Training a Border Collie

8/4/2019 Training a Border Collie

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Training a border collie

"Train your dogs mind, not just it's body."

Math and Mr. Aled Owen.

The day when you pick up your puppy, you should do this (ifpossible)before 12 o clock in the the morning.This is necessarybecause of when you get home with your pup,it needs the wholeday to feels itselves a bit comfortable to its new home.

You have to understand that all and everything is strange tohim,and he surely will miss his littermates and his mother.Takecare that you don't get too many visitors on the first day wich

want tot watch your new puppy.Give him a few days to get himfeel comfortable,and if he feels well in the house,you can askthe people to come and visite him/her.The first time in the car:when you take your puppy home by car,place him on thebackseat or on your lap.If the pup starts to cry(because of hedoes not like it to be in the car)don't start to comfort him or pethim.If you do,you will confirm his fear,and you will have a

whining dog in future,or even a dog that gets carsick.The first you have to do when you get home with your puppy isgo outside to the place were he has to go for his naturescall.Wait untill he did something,and give him a reward and tellhim he did great.After he was out you can go inside,and give something to drinkin his new waterbowl.When your puppy had all this new

experiences he will get sleepy.Bring him to the place were hehas to sleep,and stay with him untill he sleeps.
http://www.bordercolliekennel.nl/Math%20en%20Aled%20Owen.jpg


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If your puppy sleeps,don't touch him,and let him sleep.Heneeds his rest.If you do have children,keep them away fromhim.Ofcourse it is a very moving scene,but let him sleep.When the puppy wakes up,his housetraining will start.Lift himup,bring him outside to go potty.After he was out he probablywill be hungry.See if he can find his new food andwaterbowl.Give him some time to eat.10 to 15 minutes.Young pups are not clean so long.You have to housetrainthem.After his sleep,when he ate,and when he played he mostlyneeds to go out.Bring him to the place were he is allowed to dohis natures call,and wait untill he does something.Pet him,andtell him it is a good puppy when he did it on the place you

wanted.If you watch your puppy's behaviour you exactly cansee when he needs to do something.He will whine or turnaround before he sits and does it.Bring him outside immediatelyand wait untill he is finisched.Be patient with him,and dontpunisch him if a little accident happends.He has to learn a lotand he still is a baby.Don't allowe him to scratch on the door orthat he starts to sream when he wants to go outside.This wayhe learns that if he screams YOU will run for him,even if hedoes not has to go out.It is also important that you teach your puppy to do its naturecalls on another place as only in your garden.This is importantbecause of if you only let him go in your garden,he never will dosomething on another place(Vacation,showarea etc)As you knowa dog works with smells,and in his own garden he only has hisown smell,and that feels safe for him.If he never was outside ofthe garden,he never will trust other smells,and never will dosomething outside of the garden.


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The first night in his new home:Feed your puppy for the last time around 20.00 hours,ans givethe last water around 22.00 hours.Before you go to bed,he hasto go outside for the last time that day.Be sure that he didsomething,otherwise he needs to go outside in the middle of thenight.If you go to bed you take your puppy with you to thebedroom.Give him a kennel were you put a blanket in,or avetbed wich is comfortable.Put a hand next to him to let himknow you are in his neighbourhood.He will stay calm,and willnot start to howl,and fall asleep very fast.If he gets restless inthe night mostly he needs to go outside to go potty.If he didsomething,hug him,and teel him he is a good dog,and bring himback to his sleepingplace.After a few nights he wil lsleep thewhole night on,and when your puppy feels himselves athome,you can place him for the night on the place you plannedfor him in the future.If you use a kennel also during the day ifhe is tired,he learns that he has a trustfull place were he can goto sleep or rest.Feeding your puppy:Give your pup a place were nobody can disturb him when heeats.In the beginning you need to feed your puppy 4 times aday.This is because of a puppy's stomach is very small,and this

way your puppy has the time to get all the nutritions out of the


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food wich he needs.When he is 6 or 7 months old,you can feedhim twice a day.This scedule is for his entire life.Give him 10 to 15 minutes time to eat.If he did not eat atall,don't worry.If he was hungry he would have eat.Sometimespuppy's wich just arrive in their new homes feel themselvesalone,and need some time to get setteled.If he feels himselveswell in his new home he soon starts te eat well.Dont give your pup other food if he does not eat!!!If you do,youwill create a dog that has a low appetite,and knows that you willgive him something else.This way he'teaches'you what hewants,and that is i think not what you want.Give the food allways on the same time,so the housetraining willget easyer.NEVER give your puppy the oppertunity to have his food duringthe whole day.You will create a picky puppy wich only eatswhen he wants.And this way he will take much longer time toget clean in the house,because of most of the timea pup has togo out after it ate.Watch his stool allways.If he does not eat so well for a few

days,and the stool is thin,go immediately to the vet for acheck.If the stool is watery or with blood you msut go the firstday you see he has it!!!!!!!!Better onr time too much as too late.The pup needs his wormcure every 3 months(In his first twelveweeks more often,but the most of them are given by thebreeder)in his first year of life.Than it will be enough to give thewormcure twice a year.

In the beginning your puppy has to go outside after you fedhim,but when he is older you have to teach him that he firsthas to go outside,and than feed him.This is because of if yourdog will run a lot after it ate(Especially big sized dogs)they canget peoblems with their stomach.So dont let your dog run a lotafter he ate.!!!Learning to stay alone at home:Our dog is from nature a social feeling creature(he lives in a

group and needs that company)But,he needs to learn to stayalone.It is the best that you train him from the beginning.Dont


