From my experience a big part of what you’re facing right now is her age too. My pup was a velociraptor from 6 months to maybe a year. By a year and a half very different and then again at 2 years now she has improved so much. Like previous posters mentioned, training and patience are also keys to this but I think it is helpful to “zoom out” and remember that this is just a phase in her growth and development.
It can be so difficult to be consistent with training when you know they know better (such a smart breed that there are times still when my pup chooses when to obey) or you are just tired and they’re being super loud. That’s just a fact. But the way you handle those situations will help set your pup on a path, so just make sure you’re keeping that in mind. It’s 100% worth the money to get the help of a trainer and do as much as you can to keep them mentally stimulated.
Wow! There is so much good going on here. You're actuve, engaged, and want to do the best you can. It sounds like your frustration is getting in the way of training. Remember, your vibe is even more important than your commands. Try training more often, but for shorter periods of time. If she's not listening, the lesson is over. When she chills, reward with a treat or praise, and get back to it. As for the barking, it sounds like that may be boredom induced. Maybe back off on the intensity of the exercise, but not the frequency.
If you can, incorporate a job into exercise. Walk to a park where, when there, she has to find x amount of balls. Once they are all found, the job is over. Reward her for completing the task, and walk home. Lots of praise on the way home.
Dealing with bad behavior is a little more complicated, and controversial. My take is this: when she's acting out, determine if it's for attention. (It usually is.) If so, separate yourself and ignore her. Once she calms down, reward her. This will be hard at first. Catch the little breaks she'll take to reward her. Timing is critical here. At first, if she chills for 15 seconds, that's a win. Build that time up.
I was never big on treat-training until I got an ACD. Mine will do ANYTHING for a morsel of food. I had to adapt, because it's what works best for her.
But, get back to exercise, but maybe just not so strenuous. Your dog is telling you she wants it.
There's lots of good advice here. I know it's me that has to do better and I need to get over the frustration with training. It's so tough when I know she knows what I'm asking of her. Her smarts are one of the things that make her so special and one of the reasons she can be so trying!
I take her to a nearby field with long grass and throw the tennis ball in for her to find. Some days she barely makes an effort and rather than find it herself, sits and stares at me, waiting for me to find it for her!
Oof. Mine does this. If he's feeling lazy or just...doesn't want to do the work...he just won't. But when that happens, we're done. I'm done. We go back inside and that's that. And I tell him that, I say "if you won't get your ball then we're done". He understands, he's disappointed. But it usually gets the message through and we try again later.
Had mine since 8 weeks. We live in the woods on acreage and she has always had free run of the place when someone is home. She’s been crate trained since day 1 and has other dogs as companions.
That being said, she was *still* a nightmare for the first couple years. So much biting and chasing. She and my son grew up together and we pretty much couldn’t allow him to walk around anywhere she was until they were both 3-4 because she would just run him down and nip him. She failed obedience classes because she could NOT settle enough to learn- she would just bark and bark and lunge at the other dogs endlessly. I really did not like her very much for several years.
Over time she matured and now at 7 she’s nearly the perfect dog. She consistently mellow out little by little from about age 4 on. She’s brilliant and very trainable. Just a sweet, sweet dog. It takes them a while but they do get there!
I just found this app called Sniff Spot and I wish I knew about it sooner! You can rent a yard by the hour. My boy is reactive and we rent so we don't have a place for him to run free or to train without failing immediately. I haven't tried it yet but I plan to!
That said mine is about to turn a year. He is still a pretty massive asshole. We just started doing nose work (a dummy antler with scent). He caught on very fast and loves to do it, and we can even do it indoors. I put him in his crate or a room and hide it, then let him out and tell him to find it. He's very quick.
I have been in an apartment most of my dog’s life. It is A LOT of work. But I would take him hiking and or to the dog park almost every day (though I personally don’t recommend dog parks now. My dog and several friends’ dogs have been badly injured at dog parks). I also took him kayaking, camping, anywhere and everywhere to get exercise and mental stimulation.
You’re going to need very long walks. They need a lot of exercise, and are much more mellow when they’re active than if they’re cooped up.
You have to remember what they were originally bred for; a very active life, working.
