how do i get my dog to calm down?

Question

hes a brown and white border collie and hes 1 this month he is full of energy all the time even after a big walk he always jums on people and i hate it as one day he is going to knock someone flying also im trying to train him off the lead but every time he sees someone he runs away

we do take him up the big field up the back get him running up and down the field till he lies down nothing works

Answer 1

Dogs jump up on people way too often. You may have your pet stand on their rear legs with their front paws on you while your petting them. This is normal behavior for dog. Puppies of wild canids do it all the time. They jump up on each other or their parents, jumping up serves both as an act of play and teaches them how to act as a predator and how to challenge other pack members in the dominance hierarchy. In some homes, puppies are encouraged to jump up on their owners. Obviously, this is a mistake. While it may be seen as cute or as a sign of affection while the puppy is small, it can be hurtful and terrifying when done by a 100-pound Rottweiler.
In all honesty, this behavior can be eliminated completely in a week or less, I do not think you need to say anything. You need to communicate to your pet that this is not acceptable behavior and should not be done, but do not waste your words or try to make up new phrases to correct this.

Do a Body Block instead...
As your pet starts to jump up on you, turn sideways and either extend your leg or lean over, with your hip and give a body block so that the pet never gets their paws on you. You see, once they have their front paws on you, they showed whoever that they are the top dog. So next time you Do a Body Block, Ignore Your Pet, they will learn sitting quietly instead of jumping will get them attention.

What if your pet surprise's you. Do NOT push them away with your hands. Many pets think that this is playing. So say nothing, Do Not waste your time by saying "No" to this kind of behavior but do the body block, this usually helps them understand jumping up on people is not tolerated, if you do this consistently, these actions will eliminate your pet's jumping behavior.
You must be in control of your pet at all times and have your pet's attention and trust, otherwise you will never get him under control. If he runs away from people he don't even know while not on the lead, it kinda makes me think something has happened to him at some point. If possible try doing your off the lead training in a smaller more confined area where you can keep him focused. All collies have an energy level that makes most pet owners quiver, but most owners really wish they could bottle all that energy up and sell it. Wouldn't that be nice! Good luck and remember to praise when a lesson is done right and keep his training down to only 10-15 minutes at a time, sometimes people try to get it all done in a short time. But in reality their minds can only take so much.

Teach your dog that they must earn everything, and they will get it by calm behavior. From now on, anything your dog wants means that they must first do something for you, such as sit. You are in control, not the dog. Do not give the dog your attention on-demand. Ignore the dog if they whine, or pushes at you with their nose or paw. Wait until they stop making demands and is calm. Then ask them to sit, and then pet them. Make the dog sit or lie down and remain calm each time you give them treats, before you put the leash on, before going outside, before you throw the ball, etc. Several times a day, work with your dog on 'sit' and 'stay' commands, using small treats, and lots of praise.

Teach your dog that people have higher status than they do. Do not allow the dog to be on the couch or bed or in other places where humans sit or sleep. Do not let your dog stand up and put their front paws on your shoulders. Do not let your dog jump up on people at all. If the dog is going to jump up, command them to sit or to lie down. When you come to a doorway, ask the dog to sit; then you go first and the dog follows. You should be the one to initiate playtime and decide when it will end. Avoid any games like 'tug-of-war' that may encourage your dog to be possessive about a toy. Practice having your dog come to you and 'drop' or 'give' whatever they are carrying. Any game of fetch should end with the dog giving the toy back to you, so that you 'win.' I hope this helps you out and good luck!

Answer 2

No matter how much exercise you give a Border Collie, you will never wear him out so you need to channel that energy into making him work by doing plenty of training with him. You have to train him ON the lead before you can train him off the lead where he knows he doesn't have to listen to you! Take him to a GOOD training class (not one of these franchise firms).
Have a look here for a training class in your area.
http://www.apdt.co.uk/list_trainers.asp

Answer 3

A border collie is a working dog. They have tremendous energy that needs to be channeled. A long walk isn't nearly enough. I suggest you take him to dog training school so you can learn how to train properly. Border colllies are very smart dogs. To get rid of some of the energy you could also take him to a dog agility course. He would probably excel at it.A This would be perfect for this breed of dog and he would love at. I cannot stress how important it is for this dog to get PLENTY of exercise. It is unfair to the dog not to be able to do what he was meant to do so you have to make up for it . Have you read about this breed? If you can, check out the agility trials on the pet channel. These dogs are amazing and so happy working out. Good luck.

Answer 4

hi there, first of all you must remember he is a baby, and will calm down as he matures. To stop him jumping up on people, tell them to just turn their back on him and completely ignore him, if he jumps on you, do the same, and only turn around and give him attention when he gets down. This worked for me with my bassett hound, and believe me they are stubborn!! As for him running away when you take him off his lead, you must train him on the lead first and make sure he knows you are the boss. Then when he behaves on his lead, take some nibbles in your pocket next time you go for a walk, give him a few then let him off his lead, call him back by tempting him with the nibbles. Each time he comes back make loads of fuss. Keep doing that and he should eventually come back when you call, nibbles or not!! Try not to scream and shout though, just use a really sharp tone of voice so he can tell the difference between when you want him to do something and when you are giving him love.

Answer 5

Take him to dog training classes. they work wonders, and you'll learn a thing or two.
We took my mums German Shepperd dog to one (a 6 week class) and it was great. Picked up loads of tips and the dog ended up being real good afterwards.

As he is only 1 month old, this is the best time to take him to training. You need to train a dog within its first year otherwise afterwards, you'll be stick. I have a Bernese and even though he is only 13 months, still training him even now as you have to keep it up.

Definitely look out for training places in your area, or look at the Kennel Club website for ideas on where to locate training schools.

Answer 6

He is a working breed of high intelligence. They are a bit on the excitable side. His normal life would be out all day shepherding much of the time. You will have a busy time giving him the life he is bred for. Working breeds are not relaay suitable as low maintenance housepets.

Answer 7

border collies are hearding dogs. high energy...gogogo!
they're used to running for hours. they have high energy until they've been hearding (mostly sheep (which are more active or have more strays than most animals))
therefor they have extremely high endurance for long distance running.
i wouldn't try off lead training for some while!
best of luck
bbg

Answer 8

well border collies are inteligent dogs but allso hard to control
you have to be very strict with them, Aways take a treat when off the lead , If he obeys give him the treat. remember you are in charge good luck
.

Answer 9

Collies need lots of mental stimulation as well as physical exercise. I strongly recommend that you find yourself a good trainer and try one or all of the following activities to keep your dog busy: clicker training, agility, flyball, heelwork to music, scentwork or obedience training.

Try the APDT website to find a good trainer (www.apdt.co.uk).
Clare.

Answer 10

have you thought of agility training this is a very intelligent breed and needs lots of exercise and will help keep his brain working it is great fun to, also fly ball is great not sure how many clubs there are in the UK but dog training clubs might know!