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give him the oppertunity to walk after you the whole day.If hecan follow you everywere ,he does not learn to stay alone,andyou take him a lot of independence.Start to bring him to"his"place(crate or basket)you gave him in the house,and go for

a short time out of the room he normally sleeps.Go upstairs,orin another room.Go back after a few minutes.If he still is quietyou can tell him he did fine.This way of training you candevelope for a longer time.Don's stay away for hours in thebeginning,because of you have to give hime the confidence thatyou allways come back,and that is what he has to learn.If hereally understands that he is a good dog when he is qiuetduring your absence,you can build out the time you leave for alonger time.If your puppy has to stay alone,and it starts to scream orbark,DON"T go back,because of when you go back,you doconfirm his complaints,and he will win in asking attention fromyou,and that is exactly what he wants,your attention!!It alsodoes not work when you get mad at him,because of he than alsogets your attention,and negative attention IS also attention.Tryto get him quiet by give a small bounce on the door.If he is quietfor a moment(few minutes) you can go to him,and tell that hedid fine.But be sure he is quiet at the moment you go to him.If you come home,and your puppy destroyed something or didhis nature calls in the house,don't get mad at him.He does notunderstand that you are mad because of he did somethingwrong,but he will relate it to your arrival at home,and you cancreate a dog wich is shy when you come home.If somethinghappened,just ignore it(Also when he ate some very expensifefournitures,or your shoes)and clean it up.You only can saysomething if you catch him in the act,else he really does notunderstand what is going on.Dogs don't think the same way as

we people do.Put the teeth in all they can find:Why does a pupy bites in a lot of things???There are severalreasons,but one thing is for sure!!He does not do this to teaseyou.Sometimes they do it because of their teething(Between 12weeks to 26 weeks),It can be because of they are boringthemselves,or just to be anxious to find out etc.If you give him

something to chew on will not automatically say that he doesnot chew on your fournitures,shoes,etc.Give him from the


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beginning no chance to bite in things he isn't allowe to bite in.Ifyou cvatch him in the act,tell him not to do that with a voicethat he understands you are serious.Don't run after him topunish him,he will feel himselves be hunted,or he means he

can run away for play with you.following some tips when yourpuppy chews on things:1.Throw a can were you did put some marbles in,or a bunch ofkeys next to the puppy when he chews in an object he is notallowed to chew on.You must not hit him.Its only to get hisattention away from the object he chews in.If he looks atyou,call him and give him a hug or treat because of he came toyou.Be very friendly at that moment.If he return to the sameobject you can tell him not to do that.,if he stops,reward him

again.2.Another methode is when the object itselves is thepunishment.When your puppy is pulling the tablecloth fromyour table:put a closed can with marbles on the table.If the puppulls the tablecloth off,the can will fall down,makes noise,soyour puppy will have a reaction of fear,and learns that he is notallowed to do that.The motivation to go back and try again willget lesser if you are being strictly with this way of

training.Ofcourse you have to find out wich way of training isthe best for your puppy,because of every pup has its owncharacter.You should NEVER lay a hand on him forpunishment!!!!!!!!!!You have to imagine that it is easyer to teach a puppysomething as tell him not to do it.That way a puppy feels aspretty he will repeat,and that what he does not feel as pretty hewil lstop doing it.Some important tips:The best age to pick up a puppy is around eight weeks.Thismeans he starts with his socialisations phase.In this age untill12-13 weeks the puppy needs to go to do all the things he willdo in future to get an open and self for sure character. A fewminutes a day is more than enough.It does not take that muchtime to get your puppy well socialized.If you never take yourpuppy to another place as home,you wil get a shy dog in futurewhen he comes in new or for him unknown situations


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If he will get afraid for new things,NEVER lift him up to tell himnot to be afraid.He only will learn from you that if he is afraidyou lift him up,and the conclusion is that he gets more andmore shy,as youtell him he has to be shy.If you want to pet your dog,don't pet him with your hand overhis head(read eyes).He does not like that and sees it as atreatment.You take him away his sight.If you allways pet himover his head,he can start to bite in your hands.If children willdo the same,your puppy will start to bite in their hands:thechildren lift up their hands,and the puppy means it is a playwhen they do this.Be serious and tell children also not to pethim over his head.The best is to pet him under his chin.Thisway there is no reason to bite in hands.You also have to

imagine that a dog sees our hands as mouths,what can givecorrections.(A dog sees our two hands as two mouthes)Don't give your puppy his toys during the whole day.This wayhe does not need you for playing.If you play with him,every timewith another toy,you will create a better bond with him.You have to make the walks not too long in the beginning.15minutes is more than enough.You better can go a few times 15minutes,as once a day one hour.This is not good for his youngbones.Learning new things take a lot of energy from your puppy. Do not allowe your puppy to bite in the lead:arms:jacket duringthe walks.And do not allowe him tobark to other dogs duringhis walks.This is not good for future socialisation.As last tip i want to say that what the pup is NOT allowed to dowhen he is an adult dog,you must NOT learn him when he is apuppy.If you don't want him to jump up to you,lying on the

couch,bite you,dig out the tulipbulbs,growl when he is eating orhaving a bone,tell him from the beginning.They do not thinklike people do.Be consistant from the beginning,so you will ge adog in future what understands you.He will be thankful forthat,because of he did understand you from the beginning.

"Train your dogs mind, not just it's body."


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Dear peopleAfter 12 years given lessons to people in obedience and comp.

obedience and hear all the quistions they all have abouth dogs& border collies.I thought it wood be nice to put someinformation on the www.

Training/Behavior hints for border colliesBorder Collies are often "soft" dogs; that is, they are sensitive torough treatment and corrections. You must be firm andconsistent because these dogs will try to get away with as muchas they can, but you must also be fair in your corrections andtraining. Typical reactions from a Border Collie that has beenstressed by rough or unfair treatment are that it may shutdown, possibly rolling onto its back in submission, or actingvery engrossed in something else and paying no attention to you;or it may become more anxious and wound up, trying to doeverything in triple time, which causes it to make even moremistakes. Motivational-type training, with plenty of treats

and/or play, works best with soft dogs for obedience training. Itbrings out the best in them, helping to turn them into excellent,happy workers that love their training sessions.Attention-training is important for Border Collies that will beshown in obedience competition.These dogs are very sight-oriented, and are easily distracted byanything moving around them. A dog that is closely watchinghis handler cannot pay attention to other things that arehappening around him.


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Border Collies make wonderful trick dogs. They love to learnnew things and can be taught many behaviors, such as sittingup, playing dead, and rolling over, and they usually love toshow off. They can be very undignified and clownish if they

think it will get them attention or make people laugh. This iswhy these dogs are so popular in movies and television.Border Collies can be very sound-sensitive. This sensitivitymanifests itself in a couple of ways: some dogs becomevery frightened at loud or unusual noises (i.e., fireworks,the sound of a smoke alarm, even something as simple ashand-clapping); other dogs might just be extremelydistracted by different noises.But in training you can usethise sensitive hearing.Think abouth it....tray it with your voice......

