Case Profile: The Border Collie
In this case profile, we explore some of the most common behaviours that clients experience in one of the UK’s most well known working dogs - The Border Collie. We see a lot of them up at the centre - so why does such a smart, trainable dog end up so often needing help for behavioural issues?
BREED(S): Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Australian Cattle Dog
Owners most commonly see me for: Volatile Reactivity and Lunging at Cars, Other dogs, Bikes and Scooters. Nipping biting and herding small children. Nervous aggression towards people and other dogs. Chronic fear of loud noises (fireworks, gun shots, crow scarers etc). Neuroticism and Inability to relax.
Most Common symptoms include: Barking, Lunging, spinning towards people and dogs, traffic, bikes etc. Pulling like a freight train on a lead.
Occasional symptoms include: Extreme levels of fearfulness and anxiety, ‘shut down’ behaviour, bolting when hearing loud noises, Aggression towards people and dogs.
Case Breakdown: Ahh, the Border Collie. I have many memories as a child hiking over the moors with border collies in tow - for every mile we walked they may as well have done four. These dogs are renowned for their exceptional intelligence and working ability, as world class sheep herding dogs, and more recently as dogs for agility, fly ball and other sports. As the saying goes, the most difficult thing to teach a Collie to do is Nothing. And as the other saying goes, if you aren’t two steps ahead of your collie, they’ll be one step ahead of you.
There are really two common themes with most of these dogs - the first being that they are at the very top end of the spectrum when it comes to being working dogs. Whilst almost every breed had ‘show lines’ and ‘working lines’, there is not a collie on the planet that doesn’t have the energy and mental capacity to work - and the overwhelming majority have strong herding genetics. Which means that there is never going to be an upper limit to exercise requirements with these dogs, and that until they have been properly trained and focused on a particular task, they will find any task of their own that releases energy and fulfils their desire to work.
Collies are not easy dogs to own, and their exercise requirements are as high as it gets. I cannot say this enough. If you own a border collie, and you are giving yourself a pat on the back because you exercise your dog for an hour every day, go for a walk and play with the ball in the park - think again.
As Seanthesheepman and Winnie the Cattle Dog’s videos demonstrate, These dogs were born and bred to be active from Sun up to sun down, and it is almost impossible to truly fulfil them in a home environment unless you are taking part in extra curricular activities. In the overwhelming majority of cases working with Collies and other herding dogs, it is a case of either excess energy, or overstimulation, or frustration in a dog that is not being fulfilled. When all that energy is locked on the end of a harness, it tend to come out in a very intense burst, towards whatever is moving around them - which we see as reactive behaviour.
The reality is that most owners of these dogs who keep them as pets will come up short on the extend to which they can fulfil their dogs, and in some cases there really are questions of compatibility between the dog and the home they are in. Thats not to say that Collie’s shouldn’t be kept as pets - not every dog can be, or is suitable to be a working sheepdog. But it is important to respect that many of these dogs come from working homes and genetics. Some collies come from stronger working lines than others - some are more bred as show dogs and have more manageable energy levels and herding instincts. But all of them come with a high baseline - so if your ideal weekend is not a hike across the moors, or a sunday morning at and Agility/ mantrailing/ scentwork/ canicross club - then you may need to think why on earth you got such an intense working dog.
I don’t expect my clients to be able to max out on their dogs need - its highly unlikely that anyone can, including me. But resetting expectations around the minimums is important for these dogs, and ‘half way towards happy’ is usually a big step forwards in terms of fulfilment for a lot of these dogs. A walk around the block is not it.
Purpose vs. Overstimulation
It is important to understand the difference between providing purpose, and overstimulation. Contrary to popular believe, it is not healthy or beneficial, or even necessary to throw a ball for your collie in the living room for 4 hours - or buy them 101 puzzle games. It is not an efficient release of energy, nor does it teach the dogs to switch off and relax.
Your dog needs to be challenged - mentally, physically and emotionally. They need to do tasks that - I guarantee you - cannot be done in the four walls of your home environment. Get out, get your dog on a good long walk. Practice obedience activities and sport. Join a club - do something interesting with your dog.
Nipping and biting in Collies and herders.
Collies are also renowned within working circles for their tendency to nip and/or bite. It is just part of what collies do - its how they herd sheep, and they often do the same towards people and small children when they get excited. There is a reason why the Blue heeler is called a Blue Heeler. You can absolutely address it and train for it - but there is an inevitability to the fact that an excited collie is going to start using its mouth in some form or other.
