This was a referral email from another dog trainer. She asked if she could come along with me on the private lesson and give her some advise on what to do in this case as she was not used to getting people to accept crossover training. Crossover training involves people and/or dogs who come from aversive training methods and transition to positive reinforcement based training methods. Below is the email from the client and my response.
Q: I am writing you because I am very frustrated and am going to have my 9 month old border collie put down unless she starts acting better. She digs in the yard and escapes, destroys the house when she is left alone, won’t come when I call, pulls on the leash, and pees on the carpet when I come home. She also refuses to obey despite the fact that I make sure to dominate her as directed by the last dog trainer we worked with because she is a very dominant and stubborn dog. I have tried everything and want a second opinion to make sure I am doing the right thing. She also does not respond to the shock collar I got from the trainer even when it is turned all the way up.
A: Let’s try a new approach on training. Have you tried clicker training? I have found it to be most helpful in situations like this. I would like to come out and take a look at the situation before I say either way for sure but I have had success with many situations like this. Here are a few tips to tide you over until I can make it there. Let’s look at each point:
1. Digs in the yard and escapes- There are many reasons for a dog to dig, but it sounds like your dog tends to escape through her holes if I understand you correctly. Digging to escape can be caused by the desire to mate (is she spayed?), the need to supplement activity (expending energy by digging and then taking herself for a walk), being interested in something on the other side of the fence, and sadly sometimes because they do not like the home they are in. The first thing I would do would be to secure the premesis. Filling the holes with rocks covered by feces and topping it off with some dirt sprinkled with Cinnamon powder seems to work well for many dogs. The second thing I would do would be to exercise the dog regularly and thouroughly. I would recommend considering to build a kennel with a reinforced fenceline that she can not escape from or reinforcing the fenceline of the entire yard (purely for safety’s sake). You can also give her a nice bone from the pet store or stuffed toy to work on so she doesn’t get bored and consider keeping her in a safe place indoors so she can’t rehearse the digging behavior. We can also use ‘Leave It’ for holes once we do some training but for now you can take a look at ‘Leave It’ in the basic training category on this website.
2. Destroys the house- Border Collies are known for their high energy levels as well as their intelligence. Sometimes when a dog is destructive it is because they have too much energy built up. It is common for intelligent dogs to get into trouble when left alone because they often entertain themselves with their environment. Does she have a crate? You might consider putting her in a crate when she is left unattended; it is a humane way to make sure your house stays intact and your dog does not hurt herself in your absence. Again, more exercise may help take the edge off the energy level. I like to leave puzzle toys that dispense food with my dogs sometimes so they have something to work on besides my interior when I am gone. ‘Leave It’ may also help in this instance.
3. Won’t come when called- This one is usually pretty easy to fix. First off we should never call the dog for an outcome they will not like, second we should make coming a rewarding experience. Take a look at ‘Recall’ in the basic training category of this website. Sometimes a dog won’t come because it just doesn’t understand what is being asked, other times they may be scared of what might happen to them if they do or do not come. Let’s put the shock collar away because they often create anxiety about training. It may be harming your relationship so let’s replace the tone and the shock with a click and a treat when your dog does the right thing. I will explain more when I get to your home.
4. Pulls on the leash- This one will probably take more effort to fix but don’t worry I have a quick fox for you as well as the training to back it up. When I come over I will fit your dog with a head harness (I have several kinds) and when we find one that works well for your dog I can tell you where you can purshase one. The head harness helps reduce pulling right away and is humane if used properly. Increasing exercise often helps reduce tension on the leash when you’re out for a walk. You can play fetch or let her play with a dog friend before a walk to take the edge off. Try walking quickly and stopping in place or turning around when she pulls. Bring a treat bag along to reward her when she is by your side and when I come over I will show you how to use a clicker to polish the walk even more. Since walking with your dog is a great way to exercise her we will use the head harness in the beginning but if you’re consistent with the training you probably won’t need it forever.
5. Pees on the carpet when you come home- This sounds like it might be submissive urination judging by the type of training she has had in her past. Here is another reason to put away the shock collar and pull out the clicker. I assume since you tell me she is destructive when you are away you might not exactly be happy with her when you come home. Urination is an appeasement behavior that she may be offering because she has associated that when you come home you are not always happy with her. Again, the crate may help in this instance. I am a big believer in relationship centered training and if we heal the relationship (from her perspective as well as yours) this behavior may go away quickly. Another reason dogs sometimes urinate at greetings is because they are over excited, the exercise should help again here. You can also make sure to practice calm greetings to help keep the energy level down.
I know change is not easy and the concepts may be different than you have heard before. Let’s give this a shot before you do something irreversable. Although this will take some time and patience I think it is in everyone’s best interest to give this a shot. I look forward to seeing you soon.
