Training Border Collie
Puppies
Border Collie’s are incredibly intelligent
and responsive dogs, but they need to be trained as puppies to
ensure they as are well behaved as you would like them to be.
They thrive on praise and are very trainable, and you will have
fun whilst teaching this breed of dog. The earlier this dog is
trained, the more obedient it will be later on in its life.
When training a Border Collie
puppy, you need to speak to the dog as you would speak
to another human being, talk to it normally, in a
conversational tone. This is because, you will use different
tones of your voice for different things. For example, when you
are disappointed with your Collie, you will use a low tone,
almost a growl to discipline him or her. The way you use
different tones will allow your dog to realize when it has been
a good dog, and when it has been a naughty dog, and if taught
early enough, it will understand this for the rest of its
life.
When you want your Border Collies attention,
try to whisper to him or her. It will encourage your dog to pay
attention more closely, and it will begin to understand when
you whisper its name, you want its attention. When your dog
isn’t being well behaved, you should never smack him or her,
this will just frighten your Collie and it will grow up to be
less responsive. You should learn to say “No!” in a low voice,
almost to the point of being a growl. Then walk away from the
dog and he or she will learn that he has done something wrong
and will come running after you for another chance. This is
when you should repeat whatever it is you have been trying to
train him, and when he has completed the task successfully,
give him a treat and a lot of praise. This is the easiest way
to teach a Border Collie puppy.
Most Border Collies will happily learn, and
will pick up the tasks fairly quickly. However, you may need to
use a “Training Stick” or “Pinch Collar” initially to enable
him or her to get the hang of learning. A Training Stick can be
made quite easily at home, with the aid of lentils of nuts in a
tube or plastic bottle. Tap the bottle at your Collies feet and
it will startle him but it will not scare him. A Pinch Collar
is specifically designed to act in the way a Mother dogs jaw
works when carrying the pup in her mouth. You shouldn’t really
use the Pinch Collar before the age of 8 months, and you should
seek the advice of a professional before using it.
All in all, teaching a Border Collie is easy
and a lot of fun, but you need to be aware that a lot of time
will need to be dedicated to train your pup. If left to its own
devices, with no training or guidance, you will find that you
dog will happily destroy everything in sight out of sheer
boredom. They enjoy learning constantly and also the praise a
master will give when he or she has done something right!
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