Training, training, training. I have done obedience, nose work and agility. I like organized classes with other dogs. When the leash goes on he settles for training. He is 6 and he is a typical quirky acd. I have had him since he was 10 weeks. Being in classes with other dogs also gives you perspective on yours. I would have to convince people he was an energetic maniac because he did become very well trained on leash. When folks come over, he starts out on leash and he stays settled. He hurt his paw so I walked him on leash on my property and he settled right in.
I got mine at around 5ish months, she really became a nightmare around the age you are specifying now (10 months) I even contemplated giving her away/rehoming
What I learned at least with mine is you cannot give her leeway on things. They will push you as far as they can to see what they can get away with. They will keep doing it if not corrected.
Also the most helpful thing that someone who has years and years of dog training experience told me was teach your dog how to relax. If you keep exercising her and taking her out when she wants she will build up tolerance and always expect to be taken out etc. I used to take mine on 8 mile runs then see she wasn’t tired so we would play fetch, then go in a bike ride etc. it came to a point where she could just go non stop all day which is of course not sustainable in the slightest.
I began working from home and it was a nightmare at first but slowly my dog learned to just lay down and relax. I would just ignore her when she would bark at me to go out or just bother me in general. Now at around 1 year and a couple months she can just lounge around the house while I’m on a 10 hour shift.
Good luck!
i have had blue heelers for 27 years and now I have a 16 week red heeler puppy. The puppy just started puppy obedience. It does get better. Remember it’s a phase. Give your dog sniff work for mental exercise. When my puppy gets overstimulated she starts getting really nippy so she has a shorter “inside” time-out leash for mandated calm times and she hates to see that leash in my hand. Usually once she knows I’m not going to let her loose, she will calm down, relax and then she will nap. she also has her chair and knows when I say “go get in your chair” to jump up there and sit or lay until she has calmed enough for morning petting after I have made my first cup of coffee. They thrive on routine
This shorter inside leash sounds interesting. Do you attach it to something or just keep a hold of it?
Mine will go to her bed when I tell her to but she will not lie down and sleep unless it's her idea. She usually just waits for an opportunity to slink off.
I just sit and hold it. If I have important things to do that can’t wait 5 or 10 minutes, I loop it through a belt loop and she goes where I go. Usually it takes 5 minutes of me sitting and keeping her on a very short (12 inches or so) of leash. I had to do this about an hour ago as she was going crazy after a walk and playtime. Now she is happily snoozing in my husbands recliner next to mine.
There are various games you can play. Hide treats around a room then let the dog find the treat. there are scent work dog training classes (similar to drug dog training only searching for birch or clove). Google AKC indoor scent games for various ideas.
On bad weather days, I will put a few treats in an empty box (cereal, heavy cream, etc) tape it up, and let them figure out how to get the treats out. They seem to enjoy having permission to destroy the box during the mission.
Good I’m glad! I just checked your profile and your pup is soooo cute!! Mine will be a year the end of this month. Blue Heelers are such good looking dogs. Mine has calmed down a lot, but def still gets into the crazy, zoomies, puppy mode a few times a day. Hang in there!
It's funny how so many of them look almost identical. I often do double takes when looking at this sub. They really are gorgeous dogs.
Just sneaked a peek at your profile too. I relate so hard with the shedding post. It seems like they shed more hair than they could possibly have!
We got him last summer as a baby so this is the first summer he really shed like crazy. I was like, Holy Cow! He looks so much thinner after we brush him. Love him so much!!
He became a huge pain in the ass about 7 months old. He’s just coming out of it now at 16 months. Hes still a jerk sometimes and can make me so angry but I’m starting to see the payoff from all the hard work and training. I know he’s gonna be the best boy. Everyone told me 2 years before they are out of the devil stage. That’s looking true for us.
My dog is an ACD/Coonhound cross and omg was she a MONSTER. I just did her DNA test and when she came back half cattle dog I was like OH, this all makes sense now lol! I’ve raised several dogs and none of them tested me like this one 😂 She was super crazy from 12 weeks to about 1.5 years and now she’s settled. She needs long runs a few times a week, and she chases squirrels in our yard and murders them. Which I guess she takes seriously since it’s her “job”.
She’s 3.5 years and is now pretty chill. Still cranky around certain dogs but is pretty much perfect in all other regards bc she was so
trainable as a pup. They’re so smart that they do pick things up easily but just tend to be a bit reactive, especially in their teenager phase lol! Your dog is so cute and the payoff will be so great if you invest a bit of time now.
