My dog thinks I need looking after

[SnapSnafu]

How do I get her to understand that I'm all right, thanks, and please don't get snappy?

She's a 4yo rescue collie. Really sweet with people, great and tolerant with kids (but I'd never trust her or any dog alone with them). I've had her 6 months, and she's becoming more and more velcro.

When off-lead, and on too actually, she wants to walk about 2 steps ahead of me, but doesn't look relaxed, tail is between her legs. She will go a bit more ahead, but if she hears gunshot/birdscarer, she drops her ears, tucks her tail more between her legs, and drops back closer to me. I reassure her, at least that's what I think I'm doing .

If we meet someone else with off-lead dogs, she comes running to me and stands up with paws on me. If the other dog comes near, she snarls and snaps at it. This behaviour is growing, the snarling is fairly new behaviour. She's generally fine with our other dog, very rarely snapped at him, and not recently. And she's fine with people. In fact, she gravitates towards them as we walk past on or off-lead. And if we walk past an open car boot, anyone's, she's ready to leap in.

I'm not happy about the snarling, or even the jumping up, and not really happy with the walking ahead. How do I fix this?

To fill out more info on her behaviour... she's one of those creepy-crawlie collies, looks worried, slopes onto sofas and beds at any opportunity, and will not always get off when told to (allowing herself to be man-handled off if necessary, in a heap). She needs to know I'm in charge, doesn't she?

Her recall is excellent. She will race around and chase like mad, so not always tail between her legs, snarly snapping at the other dog to join in (doesn't look friendly really), and hunkers down and gives collie eye to our hens, who she seems a bit afraid of really, although she tried to eat one after we'd had her a week. She's also a massive scavenger and food-thief in a way that the other dog isn't!

Don't get me wrong, her behaviour isn't problematic at the moment, but I see it changing and I want to move it in a different direction. They are from a fantastic BC rescue, and I will talk to them about her, but just wondered what wisdom was on here about it.

I wonder if started to "work" her would do what I want with her? Could I train her to herd my hens? Thanks.

Hi Snapsnafu - Collies are just such fab dogs (housefull here!) and they really are people dogs.- they love to told what to do and love to be busy all day long and will literally die for their owners.

You are spot on she needs to be working, she needs to be thinking of other things rather than guarding you (she sees you as her sheep and that is her role to guard them!) She does not need you to dominate her or be alpha dog but she does need to know that commands come from you and that she can stop thinking for herself as you will tell her what to do. Collies do naturally make their own decisions - think when out working and the sheep break away the collies will instantly go and herd them back to the main group without command however they need to react to your command if you give one.

Up the training - collies love and are really responsive to clicker training.

We have a herd of gym balls (please don't laugh!). I start the dogs on these just in case they are not safe enough around livestock. They learn to push the balls into a certain area which I am standing in so learn to herd towards me (which is not what a true sheep dog would do) however it releases the pent up herding need.

Mine do herd ducks and also we do go often put them with sheep.

You may find that just upping the activity is enough to bring her stress levels down a bit and the other behaviour may stop.

If not teach her alternative behaviour when you see people coming. Teach her close for your left side and side for your right and then get her to move from either side of you - again something collies are good at - it will side track her from the approaching dog or people and she will be so pleased to do what you ask that the reward she gets from you outways the negative behaviour.

Collies are generally very sensitive soles and do not react well to harsh handling but will literally do handstands for you if you use reward based, positive training methods.

Teach her more tricks - anything to get her working for you - look dog is great if she is reacting to other dogs - look at the dog click and treat (treat for collie is often a ball throw and not food but depends on what your dog loves the most)

Where did you get her from?

Thank you, what a great reply! I did lol at herding the gym balls! You're right she's desperate to work for me. I guess i'm not sure how to start, but will look back through my puppy/collie books. We've also won a sheepdog experience day, so will do that soon for some inspiration.

They're from Wiccaweys. Fantastic place, fantastic people and fantastic dogs! Worth the travel even if u are out of area for them.

I haven't tried clicking with her, but I think it would indeed work well!

have you thought about agility training - friend of mine does it with her collies and they are excellent, very fast learners, and they have the best time doing it.

I know wiccaweys very well (I actually want them to adopt me!)- give Paul a ring he may be able to give you some ideas as well having known your girl.

mini, aren't they great? If we were closer, we'd go help walk, just because it's so nice there. I will call Paul in the next week or so. Have bought a clicker this afternoon. I really need to get her working, it's so obvious really.

hatti - she has a strong herding instinct, I'd say, from the hen behaviour, so I'm thinking it might be good to go with that, or flyball, as she does fly about manically! But yes, might do.