Eddie - Transition to the Irena Diet

There are no problems, however, in the world of dog training, just opportunities.

 
Everyone should read that statement.  Twice! 
 
I am glad Eddie is taking to the cows so well,  that's great news!  It sounds like he has every reason to be a good boy, now that he is being given the opportunity.
 
Enjoy that breakfast.  []
 
Kate
 
P.S.  I joined that list, and am driving my SO batty talking about it.  LMAO.
 
 

Becca, not to hijack, but does your friend with the cattle use Aussies?

Karen uses Border Collies too. She had an Aussie who was OK when their operation was quite small and the work was light, but she switched from "taking food to the calves" to "Taking the calves to food" and found the Border Collies much better at that. That was about twenty five years ago and she says that it's even harder to find a good Aussie now, unfortunately for the Aussie breed. []

Anyway, she uses the dogs to gather calves that are grouped by "load" - all at different feeding cycles, and bring them up out of 15 to 20 acre pastures, to pens where she checks their health and makes sure they eat. It's healthier for the calves to have green grass, woods and brush to lounge in, rather than having to stand in muddy pens all day to force them to eat, as similiar operations do. They do this three to five times over in the morning, once for each "load", then they do it all again in the evening.

The calves may be anything from weanlings up to older bucking bull calves. The weanlings are still looking for mama, while the older bull calves are often too busy fighting each other to notice the dogs at first. None of them have been worked with dogs before arrival, and the truck ride is usually the first time any of them have been grouped together, so they have zero motivation to herd. It is very hard work to convince these calves to go into pens at first but it's a much healthier way to handle them.

If Eddie is to learn to do this, his condition needs to be upgraded fairly quickly from his current flabby state. That's my job - Karen doesn't have time to mess with it.

Anne, I put a new thread under "Sports and Work" with some pictures for you. http://forum.dog.com/asp/tm.asp?m=231101&mpage=1&key=𸚽

Third day. Eddie is eating well now (he picked a bit the last few meals, even with the Green Tripe). Either I am getting used to it, or he's smelling better already. His coat feels a little softer, too. OFAs rock. His stools are moderate, light colored (that's typical of Canidae Platinum), and formed but not firm. That's the only part about the Platinum I'm not a fan of, but it's a necessary evil in this case.

He's getting used to the routine already. He comes out wagging his tail now and puts his head up for me to clip his leash. Smart dog. [] He's not so eager to go back in the crate (can you blame him?) but at least the signs that he was showing yesterday of slipping into seperation anxiety, have been nipped in the bud (whew). He was doing a bit of whining and pawing at the door when I left and I was a little concerned about that escalating. He is fine today.

I just realized I forgot to take a picture of his teeth. I need to remember to do that tomorrow.

There are no problems, however, in the world of dog training, just opportunities.

That is very profound, and optimistic[] I'm working on looking at it, that way!

No change in diet. Eddie kinda smells again, solid but mucous-y poop this morning. I better get piccies today! Fortunately it's a beautiful day, great for outdoor pics.

Big leap forward this morning! We were walking around and I touched him in the butt with my hand (yes, I let him "forge", simply turning if he starts pulling so he doesn't get in that habit). He turned around and looked up at me, jaw slack, eyes bright - clearly he was saying, "You rang?" I said, "Yay! Good boy!" and he danced around a bit and said, "Yes! I'm a good boy!" We did it a couple more times and then I left it. Then when we came in he walked straight into his crate and said, "Look! Aren't I good?"

[sm=biggrin.gif] [sm=biggrin.gif] [sm=biggrin.gif]

Earlier this afternoon.

He is adorable.  I want him. . .send him over.  []

Oh, sure! I forgot, what kind of sheep did you say you had?

[sm=rotfl.gif]

Did I mention why he lost his last home? The poor guy had a Border Collie before and thought he'd do Eddie a favor by springing him from the shelter. He had no idea what he was getting into!

When Eddie started tearing the house apart (this after hours of walking, running, and ball playing on his six acre property), he set up an outdoor kennel run for him. Eddie instantly jumped out, flat-footed - six foot fence. He put a top on it. Eddie dug out. He put wire and stones down. Eddie peeled back the chain link. He'd run for hours and hours and never really go out of sight, but the guy was alarmed and smart enough to know that dogs really don't do well running loose, BCs in particular.

So I was very sympathetic. Fortunately, if Eddie will learn how to connect to people, he's just the sort of dog that is needed by people who need working dogs.

Well. . .I've got those stuffed Serta counting sheep, will they do?? 
 
Question that's been in the back of my mind for awhile now--Are there two different "types" of Border Collies?  You seem to be describing a completely different personality from the ones that I sit for which are very bright but well behaved dogs.  And, I've heard Anne mention the same with Australian Shepards but the ones I walk are just perfect. . .it's the only way to describe them. . .they are smart, well mannered, well trained, etc. 

Well trained may be the operative term, although there is a wide range in these dogs' ability to calm down on their own, and their need to work.

You'd never in a million years know what Ben does every day, but Cord will drive you nuts in 3.2 seconds flat. It's primarily a difference in breeding although some is in how you bring up your pup (or retrain your adult dog). It's highly possible that once Eddie has settled into a job he'll be a nice, well-mannered dog too - but take that job away and he'd fall to pieces again.

I'm getting a new boy on Friday with a similiar problem to Eddie but with some aggression issues. I'll switch that discussion over to one of the more on topic areas - training maybe.

Do you rescue and rehibilitate border collies often? 
 
Sue

I only do about six to ten a year now. I used to do about four or five a month, but the kids came along and I really was taking too much time from my own dogs too. []

Eddie had a terrific day today. Lots of interaction, attention seeking behavior, and I decided to give him a teeny-tiny bone. He loved that! I think he may have spent some time on his own as he very readily took to the bone like he'd done them his whole life. Most strictly home-raised dogs look at a bone the first time and go, "What is that? Are you sure?" []

Ugh. Who SHAVED that coat? I hate that some dogs grow back like that.

He sounds like he's going to adjust really, really well to the farm dog lifestyle. The five dogs I've given their first bones to all did that "Huh??" thing, when I handed them a bone. Even Emma, who was a puppy when she got her first bone, wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I can't wait to see Eddie photos in about two months!

Thank you! I was trying to think what the texture reminded me of. I don't know why people with pet Border Collies shave them, it's not like they have a profuse scary to groom coat - and it's not as if they are working them in heavy brush or rustling cattle in 90 degree weather. He has a very full coat and I imagine he just got matted.