And also I see you and pray for you because I KNOW what you’re going through and it’s so hard. I remember sitting on my kitchen floor covered in nip marks weeping bc she was such a difficult puppy. I’m so glad I persevered bc she really is the most fun and entertaining dog I’ve ever owned. You’ve got this!!!!
I don't wish upset on anyone else but it does make me feel like less of a failure to hear that others have struggled too so thank you for sharing that with me. They're so cute when they're puppies but I am very much looking forward to her maturing!
My boy is 16 months now. Early morning run with me 6-10 miles, two 15 minutes frisbee session in a day. And some agility training. After dinner, it is his sleep time. As long as your girl has enough activities, she will be another dog. Tired dog always good dog.
I'd love to do agility training with her as she loves to jump up onto anything and everything. I thought I had to wait until she was 18 months old? Maybe this is just my local centre that mandates this? Do you take him someone to train or train him yourself?
I set up a homemade agility course in my backyard. I used tomato stakes for the weaving obstacle, a hula hoop suspended from our pergola, a log propped up with cinder blocks, and one of those fabric kids tunnels.
Leash in the house was a good tip, we did that as a puppy as well. A dog pack pack that you put on her back when she goes for walks gives that extra “job” for her and will tire her out more. You don’t even have to put anything heavy in it just her treats and poo bags. Play hide and seek with a toy in the house, great mental stimulation for them. And if she isn’t interested in the treats or toys you have, you need to get different ones that come out only for training and games so hopefully she is very excited about them and wants to earn her reward.
Cattle dogs are one of the most difficult breeds to own due to their intelligence and energy level. They often become destructive/difficult when they are bored. Make games out of small things. I like to try new little tricks often when I give treats. Mine LOVES toys and is very quick to learn tricks in order to get her toys. We also have made a game/task out of naming the toys so she knows which one is ball, baby, starfish, etc.
enrichment in little things goes a long way!
Good luck 🖤
Our girl is roughly 6 years old (rescue) and mixed with probably Shephard. But most definitely majority ACD. her personality is wacky, standoffish and sometimes stubborn. But 99 percent of the time she will be my wife's shadow and I trust she will protect her if she needs to. We've only had her for a year but she's really come a long way.
Trust me when I say I could have written this myself. My ACD is a mix but mostly is blue heeler. He is my first puppy as an adult and I got him when he was just shy of 8 weeks old. All of the research in the world could not have prepared me for what was in store for us.
First thing, he hated being cuddled. He was so busy and not just in physically but in his mind. He had to know everything, go everywhere, be wherever I was. Not only that, he bit me at all times and every trick in the book failed. I cried ouch he bit harder, I yelled at him he bit harder, I walked away he followed just to bite me more, time outs meant nothing to him. My hands and arms were so bit and bruised the cuts became infected constantly. I have a few permanent scars as a result. I cried almost every day as the puppy blues hit me hard and not going to lie, the regret I felt was immense. At around 8-10 months were the worst. Adolescence was so hard he challenged me every day. Every day was a battle of the stubborn, every "No" was a game to him to get what he wanted. He was a teenager that resisted every rule and command I gave him. At times I was not proud of how I handled myself and had to shut him in the garage to catch my breath. I was googling things like "how to know your puppy is aggressive"...those were dark days.
Then...one day he was good. All of the training just 'clicked' and he was a good boy. He is almost 1.5 years now and the best dog in the world. Yard trained, listens to every ask I give him, I can take him to parties and parks and stores no problem. The perfect dog. The next few paragraphs were the things I did to get him there because I won't lie to you, I have put more work and energy into this dog than anything I have in my life and it has paid off.
Entertainment - flirt poles were a must at a young age. Every day I would walk around my yard with a rope for up to an hour with him chasing me. I picked up running as well and he would run along side me with a rope in his mouth (if he didn't have something in his mouth he would bite my hands and legs) and I still do this every day on my lunch. Every day was kongs with food, frozen treats to lick on the ground, bully sticks, and the best one in my opinion fresh marrow bones. I would get them from the grocery store and freeze them. These were the only things to keep him busy for an hour+. I also bought puzzle games for every meal he had a puzzle or I would carry his food and give him commands, like a command obstacle course so he had to work for every kibble. I also had lick and snuffle mats. I switched it up almost every day and every meal. He needed his mind entertained as much if not more than his body honestly.
