The SKINNY on Aussies

Thanks for the suggestion, denise! It makes complete sense--I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before!
 
spiritdogs, thanks for the clicker links. If it's worked so well for you in the past, I'm sure it's an effective method. However, please understand that I can't help but have my doubts that it is the only way to go. I've never met a clicker-trained dog, but have met many, many great dogs (including Aussies) who were not clicker trained. Most people I know have spanked their dogs occasionally, yet they still seem well-mannered & happy. I will have to do some more research on clicker training before I decide that's our own best option.
 
Wow, I just reread what I wrote & deleted 2 long semi-pointless paragraphs. Sorry for taking over this thread! But thanks for all the suggestions & websites. It looks like we still have a lot of reading & researching before we get this puppy thing down! [] This Aussie topic was a great idea!

ORIGINAL: TexasDaisy

Thanks for the suggestion, denise! It makes complete sense--I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before!

spiritdogs, thanks for the clicker links. If it's worked so well for you in the past, I'm sure it's an effective method. However, please understand that I can't help but have my doubts that it is the only way to go. I've never met a clicker-trained dog, but have met many, many great dogs (including Aussies) who were not clicker trained. Most people I know have spanked their dogs occasionally, yet they still seem well-mannered & happy. I will have to do some more research on clicker training before I decide that's our own best option.

Wow, I just reread what I wrote & deleted 2 long semi-pointless paragraphs. Sorry for taking over this thread! But thanks for all the suggestions & websites. It looks like we still have a lot of reading & researching before we get this puppy thing down! [] This Aussie topic was a great idea!

It's one of a few good methods, but the think I know is that spanking is never good.  All it does is damage your relationship.  With some resilient dogs, you may not notice it if it doesn't happen often.  But, with some dogs who are what is known as "one trial learners", you can get in aworld of trouble.  Some dogs will even decide when they've finally had enough and that's when you get the dog that seems to "turn on its owner".   Working Aussies are usually tough little dogs with livestock, but they can also be very sensitive to their human companions. 
I urge you to investigate clicker training some more, even if you don't want to try it right away.  Another good site - [linkhttp://www.clickertraining.com.%C2%A0]www.clickertraining.com. [/link]

If you weren't so far away, I'd let you meet Sequoyah!  She's a clicker trained dog.  Sioux is what we call a crossover dog - she was trained with verbal markers, though - similar to clicker training, except using a word instead of a click.

Well, here's my 2 shelter ups, Tucker is an Aussie/Border Collie mix, he's built more like a Border Collie and has more of the BC personality, ie: intensity and OCD!  He does have more of an "old-style" Aussie coat though, the darker blue merle and curly rough-coat that I've seen in some of the older working lines of Aussies.

Krystal is also supposed to be an Aussie mix, but we don't know what she's mixed with and she looks purebred to us, although her ears are getting closer together and sit more on top of her head rather than the sides as she grows, but they are still tipped.  It's amazing these pictures are only from a week ago and she looks different now!  And she has a tail, so in that respect she could be a mix, or she could have just been a backyard bred dog that didn't have her tail docked.  Anyways, her personality is more of what I expected of an Aussie.  Very energetic, outspoken, and determined!!  She does stare you in the eyes, whereas Tucker stares more at his toys than his humans!

Wow, gorgeous pics! I just love the blue merle color scheme!!!

Yes, I am a sucker for blue merles, ever since I had my blue merle Sheltie (he passed away sadly at 14-1/2 years old).  I'm also a sucker for bi-blacks and red merles, but the blues are my fav!  I had never even seen a blue merle dog before the pet store owner pulled him out from the back when I asked if he had any bi-black colored Shelties!  Yes, he was probably a puppy mill dog but I was so young and completely naive to that fact, and it wasn't his fault and he was the best dog I have ever owned!

We fell in love with Krystal because her markings were so similar to my deceased Sheltie, even down to the left blue eye!  Here he is at age 13:

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Not you too?? Your boy sounds just like our eldest dog Lacey, she was so much like a human. She too would look at your eyes! She would sit right next to any family member if a unfamiliar person enters our home. She was so very protective. She was just a sweetie! I fear to get another Aussie b/c of all of the research I done as well. But after while it will come very simple!! []
 
Lacey had a wonderful life of 12 golden years of her life. She died of cancer on day after thanksgiving, she was such a laid back dog, no other dog will ever meet up her standards. She was such a SMART dog you'd ever meet, here's a picture of her
 

 
 

ORIGINAL: TexasDaisy

Aw, you have a good looking boy there! []  All the research I did on Aussies said exactly what you had heard. As mentally prepared as I was for the high energy & intelligence, I'm not sure my house was ready for it! (lol) Mine is about to turn 4 months old  & he's already much different than any other dog I've ever been around. He's very loving, playful, & already knows more tricks than a lot of adult dogs we've had. He also seems to be able to tell if visitors are friends or not. With people we're comfortable around, he acts like he's known them forever as soon as he meets them. If less familiar people (neighbors, distant "family friends, " etc) come by, he just sits quietly watching on my feet. However, he is extremely stubborn! If he doesn't see any direct benefit in doing something (or , more often, stopping what he's doing), he just flat out refuses & no amount of bribing, yelling, re-directing, or spanking will change his mind. We're hoping obedience school will help us get a better idea of how to handle his strong personality.


While we're on the topic, I have to ask a question. Is it normal for Aussies to look people in the eye frequently. Bandit doesn't seem like he's doing it out of dominance or aggression. He seems almost like a person the way he focuses on faces & typically has a very alert, eager expression. Almost like he's awaiting orders or important news. My mother is a little alarmed at how often he looks people in the eye, but I'm hoping maybe it has something to do with his breed & not that he's going to grow up to be an evil little maniac (in my mother's words, haha). Any ideas?

Here's my girl at 8 months old - liver red merle:

Anne, I may be missing the sliders on the picture, but all I see is a blonde!
 
Dawn

chmissgingerisfancy (wow, that's long, lol), I don't think anyone is talking about their Aussie really "staring them down." Just making a lot of eye contact. My pup may be chewing on a toy or eating, but he still wants to be looking directly at me. He doesn't seem to be trying to control me or keep me where I am....just kind of looking to make sure he doesn't miss anything.
 
"No animal will want to please and obey you if you use force or punishments in your training routine.  Dogs respond to positive reinforcement and praise  Hitting, yelling, or anything else that requires force is NOT the way to get your dog to listen to you!!"
 
Again, I have a hard time with such absolutist statements. That may be the way you prefer, but, as I've said before, most of the sweet, well-adjusted dogs I've met have been unished in some way during their lives. As with children, rewards are best, but correction is necessary at times. Granted I'm no expert, but my common sense urges me to disagree.

Yeah me to!
 

ORIGINAL: Truley

Anne, I may be missing the sliders on the picture, but all I see is a blonde!

Dawn

You have to skroll down to Anne's feet!
Anne - she is a beautiful little girl!

Anne, how old is she now? It seems like only a couple months ago you announced her homecoming. Man, the older I get, the faster time goes!

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Oooo, I'm glad you clarified that! How do you do time-outs with your dogs? People have recommended trying the spray-bottle thing with my boy, but he actually seems to enjoy it! Couldn't keep that dog out of water if we tried, lol.