Fearfulness in Collies
Separate to the issues collies have with working requirements and frustration, these dogs can also be very sensitive to sound - and when they get nervous, border collies are some of the most nervous dogs I work with. One of the challenges to the breed is that as long as they are doing something, anything in fact - it is very easy to miss the symptoms of nerves and anxiety, which can left the issue untreated for a long time to get steadily worse. It also means that in situations when the dogs are no longer able to redirect there anxiety into other activities, it tends to present in a very strong way.
Steps towards resolution:
Teaching them to do nothing: The core skill for any working dog, particularly dogs like Border collies, is getting really good at being able to communicate to them when to stay calm and not ‘do’. As I mentioned earlier, its often the hardest skill to teach - but that doesn’t mean its not essential. We always start with natural body motions for sitting and lying down, including Place Work - but its normally the case that the same skills need to be taught in an obedience or ‘working’ context, so that the dogs can practice both stillness and calmness - which are not the same activity in the mind. When it comes to chronic fears and anxiety, the same skill is actually highly beneficial. Being still instead of bolting when your dog hears a loud noise, and being able to communicate the need for them to relax is a keystone piece in building calmness and confidence.
Being able to direct them to do ‘something’ at a high level, with a high level of control: The second essential part of working with Collies is that they need a job - no exceptions. So having an activity you both enjoy, which can focus their attention and drive into a game, job or sport is a huge part of counter conditioning many of then behaviours you don’t want.
Activities to Practice:
Place Work - an absolute must for managing territorial and possessive tendancies, and teaching your dog to relax in their own space around visitors.
Exercise plan - make sure you have a solid exercise plan in place so that you can drain energy to help these dogs stay calm. Exercise is a prerequisite to training with collies, not a replacement for it.
Long Line - Learn how to use a long line to redirect eye contact and redirect your collie’s focus in a healthy way.
Sport, Game or Job - Your dog needs an activity which truly challenges and fulfils them - and there have never been so many available options. Find something you both enjoy, and commit to it. There is a huge different between fulfilling the body, the heart and the mind. All three boxes need ticking with these breeds.
Fearful or Full On - In Person Support Matters
Owning a Collie is a right of passage (we’ve been there) and getting quality, in person support can make all the difference. Collies are on of the top breeds that we work with. If you’re local to Yorkshire and the North East, we’d love to speak to you.
If you’re looking for a dog behaviourist who truly understands and cares for dogs and gets results I can fully recommend James of The Dog’s Way. We contacted him for support dealing with our dog’s separation anxiety and car phobia. His website’s videos were insightful and easy to follow and apply, getting us off to a positive start and enabling us to make real progress straight away. When he visited us he took the time to fully understand our situation and our rescue border collie, demonstrating patience, a keen understanding of dog behaviour, in particular, of rescue and border collie dogs, and adopted a kind but realistic approach to my dog’s issues. He demonstrated and coached us through the training plan he devised, which was clear and easy to follow. We saw real progress immediately with the behaviors we were struggling with and he left us with a clear plan of the training activities we need to complete to reinforce the gains he made with us on his visit. We have follow up calls booked with him in advance to check our progress and support our training programme. My dog is calmer, more responsive, and happier in herself. She is settled when left and will now jump into the back of the car. We are currently reinforcing these behaviours using James’ techniques to properly embed them with James’ support. What I appreciated most is how he focused on understanding my dog’s needs and setting us up for long-term success, not just quick fixes.
James is truly an amazing trainer - cool, calm and collected, just like we all should be with our dogs. On top of which, he is the owner's psychologist too, helping you understand what your dog is trying to teach you because it is always a two-way thing. The fact that he could read and understood my Border Collie, Floss, within 5 minutes of meeting her was impressive. You think you know your dog....and then you meet James!! He listens and doesn't judge, offering clear advice and a perfect understanding of all behaviours - yours and the dogs. I came away after one session feeling lighter, more capable and confident (and in my head, there was my dog looking at me saying...'finally you understand'). I would 100% recommend James and can't sing his praises enough except to say he is our very own Cesar Milan!
Thoroughly recommend James and his experience. He has helped us to show our Border Collie how to relax opening our world. We have learned lots from him about our Collie’s behaviours and traits and that comes from someone who has done a ton of research on the breed. Sessions with James are very informative, fun and most importantly effective. At the end you are given homework but you are left feeling empowered, positive and keen to implement what you have learnt.