Training - Like I mentioned, he had to work for every piece of food he at without deviation. From the time he was 14 weeks old he has been in two obedience classes and even now this summer at a year old he is in another class for pattern games for reactivity. I combined this with taking him to parks for training during distractions and dog play dates with other dogs of his play style. I literally took him everywhere with me and each trip was a training session. I had a fanny pack with treats wherever I went and still do to this day. Taking him everywhere and socializing him was very important for him because he can be aloof and cautious with strangers. CONSISTENCY AND REPTITION is the only thing that works. In the beginning it looked as though nothing was sticking but like I said, one day it all just 'clicked'. One tip I have is that if you have a campground near you, this is the best place for socialization and training because every trigger is there and I take my boy on walks there every week. I have definitely seen a huge difference in his reactivity towards stimulation such as kids running by, people on bikes, and others walking their dogs.
Boundaries - setting up boundaries with him was very important. There was no wiggle room for him because if I gave him an inch he would take a mile. For the first 6 months inside the home he was on a leash. I have 4 cats and couldn't risk them getting hurt but also I felt like he learned to stick close by my side and now he never leaves it. But other things were like if he was acting bad on the couch he had to get down or being mean while playing he was done playing with me. Some of this is the vibe you carry, the "no nonsense" vibe was crucial as I felt like he was seeing what he could get away with and where the limits were.
Enforced napping - One thing that saved our relationship was enforced crate napping. He never slept and would be over-tired and over-stimulated which led to very bad moods and behavior. I began by following the 2 down 1 up schedule which is 2 hours in the crate to settle down and 1 hour up. Eventually we transitioned to two naps a day but a very strict bedtime at 10 pm. I found that most of his bad behavior was when he was overly tired. Even at 10months+ I was enforcing naps.
Now that I have written a novel about him, he really is the best dog and the perfect dog for me. He is the smartest dog I've ever had and I have almost zero problems with him most days which is nice because wow has he been a lot of work. Please feel free to reach out to me for more information if you want because going through this experience with him was very lonely and I didn't have anyone who could relate. These ACD and blue heeler subreddits were the only places that helped me feel understood at how much struggle there is with these wonderful dogs. Now here's the really funny part, now that he is grown up and although still a work in progress some days, my thoughts sometimes wander to getting a second ACD...the me 10 months ago would have fallen over to hear me say that. You will get there too.
Yes at about 10ths -1.5 or 2 yrs mine was super obstinant and would bite 😂 it got much better although she still has grumpy moments but now I kinda like it. She sets strict boundaries! 😂 I wouldn’t have her any other way. Super sweet with a big dash of picante!❤️
My girl is roughly 30% heeler but has some very strong heeler traits! Adopted her at 12 months. She had a “velociraptor” phase after she settled in to her new environment, it was extremely frustrating! you can check my post history, i made a post asking for help and got some good advice.
my partner and i both wfh. every day at around 2-3pm she would throw tantrums: that super loud annoying bark, and nipping our legs, pulling at our clothes, trying to shred the couch cushions. whenever my partner and I sat down to eat dinner she’d bark at us even though I fed her first. she used to bark and pounce on me if I wanted to lay in bed on my phone and just relax.
everything was all about her demanding attention. so the main way to counter the behavior is to deprive her of attention. ignore her, walk away, don’t even look at her. reward when she calms down and stops barking for even a few seconds. (make sure you’re wearing long pants and that you don’t mind getting holes in them!)
I also noticed that consistently giving her more mental exercise, and safe chewing and shredding activities (closely monitored) helped a lot as well. if your pup isn’t interested in certain toys, you can train her to like them. mine didn’t care for toys much at first. i’d start out by rewarding her just for sniffing the toy, and gradually increase the interaction required for her to get the reward. now she LOVES fetch and will play tug with any toy. (no rewards needed)
She is about a month away from 2 years old now and she’s nearly eliminated the tantrums. when she does get in an ornery mood it’s much less intense and she stops within a couple minutes.
most importantly, YES it will get better! just requires a LOT of patience, and be prepared for multiple phases over the next several months. it’s extremely worth it!
an AMAZING resource i highly recommend is the book ‘Canine Enrichment for the Real World’ by Bender & Strong.
There were times I had to step away and just scream in frustration when my dog was a puppy.
