brookcove
Posted : 5/28/2008 12:05:55 AM
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that what you've got there is not a shy dog, but rather one who has decided to make up the rules in his life. Border Collies combine top of the scale sensitivity to pressure, with a sharp intellect, and a control freak nature. I call these dogs "Worriers." They are not shy, or fearful as such, but rather they just think the weight of the world is on their shoulders and they've got to do something about everything they see.
It's very common for dogs like this to only want to be touched on their own terms, if they can get away with it, and to realize that by acting "scared" they can pretty much call the shots.
Anything like Control Unleashed will help. You've got to get him to accept your handling in all situations. He's six so it will take a lot of patience. Start small, with quick touches in the areas he has declared "off limits." Work up to handling and brushing of every part of his body, looking in his mouth, holding him by the collar, clipping his nails, etc.
The dog aggression is a little touchier. Again, this is a common symptom of a Border collie who feels he's got to be the one making the rules. BCs can be pretty snobbish, so rule #1 usually involves keeping other dogs at their distance. You can combat this by being very strict about his behavior around other dogs. He is not to look at them, or worry about them. Instead his job is to keep track of you, and if need be, in the beginning, you can use a command that will give him something to do instead of worrying about the other dog.
Finally, you really, really, really need to do some kind of formal training with this dog. "Worriers" are the worst when they are bored. Males about this age can become downright dangerous - it's the sort of thing that takes a dog from a pleasant companion environment, to here, which while it's a nice place for my dogs, rehabbed dogs, and humans, it's more like Boot Camp for aggressive BCs.