Excited Bearded Collies

[Roger00713]

Hi.

I have 2 female Bearded Collies. One almost 7 years old (Mishka) and the other almost 2 years old (Mylie). We dont have much trouble with them and They are both fairly obedient especially Mylie as we have had her since a puppy (That doesnt mean she is perfect though, far from it!).

Due to the amount of energy they both have we make sure that we take them for a walk every morning. Once home we dont hear another word from them all day.

My issue is that they have now come to expect and demand their morning walk and as soon as the alarm goes off in the morning they start to go a bit crazy. Mylie especially. She barks and carries on and get Mishka worked up as well. Whilst were getting ready to go both dogs are never further than a few inches from us the whole time.

Once we have the leads on them they start dragging us to the door and out onto the street. Mishka remains a bit excited for a few hundred meters but Mylie pulls the whole walk and doesnt tire even after a few kms.

This is the only time of the day and only event that Mylie gets this worked up and excited about.

We have tried walking them up and down the back yard before we leave to settle them down but this doesn't work. We have tried taking treats with us and we have also tried a halter.

I think that the whole thing stems from the initial excitement.

Can anyone please offer some advice how to stop the excitement and also how to stop her from pulling all the way around the streets. My wife is finding it very hard to control 2 strong excited dogs especially when they see another dog or even worse a cat!

Thanks for any advice in advance.

[persephone]

Hi I can just see those delightful beardie grins and waggy tails!

I suggest you contact a professional to come see you and your dogs at home.. and give you help in tackling the problems you have.

On D O L there are several good people in vic/melb.

two I can remember and recommend are

cosmolo LINK HERE , and nekhbet LINK HERE

[dasha]

You mean you actually take them for a walk and give them what they want after all that inappropriate demanding behaviour!!!!!!

I would get up, put them somewhere away from me, (crate or something) and then when they are quiet, put their leads on, if they get excited again, put them back in.

Thats just me but I don't let my dogs badger me into giving them what they want..................

[dee lee]

Have you trained your dogs to loose lead walk? It doesn't sound like it. That would be your first step. Do a search in the training forum and you will find lots of great threads of how to do it.

Some dogs are a lot tougher though (my last dog, I had to constantly keep at a formal heel for most of our walks, she was so bad), and if your dogs resist the usual training methods, then yep- a professional trainer is your next step.

When I take my dog for a walk, she initially pulls ahead out of excitedness (& presumably a BIG need to pee, if its first thing!).

I will not tolerate it and it only takes, at the most, 2 times of me stopping still and she walks beside me until we get to the park.