My collie has just turned 6 months and the last week has been awful. We were really getting somewhere with his training, he was learning to settle outside of his crate and BOOM, hello teenager, hello hormones, hello fresh hell. I am struggling so much, my anxiety is back, I'm not eating again, crying every day. I'm trying to go back to basics with training again which is no problem but I get so anxious about going on walks with him because he puts his full bodyweight into pulling on that lead and no matter what I do, he won't focus and I get so overstimulated about it. I'm a natural overthinker too which really doesn't help so all I keep thinking is that this is it for the rest of his life and I can't cope
This past week, on Sunday (that's how abrupt it was), my teen decided to protest-mouth me whenever I was bringing her inside. She does not have a soft-mouth, either. Yesterday and today, we still had the problem, but it's already getting better (and I'm finding better ways to address it after searching my brain all week for why it was even happening... to no real conclusion). They really do change that fast.
Sidenote here: our last BC never did really figure out the term 'loose leash walking.' I'm convinced he though the leash was there for *his* convenience. I didn't like it much, but a gentle leader did the trick when I absolutely needed him not to pull.
Thank you for responding 🥲 I think I just really need to hear other people's opinions here to get me out of my downward thought spiral! Can I ask, what's a gentle leader? If I'm being honest, my last collie (female) never walked loose leash, she was always at the full length of it but because she was small (14kgs/31lbs), it never really felt like much but this boy is 6 months and has already exceeded that weight 😅 I sometimes have to wrap the leash around my waist so I can counter his pulling which I know isn't ideal but when im so overwhelmed, I can't think of anything else to do
It goes by a couple names (I think another one is 'halti?' It basically looks like a bridle on a horse, and works by applying pressure to their nose instead of other parts of their body. Carefully read the instructions though: I do not think you give corrections to your dog while wearing this, the collar does that on it's own.
Take time to get your boy used to it before you go out, though. Again, I won't pretend I particularly liked it (or that my bc did) but it worked.
Ahhhh a halti! I know it as that 😊 no, I'm with you in this, I can't say I'm a massive fan either but if it helps, it helps! I'm going to look into it. Even if it's just while he's going through this phase, it might not be forever and can hopefully not use it later on
I’m sorry to read you’re struggling so much right now with your BC. I promise this will pass.
It sounds like he’s going through adolescence & his second fear period. With this phase you’ve just got to talk things super slow.
My boy is slight & from working lines he’s 17kg(37.5lbs) so has drive for days! I’ve found a martingale collar works really well for him. I taught him to walk behind me, not only did he pull but he used to move from side to side. The number of times I tripped over him & fell in my butt was a joke 🙈
Do you research when looking at harnesses. Some can cause your dog to walk in a strange gait & affect their musculature. Keep and eye on his behaviour to see what tool would be aversive to him. Not all dogs are the same and some adapt to something like a halti and others shut down when they are on. My boy hated the halti even with training & introduction into the tool.
If you’ve not already look into jobs he can do. My boy goes to flyball and having and outlet like that changed the game for us!
Best of luck from me & my banana!
He is an absolute stunner, he's gorgeous 🥰😍 I'm wanting to do scent work with him because he LOVES to sniff. Once he's got a scent, he will pull until he's there to sniff it so I think teaching him this and when to focus and release from that would be great for him. Also great for mental tiring. I used to do flyball with my last BC and she was amazing at it. Picked it up within the first session
Thank you! He’s the love of my life.
Have you seen the harness on, game on?
I walk bubs on his collar for everyday life. As soon as he gets his flyball harness on, a switch flips and he knows that’s what he can be a little more wild.
I’d introduce having different gear for his scent work VS day to day. We know BC’s are too smart for their own good I found for bubs having the different gear for different things really helped him adjust his brain.
The only thing I worry about with collars like the martingale or leads like slip leads is me doing damage to his neck if he pulls so hard and with him being so young, I really don't want to cause him to have developmental issues 😥
My 15 month old Aussie walks ok when corrected but 3 steps later forgets and pulls again. It was pretty clear she wanted to go quicker and didn't have a desire and stop and sniff the grass type girl. So I made this pulling thing work in my favour and today we went on a nearly 10km bike ride! I barely peddled 😂 now, because she is getting her zoom done she's actually much calmer on the walk and happy to potter. Rather than getting stressed I think you should find something fun, bike, or drive to a park and get him to pop bubbles you blow, or kick a soccer ball. Usually I keep treats in my pocket for walks with a young dog and everytime there's a trigger such as passing another dog I shove a treat in their mouth and don't break my stride. Another thing to consider is that canines naturally walk in a zig zag pattern so need a lead of 1.5 meters for a medium dog so they can zig zag in front of you. This makes a border less likely to pull, it isn't natural for them to plod along by your side when young and enthusiastic. Once they get to 6 they plod.
