Chickentrain's Dog Q&A

While you're here, @BigBlueHen53 , how much energy does your collie have? You said that she's a rough collie or am I just completely off? What's her temperament like?
Hi, BC. No, Hon, I have Shelties. Half the size of a Collie. Gracie at 10 is a perimeter guardian. She lies at one or the other of the doors and watches for intruders like coyotes, the cattle truck, squirrels, falling leaves. If she spots one, she's off to bark and chase until it departs or she runs out of energy.

Sammy, the 3 yo, is greased lightning in a small body. Once or twice a day we have to take him out and Zoom him. We say, Whoosh, whoosh and he runs around so fast he makes your head spin. I have NEVER seen a dog run that fast! When we first got him he was obsessive about chasing tennis balls. He had been confined all his life prior to us. Now he cal lie on a blanket in the living room and chillax, but it took a year to get that from him. I don't think that high energy is a breed characteristic. I've had half a dozen Shelties and never seen it before. Generally they are calm, dignified, sedate dogs. As with most dogs, they are what you make them.
 
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my grandma has had shelties and collies for ages

both calm, sweet, smart, and sensitive

but all the shelties have been l o u d
They will "feed" off each other. Gracie is teaching Sammy this bad habit to an extent, but I'm keeping him under control. A shaker can works GREAT on him. He is emotionally much more sensitive than her, he responds to correction. She's more like, Oh yeah? And who's gonna stop me?
 
Again, a lot of that can be managed. My Gracie is the worst I've ever had. She was an "only" puppy in the litter and had this habit when I got her. None of my other Shelties were this bad. I can control it with a shaker can.

yes, I do agree.

I've notice a lot in agility classes they also talk a lot! but i think its cute, when its appropriate
 
they think by slapping them they are punishing the running away, but dogs dont think that way.
Exactly. Dogs think you are hitting them for what they are doung right when you hit them. Not because they "don't remember" what they did, but because you can't tell them. Suppose I walked up to you and slapped you and you said, "what was that for?" and I replied. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you!" How would you ever figure out what I was mad about? But we expect our dogs to read our minds. They're smart but not psychic. Give em a break!
 
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Yeah... but she has used the bathroom in her crate.
And I take her out for a half hour, take her in, and she pees on the floor five minutes later. :(
You have taught her to pee indoors. Take the pee pad outside, preferably with pee on it. Put it where you want her to pee. When she pees on it, praise her. Crate her. Take her out every half hour and give her a chance to pee outside on the pee pad. Yes, she will spend a couple of days in the crate. Nothing in the crate. No paper. no towel, no pee pad. Clean it good with Nature's Miracle. Also the area where the pee pad was. At some point she should ASK to go out. Praise and let her out. That's a big step. Good luck!
 

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