Will i be able to train a Border Collie of 1 or 2 years old???

ste2006

Hi All,

Following on from a previous thread i decided i better start a new one as now i have a different question

I think i will get a Border Collie / Lab Cross from a shelter as opposed to a puppy,

A lot of the dogs seem to be a year or so old already and are not really trained,

If i get one will i be able to train him properly, house break him etc or will it be a constant battle forever more,

I really want a smart intelligent obidient dog i can bring with me into the mountains and now he will obay me and have fun with me also,

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Stephen

CreedonsDogDayc

Yup, the "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" saying is rubish!!!

A year or two year old dog should be ideal, as they're out of their puppy stage and ready to learn!

I love collies myself, as i mentioned earlier I walk three different collie crosses, each quite different, but each very intelligent and eager to learn!

As other people have mentioned, collies are very intense breed, so you definitely have to be committed to regular long exercise sessions, and lots of mental stimulation.

Your doing a great job by doing your research, and if you strike up a relationship with shelters (and explain your inexperience, but willingness to learn) the shelter should help you out and match you with a dog that doesnt have many issues.

If you prepair yourself and your plan of action regarding toilet training, exercise routine, training sessions, and stick to it you'll have nothing to worry about!!!!

Regarding collies, they are very loyal dogs, and if treated right, will do anything for you! I've found that they are quite good at recall, so if you work hard on recall training you shouldnt have a problem with having the dog off leash on walks, hikes, etc.

Collies are great fun too! One of the most important things though is socialisation. Introduce your dog to all varieties of people (old, young, men, women, tall, short), variety of environments (city centre, parks, forests, car parks) and a variety of animals (cats, sheep, other dogs, birds... trip to the pet shop is handy too).

Introduce the dog carefully, watch him or her for any reactions, if they are becoming intense and staring, distract the dog with a treat, if they are afraid, go really slowly and introduce from a distance etc.



Your doing a good job by covering all angles, and you shouldnt have any trouble as long as you keep up the good work. you'll have a friend for life!!!!

ghost_ie

It may take a little longer to house train an adult dog. The lab/collie elder lemon we got as a puppy was a dream to house train but the next member of the tribe was a 2 year old JRT cross (who is very intelligent in most other respects) who took a year to house train. Member of tribe no. 3 (admittedly I don't think she possesses even half a brain cell) is also a JRT cross who was a year old when we got her and she took a year and a half to house train.

Apart from that the two JRT crosses are actually the best at obedience. The lab/collie cross suffers from selective deafness - she only hears what she wants to hear so such instructions as "don't go into the river" are completely ignored, while the same words said to the younger two are instantly obeyed

CreedonsDogDayc

with the toilet training, bring the dog outside on the hour every hour, lots of praise when it goes outside. if you catch the dog going to the toilet inside, say "no" firmly, and take the dog outside.

If your dog has gone to the toilet inside and you didnt catch it at the time, say nothing and clean it up (get "get off" from the pet shop to clean it up with, i found it very goos. a lot of household cleaning products smells of urine to the dog!).

So keep bringing the dog outside. FIRST thing in the morning (the dog will hear you get up, and will need to go to the toilet straight away, so you have to get it out quick), straight after meals, after play, after a nap, and then every hour too!!!

As you get to know your dog you'll know what it likes and doesnt like. If its a rainy day and your dog hates the rain, bring it outside (give it no attention) and wait for it to do its business, when it does, lots of praise and reward it by bringing it inside.

if your dog loves playing outside, do the same, but when it does its business play some outdoor games.

ste2006

Well I have a year and a half old Border Collie now,

He is great so far so ill let you know how i get on,

Thanks for all the advice,

Sigma Force

You'll have no prob training him if consistant and use humane methods.
Collies and labs are both very clever breeds so he should be pretty bright.
Dogs can be taught at any age and at 1 or 2 your guy is still very young.

peasant

CreedonsDogDayc wrote: »

Yup, the "you cant teach an old dog new tricks" saying is rubish!!!

Dogs love their routines, they're worse than civil servants.:D They do prefer it if everything is just so, like it always was.

From that point of view it can be a bit difficult to teach your old dog new tricks in its old environement.

But whenever a routine gets thoroughly shaken up (for example when the dog moves from a shelter to your place) most dogs are dead keen to learn the new rules of the new place as quickly as possible (regardless of how old they are) so that they can establish a comfortable routine again asap and end the confusion. They need to know where they stand and what's going to happen next to be relaxed and comfy.

If you utilise this to your advantage, training an older dog that comes to you is much easier than training a pup.
When the dog arrives, desist from making a fuss over it, don't give into the temptation to make exceptions just because "he's only new", but lay down the rules clearly, precisely and strictly and within a few days your dog should fit right in.
If it has never been toilet trained before, that might take a bit longer, but in most shelters dogs aren't just left to spoil their cages but are given set times to relieve themselves somewhere else. Just transpose that routine onto your place and you're flying.