My sister brought home a BC x GSD mix puppy without doing any research whatsoever a few months ago. She just wanted a cheap Craigslist puppy despite my advice. It angers me as much as it angers you. Darla's parents were working dogs on a farm. She was living in an apartment when she got Darla and Darla's brother (whom her ex-boyfriend took with him when they moved apart). Was she thinking at all? No, obviously not. She probably just thought they were cute. Typical, right? Anyway, she and Darla recently moved in with me. I have had a rescue Border Collie for a short period of time and he was great, but I have not had to raise a high strung 6 month old puppy from working parents :cry: I wouldn't say that it is hard, but it is different, and maybe the proper word would be...CONSTANT. I have always had bully breeds, this is VERY different for me.
My sister is out all the time (she works and then leaves Darla with me morning, afternoon, and night) so Darla is basically always home with me after I get home from school/work. She is here with Karma (who just got spayed and is in heat), Kenai, and whatever puppies I take home to train from the kennel I work with. Her energy really bugs Karma and Kenai. I've got my hands full as you can imagine. Darla is VERY smart. She is GO GO GO constantly, as I did and do know about this breed, but I guess you don't really know the signifigance of it until you experience it. She has no off switch. If she is not being worked with or given constant attention, she becomes destructive and loud. I go to school, work, and have homework to do. I've tried Kongs filled with all the tasty tidbits you can think of. She gets bored of those. I play ball with her and do some training when I get home, which she responds to well, but when she's inside she runs full speed all around the house no matter how much exercise she gets or she whines. Constantly. She puts Kenai in a frenzy and drives Karma NUTS, to the point where I won't let them out together anymore. I have talked to my sister about doing some herding or agility with her, or some type of training or work with her or making the decision to rehome her to someone who better fits her needs. Everyone in this house has said something to her. She just gets offended and throws a fit. I am very upset with how ignorant my sister is and how this is something I need to add to my schedule now. I barely have any time as it is. Please don't see this like I am blaming Darla - I'm not AT ALL, she is a great, smart, sweet, loving dog, and I do absolutely love Darla, and I like Border Collies - would I myself have made the decision to bring a Border Collie into my life or home right now? No. But my sister did no research and it is really unfortunate, she has a lot of potential and she is really an impressive dog. It's very sad to me, as is the lack of socialization she recieved, she is a very skittish dog to add onto her naturally being sensitive. I LOVE dogs, but it becomes a bit too much when this is not my dog and not what I bargained for, if that makes sense. With her never being home it creates a lot of tension in the house (and a lot of other factors that add to me being so uptight with her since she has moved back in...it has NOT been a good experience and nobody is sure what to do from here).
Her ex-boyfriend has Darla's brother, who does live on a farm and is doing great because his owner works from home and he is ALWAYS doing something with the dog. Both of the pups have always been very intelligent, they were taught to sit and stay at 8 weeks old.
All I'm looking for is ideas specific to Border Collie minds, anything BC owners and lovers have learned with their dogs, training techniques, things to keep her busy at home so I can relax, do homework and study, and stay sane Thanks!
Oh and here's a picture of her since you guys haven't seen her since she was tiny.
100_1236 by ohmanlookatmylife, on Flickr
My sister is out all the time (she works and then leaves Darla with me morning, afternoon, and night) so Darla is basically always home with me after I get home from school/work. She is here with Karma (who just got spayed and is in heat), Kenai, and whatever puppies I take home to train from the kennel I work with. Her energy really bugs Karma and Kenai. I've got my hands full as you can imagine. Darla is VERY smart. She is GO GO GO constantly, as I did and do know about this breed, but I guess you don't really know the signifigance of it until you experience it. She has no off switch. If she is not being worked with or given constant attention, she becomes destructive and loud. I go to school, work, and have homework to do. I've tried Kongs filled with all the tasty tidbits you can think of. She gets bored of those. I play ball with her and do some training when I get home, which she responds to well, but when she's inside she runs full speed all around the house no matter how much exercise she gets or she whines. Constantly. She puts Kenai in a frenzy and drives Karma NUTS, to the point where I won't let them out together anymore. I have talked to my sister about doing some herding or agility with her, or some type of training or work with her or making the decision to rehome her to someone who better fits her needs. Everyone in this house has said something to her. She just gets offended and throws a fit. I am very upset with how ignorant my sister is and how this is something I need to add to my schedule now. I barely have any time as it is. Please don't see this like I am blaming Darla - I'm not AT ALL, she is a great, smart, sweet, loving dog, and I do absolutely love Darla, and I like Border Collies - would I myself have made the decision to bring a Border Collie into my life or home right now? No. But my sister did no research and it is really unfortunate, she has a lot of potential and she is really an impressive dog. It's very sad to me, as is the lack of socialization she recieved, she is a very skittish dog to add onto her naturally being sensitive. I LOVE dogs, but it becomes a bit too much when this is not my dog and not what I bargained for, if that makes sense. With her never being home it creates a lot of tension in the house (and a lot of other factors that add to me being so uptight with her since she has moved back in...it has NOT been a good experience and nobody is sure what to do from here).
Her ex-boyfriend has Darla's brother, who does live on a farm and is doing great because his owner works from home and he is ALWAYS doing something with the dog. Both of the pups have always been very intelligent, they were taught to sit and stay at 8 weeks old.
All I'm looking for is ideas specific to Border Collie minds, anything BC owners and lovers have learned with their dogs, training techniques, things to keep her busy at home so I can relax, do homework and study, and stay sane Thanks!
Oh and here's a picture of her since you guys haven't seen her since she was tiny.
100_1236 by ohmanlookatmylife, on Flickr
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