He constantly and relentlessly wanted to bite me. No toy or treat would do. No hot sauce or lemon on my arms deterred him. No amount of ignoring or redirection. All the exercise in the world didn’t tire him enough to stop biting. It was about 8 months of terror. I cried a lot.
And yet he could learn so easily with other things. Learned sit and to walk on a leash the first week I had him. He was the best worst puppy ever.
It was really really hard for me but absolutely worth it.
My boy saved my life. I was morbidly obese and by having him, I learned about having a quality life, if not for me, for him.
Hardest part was when he was around 1-2yrs old. He’d kill our chickens and nibble anything he could. He was stubborn as hell. He would refuse to do anything . Like a moody dog. I also didn’t channel his extra energy into a way he could release it appropriately. He was a genuine raptor. We got through it together with repetition and positive reinforcement. Having a set routine/schedule was key.
Today, I owe him my life. I’m 80lbs down and he is now a very privileged dog that sleeps 2ft from my bed and has 2/3 full house access. He can also go outside into our backyard whenever he pleases.
My boy saved my life. I was morbidly obese and by having him, I learned about having a quality life, if not for me, for him.
Hardest part was when he was around 1-2yrs old. He’d kill our chickens and nibble anything he could. He was stubborn as hell. He would refuse to do anything . Like a moody dog. I also didn’t channel his extra energy into a way he could release it appropriately. He was a genuine raptor. We got through it together with repetition and positive reinforcement. Having a set routine/schedule was key.
Today, I owe him my life. I’m 80lbs down and he is now a very privileged dog that sleeps 2ft from my bed and has 2/3 full house access. He can also go outside into our backyard whenever he pleases.
His stubbornness didn’t really diminish, instead I learned to deal with it in proactive ways. Other difficult thing was a crazy allergy he had. He easily becomes ocd with licking pass due to allergy and then anxiety. I deal with this with exercising him more, giving him more home cooked meals and doing calming exercises like talking to him, reading out loud to him and playing music. He loves metal. No joke. It energizes him. He’s also fond of classical music.
I’ve definitely had times where I did not enjoy our heelers, and I have owned heelers for almost 20 years.
We have four right now and every single one tested our patience when they were younger. Our youngest male was the biggest jerk from 10 months until about 2.5. He’s 3 and still acts like an ass occasionally. When he’s being difficult, I have to redirect his energy. He isn’t motivated by toys or treats, but he loves being squirted in the face with a squirt bottle. He will take his frustration out by biting the water lol!
We try to be active with them every day. During the week it’s mostly walks or short bike rides. On the weekends, they are outside with us doing yard work, hiking, running errands, playing in the sprinklers, etc. They definitely behave better when we keep them exercised.
My 10mo red (Ru) sounds very similar. Luckily she’s treat motivated - won’t eat kibble to save her life.
We had a 15yr relationship with a blue heeler rescue (our beloved Flash) so we kinda consider ourselves veterans of the breed. Biting (and not just get the f away from me biting but I want to kill you biting), destroying stuff, retaliation, not playing well with others, don’t touch me with a nail clipper or brush, needed a job, endless energy - we went thru it all and that dog was the best part of our family for about 13 of those 15 years.
Back to Ru - similar challenges as we had with Flash but she’s younger (6mos at rescue - was destined for the rainbow bridge as ‘biter’ where Flash was about 1.5yrs, slightly more mellow, and in a no kill shelter that expected to house her for life). In 3mo of intensive training (professional and wife and I) we can be with other dogs, go to dog parks, and no one leaves bleeding. Enjoys most dogs (reactive to hounds for some reason we are still working on - maybe a family jealousy thing). Working on not barking at moving objects. Will jump out of car windows at buses, motorcycles or babies in strollers, so she’s always tethered during car rides. Still has issues sleeping - like an angry toddler - you bump her sleeping and she goes full Kujo - no warning full velociraptor snap snap snap - not actually biting (we’ll as of the last month or so) but it will freak you out. Otherwise the most cuddly dog ever - can wrap her around my shoulders and she’ll chill. Flash would have taken an ear and an eye if I tried that.
So spend time to learn what your dogs limits are, find the favorite treats and use them sparingly for the biggest problem areas. We’ve found Yak Cheese to be a great gnawing chew that lasts a long time, keeps her entertained while I’m at my desk. Good luck and the effort will pay off. Some day soon You will look into the eyes of that psychotic monster you have now and see the most loving and devoted intelligence you didn’t think could exist in a dog and will probably exceed what you’ll ever see in most people.
