Pup keeps attacking the kids

mummyplus3

Hiya,

I've got a border collie pup about 6 months now she is gorgeous but she keeps biting and pushing the kids over, she's broken the skin on the both a few times now and I'm at a loss of what to do!

She practically lives in the garden becayse she frightens the girls when she gets so jumpy and goes crackers.

I've tought her to sit and she's learning lie down realitively well at the moment and i'm hoping to start proper training with her in May at lessons but I'm really worried about how much she's biting she bite's me as well and a few times i've had to drag her off my youngest.

Can I train her out of doing this or should I let her go?

Obviously my girls are much more important than my pup im just not sure what to do!

janninew

I've personally found the Collie's aren't the best dogs to have around young children. My Mum has a female Collie and she is friendly, but has snapped a few times. Once at my Dad (nearly had the end of his finger off), all he did was point from a distance at part of a chew that she missed eating!

I've been round dogs all my life, big and small and the only time I've been bitten was by a Collie who just launched at me and bite my bum (think it was using his herding instinct!)

You need to start straight away and mabe see a behaviourist. At the end of the day though you need to go with your gut, are your children in danger? If so, maybe the dog needs to go.

eco

hi, you didn't say how much exercise your dog's getting? and has your dog got enough toys and chews to keep boredam at bay, I have a Jack Russell who at 9 is showing no signs of slowing down, Collies need plenty of stimulation and although I know somwone who has 1 and he has kids his dog works and is quite well behaved, I think it's too tired to play up.

Mojisola

It sounds as if the dog is trying to round up the children. Collies need a lot of mental as well as physical stimulation. The herding instinct is very strong and, if she doesn't have enough to do, she'll find her own work by trying to keep the children in order.

ali-t

I would agree with some of janninew's points in that collies are not the best dogs to have with small children. You say the dog practically lives in the garden which suggests the pup isn't getting much stimulation - physical or mental. At 6 months the dog should be having 30 minute walks (note the multiple!) and a significant amount of time spent on mental stimulation via training and making the dog work.

Any dog needs a lot of investment of time and energy but you have a breed that is suited to being mentally and physically challenged and I think, on that basis of what you have said, that you are doing this dog a serious disservice. Dogs become hyper and destructive when they are not stimulated and it sounds like the dog is going a bit haywire when it gets around your children as this is a way to play out some of its energy. The energy needs to be challenged more appropriately e.g. when your dog gets to 1year+ agility is a good way to do this and you can get the children involved in the training.

TBH and at the risk of sounding negative, it doesn't sound like you did much research before getting your pup. IMO you either need to invest a lot of time in the dog or do the dog a favour and rehome it to someone who can. Getting shut out in the garden alone is no life for any animal especially not one as bright and capable as a collie.

Becles

That's natural collie behaviour. She's trying to round your children up which is what she thinks you want her to do. Border collies are a hell of a lot of work. They're intelligent and need both mental and physical work to do. This is a good article that explains problems people have had with collies because they don't understand the breed:
http://www.bordercollierescue.org/advice/Content/PuppyAdvice.html

But don't panic having read that! She's still a young dog and can be trained to fit in with your family. However you will need to put a lot of work in training her, and she will need long walks everyday, plus some sort of stimulation to keep her busy. Also the children will need to be trained in how to handle her as well.

I've got two collies and they're out twice a day. Either me or my husband walks about a mile around some open grass area and woods nearby, and the dogs are off the leads the whole time. We've got a ball launcher and they cover several miles of hard running as they're back and forwards with the ball all the time. Sometimes they play chase with doggy friends we meet or if it's windy, the youngest dog likes rounding up leaves that are blowing about!

They've got loads of toys in the house, and they like playing with those too. You can get toys that you can fill with a treat and it keeps them busy trying to get the biscuit out or just simply throwing and fetching things. If we're busy and they want to play, they throw their toys down the stairs and then pounce on them

Collies and children can mix. I got my youngest pup when my daughter was two and they're best friends and play together loads. However, it's been a learning curve on both sides as the pup had to learn not to round her up, and she had to learn how to treat the dog and give him commands.

And if all else fails, you can lock the lot of them in a cage :rotfl:



Should add that the three of them were sitting in the cage, and I just shut the door to take the photograph as it looked funny.

heretolearn_2

Collies can't just be shoved in a garden and left to get on with it.

We had a collie when I was a little kid; I was terrified of her at first as she used to keep getting me pinned up against the wall and nipping my knees. She grew out of it though and was a fantastic family pet, very patient and kind, my best friend, BUT she was taken to training classes from a very young age and she got loads of exercise every single day, at least two good walks. If you can't do that, rehome her pronto.

Collies can be snappy because it's their instinct - they want to herd and when they herd they are expected to help the odd recalcitrant ram along with a nip. You have to have the time to train their energies in the right direction and keep them busy.

