FIRST THINGS FIRST - CONGRATULATIONS!!!
We are all so happy that you chose to help
a Border Collie in need and were willing to open your
home and hearts to this wonderful breed of dog. The theme
of this information page is "SET YOUR DOG UP TO SUCCEED!"
By understanding your new dog's behavior, you can anticipate
problems and correct them calmly and as quickly as possible.
Be reasonable in your expectations. Above all, be patient,
firm and consistent, and use positive reinforcement. We
want the adoption of your Border Collie to be a "win-win"
situation on both sides!
Before you pick up
your new Border Collie
Since you've chosen to adopt a Border Collie,
you've probably educated yourself about
1) the reasons this breed is unique
2) the breed's behavior characteristics, and
3) changes to your current lifestyle that this dog will
cause.
The New England Border Collie Rescue website
(www.NEBCR.org) has
information about this breed, and even if you've read
it before, you might want to read it and review it. The
adoption coordinator that you worked with told you about
your Border Collie's history, veterinary information,
evaluations and current eating, sleeping and activity
routines so that his transition into your home can be
easier. Dogs need order and are extremely routine oriented.
We recommend that you find out all you can about his routine
- and duplicate what you can - before you start to reorient
him to the rhythms and schedules of your home. Work out
your house rules and dog-care regimen in advance among
the human members of your household: Who will walk the
dog first thing in the morning and last thing at night?
Who will feed him? Will your new dog be allowed on the
couch or bed? Where will he sleep at night? Will he be
crated? All members of your household should agree on
these important points of routine.
To ensure a smooth transition, you should
already have supplies (collar, ID tag, leash, food, bowls,
crate and toys) for your new dog. You should have already
lined up a vet, and a training center where you will take
your dog for basic obedience. Remember: We believe that
all dogs need to be socialized and trained in order to
be good citizens. You will be required to enroll in and
participate in a basic obedience class with your new Border
Collie. This requirement will only be waived if you can
prove that you have had prior extensive experience training
dogs yourself or for some reason your particular dog does
not require any more socialization and training, an unlikely
scenario.
If you already have resident pets, make
sure they are up-to-date on their shots and in general
good health before bringing home your new dog. Despite
the best efforts of the rescue organization, previous
owner or foster family, viruses, bacterial infections,
and parasites can be spread and occasionally go home with
adopted rescue dogs. You may want to make an appointment
with your vet to get your other dog(s) checked out and
get them any vaccinations they did not previously have.
A Bordatella (kennel cough) vaccination is recommended.
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Bringing your
dog home
Try to arrange the arrival of your new dog
for a weekend, or when you can be home for a few days,
for quality, hands-on time. You may wish to set up an
appointment with your vet to check out your new dog soon
after bringing him home and set up an inoculation schedule,
depending on the veterinary care your rescue dog has already
received.
Register soon for an obedience class.
Don't ignore this very important step in setting yourself
and your rescued Border Collie up for success! We
recommend a positive reinforcement-based dog obedience
classes that teach dog manners, canine good citizenship,
and discipline. Try to register for a class starting about
3 to 4 weeks after your dog has come home with you. It
is important that your new dog has some time to adjust
to you and your home before putting him into the stimulating
environment of an obedience class. Even the shortest "dog
manners" course offered at your vet's or at the local
pet supply store will reinforce the new bond between you
and your new Border Collie, will give you a valuable face-to-face
resource for questions about your dog's behavior, and
will provide a powerful tool for moderating your rescue
dog's less attractive behavior traits. Remember, Border
Collies need work. An obedience class is a first step
in providing him with active, mental work. The rewards
are obvious - what a joy it is to have a well-mannered,
trained Border Collie companion!
Your dog's name
New families often ask about changing the
adopted dog's name. If you desire to, it is fine. Many
times, the dogs are given names at random by a shelter.
If we felt the name was inappropriate for the breed (part
of the history of the breed is a strong tradition of short,
dignified names) we probably already gave the dog a new
name. We'd be pleased if you choose to keep that name,
but understand the need that humans have for giving names
that make a pet uniquely theirs. The dog will learn his
new name if it's overused in the beginning. It is in no
way traumatic to the dog to change his name.
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What to expect when
you arrive home with your new dog
You should expect your new dog to act
differently than he did when you met him at the foster
home. He will be excited, nervous and possibly tired
after the trip to your house. Being routine-oriented,
your Border Collie may have just gotten comfortable in
his foster home and now recognizes that the routine is
changing yet again. He doesn't know the smells, the sounds,
and importantly, the routines and rules of your household.
This is very confusing for your new dog. If he was bounced
around a lot before coming to you, he may recognize that
being taken away by strangers means he will never see
the people he just bonded to again.
