Got Instinct?

DJEtzel

Active Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
3,267
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Kalamazoo, MI
#1
Took this video today of Recon at the dog park... He's six months old, and I've never had a well bred herder so I had no idea I should be expecting this evident of herding instinct already! I'm thrilled to say the least... I can't wait for the weather to warm up (and stay that way) so that we can go out and start on some sheep! :)

https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10151253695077705
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
7,099
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Illinois
#2
Very cute video! I loooove red border collies!

Let me be a bit of a kill joy though and just give out the warning I wish someone would have given me. Don't let that focus on other dogs fetching continue and be reinforced. I'm fighting a major uphill battle with my puppy focusing, stalking and obsessing about the movement of other dogs. I thought it was so cute and funny at first and I'm paying for it now.
 

SaraB

New Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2011
Messages
5,798
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
St. Louis, MO
#3
Recon is super adorable!

I agree with Linds on this one though. Herding behaviors are fantastic when in the appropriate place but can snow ball quickly when allowed to be practiced in inappropriate settings.

What I do with my girls to help make sure that they don't get motion sensitive with each other is to have two toys for each dog. One waits while I throw the toy for the other one, so they take turns. Helps keep the focus on me, helps ensure that the dog who is fetching doesn't feel the need to protect their toy, and helps improve impulse control overall. :)
 

DJEtzel

Active Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
3,267
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Kalamazoo, MI
#4
Very cute video! I loooove red border collies!

Let me be a bit of a kill joy though and just give out the warning I wish someone would have given me. Don't let that focus on other dogs fetching continue and be reinforced. I'm fighting a major uphill battle with my puppy focusing, stalking and obsessing about the movement of other dogs. I thought it was so cute and funny at first and I'm paying for it now.
WAY AHEAD OF YOU. For the first few weeks, I thought the same. He's been doing this for almost a month or two now... Then Frag laid him out over a tennis ball because he wouldn't get away. We've been working on it a TON and I can recall him from Frag 97% of the time when he fixates like this. He hasn't done it to any other dog yet, but I would hope that Frag means more to him than others and it will transfer over to some degree! :) THANK you for the thought though... I almost didn't catch it soon enough.

eta; I also do that Sara... work on him waiting while I throw Frag's tennis ball and then throw a frisbee for him. If I had somewhere I could sit my phone to record I'd get a video of this too... I tried getting a video recalling him, but the sound was terrible because I was yelling into the phone and it was very shakey. haha.
 

Members online

Top