Body talkHOW TO INTERPRET YOUR DOG'S BODY LANGUAGE,

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, & VOCALIZATIONS

Over the centuries wolves evolved an elaborate system of bodylanguage, facial expressions, and vocalizations to communicatewith each other. Domestic dogs also use this means ofcommunication, and all of these signals are easily understood

by other dogs. If you can learn to interpret how your dog isfeeling by observing its posture and expression and listening toit, you'll be well on the way to successful communication withyour pet and better equipped to solve any behavior problemsthat arise.

Following are some major canine attitudes and their typicaloutward manifestations.

AGGRESSIVE


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Ears Back, close to head.Eyes Narrow or staring challengingly.

Mouth/teeth Lips open, drawn back to expose teeth bared ina snarl. Possible jaw snapping.

Body Tense. Upright. Hackles on neck up. CompletelyDominant position.Tail Straight out from body. Fluffed up.

Vocalization Snarl. Growl. Loud bark.ANXIOUS

Ears Partially back.Eyes Slightly narrowed.

Mouth/teeth Mouth closed, or slightly open in a "grin."

Body Tense. Slightly lowered in a Submissive position.Tail Partially lowered.

Vocalization Low whine or moaning-type bark.CURIOUS/EAGER/EXCITED

Ears Perked-up, forward-pointing.Eyes Wide open.

Mouth/teeth Mouth open, teeth covered. Possible panting.Body Normal stance. Possible wiggling, standing on tiptoe, or

pacing.Tail Up. Wagging.

Vocalization Excited short barking, whining.

FRIENDLYEars Perked-up.

Eyes Wide open. Alert look.Mouth/teeth Relaxed, possibly slightly open, "smiling" mouth.Body Normal posture. Still, or possible wiggling of whole rear

end.Tail Up or out from body. Wagging.

Vocalization Whimpering, yapping, or short, high bark.

PLAYFUL & HAPPY


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Ears Perked-up and forward, or relaxed.Eyes Wide open. Sparkly/merry-looking.

Mouth/teeth Mouth relaxed and slightly open, teeth covered.Excited panting.

Body Relaxed, or front end lowered, rear end up in the air,wiggling in a play-bow. Excited bouncing and jumping up anddown. Circling around and running forward and back in an

invitation to play.Tail Wagging vigorously

Vocalization Excited barking. Soft play-growling.

SUBORDINATE (SUBMISSIVE)

Ears Down, flattened against head.Eyes Narrowed to slits or wide open, whites showing.

Mouth/teeth Lips pulled way back from teeth in a "grin".Nuzzling or licking other animal or person on face.

Body Lowered to ground, front paw raised. Lying on back,belly up. Possible urine leaking/dribbling. Possible emptying of

anal scent glands.Tail Down, between legs.

Vocalization None, or low, worried whining. Possibleyelping/whimpering in fear.

ALERTEars Perked-up. Turning to catch sounds.

Eyes Open normally or wide.Mouth/teeth Mouth closed or slightly open with teeth covered.Body Normal. Possibly standing on tiptoe. Slightly Dominant

position.Tail Up. Possibly wagging.

Vocalization None. Low whine or alarm bark.

CHASE, BEGINNING STAGE

Ears Perked-up, forward-pointing.


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PREDATORY

Ears Alert. Held forward or backward to catch sounds.Eyes Wide open, staring, focusing.

Mouth/teeth Mouth closed.Body Rigid. Low to ground, ready to spring forward. Quietly

sniffing the air.Tail Straight and low.

Vocalization None (so the prey won't be alerted).

To command your dog.....but there are rules.

Say them once and they have a particular meaning, say them twiceand they mean something completely different.

While we humans are quite comfortable translating this type of"double talk", it might surprise you to know that dogs also recognize

double words, such as "sit-sit", "down-down" and "come-come".Some dogs are even capable of understanding "three-peats" such as

"sit-sit-sit" or "stay-stay-STAY!!!"

One of the most common training errors is repeating commands. IfSpike does not "sit" at the first command, we automatically say theword again ("sit-sit"). Over a series of repetitions, we inadvertently

teach the dog to wait patiently until the second or third commandbefore he is required to respond. While the owner fumes aboutstubbornness and laziness, the dogs comment would probably be,

"Look , boss, the command isnt sit, its sit-sit! Im just waiting foryou to finish the sentence!" The ironic part of this exchange is that

both participants are convinced the other is mistaken.

The primary reason for this confusion is that most people takelanguage for granted. We are so conditioned to respond to humansthat we forget that animals do not think of words as we do. Theyknow words as sounds that are connected to particular situations.


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Our mistake is that we assume that dogs speak "language" and thatcommands "cause" behaviors to happen. If we are talking to another

human and receive no response to a simple request, weautomatically repeat the word on the assumption that the person did

not hear us. Often this second command is spoken louder than thefirst, still convinced that the first word was not heard. To test thisreasoning, watch the way tourists attempt to communicate with

people who do not speak their language. When the first word bringsno response, they automatically say it again louder. If increased

loudness fails,they will probably try to pronounce the word in anexaggerated manner and in sometimes add a foreign sounding

ending to it, such as turning "car" into "car-o". If a person, or a dog,does not know an association between the word and its meaning,

saying it twice or twenty times will make no difference.

While repeating commands tends to erode good behavior, there aretwo other types of repeated words that can seriously effect a dogslearning potential - praise and corrections. Dogs listen for praise totell them which behaviors bring treats and affection, while scoldingidentifies those behaviors that should be avoided. Both praise and

scolding are dependent upon good timing to be effective. Repeatingthe words that identify good or bad behavior does not necessarily

give them added emphasis but does slow them down. This makes itdifficult for the dog to know which behavior "caused" the praise or

scolding.

For instance, if floyd likes to jump on Aunt Alice, the time to say"No!" is at the instant he starts to jump. If you are in the habit of

saying "no-no-NO!" Floyd has already done the deed and escapedbefore you got to the end of your double talk. In this case, Floyd

heard the first "no" as he started to jump on Alice. He knows he canignore this sound because a single "no" has little or no consequence

tied to it. It is the all important, and much louder, third "NO!" that hemust pay attention to. By the time he hears the third "NO!" he is

racing down the hallway and thinking of darting out the doggie door.All thoughts of jumping and Alice are long forgotten.

Just as scolding must be quick to be precise, long winded praise canbe equally inefficient. If Floyd decides to sit momentarily for Aunt

Alice and then jumps on her, a series of "Good-boy-good-boy-good-dog" will capture both behaviors. Instead of praising just the sit,


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Floyds owner has mistakenly reinforced the jump as well. Without afast signal to identify good behavior, the dog will soon be convinced

that the entire sequence is appropriate.