We have been working with James for a little while now, it’s really helped with our confidence and leave very session feeling upbeat as dog owners. We never wanted a ‘dog trainer’ but somebody who would focus on us and our relationship with our dog and the understanding of our dog and breed. After session one I think we realised we didn’t have a bad dog, a bad behaved dog but owners who needed more confidence about what was happening and why. Every session we have had we have left with bits of knowledge we can keep for life and a lot more confidence The biggest compliment is I would like James to be a part of our journey with our dog for life, that might not be always seeing him, but he be there for a catch up about even the littlest things we might have going on with our dog. Highly recommended!! Michael, Liz & Solo the Border Collie
Brilliant!!! I can recommend James and The Dogs Way without hesitation. He is very knowable about the dogs psychology and body language. He explains everything in a way that is easy to understand and relatable and he is easy to talk to. He is helping me with a working dog that has a fear phobia relating to noise, and although we are not there yet we are much improved. If you think a lot about your dog it is well worth the investment to help them have a better life. 😊🐶
I am so, so grateful we found The Dog's Way - James and Ste have turned our lives around with Archie (who we were convinced we would have to re-home - a crazy collie). What impresses me is the love they have of dogs - and deep understanding of the unique differences in breeds, temperament and owners! Still some work to do but after just 2 sessions all I can say is THANK YOU.
Our journey started with our Border Collie that was terrified of low bass loud noises, ranging from a car boots slamming, to crow scarers and obliviously fireworks also and dustbin lids, after having 3 x one to one training sessions with James at TheDogsWay, the change in or dog is immense. Certainly not cured but massively changed in respect of his ability to cope when he is challenged. The tools that James has provided us with and generally the way that we now see thing from our dog point of view. I would definitely recommend booking in, if your furry friends are suffering with any issues. Thank you James your advice and tools that you provided have made a huge difference in our day to day lives.
Had my first one to one training session with James yesterday. Finn and I learned more than we thought we new. Finn is my 5th border collie and a real live wire very anxious and reactive. James taught me lots of useful tools to use to help Finn and i I continue our journey together. I would definitely recommend this training plan and it's worth every penny. I came away from the session feeling I've got the best collie in the world that's thanks to James building our (probably mine mostly) confidence.
Shadow. Shadow is a 4 year old rescue collie /lab cross. Right from the off I sensed something wasn’t right, and anxious as a new dog parent called in reinforcements to prevent developing challenging behaviour, aware that I was not going to give up on her. (As she had been rejected before by 2 families). She deserved so much more and in recruiting James, Shadow and I have quickly moved beyond those initial wobbles and anxieties (mostly mine). I was guilty of projecting my anxieties around her being a rescue onto her, and fundamentally misreading the situation and thus mishandling the solution, creating deeper issues and problems. James’s professional, intuitive, pragmatic and clear guidance allowed me to fully appreciate, “see” and “hear” Shadow and in doing so allowed a quicker, more solid, less emotional and trusting relationship to blossom. His non- nonsense and gentle delivery supported and enhanced a purer and more joyful cultivation of my relationship with Shadow. He is dog-centric while being mindful of the “noise” that we as humans can bring and is clear in ensuring that the dog is not subjected to the smorgasbord of our daily thoughts and experiences, but rather forges and cultivates a “living in the now” experience with the dog. I have experienced this, and with his guidance Shadow and I are learning to trust, listen and are learning to enjoy wonderful experiences. I am now developing a relationship with Shadow, which my whole life I has looked for and hoped to have with a dog. This is in no small part to James. He responded quickly, thoroughly and thoughtfully and I would highly and fully recommended his natural ability and skill to anyone having issues with their dog. There are very few genuine people that you meet such as James and should your dog (and you), need any support, you would be well placed to receive excellent and authentic support were you to ask for his guidance.
It’s been over two weeks since my session with James and I can now see a dramatic difference in my dog’s behaviour. I had initially contacted James as I realised that I was walking both my dogs in quiet places to avoid possible confrontations. I had perceived that my dog Billy was anxious after an attack by another dog as he would stalk and charge at some dogs. I was constantly on guard for possible problems and not enjoying walks as much as I should have been. The 3 hour session was invaluable and very enjoyable. James helped me understand my dog and provided insightful recommendations and suggestions. I now have much more confidence in managing situations as I am learning to understand Billy and I no longer avoid meeting other dogs. James has a really lovely calm, patient and informative approach and an amazing, comprehensive understanding of dog behaviour. I would highly recommend his service.