Dogs may display anxiety and nervousness
by: panting, pacing, lack of eye contact, "not listening",
housebreaking accidents, excessive chewing, gastric upset
(vomiting, diarrhea, loose stools), refusing food, crying,
whining, jumpiness and barking. This is a litany of
behaviors any and every dog owner dreads. As long as you
understand where these behaviors originate, you can perhaps
address them before they appear and deal effectively when
they do. Your goal in the next few weeks is to reduce
noise and confusion, and get him to relax, be calm, and
learn how to be good. Despite your joy at adopting this
Border Collie (and after a few enthusiastic hugs and kisses),
you should be calm yourself, and gentle and firm with
your new dog. Talk to him in a calm, low voice as you
travel home, so that he gets used to your voice, avoid
playing the car radio and having too many people with
you when you pick him up.
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The Honeymoon
All rescue dogs go through a "honeymoon
period". After the first day or so, the dog may be very
quiet and extraordinarily controlled and well mannered.
The "real" dog appears two to four weeks later - after
he's figured out the house rules, the daily schedule,
and the character of his new family. At this time,
he'll start testing out his position in the pack, and
may "regress" to puppy behaviors and "bad" behavior. Be
patient with him, firm in your expectations, praise him
for appropriate behavior, especially when he is lying
quietly and behaving himself. Don't praise for nothing
or excessively: the dog will learn to tune out your praise
over time.
Introducing your
new dog to your home environment
Leash your dog to introduce him to your
home. Spend the first 15-30 minutes walking him outside
around the perimeter of your yard or the area of your
yard that the dog will be in most. Walk slowly, letting
him lead, and let him sniff and pause if he wants to.
He is getting used to the "lay of the land" and all the
smells associated with his new home. He will undoubtedly
relieve himself - this is his way of making himself at
home by adding his mark to the smells of your home, and
now his new home. Obviously you will want your new dog
to relieve himself outside. If you have a place you wish
this to happen, encourage him to "get busy" (or use any
command you wish) in that area and praise him warmly when
he does. The excitement of the move and new family
may cause him to have to relieve himself more often than
normal. You must be prepared to give him plenty of opportunities
to do this in the beginning, but also be prepared for
the occasional accident in the house at first. Remember,
this is a new environment for your dog, and it may take
a day or two to catch on to where he is supposed to be
eliminating. Some dogs, particularly females, will not
relieve themselves for hours, possibly 24 hours, when
introduced to a new home. This is not abnormal behavior
and you need only be concerned if it goes on longer than
a day. Some dogs, particularly males, are confused and
will try to "mark territory" in their new home. A firm
"No!" (IF you catch him in the act) and taking him immediately
to wherever you want him to eliminate, should nip this
behavior in the bud quickly. We can't emphasize enough
how much nerves and excitement can cause uncharacteristic
accidents.
Whenever the rescue dog is not confined,
supervise him - set the dog up to succeed! You might want
to consider isolating the new dog from your resident dogs
during the first 24 hours in your home - he will appreciate
safe and quiet at first as he explores your home. Crate
your resident dog or have someone take him for a walk
while your new dog explores.
Let the new dog explore the house, but
leave the leash on him and make sure he's supervised AT
ALL TIMES! We recommend leaving your new dog on leash
in the house for the entire first day. Don't even leave
the dog unsupervised while you answer the phone or go
to the bathroom. If you have to leave the dog unsupervised,
crate him for that period of time. Even in a fenced
yard, you'll want to leave your rescued Border Collie
on leash for the first week or so. This way, you can
reinforce a recall command and help monitor pack behavior
if you have other dogs. Until your new dog bonds to you
and makes good eye contact, we recommend leaving him on
leash.
Provide quiet time! Quiet time will
be important for your new Border Collie in the first week.
Because of his nervousness and anxiety, he will get worn
out faster than usual. His recent past may include a shelter
stay which has worn him out with worry. Despite your
excitement, try to resist inviting friends and relatives
over to visit him right away. Give him time to get
used to your immediate family and resident pets only.
If the dog does not solicit play or attention from you,
let him alone to sleep or establish himself. Believe it
or not, we don't want you to force him to play at first!
Feed your new dog twice a day; half in
the morning, half at night. Ask and encourage the dog
to sit before putting the bowl down. Put the food bowl
down for 15 minutes. If the dog does not eat his food,
pick up the bowl until the next mealtime. After a couple
of days of this routine, even the most finicky of eaters
will change their minds. Feeding this way you can monitor
exactly how much he is eating.
