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Owners in need of training! We have a three year old Australian Shepherd mix who patrols the back yard fence, sniffing and waiting for any sound outside the fence. When he hears it he runs up and down the fence barking. While inside he stands at our front door, which is mostly glass, and looks up and down the street. When someone is a full block away he begins running in circles, whining and crying. As they pass the house he jumps up on the glass and paws, frantically, and barks like a maniac. This is not new behavior, but we can't go on much longer like this. Any ideas? Thanks!

Sounds like your herding Aussie needs a job. And a lot of exercise. http://www.dogplay.com/Activities/Herding/herding.html
If you cannot actually find a place to do actual herding, which believe it or not people do if they have farm areas in their community. Might want to contact one of the herding clubs and get some ideas on how to handle a herding dog. Also try checking the library for books on herding dogs.

Just my 2 cents
Cheryl

I train herding dogs in australia

I have eight of them and compete in 3 sheepdog trials as well.

Sounds like your dog needs exercise and also some practice at herding livestock.

If you wan't any tips on how to train a dog actually working livestock let me know

Cheers

Sheepdog
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This is the sounds of a bored herding dog!

How much exercise per day does your aussie get? Walks, playtime in the yard with you, training time, classes? Have you taken your aussie through any classes such as basic obedience?

Aussies get bored easily with out a job. I have known one aussie that was pretty much an outside dog with no real exercise that would attempt to herd ants on the side walk out of bordem.

Tell us what a typical day is like?
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Cindy & CGC Brutus the bullheaded bulldoggie & CGC Caesar the fabulous pittie

G'day there, I train working sheepdogs, border collies actually in Australia, I compete with them in 3 sheep dog trials.

your herding dog sounds just like the border collie dog over here. they need heaps of exercise, i try and exercise my dogs at least twice a day and pretty vigourously for 20 minutes or so each time as well as training them on sheep.
By giving them heaps of exercise I have solved alot of problems associated with boredom of active type dogs like these.

I hope this helps

cheers
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