Ok, so we've just got another dog....

[silentcatastrophe]

This is number 3. He's a border collie, probably useless with sheep, sweet as pie, BUT...Bloody hell, I have so forgotten how to train a dog! Our other 2 are over 10 yrs, and we trained them for about 3 years. In some ways we are much better prepared, but in other ways, it just adds to the chaos. New puppy runs off, and has a really dodgy recall. Today he disappeared into the bushes on the end of a long line and didn't want to come back. He's fine when he's playing a game. I feel so inadequate!

Also when we got our first 2 dogs, it was just us. Now it's 2 kids, 3 chickens and 2 ducks, AND the dogs. It seems like constant juggling to make sure nobody kills anyone else Has anyone else been through the same????

It is such hard work. It feels like you have a stranger in the house when your old dogs know the routine and understand you so well!

Are you walking all three dogs together? If so you will have a real hard time getting a good recall with the puppy as he will be concentrating on the other dogs rather than you. You will need to walk the puppy on his own for a bit.

If it is a collie I would spend a lot of time getting him to play tuggy. If he will play tuggy everywhere you will always have control over him - he will recall for the tuggy and you can teach lead work with the tuggy etc etc.

DOn't worry though it will soon all come back to you! You have done it before and got to lovely dogs to prove you can do it

Thanks for your reply, minimu1! Yes it does feel like there is a stranger in the house, poor pup. He loves his tug toy, and he loves his treats, but treats without a tug are meaningless so far. Both me and dh take him out alone as well as with the other 2. He seems to take very little notice of the older dogs, and wanders on ahead. So far Boris, the older dog, is still 2nd in command, below the bitch, and I am aware that all this could change, but Boris is protecting his position.

We are taking the puppy to school next month. I hope we can sort things out well enough and don't get into too much of a mess by then!