie pup when he was young that pants tugging was not OK, but playing tug with other things or chewing them was.. In terms of general obedience type training, the general rule is to teach the behaviour first .. as you're doing with having him follow your food lure, mark and reward what you like, and only when the pup is doing the behaviour pretty well, do you start to put a word on it. (Thinks if someone gave you an order in a language you did not understand, and expected you to obey it. This is why modern dog training tends to use the word "cue" rather than "command" .. words like sit are cues to prompt the dog to give you a behaviour he already knows. As far as the grooming goes, it can be really helpful to use something like a frozen food puzzle toy, or even a mug with something like peanut butter smeared around the inside of it and then frozen. This occupies the pup, and leaves you with hands free for the grooming. If you are consistent with using this one particular thing, I would bet Tuffy will be begging you to groom him.

@persephone You know me too well, .

All of the above. And .. did the vet check for a microchip? The place he came from (much!! too young ) should have given you his vaccination and worming history, and the papers to transfer the microchip details to your name. If not, when he's settled down, please get the vet to microchip him, and then make sure you put your details on the microchip record.

Good that her distressing symptoms seem to be diminishing, sheena. I'd be considering the holistic consult too. The one I see gave Kirra a (Chinese) herbal arthritis pain relief powder which would be gentle on her kidneys. It seemed to be effective (although my regular vet - who tolerates my eccentricities in using some alternative therapies - did point out that there were some kidney sparing pain meds available now). Kirra seemed to do well on the herbal stuff, so I kept going with that.

Thia! And another techniques you can try to teach her to eat them more thoughtfully, is to hold part of the wing in your hand while the dog chews on the rest. This can also help to make them more careful when taking treats generally. But at this time of year, frozen is the go.