Avoiding the problem of "double talk" takes some concentration andobservation. The tendency to repeat oneself is so deeply ingrained

that most people are unaware that they do it. The quickest way to tellif you suffer from a case of "double talk" is to have a friend listen asyou train your dog. Try to work as you always do. You friend may

surprise you by distinctly hearing you repeat a command eventhough you could swear that you only said it once.

If you are fairly caught giving commands twice, don't panic. Merelyrecognizing the problem is half the battle. First, get a package ofdoggie treats at the store. Offer a small treat to your dog, so that

Floyd knows what you are offering. Now give the command "sit,"and bite your lip after you say the word. Wait for 30 seconds to allow

your dog to realize that you aren't going to say it twice.

If the dog sits within the time limit, praise him and give him thetreat. If Floyd simply stands like a zombie, turn your back and walk

away from him. A very shocked Floyd is most likely to quicklyfollow you to get another chance for the treat. Ask him to sit again.Give him another 30 seconds. If he does it, praise him and give a

treat, if not, walk away and try it again.

After several attempts at getting the dog to respond to only onecommand, Floyd will not wait for the second one. Once he realizesthat you aren't going to repeat yourself, you can give him less andless time to perform the behavior before his failure "causes" you togo away. Soon he will perform the behavior instantly, on the first

command.

Reducing praise and scolding to a minimum is an even easier task.Start by developing the habit of saying the word "good" at the

instant your dog performs a behavior correctly. After you say "good",wait a second before you start including the normal excited and

affectionate praise. By waiting a second you are prepared towithhold the more powerful reinforcers if Floyd switches to an

incorrect response.
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In nature, a dog rarely has a second chance to respond to the soundof a bear or the smell of a rabbit. Your dog is descended from

animals that must respond instantly to the slightest hint of danger orsafety. To utilize you pet's best attributes, avoid using double-talk

for commands or reinforcers. It's really not necessary to say it twicetwice.

Recallsin particular (coming when called).

They certainly don't start out that way. Picture a litter ofwell reared pups. What happens when the breeder walksin to the room and starts calling them? They all rush out

to greet her (it's usually a her), falling over themselves tobe the first to get attention. Good breeders, if they knowwhat you are going to call your pup may even have himdashing over at the sound of his name by the time you

call to collect him. So why does this promising startfrequently peter out?

I think the answer is the owner's attitude. In the litter, apup learns that the entrance of a human means food or

play, usually both. So the pup comes when calledbecause he knows something pleasant is going to happen.But what about the pup who is left alone for hours andout of sheer boredom chews the furniture and probably

relieves himself all over the carpet? The owner comes in,reacts angrily to the mess and decides to discipline the

pup for his misbehaviour in the misguided belief that heis housetraining the wretched animal.

He will point to what he sees as the guilty expression onthe pup's face. What he is actually seeing is fear or

apprehension. Pretty soon this pup learns that you don'tdash up to humans any more because if you do they dragyou over to something on the carpet you can't remember

doing then unceremoniously dump you outside.

A few weeks later the same pup is out in the park. He isallowed to run free and finds exciting new friends toplay with. The owner is busy comparing notes on the

previous day's T.V. programmes with his fellow dog-walkers. They reach the park gates and he calls the pup.


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At first the pup returns, is put back on his lead and theygo home. Soon the pup learns that the owner calling himin the park means end of playtime. He runs off the nexttime with the owner in hot pursuit. Pup thinks this is a

wonderful game. He is growing now and his long legsgive him plenty of speed so he easily outruns the owner.At first he may be caught by a passer-by but soon he

learns that humans are not to be trusted.

O.K. this is the worst case scenario and there aren't toomany people around these days who are stupid enoughto teach their pup to fear them as in the example I have

just quoted. But how many people actually take time toteach their pups how to come when called. After all, a

dog will come automatically if he loves you won't he? Hemight. But he might also decide not to bother if he gets abetter offer. It is up to you, the owner to teach him that

coming when called is something that is fun but notoptional.

With a young pup this is very easy. You simply carry onwhere the breeder left off. Small pups are usually fed

several times a day at first. That is several training

opportunities which should not be wasted. As soon asFido has learned his name he is going to come runningwhen there is food in the offing. In between he can be

called for a game with his favourite toy, possibly even atiny morsel of food if he has ignored a particular

distraction on the way. I usually call my pups with myother dogs around right from the start. Built in

distraction training is just too good an opportunity towaste.

But he should be told off if he chews or soils the carpetshouldn't he? My view is that he should not. A pup

should never be placed in a situation where he learns todo anything you will later not want him to do.

I keep my pups in a large pen with plenty of toys untiltheir teething days are over. In there the pup can do whathe likes and is safe when I cannot give him my complete

attention. I spend as much time as I can with my pup,talking to him, playing with him and frequently


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rewarding him for coming when called or any otheraction I might want him to perform later on. He is

praised for the positive things and the negatives areavoided. I would never leave a young pup in a situation

where he might be able to do something undesirable. Sohe learns right from the start that coming to me whencalled is something that is always going to be

worthwhile.

The next step is to take the pup out on his own awayfrom the house. I wait for him to start sniffing then

silently duck behind a tree. Pretty soon the young pup isgoing to wonder where I am and may start to panic. I canthen appear, call him in a pleasant tone and reward him

for coming. One or two repetitions of this is usually all ittakes to train the young pup that it is in his best interests

to pay attention to what the pack leader is doing. Thismethod is very successful in establishing a reliable recall

for later on when the pup is more independent.

I call my dogs, even the adults, frequently when we areout. Sometimes the lead goes on for the end of the walk,sometimes for training, sometimes I call just for the sake

of it. The key is to call the dog in a random fashion, notjust when he is going to be put back on the lead to betaken home. Socialising with other dogs in a controlledenvironment is something else which helps to establish

good recall habits. A good training club is worth itsweight in gold.

I have not mentioned teaching the recall on lead. For allpractical purposes it is not necessary if a pup is well

socialised except for competition training. But that is inan ideal world. Not all pups are well reared and

socialised by the breeder. You might have to work hardto overcome a less than auspicious start. Or you might

acquire an older dog who has not been trained properly.In these cases you will have to make use of the lead to

teach a reliable recall.

