Hello, everyone! I just thought I would drop a line and introduce myself. My name is Samantha and me and my husband just adopted a 3 month old Australian blue heeler we named Ghost! I love him to bits but as most puppies are, he's definitely a handful and has some unique behaviors specific to herding dogs. I have been looking for a forum where I can ask questions and seek advice! I attached a few photos of our cutie below! First questions: how do you guys discipline your dog when NO doesn't work and how many of you crate train?? Do you crate your animal at night if you do?
Hello Samantha - welcome to you and adorable little Ghost to Breedia You have certainly come to the right place to ask questions although as I do not know anything about herding breeds I am afraid I cannot help you regarding their specific behaviours or traits. Hopefully other members do know and should be able to give you advice. Regarding discipline - many 3 month-old [and older] pups have selective hearing regarding the word "no" - or any other words they do not want to learn, so repetition, repetition, repetition should get there in the end. Again I cannot give you general advice but again there are other members who are far more knowledgeable than I. My little Tikva sleeps in her crate at night, in my bedroom, and has done since she was a tiny puppy, although I did not use a crate with previous dogs. I did not have to crate train her - she went in it the day I brought her home, with an unwashed shirt of mine and a couple of toys, and she has always been happy to go into it when it is bedtime. I hope you get the answers you need.
Thank you so much for reply! This little guy definitely likes to challenge me on the daily! He's really starting to push his boundaries and will nip even if told no. He gets into everything in the house so I spent this morning cleaning/lifting/limiting and dog proofing everything. We train him for at least an hour or two a day and take him for 2 to 3 lengthy walks. I try distraction and using NO and many other techniques but he is definitely is a challenge. I know you don't have this breed but to anyone reading this who does: what types of things have you done to curb destructive or unwanted herding behaviors like jumping and nipping? Are there specific toys you would recommend? What do you do when NO doesn't work?
Biting/jumping is normal puppy behaviour and yes, it can be very trying It doesn't happen overnight but persistence and patience do pay off. The goal is not so much to stop them from biting, but to teach them bite inhibition/ bite control, no one method will work for all and there are numerous ways to teach them to understand what's acceptable, main point is teaching the pup what is allowable/acceptable. Whatever method you choose, the more consistent you are the faster they will learn, http://www.crickethollowfarm.com/biteinhib.htm Long walks are not good for puppies, (there bones are still growing) its recommend not over doing it on hard surfaces, but some free running on dirt and grass is ok. Mental stimulation will tire him out more than walking. Short 5/10mins fun training lessons spread over the day is sufficient
