I was “adopted” by what the vet says is a red merle 11 week old australian shepherd. No chip and no response to “found” ads. I know there are rescue groups, but I fell in love and wanted a new pup anyway to keep older lab active.
But when I researched dog 1 I knew an aussie was all wrong for me. That was years ago though. Research shows he’s pretty typical. He yips, nips, but is so smart he already gets potty training.
Older dog is schooling him well and playing well and they sleep like logs at night. Aussie gets put in crate at night. Doing my best to tire him out with walks and now 2 dog day care visits a week; however weather has been crappy here.
Training as far as biting is going nowhere fast, as previous training with lab are not working-yipping when touched by teeth, closing snout and saying “no.” But I just learned that it might be best to say “no” and then be a tree ignoring him.
He has to behave to get fed, but he’s still crazy hyper. If I keep up training, keep socializing and tire him out as best I can will I survive? I work about 10 hours a day but walk in morning and night and will likely get him a mid afternoon dogwalker when I don’t have the kids.
Could you reassure me that this is his nature, he can learn and be an ok dog for me or tell me to find him a home asap while he still has puppy breath? Pics will sway you.
Any recommendations other than someday agility or flyball? Suggestions welcome!
My dog went to doggy school with an aussie. His parents always seemed diligent but he was still hyper. But, he was as cute as a button!
I remember in our last year of class…our dogs were maybe 4 or 5 by this time…the trainer started teaching the aussie owner to use the alpha roll on him when he jumped, barked and bit (simultaneously). I don’t know how it worked out for them, but it was sort of a last resort since he seemed to be getting bolder.
I wouldn’t be surprised if your pup ends up with better behavior than this guy because your pup will be trained a bit by your older dog. And you seem to be doing a good job of working on training already. I agree that ignoring him after he nips is the best way to go, that’s what I remember from my training.
Love the Aussies. Had one for a short time but it didn’t work out (he was too much dog for my hubby). I will say I have never seen shedding like that in my life!
I own an Aussie Shepherd (Archie). They need a LOT of activity. We go for a daily run, about a mile and a half a day weather permitting. They’re intelligent, so he will pick up on your instruction quickly and you seem to be doing the right things with training. Interactive play is good; frisbee, fetch, etc. Another dog is also a good thing; they’re not hyper so much as they like to be kept busy. A lead dog will provide companionship and play when you’re not around.
Opened the thread with the thought of why would anyone in a domestic environment want a working dog like a kelpie as a pet. Then find it’s actually some fur-ball cross of obscure derivation.
If it was a legitimate Australian sheepdog, (we don’t use shepherds, either canine or human here) then train it yourself. Don’t let it’s role model be another dog, irrespective of how well the “leader” performs either in the paddock, shed or in trials.
Congratulations and thank you for being there for one in desperate need.
No snout-closing. Your second method is closer to the best way, but there’s more to it. You want him to mouth you early in his life so you can teach him the limits of his own strength and your expectations.
Read this: Puppy Biting by Dr. Ian Dunbar. That article is posted in various places around the web, and was recommended to me on a pit bull message board. It worked like a charm with our adopted feral pit bull puppy. I didn’t even go into all the detail Dr. Dunbar recommends – simply saying OW! and turning my back and leaving the room and requiring her to sit for a moment on my return, on a graduated program )first only for hard bites, then for nips, then for any tooth contact, etc.) worked GREAT. You do have to use it consistently – consistency is a key element in any dog training. I can’t express how well it worked for us, it completely civilized a wild, strong young dog in a very short time, and she’s NEVER slipped.
Many people I’ve chatted with say their athletic dogs do not get tired from exercise alone, OR obedience alone, but a combination of hearty exercise and 10-20 minutes of simple obedience drills wipes the dog out completely. Mind AND body.
It might or might not be obvious, but you should do the bite-inhibition training and (most) of the obedience one-on-one, without the other dog present to compete for your attention, distract the puppy, and throw off the timing and consistency of your cues. It’s desirable to do some refresher drills with both dogs present, but introducing a behavior or a command is better done with just you and the pup.
I personally recommend a three-pronged approach:
[ul]
[li]Exercise AND obedience drills[/li][li]Dr. Dunbar’s program to teach bite inhibition[/li][li]A job[/li][/ul]
It’s probably too soon for him to have a job as a puppy, but an Aussie sheepdog needs a job, something to do, a role to fulfill in the family/pack, in order to be optimally well-behaved. I’ve never lived with this breed, and I can’t be sure how much job will satisfy a given individual dog. It could be something as simple as patrolling the back yard for squirrels; but flyball/agility/disc dog/competitive obedience are probably better candidates. Getting a kid into a dog sport with the Aussie would probably be good for both.
My general experience with all the animals I’ve loved with has been that the more I put into the relationship – learning about the species, learning about this individual, spending real time working with the animal, the more both of us get out of the relationship. It’s work, or at least a hobby, but the payoff is big.
Thanks all for the responses. Penultimat. Thule, I really didn’t choose him, he chose me. I doubt I will do it but if he goes, he’s going to a rescue group that knows about Aussies.
Sailboat, thanks for the site, I will check it out tomorrow.
The lab is helping teach him where and when to potty. They play like they are both puppies but she’s also taught him what enough is.
The house has been coated in bitter qpple, but I think this little shit will LIKE tabasco since he’s a demon.
My daughter says she’s going to stick a bandana on him and make him a frisbee dog.
Thanks again and I see a glimmer of hope with exhaustion.
I may steer you away from flyball - at least until you get the obedience and everything under control.
Flyball really stresses getting the dog CHARGED up and, although THEY love it, makes it hard to get them to listen if they don’t already have the obedience down.
One thing that I often see Cesar Milan do is put a backpack on a dog during walks. Mostly I have seen him do it to distract a dog who is a bad walker, but recently I saw him do it on a very hyper beagle who could not be worn out. He was a fine walker, and the family exercised him a good bit, but simply walking was not enough. Putting the backpack on him during a walk did what sailboat said - wore out his MIND and BODY.
Congrats! Make sure to tell everyone that asks that Aussies are not actually an Australian breed, they were developed in the US and Spain.
Another thing to think about is diet. If you feed your dog a high energy “active dog” formulation, you’re PROVIDING them with a bunch of energy to burn off. Consider (and talk to your vet about) a lower calorie diet. Our basenjis, although nowhere near overweight, are much more mellow on a diet dog food.
Having read most of the replys I would only add that an 11 week old dog is going to be a nipper for awhile. Most out grow it, but that doesn’t mean that the behavior shouldn’t be addressed. It looks as though you’ve gotten some good advice in that area.
I would pay particular attention to the dog’s diet. The low calorie suggestion was spot on. Unless your dog will be a true working dog, true to it’s breed then a lower protien diet is fine for a house pet. I was advised by a vet years ago to keep our dogs protien intake at about 20%. Real working dogs would require protien levels near 30% They need the energy to get the job done. I’d check with your vet on this. It’s been years since we’ve had a puppy so this advice may not hold true as it does for adult dogs.
We volunteer with an Aussie rescue group and I think you’ll find that you’ve got a wonderful breed there, but if you find that the Aussie doesn’t work for you please contact an Aussie rescue group. Once a dog is evaluated and taken into a foster home that dog has a good chance of finding a forever home.
Good Luck
Some pics of some of the Aussies we’ve owned and/or rescued. We currently have two Aussie boys and a Border collie. http://www.pbase.com/s_wood/all_dogs