It is no good letting your dog run free in public if he

does not have a reliable recall. For a start it is not fair onother people to inflict your unruly dog on them. In such


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cases I believe that a dog should be exercised on a longline or flexi-lead until he learns to return ten times out of

ten and for some time after that. He cannot run away ifhe is restrained so you can tell him he is a bad dog and

quietly reel him in.

But the minute he starts to move in your direction hemust be rewarded for the effort. Eventually if you are

patient the penny will drop. You are not being unfair toyour dog if you do not allow him his freedom unless hehas earned the right to it. It would be extremely unkindof you to allow him the freedom to run off and be killed

under a car, or worse, cause the death of someone elsebecause of something you could have prevented.

If you are the pack leader in your household and you have a goodbond with your dog, you should not have too many problems withthe recall. Just remember to cultivate a welcoming tone and make it

worth your dog's while to come back to you. Always be fair andnever tell him off for something when he does come back, howevertempting it might be. He will learn that coming to you is the mustfun, rewarding thing he can do. You will end up with a dog with a

reliable recall who is a pleasure to own.

Training tips

This method of housetraining is focused on preventing accidents

instead of waiting for accidents to happen.

The goal is to make it easy for the puppy to do the right thing in thefirst place.

Training in this way is faster and more effective than punishing thedog for mistakes.

YOU play the most important part in the

success or failure of this method you must be patient,
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determined and reliable for it to work.

If you already own an adult dog with housetraining problems,

you can use this method to start fresh just as you would with a puppy.

This method also requires the use of a dog crate or at least, a small,

confined area for the pup to stay in when he can't be supervised.

A crate isn't cruel! It's your dog's own private room where he can restand stay safe,

secure and out of trouble. Just like a small child,

your puppy needs to be protected from hurting himself and destroyingyour furniture.

A crate will make the job so much easier!

The first few weeks of owning a puppy are some of the hardest andmost important.

Spending extra time and effort now will pay off in a big way.

Don't blame the puppy if you're lazy!

Before you start, here are some essential housetraining facts:

Adult dogs can be housebroken in the same way as puppies.

Puppies have limited bladder control.

Dogs & puppies like to be clean and to sleep in a clean area.

All dogs do best when kept to a routine schedule.

Dogs have to go poddy when... they wake up in the morning or after anap,

within 1/2 hour after eating ,before they go to sleep .

If a dog and especially a puppy is not allowed to relieve itself at those

times,


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it will most likely have an accident.

Don't wait for the dog to tell you that it has to go out.

Just assume that he does and put him outside.

Housetraining baby puppies

Baby puppies, under three months of age, have limited bladder controland reflexes.

They usually don't know they're going to go until the moment they

do!

It's not realistic to expect them to tell you ahead of time. If you'reobservant,

you'll see that a puppy who's looking for a place to go poddywill suddenly circle about while sniffing the floor.

The sniffing is instinct he's looking for a place that's already been

used.If he can't find one, he'll start one! By preventing accidents in the

house, you'll teach him that the only appropriate bathroom is the oneoutside!

Ideally, you're reading this before you've brought your new puppyhome.

If you already have your puppy, just pick up the schedule at anappropriate place.

Set up a dog crate or small, confined area (the smaller the better.)

Using a dog crate will be more effective.

The size of the crate is important if it's too large, the puppy willhave room

to use one end as a bathroom.
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If you've bought a crate for him to grow into, you can also getdividers to reduce

the inner space while he's small.

If he must be left alone while you're at work, then a larger crate isokay.

Put a stack of newspapers at one end for him to use when you can't behome to let him out.

Also in the crate should be a water dish (you can get one that attachesto the side of the crate and is harder to spill), sleeping pad and toys.

Put the crate where he isn't shut away from the family.

If you're using a confined area instead, a baby gate across thedoorway is preferable to closing

the door and isolating your puppy.

Your puppy might not like the crate at first.

Don't give in to his complaining or tantrums!

If you're sure he isn't hungry or has to go poddy, ignore his yowling.

If he gets really obnoxious, reach inside the crate, give him a littleshake by the scruff of his neck and say

NO in a deep, stern voice.

Eventually he'll settle down and sleep which is what crates are for!

If you give a tempting treat every time you put the dog in his crate,

he'll soon look forward to going in.

The crate is intended to be his sleeping and feeding place

and is where he should be when you can't keep a close eye on him.

If you give him the run of the house at this age, you can expect

accidents!


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Dogs instinctively keep their sleeping areas clean.

If you've allowed him to go poddy when he needs to, he won't dirtyhis crate if he can help it.

Once he's developed better control, he won't need the newspapersunless you're going to be gone all day.

Change the papers several times a day if they've been soiled.

Puppy's first night homeGet off on the right foot at the beginning!

Carry the puppy from your car to the yard.

Set him on the grass and let him stay there until he poddies.

When he does, tell him how wonderful he is!

After bringing the pup inside, you can play with him for an hour.

Plan on taking the puppy outside every two hours (at least) while he'sawake.

Don't wait for him to tell you that he has to go!

Feed the puppy his supper in his crate.

Don't let him out for half an hour and when you do,

carry him outside to poddy before you do anything else.

Wait for him to have a bowel movement before bringing him back in.

Some pups get their jobs done quickly, others may take half an hour.

If he's being slow, walk around the yard encouraging him to followyou.

Walking tends to get things moving, so to speak!


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Always take the puppy outside first thing when you let him out of thecrate and always CARRY

the puppy to the door!!

This is important.

Puppies seem to have a reflex peeing action that takes

affect the moment they step out of the crate onto your carpeting.

If you let him walk to the door, he'll probably have an accident beforehe gets there.

Part of this training method is psychological

you want the puppy to feel grass under his feet

when he goes to the bathroom, not your carpeting!

After another short play period, take the pup outside before bedtime,

then tuck him into his crate for the night.

If he cries during the night, he probably has to go out.

Carry him outside to poddy, then put him back in the crate with aminimum of cuddling.

If you play with him, he might decide he doesn't want to go back tosleep!

Puppies usually sleep through the night within a few days.

Daytime schedule

Establish a regular schedule of poddy trips and feedings.

This helps you to control the times he has to go out and preventaccidents in the house.

First thing in the morning before you have your coffee carry the puppyoutside.

He can then come in and play for an hour.


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Feed breakfast in the crate and don't let him out again for a half hour.

Then carry him back outside for poddy.

Puppies usually have a bowel movement after each meal so give himtime to accomplish it.

Now he can have another inside playtime for an hour or so.