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Crate training
Consider crating your dog. We crate train
all Border Collies that pass through rescue. Every
dog needs a place to escape to, a place to call his own,
and a crate provides an answer to these needs. Your
new dog may have some degree of separation anxiety when
you leave him for work or alone at home. If your dog seems
particularly emotional or anxious, try making good-byes
and hellos as unemotional and nonchalant as possible,
particularly at the beginning. Crating the dog in the
beginning will help him feel safe, eliminate accidents
in the house, prevent chewing and other destructive activities,
and other behavior that is rooted in nervousness and insecurity.
Your dog is safest in the crate when you are not home
until you can totally trust him loose in the house. This
is especially true if you have resident pets because you
can't supervise their interactions when you're away or
asleep. Even if it appears that dogs are getting along,
you might be missing the subtle signs that indicate they
are not. Dogs left alone together, particularly in
the beginning before you really know what their relationship
is, could fight when you are away, hurting or even killing
each other. Children should be taught to leave the dog
alone if he retreats to his crate. Children should never
be allowed to release a new dog from his crate unless
you are there to supervise. You
should never use the crate for disciplining.
The crate must be a dog's sanctuary for crate training
to be effective. However, you may send a dog to its crate
for "time out" if you feel quiet time is necessary at
any time. Many people leave the dog's crate set up and
the door open so that the dog may go in at his own choosing
even after he is perfectly trustworthy loose in the house.
Crates are great for traveling with your dog, and for
getting them used to being crated if they have to spend
time at the vet's office, at the groomer, or in a boarding
kennel. Each time your dog is confined, make sure the
dog knows he's a good boy.
While crating a dog helps make everybody
safe, crating should NOT be abused by locking the dog
in the crate all the time whether you are home or not.
Border Collies need human companionship and should be
with you unless they cannot be supervised or trusted alone
in the house. For instance, if you are going to shower
and the dog still sometimes chews, crate him for those
15 minutes for safety, but then let him out to be with
you. If the dog is crated while you are work all day,
you MUST make an extra effort to let the dog "hang" with
you in the house until he is reliably loose in the house.
There is a good chance that your rescued
Border Collie will show his insecurity by following you
everywhere. This will include trying to follow you to
the bathroom, to pick up the mail, and undoubtedly wanting
to sleep with you. It is not unusual for him to whine
or cry or bark if confined away from you at night - lights
out at a new strange place is stressful. If you put the
crate close to your bedroom or somewhere he can see you,
the problems are usually minimized. Safe chew toys in
the crate at night will give him something to do if he
awakes. You might also try covering the crate with a blanket
or sheet which, as with caged birds, sometimes calms a
dog.
If you prefer not to crate, make sure
to set aside a safe, indestructible space in your home
for your rescue dog. You may want to try using baby
gates in the kitchen or hallway. Remember, you may really
want to keep your dog on easy cleanup flooring at first.
If the area of confinement is too large, you may begin
to have housebreaking accidents. We do not recommend the
basement or garage, since your dog will not feel "part
of the family" but isolated away from it. If he can see
and hear you, much the better. This is why wire crates
are so effective in the house.
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Establishing a routine
Try to develop and use a consistent daily
routine for feeding, exercising, and bathroom duties.
Dogs are creatures of habit and routine translates
into security for them. If you do the same things
in the same way and in the same order every day, he will
settle in more quickly and learn what is expected of him
and when.
Let your new dog outside as soon as you
rise in the mornings. Feed him after a short walk or romp
in the yard. Give him another chance to relieve himself
before you go to work. Upon return from work, immediately
let the dog out for exercise and bathroom break - this
is NOT the time to read the mail, make a phone call or
flop yourself on the sofa in front of the TV - while most
dogs would never soil their den or sleeping area, a dog
confined for a long time may have no choice, and your
arrival home may trigger this behavior. Even when you
are tired from work, you have a responsibility to your
dog. If he's exercised heavily, wait 30 minutes or so
before the evening feeding. He'll need another bathroom
break anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours after
the evening meal, depending on his age - it'll be your
job to figure this out. He should get another airing right
before you go to bed.
Introducing your
rescued Border Collie to other dogs in the family
Introductions should be made on neutral
territory if possible. Have one member of the family
bring the resident dog on leash to a nearby fenced park,
and you bring the new dog a few minutes later. Many times
dogs are less aggressive to each other if they are not
leashed and have a way of getting away, so, while you
want the leash on both dogs so that you can grab it and
walk away if there is trouble, drop the leashes when introducing
the dogs. If neutral territory is not an option, your
own fenced backyard will do, but definitely do it outside.
