MayaBC

Thanks everyone. Hopefully it's just the season then - cos my vacuum is getting a fair workout at the moment!

Thanks DBT No, she isn't desexed, we did wonder about her being on heat. It isn't really time for it, but perhaps it could be that. She was on antibiotics and pain killers twice a day for a week after her visit to the vet. Then was out at my parents farm from the very next morning for a week. I hated leaving her when she'd only just been stitched up, but it shouldn't have been stressful for her - she is there a lot and loves my parents, plus I hardly call sitting in their lounge room in front of the fire with cuddles all week stessful! But they did say though for the first couple of days she wasn't her usual self, didn't know if it was because she was still a bit sore or if it was because she was missing us. She seems well enough - still dropping her ball at my foot begging me to throw it to her, so hopefully it's one of those couple of things, or just that time to shed. Thanks again DBT, I'll keep and eye on it and if it doesn't settle Ill call the vet (who happens to by my best friend, but I don't like using her up!).

Hi all Our 2 year old Border Collie cut her foot about a week ago (not sure what on, but she's crazy and reckless and obviously managed to find something). She ended up at the vets and they sedated her, flushed it out and stitched it. She also had her vaccinations while she was out - minus heartworm vaccine because that scares me! Anyway, we were leaving for a ski trip the next day and she was staying with my parents. Now we are back and have noticed that she is shedding like crazy. They also said she was shedding lots too. She usually sheds a bit being a fluffy BC, but this is much larger amounts than normal. I would have thought now was a little early for her to be shedding her winter coat - am I wrong? I was wondering otherwise if it could be a reaction to the antibiotics? Anyone have any suggestions?

Hmm, I agree - ;) Sorry, but the post didn't really make sense.

We had the same thing with our pup. We had a 14yr old dog, and a 4 yr old to introduce her to. We had an area of the backyard sectioned off that she couldn't get out of, but was around the other 2. The other two dogs could have jumped in there had they wanted to, but knowing their personality's, we knew there would only be a problem if she was allowed out with them and annoyed them. We kept her in that yard when we weren't around, for a couple of weeks until we had watched them playing together while we were around, to know that she would be alright. At a pretty young age though she was pretty confident and could look after herself! As for teaching them to play gently, ours just kind of knew, and the pup would yelp if it got a bit much for her too, and they would back off, but most of the time the pup was the rough one so we were more worried about the 14yr old with arthritis and bad eye sight getting beaten up by the crazy little pup.

Did think about that, but he's so old and wobbly now that he is just a pet, and only stays around the main house yard so he can hear enough to come back, if he runs out the gate to the paddock that's when there is a problem, but he doesn't do that often. Unfortunately I don't think he will be around much longer, has had a pretty good innings though.

Thanks Midol and dancinbcs. Yeah, just a pet, we won't be showing her or anything, we live a couple of hours from Adelaide and don't really have the time to put into it. The local obedience class also does agility afterwards which I thought would be good for her, she would love it. But am feeling increasingly uncomfortable about the choker chain, so I might just train her at home. We have two other dogs (and have had many previously) on my parents farm. All of which we have trained at home. One of them would come 99 per cent of the time (the one percent is if she found a kangaroo to chase across the paddock) She sits, stays, drops all of that, won't bring a ball back if you throw it to her, she thinks it's a game and you are supposed to chase her to get it back. The other is about 15 now and probably couldn't hear us calling, so that's a different story. Both of those dogs though would be a different story in terms of recall if they were in the town around others though I think. I do feel comfortable training her, and I might see about doing one or so private lessons in the city if I'm not having any luck with her at home. We have 10 acres which I would love to be able to let her run free on when we are outside, so recall if my main concern, of which she has about 20% at the moment, and that's being generous.

Thanks dancinbcs, and everyone who has replied. I am leaning more and more away from going to this dog obedience class. I have heard from other people who have said that this particular class only allows the use of choker chains, but I really need to ask her. I might even get hubby to ring her as a new customer (she doesn't know him) and get him to ask, that way I can take more time to make the decision rather than when I am on the phone to her. I walked the pup for the first time on the road in the town last night, with a friend and her dog who had been to this class. She said that she was taught how to put it on, and how to use it, but I still don't feel that confident. She did really well walking, a little bit of side to side to start with and was pulling a bit, but I think having the other dog there (who she had never met before) helped, she seemed to copy him and got the general idea after a while (definitely not perfect though!). Definitley agree with you dancinbcs about not training for more than 10 mins, she has a short attention span as it is, trying to get her to do anything is a challenge, especially if there are other dogs around. Do people think that going to classes etc is the best/only way to train, or is it possible to get a dog well trained by doing it at home?