Don't give him free run of the house, use baby gates or close doors tokeep him out of rooms

he shouldn't go in.

(Puppies are notorious for finding out of the way corners

to have accidents in keep him in an area where you can watch him).

If you give him too much freedom too soon, he'll probably make amistake.

After playtime, take him outside again then tuck him into his crate fora nap.

For the first month or so, you'll be feeding three or four meals per day.

Repeat the same procedure throughout the day: poddy outside firstthing in the morning,

one hour playtime, poddy, meal in crate, poddy,

playtime, poddy, nap, poddy, playtime, meal, etc.

The playtimes can be lengthened as the puppy gets older and is morereliable.

Eventually the puppy will be letting you know when he needs to goout but remember

if you ignore his request or don't move quickly he'll have an accident!

I know this sounds like a lot of work and it is!

The results of all this runnin' in and out will pay off in a well-housebroken puppy and clean carpets.


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Keep in mind that some breeds are easier to housetrain

than others and how the puppy was raised before it came to you hasan affect, too.

Pet store puppies who were allowed to use wire-bottom crates have

less inclination to keep their crates clean.

Puppies that were raised in garages or other large

areas where they could go wherever will also be a little moredifficult.

Don't give up though - you can train them, it will just take a littlelonger.

A word about paper-training: It seems harmless to leave papers aboutjust in case

and for us who work all day, it's a necessity.

However, paper-training your pup will make the overall job ofhousetraining

that much harder and take longer.

By only allowing the pup to relieve itself outside, you're teaching

it that it's not acceptable to use the house.

Using newspapers will override this training.

Also, be aware that many puppies get the notion that going poddy

NEAR the papers is as good as going ON them!

If you must use newspapers when you're gone, keep to the regular

housetraining schedule when you're at home.

Get the puppy outside often enough and don't leave papers out just incase.

Keep your dog's yard picked up and free of old stools.


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Many dogs choose an area to use as a bathroom.

If left to become filthy, they'll refuse to use it and do their business inthe house instead!

If your dog has to be tied up when he's outside,

keeping the area clean is even more critical.

If you could only move about in a small area,

you wouldn't want to lie next to the toilet, would you?

Picking up stools helps you keep tabs on your dog's health as well.

Stools should be firm and fairly dry. Loose, sloppy stools can be anindication of worms, health problems, stress or digestive upset.

Housetraining older dogs

You can use a modified puppy schedule to train an

unhousetrained dog or one that's having housetraining problems.

Start from the beginning just like a puppy, use a crate and put themon a schedule.

An older dog can be expected to control itself for longer periodsprovided

you take it outside at critical times first thing in the morning,

after meals and last thing at night. Until they're reliable,

get them outside every three-to-four hours in between those times.

Adopted older dogs that have always had freedom may be unwillingto have

a bowel movement when on a leash. You can either walk

them longer or keep them confined until they really gotta go.

Just like a puppy, don't give them the run of the


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house and keep them in a crate or small area if you can't supervisethem.

You can give them more freedom as they become more reliable.

Safe Water Fun

Safety precautions will let your dog enjoy the water with you.

One of the best things about summer is cooling off in the water,

whether it be in a pool, a lake or at the seashore.

Most dogs like playing in water, too, so teaching them how to behavein it is a must.

Introduce a dog of any age to water play carefully.

Many dogs are sensibly wary about entering water because they haveno idea how to swim.

The ones that need even more vigilant care are the daredevil dogs that

show no fear at all.

These reckless characters can drown just as easily as the overlycautious ones.

Teach a dog to swim by supporting it beneath its chest until it gets towhere its feet reach the bottom.

Then guide it to where it can always exit the water safely.

This is particularly important in a swimming pool or in a lake withan uneven bottom.

A dog must be taught where it can get out.

When your dog is in the water, remove its collar

to prevent underwater entanglement.

On the water, use the same precaution you would for a child,


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and put a life jacket on any dog you plan to take aboard a boat.

Let the dog become accustomed to wearing the jacket before you setsail. A squirming, frantic canine passenger is no fun in a boat.

Whether you're traveling by land or by sea, take food anda supply ofdrinking water for the dog.

Dog Meeting KidsKids should follow certain rules around strange dogs.

The way children greet strange dogs is not just a matter of manners,it's a matter of safety.

Toddlers and small children who have not been

raised around dogs need to be taught proper, safe ways to say hello.

For this they must have adult supervision.

Steer clear of dogs off leash. In approaching a dog being walked onleash

by an adult, ask first if your child may say hello.

Read the dog's body language.

Relaxed ears and tail and a smile (easier to see on smooth-coated dogsthan on hairy ones)

are good indications of a friendly pooch.

Some dogs react to young children with submissiveness, indicated by alowering of all body posture.

Standing up over a dog is poor canine manners,

so crouch down next to the dog and child.


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Put your own hand out, palm up, for the dog to sniff.

Then put the child's hand in yours and again let the dog sniff.

Some dogs that are perfectly friendly don't like to be touched bystrangers

(a behavioral disorder that could possibly be corrected, but that's theowner's prerogative).

Ask the dog's name and whether your child may pet the dog.

Even if the answer is "Yes, sure, Boffo loves kids,"

put your hand over the child's for the first gentle pat or two.

Speak quietly and calmly so the child doesn't react with screams orsqueals

(which any dog would consider very poor manners).

The Family Pet

Incorporating the dog into the family is necessary for good behavior.

Dogs need to learn how to behave around people.

Isolating a dog in the back yard is a great way to drive it crazy.

It becomes bored, destructive and makes a general nuisance out ofitself

to attract attention. If isolated long enough, it becomes ill-behavedand antisocial.

Either integrate your dog into the family or give it to a family thatwill.

Children, Dogs and Biting

Parents must supervise interactions between children and dogs.

Puppies are like babies: both need love and attention,

and both use their mouths to explore their environments.


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Puppies grip with their teeth because they don't have hands.

Canine biting serves other purposes as well.

For instance, it is a form of body language.

A nursing puppy that bites its mother elicits a quick response.

The mother takes the pup's head in her mouth and

holds firmly until the pup relaxes in submission.

That animal action/reaction is a prime example of

why young children are sometimes bitten by the family dog.

A puppy, faced with the dominant body language of an older dog,submits.

It relaxes, drops to the ground, urinates or rolls over

on its back--all submissive gestures that the older dog acknowledges.

But the reaction of human babies is just the opposite.

