Here's for the new marker thread:

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=32713&page=1#367439

"But he does take advantage when running free in the house."



No running free in the house. He's not ready, and this is getting you and him and the kids, too, into trouble.

ok brian , if he is out of the crate at 6.30 , what is he doing until 7 ?

and if he's taken for a small walk sometime between 13.15 and 17.00, what is he doing the rest of that time ?

if you are not doing something with some purpose ( any purpose ) to it , then put him away in his crate . of course this puts the onus on you .

to steve : totally agree that chasing bikes is one of those activities that could be deadly to the dog and needs to be corrected whenever it happens . the point i was trying to illustrate is that i'm hoping brian can install behaviours the dog can be rewarded for ( leave it ! ) as opposed to just " correcting " the dog for every little thing . sounds like he is now getting on track with the marker training . . . this dog should thrive on that

Don't feel battered, Brian! What's going on is actually the opposite.

You seem to be a good guy who's legitimately trying to learn and help his dog, and we're all excited about helping you.

I think what may have frustrated some posters is that they see you making errors that still hearken back to the original advice that was posted, i.e., pack structure, and they just want to make sure that you're not missing that point. IMHO, some of the enforcement that you will need to implement will not be welcomed kindly by your teen-age brat dog, as he is used to having things a certain way. Therefore, you will get frustrated and feel like you're not getting anywhere, but hang in there. You'll start to see results, and you'll be happy with your dog.

BTW, as others have alluded to, he's going to need a LOT MORE stimulation and exercise, as well as crate time. The behavior you described indicates (to me) that he's trying to engage you for more activity.

Hey Brian, here's something else to think about. It's a little difficult to describe online, but what it comes down to is, you need to quit grabbing him. Putting the leash on him isnt the problem, its the grabbing before hand. I think in his mind, you're attacking him. Remember, its not exactly what you're doing, its what his perception of it is.

Take the jumping on the couch. You have a drag line on him because you're prepared now. He jumps up on the couch, you say no, calmly approach, correction, guide him to a spot on the floor, and have him lay down. Tell him yes, and reward him there. Then release him. He needs to know when he was wrong, when he was right, and when he's finished. Does that make sense?

Sample schedule for a day in the life of a teenage Border Collie using your time frame-

6:30 - up, outside to potty, brisk 15-20 min walk. And I mean brisk, business like, keep him moving so he can't get distracted by other things.

Come home do a 5-10 minute basic OB training session. practice down stays with a kong and a drag line in the same room as you while you get ready for your day

8:00 - take him outside to potty, play tug with him for 5-10 min. After which you put him in his crate until 13:15

13:15 - take him outside to potty, then work on training with a tug reward for 10-15 minutes. Figure out some sort of mental exercise/game you can play with him such as nose work (for instance, I've taught my youngest dog to hunt for my keys -it's simple yet it gives her something do to and gives her brain a workout)

Have him loose, inside tethered to you or with a drag line in the same room as you. Make it clear to him what you expect and reward behavior that you want. He starts to get worked up then it's "no" and step on the line near him and stand there 'till you have his attention, then tell him/show what you want and reward him for doing it.

Crate him before dinner.

After dinner take him out for play/training. Playtime should never just be a free for all time, you need to incorporate OB training into it. Go hide his tug or ball ahead of time and make him hunt for it, make him heel then release him to play, learn how to lay a track and practice footstep tracking with him.

After this, let him hang out with you (on a long line) inside until bedtime.

It's work, but it's what teenage Border Collies need. And be figuring out what kind of a job you're going to do with him. Agility, tracking, Herding. He's a dog that NEEDS a job.

good post mara , thanks for putting in the effort . . .

Thanks Mara, so no free running at all on the field?

Will he have had enough exercise?

I will create somekind of structure for him and let you know what it is, so you can give me your opinion if possible.

Many Thanks

You'd be surprised how much the mental work can tire a dog out.

He can have running time. It just needs to be structured. A retrieve with rules attached to it, for example.

I have also just made some enquiries about flyball, open day in march, but give me time to improve his training and focus.