how do i get my border collie to get along with other dogs?
ByMy boyfriend and I own a border collie that has just turned a year old.
He’s very friendly to people and just loves company. He is not in any way aggressive to humans.
But for the last month i’ve been taking him with my boyfriend to a place called ‘pooch park’, which is where all dogs can come to hang out together in a caged off park.
Ever since we started taking him he will not let any dog come near him. If they do approach him his eyes bulge out, his tail is stuck between his legs, his lips curled, and he goes to nip them away (yes we do protect other dogs from bites by using a muzzle.)
I keep bringing him, twice a week because that’s the only time we can really fit in because we are both school students.
I take people’s advice on what to do, and I try so hard to do it. But my border collie just seems to want to follow us around instead of enjoying the other dogs company.
He has a brother at home (not blood related) that is a west highland terrier/maltese and he gets along with him 100% perfect.
He’s a beautiful border collie.. and I want him to be able to have fun with other dogs without feeling threatened or scared.
Keeping in mind that we have had him since he was 12 weeks old and nothing has happened to make him the way he is.
I know that most people are going to say ‘dog training’ but that is a difficult option for me and my boyfriend seeing we have school, soccer, and we obviously dont earn a lot of money to pay for it.
Can someone please give me something to work with, Brumby is a gorgeous boy, and I want him to enjoy other dogs.
Please help me !
6 Comments
July 6th, 2010 at 1:10 AM
if his tail is between his legs he is afraid – stop taking him there – it is escalating the problem
A muzzle is not a solution.
He is a herder by instinct and they like things organized and controlled – many herders cant handle the chaos at a dog park – I had an aussie
try a training class and get him socialized properly in a safe environment
July 6th, 2010 at 1:59 AM
Take him for a LONG walk before you go to the park, this will drain some of his nervous energy and he will be better at meeting new dogs. It is recommended for every dog to meet at least 100 other dogs before it is one year old, so if he hasn’t been well socialised, start now.
Good long walks every day on and off leash when you are comfortable with that will help.
If you are more relaxed about it, he will sense this and calm down, if you are uptight and worried, it wont help.
Best of luck.
July 6th, 2010 at 2:47 AM
You can’t make him. That’s like forcing your child to go to a karate class he doesn’t want to go to and making him be friends with the other kids.
Stop taking him to the park and take him on walks instead. I take my dogs hiking with me, there are other dogs to sniff and see, but we walk by them and keep going, that’s all the exposure to other dogs my babies want.
July 6th, 2010 at 3:15 AM
it sounds to me like your dog has some sort of anxiety you need to keep exposing her with positive enforcement, try running around with her and see if the other dogs get interested if she see’s that you feel its ok to play with them then she will feel more comfortable playing. have a calm assertive manor
July 6th, 2010 at 4:11 AM
My dog was the same way (luckily, he’s little, so he couldn’t really do any harm to any other dog) so I just kept taking him, twice a week just like you guys. At first I took him at times and days that it wasn’t very busy, so he could just get used to the environment, and then started taking him to the busier times at the park
Whenever he had a positive interaction with another dog I would praise him or give him a treat. Like, if your dog even sniffs at another dog without snapping or tucking her tail under, praise her. Especially if she is the one that approaches the dog. Now my dog runs and plays all over the park. I never thought he would. It took about 3 months of doing this before he made a total improvement, but it was worth it.
We also took him to free puppy socialization classes at petco (I think they are offered at petsmart too). For me, it was 12:30-1:00 saturday afternoon. They are “puppy” socialization, but they are usually glad to have any dog, no matter the age.
July 6th, 2010 at 5:09 AM
Linze2go had a good answer.
Dropping the issue does not seem like the way to go, not fair to the dog.
If you have only gone 8 or so times, it’s not enough. As Linze2go said, exercise first, then ask for a sit stay at the gate until he is calm. It may take an hour just to get him inside the fence, that’s okay. Don’t try to sooth or encourage him – it will backfire. Ignore him, but for correcting aggression. This may sound weird, but encourage or force the butt sniffing. Hold him up so other dogs can smell, get him to smell them too. This is what he should do, but does not know how to do.
Keep going, I admire you for your commitment to the dog.
He may get comfortable, but not play the way he should. Our Lab did her best to bring our tricolored rescue dogs playful side. He did okay with her, when she died suddenly he was devistated. He has a new puppy to play with. He ignored her for two weeks, now they knock the heck out of each other. He still is not well adjusted at the Dog Park. I say he’s like Howard Cossell. He gives a constant annoying commentary unless I tell him to zip it. His little “sister” has found buddies already. Oddly enough his picks were a huge female black Great Dane, (a crush), and a Rodesian Ridgeback male that humped him, he got nasty about it, then the Ridgeback decided he was cool so he wanted to play. Well if that’s what works for him, so be it. He is a weird dog.