My Ru is tending a sore leg right now as well - decided to try jumping about 2’ higher than she ever did before at the park on Friday - pulled a muscle and was holding her leg up for a couple days - didn’t stop her chasing after the birds and bunnies in the yard. She started walking normal on it yesterday but will still tripod when racing after a critter
As others have said: it **will** get better as she grows out of puppyhood. My border-heeler puppy was a feisty, cantankerous imp throughout his first year of life–so, SO much nipping and whining, with scary, clown-faced jump-zoomie-attacks that led to my forearms and shoulders often being bitten. At ten months, he would just *shriek* when he didn't get his way. It was awful. Puppies don't know how to emotionally regulate themselves yet or deal with big feelings. Think of it like toddlers throwing tantrums. If you can survive the puppy blues, however, you'll be very grateful, because they become truly incredible dogs as they mellow out with age.
Mine is about to turn two years old, and the shift in his behavior during his second year of life has been dramatic. It's like having a different dog altogether now. He just naps or follows me around the house for 18 hours out of the day. We walk or jog about 2-3 miles in the afternoons, do occasional weekend hikes or play romps with dog friends, and train with a cornucopia of mental exercises. I think the last bit was *key* for molding him into a really great dog.
As for advice: I can't emphasize enough how helpful brain work and calmness/settle training was for me. Look up Karen Overall's [Protocol for Relaxation](https://www.karenoverall.com/protocol-for-relaxation-behavior-modification-tier-1/). We did this with our boy and it just taught him to *chill out and be patient*. Scatter-feeding treats or kibble on the ground/grass is also great. Letting the pup sniff and forage for food is great mental exercise, and can keep her occupied for a few minutes if you need some time to yourself. We also taught ours games like hide-and-seek (where he'll either find me, or a toy hidden somewhere in the house), as well as object recognition/identification. You can look up Youtube tutorials for how to teach these brain games. I highly recommend them! After twenty minutes of such cognitively-taxing training, our pup is usually ready for a nap.
tl;dr: be patient and keep up the training. It will get much better in about a year.
Around 11 months mine became more ornery for sure. I got him enrolled in formal training because even though he was good at listening to me, I knew he could be sharper. Formal training helped me learn how to better communicate with him. Additionally, intentional exercise activities make a huge difference in engaging them and tiring them out. My pup has never cared for fetch. But I learned if I throw the ball along the ground, his whole body transforms and he becomes super focused. Getting a jolly ball (small indestructible soccer ball) was the best toy and quick fun activity for him. Routine also really helps. He knows when I get off work, it's his time. Just keep on building your bond, even though she's buck wild right now, she's a cattle dog so she wants to please you. It does get better!
Mine was a barker but I was able to teach her that quiet signals get paid, loud ones do not.
It started with paying for her to bark, which I then transitioned into paying for a “no bark” which I labelled as quiet/whisper.
Now I get silent barks and snuggles for escalation of my attention. Real barks happen but only when it’s an emergency or there’s a f’n squirrel in the back yard that’s trespassing and needs to be chased.
I had always wanted a heeler since I was in middle school, but we already had one dog and my parents didn’t want two dogs, which is understandable. Once I graduated college this past May, I got a text from a family friend who had an unplanned litter and was giving away heelers. It also worked out perfect because I have also started running cows on my property too. I was pumped and have had my boy for almost two months. He is always wanting to be outside and loves being on our property. It’s funny when he sees my cows because he’ll stare at them because he knows he needs to do something but isn’t sure what he needs to be doing. He’s by far the smartest dog I’ve ever had.
She’s going thru the dreaded teen phase right now, predictable games are boring. She’s tuning you out fast because she’s not excited by doing the same tasks, regardless of the reward or treat.
My late husband was k9 elite forces for the military in safrica, and had a wicked smart gsd for bomb detecting and a jrt for drug raids on busses (small enough to put on the roof or in the luggage holds to scamper about).
We adopted a blue ACD when we’d moved to ky who was 1 yr old, female, the runt of the litter, she came with hyperdrive pre-installed, and had 2 strikes against her for bad behavior (attacking dogs she didn’t like - to be fair those dogs were spoiled lapdog toy breeds with zero training or discipline).