If a dog puts its mouth on an infant's arm or leg, the infant

struggles and screams, so the dog instinctively hardens its grip,seeking submission.

The biting problem, therefore, boils down to a basic difference inbehavior.

The dog reacts instinctively, responding to pack-driven

dominance and submission to establish and maintain a pecking orderwithin the group.

Dogs kept as companion animals transfer their instinctual view of thepack to the family.

Depending on the training and temperament of the dog,

small children in the family may be treated as littermates (equals) orseen at the bottom of the totem pole.


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Dogs that have had little contact with children invariably

put them at the bottom of the pack.

Parents must be aware of this to retain their positions as dominant

pack members and to ensure that child and dog behave appropriatelywith each other.

"Hyperactive" PuppyPuppies are naturally active and they need attention.

Many dogs are put up for adoption because the

original owner feels the dog is "hyperactive.''

In reality, these dogs are the ones originally purchased to be

companion animals to people who work long hours and leadotherwise solitary lives.

The reason for giving up on the dog (and blaming the failure on"hyperactivity")

is because no one fully explained that a puppy can't be left alone

for 10 hours and then be expected to snooze all evening on the sofa.

There's nothing hyper about the pup's exuberant greeting behavior.

It's just a normal puppy's need for physical and mental activity.

This misunderstanding of a dog's life has led to an increase

in cats as pets because they better fit this lifestyle.

The Basic Sit and more......!


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In the old days, the sit was taught

with a pop up on the lead and

a push down on the dog's rump.

More and more, today's trainers use inducive methods, mostlyinvolving food. I've found that food vastly improves the attitude of

most dogs.

They are anticipating a reward for doing something correctly, rather

than watching out for a correction for doing something wrong.

The food you use should be tastier than the stuff the dog gets for free.

To teach a sit, I use a piece of food (raisin size) to lure the dog into asit.

The position of your hand in relation to the dog's nose is veryimportant. Hold the food an inch or less above the dog's nose.

Slowly make an arc with your food hand from the dog's nose towardthe tail. Remember, do this slowly.

The dog should follow the food with his nose.

If he isn't following the food, you are holding it too high. Lower thefood and try again.

If the dog scoots backward away from your arc, place him near a wallso he will back into the wall. As he starts to sit, give the command,


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"sit." When his rear hits the ground, feed. You can work on the "stay"part later.

You also can use a conditioned reinforcer -- a special word you don'tnormally use in conversation, ("Yes!") a tongue cluck, or a plastic or

metal clicker.

I found this helpful in pinpointing for the dog the exact moment he is

doing something right.

First teach the dog about the c.r. Click, feed; click, feed.

Then, when the dog is starting to do the exercise correctly, click andfeed.

Raise the criteria as the dog improves.

As your dog is learning, feed every time you get a correct response.

Later on, you'll switch to a variable schedule of reinforcement to maintain correct behavior.

For more information on this, read "Don't Shoot the Dog" by KarenPryor.

The Sit

To get your dog to sit up on its hind legs, place your dog with his rearagainst a corner in your home. (The corner walls will help support him

as he learns to use his back muscles to sit up.)

Your dog should know the sit command before you teach thisvariation.

Start with the food arc you used to teach the sit, only bring your hand

up higher.
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You may want to support the dog's chest with one hand. Rewardefforts to bring front feet off the floor.

You can raise the criteria for this exercise as your dog ga ins

experience.

Some dogs find this very difficult and some are unable to do it at all.

Most catch on quickly though. Continue to use the corner until yourdog gains expertise.

I do not teach this exercise to puppies, and I don't let any dog do verymany repetitions at one time.

Fast Down.You can put your dog in to the down position in several way's.

You can help the dog with a little tibbet food from the sit in to thedown position.Put the tibbet against his chest .Than go with your handdown between his legs in a straight line to the ground.And then a little

bit forward with your hand.

You say down at the moment he is down.And gif him his food.You also can play with your dog back words .When you play with himyou put the toy to the ground ,stop play,hold stil,when he is down,you

can play further.

Problems with the Obedience Sit

You obedience types may en joy the following lists four components ofa good sit during heeling:

the dog is paying attention

the dog is in heel positionthe dog knows the cue to halt and sit

If your dog is forging the halts, probably one (or more) of these fourthings is missing.


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To prevent forging at the halts, you must cue the dog that you arehalting.

This can be an upper body cue or a break step. It's just important to

have one.

But watch about the rules of competision!

Fixing Problems

As we all know, it is amazing how long it takes to teach dogs correctheel position.

And even experienced dogs need to have heel position pointed out tothem again and again.

It's a difficult concept for the dog to grasp.

So the more time you devote to te aching heel position, the lessremedial work you'll have to do later.

Some exercises that will improve the dog's obedience sits are left andright pivots, left and right turns, side steps in both directions, steps up

and back.Teach the dog he can come to heel position from anywhere. It will

come in handy in the ring.The first thing you need to do before you can start any

form of dog training is get your dogs attention. This mightsound simple but it is the most difficult thing to achieve.

You may think you are the world's most interesting personbut the chances are that your pride and joy may be moreinterested in what he can sniff with his nose rather than

your words of wisdom. So how do you start?

With a puppy it is easy. In the litter the breeder will havemade some noise to attract the pups attention to the fooddish. After all she (they usually are) can't call out severalnames at once. Have you noticed how all the pups in a

healthy well reared litter dash to the breeder when she


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appears, food or no food. When you carry your pup homehe will be a bit overawed at first but use a familiar key

word followed by his new name and he will soon start torespond.

Now you have the start of his attention training. His namemust be used only when you want his attention -for the

rest of his life, never when you want to tell him off. Spendas much time as you can playing with the pup. He can

have his own playpen for the times when you can't be withhim so you don't have to keep telling him off for chewing

the carpet etc.

Use his name when you call him for his dinner. You willsoon have his complete attention. Don't make the mistakeof calling him when he is busy sniffing some interesting

smell he has found in the garden. Wait until he is lookingfor something to do then call him.

Later on when you are training him to walk properly onthe lead you can use his name to get his attention but

keeping it is a different matter. Small puppies cannot pay

attention to anything for very long so be prepared toaccept just a few seconds at first. As he grows older he willbe able to concentrate for longer and longer periods. But

learn how he reacts and don't try to make him payattention for a second longer than his limit. Err on the side

of caution. But how do you keep his attention?

The human voice is a very underrrated underused tool.Learn to cultivate this. Try not to sound angry when you

are delighted with him. The actual words you use willmean nothing - but the tone is all important.

