Hi! We're new here but I'm not sure we belong. After reading many of the topics it seems most are into protection dogs. I don't want a protection dog. I just want a companion and pet. I would like him to bark to let me know when someone is around. I wouldn't mind ob competition and maybe some work as a therapy dog.
I can still use some help and advice. I am thinking about buying the Basic ob video. I want to know if using the pincher collar is a good idea on Radar.
Here is Radar's story. After having to put my fourteen year old Lab to sleep I adopted a tricolor from Ohio's collie rescue. He was abandoned by a kennel owner in Tenn. He/She took all the females and left 6 males behind. A kennel owner in Kentucky went and picked them up to place with collie rescue. She said they were in individual kennals with houses. He was so matted they had to shave him. Four were sent to Ohio. Radar is one of these. He is a year and a half and neutered. Collie res. received him on Sept.9. He was in a foster home three weeks. We picked him up on Oct. 1st. He gets along well with other dogs. He loves to play but will warn them if they over step their bounds. He is fearful of people. He has shown no aggressive tendencies. Given an option he will run from people. When approached by people inside he will allow them to pet him and offers his paw. I know this is a submissive behavior. He also shows many calming signals. Head turning, yawning,etc. When we first got him, he would turn his head when I talked to him. He looks at me now. He would not take treats. He can turn down anything. He will take treats from me now but not my husband. The only people he seems drawn to are kids. Kids can often get him to come to them when most adults can't. In the yard when he is by himself, he wags his tails barks, runs and acts like a normal dog. When we walk he does well with steps and other obstacles. Noisy cars approaching from the rear spook him a little. In a pet store he shakes and tucks his tail. When he comes in the house he goes to his bed and never moves and never makes a sound. I had to bring him up to eat or any other movement inside. You would only know he is here if you looked at him. He is the same in the car. There were thirty people here Thanksgiving. Most never knew he was here. He just stayed on his bed. He didn't even peak. It didn't seem to upset him. He is making progress. He does go up to eat and plays a game of walking around the family room and returns for a treat. Anytime I have had to correct him a no does the job. He was a puller, but had him walking on a loose leash with a choke collar within ten minutes. When walking he ignores dogs, squirrels, etc. He is not a problem. I just want a better life for him.
The second day we had him, I was bringing him in on a leash.
When we reached the door he bolted. He went around the fountain. The leash turned it over. It came crashing at him water and all. As he was dodging it it hit a planter which than came crashing at him. He pulled backward out of his collar. I had to enlist by son and his collie to catch him and get the leash back on him. I had him drag a twenty foot line and than a leash so I could bring him. He used to run through the area of the crash but now has no problem with it. He even will sometimes drink from the fountain. I think this shows he can recover from fears. Is he in danger of becoming aggressive? I have ten grandkids and do not want an aggressive dog. Do you think he will eventually adjust? Along with my Grandson and his dog,We are signed up for obedience classes and have already paid. I read in here it is not recommended. Back to my other question. Is a prong collar needed or will this set him backward? I am currently using a fur saver collar.

Here is a picture of Radar at Christmas. No he does not usually wear a bow. I hope I will be forgiven I do not have a picture of me. Although he loves to play with dogs I can't get him to play with me and is not very food crazy. Thanks

http://img506.imageshack.us/img506/7757/hpim0176cb2s1zs.jpg

Is this sight only for owners of the protective breeds or are collie owners welcome? I see allot of experienced and knowledgeable people here. I thought some of you could give me some insight. I am just looking for answers. Do you think the obedience video would be helpful for me? We are making progress but it is very slow. I have no intention of giving up on him. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

This is a training forum, and if you go through the old threads, I can almost guarantee that you'll find plenty that pertains to you and Radar. Use the "search" function and put some key words relating to him, and you'll have plenty of reading....

Thanks for the reply. I tried that and only came up with two pages. Most were on fear aggression. That isn't my problem. I haven't found anything that gives me the answer on the prong collar on adog like Radar. Thanks again for your help.

Why don't you read the posts regarding rescues and dog raining and see what you think. There are certainly more then a few people who own pets (like myself) here who learn from the experienced trainers. I tend not to read the protection posts. If you have read the leerburg articles and generally agree with the philosophy, you will find the threads useful. Personally, I got fed up with the touchy-feelly dog boards I read in the past. I enjoy having obediant dogs, and I am amazed at what many people let their dogs get away with. I also like the fact that people use their real names here, I think that is an important difference with other boards.

You've had him four months, he had a lousy early life, and he is improving, so you should be encouraged. I do not have enough experience with this type of dog to offer concrete suggestions. Maybe you could also search the threads for rescues? As for the prong, I think you will hear a lot of support for this collar here, expecially in favor of the choke chain.

A prong may or may not be necessary. It is not such a terrible device that you're going to be doing harm by using one. In fact, I will never use a choke again now that I know there's something better. I find them especially helpful on long-haired dogs like yours. They don't get tangled and yank out their hair, and they don't get tangled and therefore not release, like can sometimes happen with a choke. Remember, a prong correction is tailored to the dog and the offense. You only use what you need.

there are other pet owners here who don't own PPDs or those breeds, so you are fine. i would recommend ed's basic obedience DVD. it's important that if you use a prong, that you use it correctly, and the DVD covers this.

your collie sounds very sweet and on his way to making a fine pet. it's only natural that it may take him several months to come around after what he has been through. if he turns out to be a very "soft" dog, then you may not need the prong, but ed's DVD covers that subject also.

good luck with him.

Thank again. I am not opposed to the prong collar. The mother of the Lab I just put to sleep was not a puller. She was a dragger. I still have shoulder problems from Storm. I have a prong collar I tried with her. It was only slightly better. I know now the problem was I had no idea how to use it. I was using it basically like a choke collar. It was too loose too low and did not know about active and dead links. I wish I knew than what I know now. I am glad to know using a prong on a soft dog is covered in the video. I couldn't find that info anywhere. I just don't want to do anything to send him backwards nor do I want to let his fear turn into aggression. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hey...

I have a really soft dog I use a prong with. Like they said, you dictate how much of a correction, if at all, that you use with it. It's less stress to her if I use it to 'guide' her compared to other collars. It's also less stress to me when we go for a walk, she will run to the end of the leash whining to get to the field NOW...the prong limits that. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />