Help controlling herding behavior in a border collie mix puppy?

I rescued a six-month-old border collie mix pup last week and she's extremely bright. She starts in agility lessons and obedience training next week. She gets a LOT of exercise and stimulation but she's been trying to herd my five-year-old daughter. While she hasn't hurt my daughter and I understand that it is a natural behavior, it is something that I need to find ways to stop or redirect.I know that border collies and mixes CAN be trained not to herd children, and I need advice on helping her redirect her intelligence and instinct into something more productive. I hope that agility lessons will help some, but any help for at-home training is much appreciated.Last time I posted a question like this, I was attacked by people telling me that I shouldn't have gotten a herding breed and expected it not to herd, so let me make one thing very clear: My puppy is a RESCUE dog. There are not enough working farms in the world to provide loving homes for all the mixed-shepherd breeds in the world. Besides that, working farms want purebred border collies, not mixed breeds like mine.Are you saying that all of these animals are better off euthanized than in loving homes that do their best to care for them? I'm enrolling my pup in agility and obedience lessons and I take her for a five-mile walk every day, but I need to "grow a brain" for rescuing this poor baby's life? Don't judge me for adopting a dog that needed a home and has strong herding instincts. Blame the irresponsible jerks who didn't spay and neuter their border collies to begin with. I will NOT be shamed for saving a dog's life just because I don't happen to have a herd of sheep for her to tend. We don't shame beagle owners who don't take their dogs hunting or Dalmatian owners who don't give their dogs carriages to guide, so please don't attack me for adopting a herding dog. I saved her life, I am a responsible owner, and I will not accept people accusing me of animal abuse just because I don't own a freaking farm. (Sorry for how aggressive this sounds, but the answers I got last time were WAY out of line and inappropriate.)Clockwork, what gave you the impression that I bought this dog? She was on the euth list at my local animal control because she was very sick. She had been found abandoned in an empty house, half-starved and sick with pneumonia. I footed her vet bills for her recovery and paid to spay, vaccinate, microchip, supplement, and medicate her. And you're accusing me of being "delusional" for thinking I rescued her? You're the one who needs to get your head checked.And the reason that I have this dog (should I need to explain this) is because she's a wonderful, brilliant, loving dog and because I adore her. I shouldn't need to explain why I love my pet to people like you. Please just go away and keep your judgments to yourself. I dare you to go tell the millions of owners of non-working dogs that you think their animals are better off dead than in loving homes. Go to Hell.

Your mixed breed Border Collie can be started on livestock, since she is keen on herding. Go to the United Stated Border Collie Assoc. site. There, it lists sanctioned herding trials. You can go to one and speak to the handlers. When your dog turns a year old, you can get her started. In the meantime, you can take her and have an instinct test done. You don't need to own a farm, for your dog to be started on livestock, you can take lessons 2-3 times a week. Agility/obedience and walks are not enough mental stimulation for a BC/BC mix.

Sometimes it is difficult to bring out more "dog" in the animal when the breed is more dominate. Lots of exercise everyday, with, perhaps a bike or roller blades, so you can tire her out, and then go for a pleasant walk for about 20 min. I think the agility classes are a great idea. It will keep her mind, and body busy with a task. Every dog needs a purpose, and the agility classes will be good for her. Keep in mind , she's young yet, so right now there will be limitations until she develops more physically.I know what you mean about the sarcasm, some just "loose" it, and rant, instead of trying to help with ideas, and solutions.

Thank you for rescuing and congratulations on your new herding dog. I've raised three Cattle Dogs and they have a strong herding instinct. They like to nip heels and the first two I raised, were quite persistent, so I was, too. A firm NO and sometimes redirection with a toy. They were young, so it didn't take long for them to learn it wasn't okay. My current dog likes to herd certain dogs in certain situations and if she gets too rough, I give her a verbal command and she'll tone it down. The obedience classes will help immensely as will the agility classes. I also suggest you have your daughter engage in some other kind of play (such as fetch) with the dog. That will increase their bond and perhaps change the way your dog sees your daughter. Best wishes.

Although I applaud you for wanting to rescue a dog- sometimes a dog and the owner are just not a good fit. For example- I am not sporty so if I had a dog that wanted to walk 5 miles every day I would become overwhelmed and unhappy as would the dog if we were paired up. Many people ridiculed me for getting what they deemed "was not a dog at all". I now have 2 chihuahuas and we are very happy together.Finding the right dog is similar to finding the right spouse! lol

Why do you even have this dog? People like you are the reason why BC and other working breeds get dumped in shelters becouse you foolishly believe that you can train out herding. You can'tYour dog clearly is not getting what it needs. They are a WORKING breed and need a working farm or ranch not a home with a child and a delusional pet owner who thinks just beocuse they bout the dog from some one that means the rescued it. You are not a responsible owner. You have a dog that need s job and you wont give it one and think you can train the herding out of the poor dog. You didn't save the dogs life, you bought a dog that was ill suited for your life style and think you can train the herding out of it. You need to surrender the poor dog to a breed rescue and stop getting dogs you clearly have no idea of how to handle and think you can train genetics out of them.

Border collies seek out a job to do, which is why they try to herd children and animals. So, you can control it by giving her a job to do--like agility, obedience, rally, flyball, etc. Border collies need to work, and you should provide then with as much work as possible. You should also work on your recall, so she doesn't run off to herd some child running by or something. It also helps to give her something else to do, when things she would like to herd are around. I know lots of people that teach their border collies silly tricks to give them a job to do and keep them "working" to distract them and prevent bad behavior. (e.g. you're at the dog park, and a child is running around. Your dog looks at the child like she's thinking about running off after him, but instead you redirect her attention to you by asking for a spin or a high five or another trick that's fun for the dog. Then you would reward her for obeying you and having self-control.) Speaking of self-control, teaching her sit-stays and It's Your Choice is good, too. You should also give her an outlet for her herding instincts, even if actual herding isn't available to you. Are you familar with treibball? It's a new dog sport where dogs learn to herd a giant ball into a goal. Border collies love it. I think it's good to give her an approved outlet for her instincts, because then she won't be so desperate to try to herd people or animals. There's no reason to tell her she's NEVER allowed to herd. That's what she wants to do. So, teach her when it's okay (like in treibball) and when it's not.