If the dogs are getting along, let them be together
for a while, but only with supervision. If they aren't
getting along, pick up the leads and separate them, and
try again at another time. Another way to introduce
two dogs is "parallel walks", just getting used to each
other but not being able to actually interact. Sometimes
dogs that are separated in the house and have a chance
to get used to each other from afar, have less difficulty
when finally introduced. For others, this only intensifies
feelings of discomfort. Depending on your individual dogs,
you will have to try out different things to see what
works. If you are very lucky, the dogs will hit it off
right away, and there will be no problems. Usually, if
we know a dog doesn't get along with other dogs, we will
not place that dog in a family with other dogs. Introductions
might be best saved for the second or third day. Usually,
we encourage people to bring their other dog(s) to the
foster home for introductions to the new dog, as this
will be more neutral territory, and there will be an experienced
person available to help.
If you have other dogs, feed your rescue
dog away from them but at the same time. We recommend
feeding your new dog in his crate, at least at first,
both for his own protection and the protection of your
other dog(s). You can also feed in the same room,
but use opposite corners, putting the dominant dog's bowl
down first. This is usually the resident dog on the first
few nights - but that situation may change over time.
You may want to arrange having another adult in the room
for the first week of feedings to monitor the "pack behavior".
Watch that each dog sticks to his own bowl. Keep vigilant
at feeding time for a couple of months until the pack
positions are worked out.
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Socializing your
rescued Border Collie
Rescue dogs come from a variety of backgrounds,
but all dogs can do with more socialization. AFTER
your dog has had time to settle in your home and is starting
to look to you with confidence (2-3 weeks), start providing
new socialization opportunities.
NOW you can start inviting your friends
and relatives over. Do introductions to new people
gradually. Introductions can take the form of petting,
playing fetch, even going for a walk. Do not force the
dog to accept new people - do it positively, with lots
of praise, allowing the dog to approach people rather
than new people approaching your dog. Be sure to tell
your visitors that your dog is new from rescue so they
need to be more sensitive. Don't let them reach for
the dog right away-- let him come to them. If he does
not go to the new person, that visitor should completely
ignore the dog and not engage it or make eye contact.
This is particularly important for dogs that are reactive
to or nervous of strangers. Supply the new person with
treats, and at first have them throw the treat in front
of the dog and walk by without stopping or making eye
contact. The idea is to desensitize the dog slowly to
the person, and make them see that meeting strangers has
its benefits. Once the dog has met and sniffed the new
person, have that person, give them a treat directly.
After taking several treats from the person's hand, the
dog will be ready to be touched. Suggest that they
pat the side of the dog's neck or side of the shoulder
instead of patting the dog on the top of the head, which
can be interpreted by a dog as a powerful dominance attempt,
and can be a challenge to some dogs, or frightening to
others. If the dog accepts the touching, have them
say "Good boy!" and give them another treat.
Another way to introduce your new dog to
strangers, is to go for a walk with them with your dog
on a lead. At some point in the walk, hand the lead quietly
to the other person and keep walking. Neither of you should
pay any attention directly to the dog. Often the dog accepts
the person on the other end of the leash as if they were
no longer strangers. This of course is not possible with
the postman or the electrician, so try to socialize your
dog well before meeting these fleeting strangers. Also,
keep in mind that most dogs bark at strangers, and some
dogs even at people they know, who come to the door. Don't
overreact to this behavior. It is not necessarily a sign
of aggression.
To continue your dog's socialization, start
taking him to new places-- nearby parks, dog-allowed beaches
- and, especially to obedience classes! The opportunity
will allow you to determine how your dog responds to strange
people, dogs and places, and the more people and other
dogs he is exposed to, the more socialized he will become.
Finally, above all, be patient, firm
and consistent with your new Border Collie. Use positive
reinforcement and lots of praise when he's good. When
mistakes are made, correct him when it's happening, and
praise him when he modifies his behavior. Undoubtedly
you will get lots of advice - good and bad - from other
dog owners! Read and research as much as you can to prepare
yourself. Understand that sometimes you may need to try
more than one approach to a problem because every Border
Collie is different. If someone suggests a method that
they "guarantee" will work, but just feels wrong
to you, or results in your dog's behavior worsening, or
in them shutting down emotionally - STOP! Go with your
gut instinct, and pay attention to what your dog is telling
you.
Don't be afraid to ask questions of
the person you adopted your dog from, bring up new
situations, and share feelings of frustration that you
may have. We follow-up on the dogs we place. We are
backed up by people who are experienced in dog behavior
and health issues within our own organization, so if we
don't know the answer to a problem, we will ask others.
Our goal is to make sure rescue dogs never have to be
uprooted again, so we are quite committed to helping you
troubleshoot any problems before they become big problems
that threaten the placement.
We hope you will enjoy your new Border
Collie for years to come and share with us their positive
stories as well.
Thanks to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Relief & Rescue
for much of the material used on this page.
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