Caroline_a

Collies can make wonderful family pets - I had 2 when my children were growing up, BUT they do need to be trained - both children and dog! The children need to be taught that running around with the pup shouting and screaming will make the pup hyper, and with a collie 'nippy' as that is what they are bred to do - round up sheep and people if no sheep are available!

How much socialisation do you do with your pup? He should be given a whole variety of experiences with other dogs, people, cars, etc etc. Take him out wherever you go if it's practical. You do need to spend a tremendous amount of time and patience on young dogs, but if you do you will have a wonderful friend for about 10 to 15 years.

mummyplus3

ali-t wrote: »

I would agree with some of janninew's points in that collies are not the best dogs to have with small children. You say the dog practically lives in the garden which suggests the pup isn't getting much stimulation - physical or mental. At 6 months the dog should be having 30 minute walks (note the multiple!) and a significant amount of time spent on mental stimulation via training and making the dog work.

Any dog needs a lot of investment of time and energy but you have a breed that is suited to being mentally and physically challenged and I think, on that basis of what you have said, that you are doing this dog a serious disservice. Dogs become hyper and destructive when they are not stimulated and it sounds like the dog is going a bit haywire when it gets around your children as this is a way to play out some of its energy. The energy needs to be challenged more appropriately e.g. when your dog gets to 1year+ agility is a good way to do this and you can get the children involved in the training.

TBH and at the risk of sounding negative, it doesn't sound like you did much research before getting your pup. IMO you either need to invest a lot of time in the dog or do the dog a favour and rehome it to someone who can. Getting shut out in the garden alone is no life for any animal especially not one as bright and capable as a collie.

I agree with this, bolded section and it breaks my heart We did alot of research before getting the pup, we are in a great area to walk her and stimulate her, I am at home (own business) to walk her and play with her. she eats well gets lots of attention is very well socialised gets taken out for 30 mins at least everyday to different places went to the beach yesterday and were off for a 1.3mile walk in the woods shortly.

She has a cuddly toy, one of those tug ropes and few squeaky toys and balls, frisbee's etc..

She is pretty good on and off the lead and is gradually starting to do recall's now dependant on whats got her attention. I thought about getting a clicker and starting some clicker training?

She's crackers and so bouncy which was expected with a collie, i've spoken to a behavourist already and have an appointment booked in a few weeks to speak about the biting, also planning on starting proper training with her next month. I don't want to rehome her unless I have to, she's not uncared for and wasnt bought on a whim or without research but I don't want her to miss out and also I don't want the children to be afraid of her if that makes sense?!

We looked that she should be getting a 5min walk per month age so 30mins a day and that she can't come running/jogging untill a year because her hips and joints are too soft etc, and I don't think they can do agility untill about 10 -12 months either.

Really I just want to work out the best way of getting the pup to stop biting the girls so that my boyfriend will have her in the house.

rising_from_the_ashes

I'm afraid that I have to agree with some of the other comments - Collies do not make ideal family pets, they are bred to work and, although they can fit into family life, they will need a tremendous of exercise and stimulation in order to do so.

The nipping will be a result of her herding nature and although understandable, leaving her in the garden will mean she's going to be even more excitable when she does get company.

Have a look at the following website as there's some useful info on it http://www.bcrescue.org/bcwarning.html and I'd suggest puppy training classes ASAP. Although her exercise does have to be restricted due to her age, there is no reason training with toys (and the clicker) can't happen.

Good luck

tango

mummyplus3 wrote: »

I agree with this, bolded section and it breaks my heart We did alot of research before getting the pup, we are in a great area to walk her and stimulate her, I am at home (own business) to walk her and play with her. she eats well gets lots of attention is very well socialised gets taken out for 30 mins at least everyday to different places went to the beach yesterday and were off for a 1.3mile walk in the woods shortly.

She has a cuddly toy, one of those tug ropes and few squeaky toys and balls, frisbee's etc..

She is pretty good on and off the lead and is gradually starting to do recall's now dependant on whats got her attention. I thought about getting a clicker and starting some clicker training?

She's crackers and so bouncy which was expected with a collie, i've spoken to a behavourist already and have an appointment booked in a few weeks to speak about the biting, also planning on starting proper training with her next month. I don't want to rehome her unless I have to, she's not uncared for and wasnt bought on a whim or without research but I don't want her to miss out and also I don't want the children to be afraid of her if that makes sense?!

We looked that she should be getting a 5min walk per month age so 30mins a day and that she can't come running/jogging untill a year because her hips and joints are too soft etc, and I don't think they can do agility untill about 10 -12 months either.

Really I just want to work out the best way of getting the pup to stop biting the girls so that my boyfriend will have her in the house.

I know my vet thinks this is a load of tosh,,its true you shouldn't take a young dog jogging for hours ,but young dogs do need exercise ,we have a Pointer pup 7month and if I had kept to the 5min per month exercise rule she and me would have been climbing the wall You sound like you are doing alot right... soon they become a dog that fits in with you and your family,get her out more .