Note to self

A Shepherd with his Collie, look at the intensity of that stare.

Sometimes it all seems to go tits up!

We’ve got issues: Moss has become increasingly difficult with other dogs. She’s on alert all the time we are out and, as soon as she sees a dog coming towards her, she becomes totally focussed on it.  Sometimes she’ll lurch towards it.  

It’s not a great way of making friends.

In current dog language it’s called being reactive.

Then I get stressed, worrying that she will do it again, and wondering if I’ll be able to distract her. 

I wanted our walks to be calm and sociable - and how about … fun?

Ironically, I’m now becoming more aware of the other dogs than she is.

Currently Moss and I are inadvertently winding each other up.

She’s brilliant with people, especially teenagers.

So, what should I do?

I was going through my folders the other day when I came across some notes I’d made after a session with Captain Calm the dog trainer.  The issues we were trying to address then wereexactly the same; intensity and lurching.

I feel rather fortunate to have justwalkingthedog as a sounding board for my ideas and concerns. 

Many of us with dogs have problems, it’s how we deal with them that counts.  I realise that different breeds have different characteristics,

and I think that’s the issue. 

Moss is a pure Border Collie, she’s bred to be a working dog, and her purpose is to herd sheep.  She’s got a pedigree as long as your arm – but not a single sheep to practice her natural skills on.

Poor thing.

Without an outlet for her natural instincts, she’s turned her desire onto control movement onto other dogs, which understandably is not well received. 

This is just what I’m thinking.  I could be wrong.  Imagine it - all that instinct and nowhere to put it.

I’m not looking for a single solution to this problem - just small improvements would be great.  Moss is also the sweetest natured dog.  It’s just that we’ve not been meeting her needs recently and we’ve got ourselves into a bit of a muddle.

AJK

PS In good news - today as we walked in the woods we had two good meet ups.  She was fine, and she looked up at me as if to say, “Why are you making so much fuss?”