Thanks BigBen, will have a look at the site. And yeah, she is delightful, most of the time! Thanks - i am thinking that going along and watching is probably the go. I might ring her and ask about the collar, she was pretty specific about it on the phone though when I spoke to her. Hmmm. I am starting to think more and more that a choker chain is not a goer on her, is there a reason you say particularly a BC - I'm guessing because of how energetic they are? I agree. The last thing you want, no matter what tools are used, is to go to a class you're not comfortable with. Tools are only one part of the class, the most important part is the instructor and their capacity to pass on their knowledge in an effective way. If you attend by yourself first, you'll be able to observe properly without worrying about your dog and what it is doing. If the lady is a nice as she sounds, hopefully you're on a winner! That said, I have a close friend who had a BC. They attended a check chain class in the early 90's and she literally could not check her dog. It just didn't sit with her personality and it wasn't something she was comfortable with so every time she tried she made a hash of it. She got very distressed at herself for not being tough enough but he was not a problem dog and if someone had shown her some alternatives she was a consistent and smart woman and would have been able to do them fine. This board can be a bit religious about training tools sometimes. You are not obliged to do anything with your dog that you are not comfortable with no matter what anyone says or implies about your character. As long as you keep an open mind and a clear eye about what is in your dog's best interests you will be fine. If that means that instead of attending this class, you use the money to travel to buy a couple of one-on-one lessons from a recommended trainer that's a better option than putting yourself and your dog through something that is stressful and uncomfortable for you. That goes for positive classes as well, they can also be a waste of time with the wrong instructor. This is my problem at the moment, my hubby just said to me that we would be pretty arrogant to rock up and say nah, not using a choker chain when he reckons she would know more than us. Yeah, might be right, but if I don't feel comfortable about it, I don't reckon our puppy is going to be either. I like the idea of travelling to get one on one training, that might make more sense. This is how I feel, I am in no way new to dogs, but i am new to choker chains and don't want to hurt her and have it end up having the opposite than desired effect. I am pretty protective of this one so am a bit over cautious perhaps so hopefully I will notice if I'm hurting her! Thanks all for your advice!!! Sounds like I was thinking along the right lines. The class stars up again first sunday in feb, so I might head down there for a look before I go with the pup. She sounded really lovely on the phone and said if in between then and the class starting I had any questions or needed any help to give her a ring, so she is really approachable and obviously willing to provide help where she can. I dare say she has probably had others with the same concerns. I just realised also, that my best friend who is a local vet (and has a sister to my BC Pup) took her other dog to the same classes about 10 years ago, so even if things have changed a bit since, I might still quiz her on it.

Hi All, I have searched the forum for info on this and read through. I know it has been talked about a number of times, but wanted to ask for the specifics of my situation. I live in country SA, with only one dog obedience class within an hour, or probably 2, of me. This particular dog obedience class requires the use of choker chains. I haven't been there yet as they have been off over xmas etc, so don't know if it's just for the entire session, or if they recommend them for at all times. I have a 5 month old Border Collie, who is just gorgeous, by gorgeous I mean she is cuddly, affectionate.....disobedient, insolent, crazy, psycho etc etc , but has the most beautiful little nature. She comes when called... if she wants to, and when walked on the lead.... she pulls like crazy. She will sit.... if there is food involved or you are holding a toy or random item that she would like to chew on. She is very clever and has potential, she's just a little hyperactive at the moment, hence going to dog obedience. Given that she is 5 months old and pulls when on a lead the way she does, is a choker chain a bad idea? I would have no idea how to fit it correctly which worries me, as I have never used them with any of our other dogs (hopefully when there they would teach me the correct method, but who knows?). I am concerned that she maybe too young? And that obviously with her pulling I might hurt her. I am not terribly keen on the idea to say the least, but then she needs the obedience lessons so I might not have a choice as going to another class isn't really an option. The person who runs the class sounds lovely on the phone, really helpful , and have spoken to a friend who took her dog through there and she said she had the same concerns as me but it was fine. Guess I'm just after someone to tell me that I am being a softy and that my little girl will be fine!

Whether the pen is 1mx1m or 1mx2m, I think our point here, well mine anyway is that he shouldn't be in a pen at all. I think that is the problem, not the solution. Do you mean from Dinner as in lunch or tea? If you mean tea, I really don't think you are letting them out enough. That would mean that the dog is really only allowed out and about for 3 hours or so a day, then the little walks, really doesn't seem like enough to me, especially when they are caged in a 1mx1m pen.

1mx1m seems tiny to me, that is the size roughly of our dogs kennel, but she also has a bed out the door of the kennel incase she wans to sleep on that instead. She is only tied up at night to go to sleep and let off first thing in the morning, and can do her own thing in the yard all day.

I have a 12wk old pup and a 4 year old. The pup chases the 4yr old around non stop, all day long, nips gently at her legs, jumps all over her, they wrestle all day long. We didn't leave them alone until we had watched them for a week or so just to make sure it was only play fighting. They seem fine, if the older dog gets sick of it, she growls a bit and the pup stops, for 5 mins anyway, then they are at it again.

I was getting a bit worried about this yesterday as we were expecting thunderstorms for the first time since we got our pup, got some last night, she was far more interested in playing with earwigs than any lightening or thunder. Unlike my 4yr old BCxKelpie who ran into her kennel as fast as she could.