Border collies are very intelligent dogs and normally train easily, especially if appropriately trained from young. However, the breed’s origins as a working dog coupled with its bundles of energy, if left undirected, can create challenges later.
More than most breeds, border collies needs socializing from a young age with children and other dogs or pets. It is not unusual to see a collie trying to herd children, which is a trait that needs to be addressed before it escalates.
Border collies have a natural behavior of eyeing other animals in order to try establish control. It is usually accompanied with a hunching movement and will be seen by most other dogs as what it is, i.e. an aggressive threat, which many dogs will react to and often with aggression themselves. This is a behavior which an alert owner can arrest early but is best addressed in early training. Hence there is the requirement for socializing the dog and establishing which behavior is appropriate early on in its life.
The border collie needs lots of exercise as it has huge reserves of stamina; a farm dog will run much more than ten miles a day while controlling sheep! Prospective owners will probably be aware of the need for exercise. Training involving games with balls and toys and plenty of chasing will be met enthusiastically by this breed.
It is well worth considering taking training further with a border collie into more advanced training to make use of the dog’s characteristics and help keep it stimulated. The border collie is also a natural guard dog, being highly alert and if anything, a bit jumpy on occasion at strange sounds. This trait is again one that should be utilized in training and in some circumstances, training using a clicker may be effective in helping train the dog to not over-react.
For help with training your Border Collie, click here.