Food, carefully used, is a great motivator for many greedypups. But make him earn his titbits. Some people think

that it is good enough just to throw food at a dog. It isn't. Itmust have a meaning for the dog or it is wasted.

Toys are good. Have a special toy that the pup likes andkeep it only for training sessions. Produce the toy and askhim to watch. If he gives you his full attention for a second


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or two, break off and play. Try for another second the nexttime and gradually build up. Don't ever be so predictable

that your pup knows exactly what you are going to donext. That will just teach him to keep only half of his mind

on you. Watch his eyeballs. If his eyes are on you he isconcentrating. If not you are wasting your time. Play withhim as much as you can, let him learn that his time with

you is the best thing that could happen to him and he willstart to give you his complete attention. Only when you

have that can any serious training begin.

Advanced Obedience / The Signal Exercise

a Confident dog.

Like most of the exercises in utility, the signal exercise requires aconfident dog. If you move too quickly, you are likely to undermineyour dog's confidence. This will take its toll in bad heeling before the

signals begin. Dogs who are worried about the signals often show thatby lagging and dragging around the ring. They know what's coming -and they don't like it. Prevent this by helping your dog achieve a solid

understanding of signals.

After all, it is your responsibility to help the dog learn the exercise well

so that he is solid and confident. The biggest mistake most peoplemake (been there, done that myself) is to increase distance too quickly.The handler goes too far away and the dog becomes confused.

Anytime it appears that your dog is slow to respond to your signal,examine the following:

* is my signal consistent - am I using the same signal I have usedevery other time?

* have I increased the distance (even moving a few inches makesa difference)?


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* is the background confusing my dog?* can my dog see the signals - is there a vision problem?

Consider jackpotting (several pieces of yummy treats at one time) for

good attention. Let the dog look away and when he looks back (waithim out) make a big deal out of it and jackpot. Reward the dog so thathe looks on distractions as an opportunity to earn a big reward instead

of fearing them as an occasion to be corrected.

Consider backchaining. Start with the dog in a sitting position andthen do a come signal. When that is secure teach a sit from a down,

then a come. Then a down from a stand; sit from a down; then a come.If the dog looks away and doesn't look back quickly, move closer.

You may use any signal you devise, as long as it is one continuousmotion. Some trainers alternate hands for signals. Some carry two

shirts to shows and wear the one that contrasts most with thebackground wall.

Standard SignalsHeel - left hand, palm forward, arced forward beyond the dog's nose

Stay - left or right hand, palm facing the dog, moved across in front ofthe dog's muzzle toward the trainer, or hand with palm toward the

dog, dropped straight down in front of his noseCome - right arm held straight from the shoulder at right angles to the

body (in front), the palm then pulled straight to the chest. The armshould not extend to the side, because it can cause confusion with

directed jumping.Down - may be given either with the arm raised overhead and

dropped, or by bringing the arm straight up over the head and thenreturning it to hang by the side. The latter is called a windmill downsignal. Whatever you choose, please remember that one continuous

motion is required.Sit - the arm is brought palm up from a natural position at the side to aposition outstretched in front, as if lifting the dog from a down into a

sit. I angle my hand out slightly so the dog can see it separate from mybody.

Finish - a circling motion of the left or right hand which indicates heelposition and duplicates on a small scale the path followed by the dog

on a return to heel.


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The dumbbell drops.

A 12 month old border collie bitch who is having problems getting herto pick up the dumbbell properly. He loves retreiving and is really

enthusiastic to fetch just anything.She do 'holds' with him several times a day but as soon as she throw

the dumbbell he picks it up on the side which is leading to drops, triedseveral different shapes of dumbbells but he always picks it up on its

side.

It could be your dumbell has insufficient clearance from the ground foryour border collie to pick it up in the middle easily and he does notlike banging his chin on the ground.Try with a thicker cross bar and

thinner ends with good ground clearance or try weighting one end sothat he has to keep a good hold to avoid dropping it.

I tried with a b.c. puppy ,5 month old who had the same problemto.Most of the things that you've probably tried without success, so I

decided to play with her and the dumbell and play tuggy games with

it. She soon discovered that if she was holding it in the middle, shecould hold onto it quite well, but if she was holding it by the end, I'd

manage to get it away from her very easily. She made up her ownmind very quickly that it was in her interest to hold it in the

middle.Afterwards, it wasn't a problem to teach the present and gether to give to me nicely.

Jumping up

They have a five month old border collie who has a bad habit ofjumping up at people.

She is only being friendly, but being such a large dog, this cannothappen, especially with small children.

Try leaving some small titbits by the door so that when some one calls

and they go inside yoy throw the titbits on the floor. Hopefully the dogbeing a labrador will be too keen to clean up the floor than jump


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up.Also you can try doing a sodid sit stay. When he is good at it youmake him sit before you give him any attention. This can be done with

yourself when you come through the door. Do not give in to hisattention seeking until you are ready to do so and only when he is

sitting. This is also applicable for visitors, tell them to completelyignore him when he jumps up. Get them to fold their arms and look up

into the air. This apparently is a real snub to them.You can also try raising you knee as he jumps and when he lands hehits his chest on your knee. You obviously dont do this violently just

so that he knocks himself. Good luck

Does your dog bring anything back to you?

She have a dog with 3 years old. Shes trying to do the pre-beginners inobedience this year. She is doing very all in all exercises except for the

search and bring of the dumbell.

When she frow the dumbbell she go for it but she dont pick it up andbring to me.

Tip

The best way is to get your dog used to bringing toys back to you first.You can do this by enticing him to hold the toy, then swap it for

something ie a tit bit. Then throw the toy just a little way, entice him tobring it (don't expect a present at the beginning) take it with great joyand give something in return, a tit but or throw another toy, so dog is

always being rewarded for returning and giving up the toy.Sometimes you can run away backwards enticing him to bring toy toyou all in a great GAME. He must believe its all good fun, that he is

not giving something up but gets rewarded for it.

When you have a solid retrieve with a toy, you can introduce a dubbell,again little by little. Don't make it all formal, it should be enjoyable.

You teach the present seperately. When you have a solid retrieve andwhen you have a seperate solid present without any article, then you

can put the two together. If you try to correct the present when the dog


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isn't solid on the retrieve he will think you are correcting him forbringing the item back to you. Get that bit right first and always as a

fun thing to do.
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Training a Border Collie