>>I have a 1 year old female BC from Hart2Hart Border Collies, in Ohio, and I wanted to see if anyone else posting also has a BC from the same breeder/parents. I wanted to trade notes, advice, and also find out more about some inherent bad habits my pup has developed. I.E.: coprophagia, nipping and barking for attention, fighting with other pups for toys, etc... Or I'd like to find out if, unbeknownst to me, it is something that I've been mistakenly promoting, despite my good intentions.
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>>If there are no takers from Hart2Hart, I am still interested to hear if anyone has any advice for these problems. Anyone interested?
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This can be the age with a Border Collie when you realize you have a dog you can't handle. Border Collies were bred for a very specific job and that job is not the job of being a pet.
To get on the right track with a Border Collie tends to require a minimum of several months of formal class training weekly and practice of the class homework in a variety of settings every day. It also requires keeping the dog's mind busy.
Accurate assessment of a dog's temperament requires an expert in person. The safest option is a veterinary behavior specialist. Being a veterinarian who is board-certified in the specialty of behavior, Other types of behavior specialists and trainers don't have to worry about being sued for malpractice, which is a shame, considering some of what goes on. They also can't lose their licenses as a veterinaria can, because they don't have one in the first place. Your veterinarian is the one to ask about finding the nearest veterinary behavior specialist.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47