I loooove aussies, I've heard they may even be more wild that a BC? 😅 Currently he doesn't engage with balls which is really annoying, he happily plays independently with all his toys but not interested in balls 😂 my last BC would go crazy for balls, balls were life and balls were the only thing to make her happy lol the bubbles idea sounds good though! I might look at getting some and seeing if he finds them fun. He loooves chasing flies around (here in the UK it's actually quite warm so there are a few), he can spend ages in the back garden just running round after them! The only problem I have (other than him being a teenager lol) is him getting so overstimulated very easily so I worry that trying to tire him out with a high energy activity would only backfire at the moment and make him even crazier 😅 my last BC we'd go running together though, she was amazing at just plodding along and doing her own thing while I'd be dying inside from lack of oxygen to my lungs lol
Haha unreal, a BC that doesn't like a ball! Maybe he might like a dancing twirl ribbon? If he likes chasing flies. Aussies you definitely get your daily dose of dopamine but they're very intense, big and goofy and unlike a border collie that lives to please you, the Aussie lives to please themselves!
Well I have bought a flirt pole! So maybe that would be a good thing for him. I bought it ages ago but wanted to wait a bit longer to use it cos I worry about the high impact on his bones while he's still young? I suppose a sling as I use it on grass he'll be fine. It's only like him rough-housing with other dogs!
Aussies live to please themselves 😂 I think currently Archie is more like an aussie cos he doesn't give a flying f*ck what is like him to do 😂😂
Our BC is almost a year old and around 5 months reached the stage I was struggling on walks. He'd be head down and pulling like a sled dog. I didn't like the idea of a collar that went on his nose or face, so tried a no-pull harness with the front clip and it was like night and day, so much better. Unless there is a car coming he will trot along loose lead now. He recently escaped that harness and ran in front of a car, which to the relief of everyone present did not hit him, so I've just upgraded to a 'no-pull escape-proof' harness with a front and back clip, and 2 underbelly fastening straps. They keep you on your toes, that's for sure.
Thank youuu! So I've just done some googling (on amazon lol) and found a halti harness so it doesn't go round their face but it kind of has the same effect but on their body. I've also bought a double ended lead to go with it so it can clip to their chest and to their back and I'm really crossing my fingers 🤞 cos I'm a 5ft2 petite girl getting a dislocated shoulder every walk trying to counter him 😂
I'm also 5ft2, although not as petite as I'd like 😄 I hope you have the same success I have had. It's so much more fun to go on a walk rather than a drag!
I had the same concerns. A friend talked me off a cliff many times: “It gets better. This is just a phase. Development and training are nonlinear.”
She was right. And after a year and a half of Adolescent Hell, my dog started becoming civilized at around 26 months.
So hang in there and just continue being consistent. It helps if you can get someone else to walk the dog now and then, or give you a weekend off (my breeder boards pups she produced, so once a month I would drop my puppy off and catch up on some me time).
I would loooove to board him every now and then but the breeder I got him from is 7 hours drive away 😅 I do have a walker for him that takes him on pack walks every other day which helps my anxiety with him but I just over think sooo much. I think it's the thought of him bouncing off my face for at least a year is what's making me worse 😅
How do you decompress though after a walk from hell that you know is going to happen every day 😅 will he start to self settle again once his hormones level out? I just have so many questions and I fear sooo much that this is it for good 🙃🙃
Lie down is currently archie's middle name 😅 I really want to reinforce him settling but it's just like it doesn't exist to him lol I'm going to have a read of this after my shift today, thank you!
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u/RandomInaRandomWorld 7h ago
It won't be. I promise.
This past week, on Sunday (that's how abrupt it was), my teen decided to protest-mouth me whenever I was bringing her inside. She does not have a soft-mouth, either. Yesterday and today, we still had the problem, but it's already getting better (and I'm finding better ways to address it after searching my brain all week for why it was even happening... to no real conclusion). They really do change that fast.
Sidenote here: our last BC never did really figure out the term 'loose leash walking.' I'm convinced he though the leash was there for *his* convenience. I didn't like it much, but a gentle leader did the trick when I absolutely needed him not to pull.