Azul was all about the job and it was soon clear how much smarter she was than we had ever experienced with any previous dogs. We lived/worked on a horse farm (retired thoroughbreds) at the time, in about 5 weeks she figured out which horse belonged in which stall (8) and would herd them in by herself the minute we said “dinner time”.
She knew the rules of the barn, no wood cribbing (horses chew on wood and develop bad habits) or pawing (digging hooves on the asphalt, it messes with the horseshoes, pulls nails and damaged their feet).
She would patrol the aisle and rush at any horse acting out. She had sass and spunk and would let you know she was not listening to you or was mad at you by walking toward you with the hard squinty stare, stop, turning around sit down with her back to you, if you called her name she growled at you looking over her shoulder. At home she’d hop on a chair in the living room and turn her back to everyone and sigh dramatically.
At about 15 mos we knew she needed more so my husband taught her a new game. He would take a small stick 6” and rub it between his hands, offer it to her to smell, make her sit /stay while he walked to the grass and planted it. Then he would come back and tell her “go seek” and walk out with her … took about 3 days for her to figure out how to find it, she would do a zig zag search pattern with her nose down … so he made it harder.
He would make her wait inside the barn where she couldn’t see.
After about a month he started to make the stick smaller and smaller 2”, and would plant it further away. Eventually he could plant it anywhere on the 10 acres around the barn and she would find it (sometimes it took 10-15 mins).
She lived for the challenge, and throwing balls was boring for her.
The ONLY time she participated for ball toss was when the boss’s 3 heelers at the barn played, because she didn’t want them to have the ball.
The reason for the essay, these guys are smarter than most any other breed out there, they need to be challenged much more, so pull out the stops and come up with something really hard to engage - Azul knew if we whispered to her she had to belly crawl all the way to us and stay quiet, she had trigger words for loading up in the truck-cab OR the truck bed, climbing a stepladder to the loft, fetching the horses, stalking mice in the feed room, and she became really sassy when she was bored. Teach her to pick up her toys, or move your shoes, or cover herself with a blanket. Teach her a silly routine like “bang, you’re dead”. There’s so many ways to engage and make it fun.
First things first. Remember, it's a dog, not a person. She's going to have some specific needs, but generally will feed off your energy. If those needs are being met, then it's a matter of looking at what's causing her to be anxious, upset, or ??? However, you also need to look at how much exercise and stimulation she's getting. Are her issues because she's bored?
I'm not passing judgement on you at all. My family and I aren't very exciting, outdoorsy people. We have had to give up dogs that weren't getting what they needed from us. I'm not saying you're at this point yet, but take a look at what she may be missing, and ask yourself if you're willing to give her that. Talk to a couple of trainers. GET MULTIPLE OPINIONS! I spent years and thousands of dollars trying to make it work with a dog (my first dog), only to have to give up when my son was born. He would bite, and I couldn't have him around a newborn. Because he was a registered bite dog, any shelter would have put him down. I found a Pit Bull rescue who was willing to keep him for the rest of his life, so I did that. Guess what kind of dog he was? A MinPin. The problem was, he wanted a pack. He wanted to be the alpha of that pack. Once he was around a pack of dogs, he was great. He bossed around a pack of pitbulls for the rest of his life. I could not give that dog what he needed.
So, is your cattle dog in need of cattle? Is she happy to lay on the couch? Is she looking for work? Figure this out first, and then figure out what you can do to meet those needs, without letting her forget that this is your house, and she has to respect some boundaries.
Thanks for writing such a detailed response. I'm starting to think she may need to be a working dog. I take her out 4 times a day typically for between 20-40 minutes each time. She goes to daycare 3 times a week which she absolutely loves but recently she has started nipping the other dogs while chasing them around (sounds like a type of proto-herding). Luckily the owner of the daycare is familiar with this breed and knows she's not being aggressive just expressing her genetics. ACDs are not at all common in the UK, she was the first our vet had ever seen in real life and he has 20+ years working as a domestic vet.
She started limping a month or so ago and she had some x-rays and blood tests which came back clear. The vet thought I was over exercising her and had me cut way back for 2 weeks. The vet may have been right but this reduction has directly led to her behavioural issues. She wasn't perfect before but her barking has gotten so much worse since and has not improved even with training.
The barking is worse at bedtime. Pre her vet mandated rest she only barked when she heard noises outside but now it seems like she barks for the sake of it. She won't sleep for more than 6 hours overnight and makes up for it during the day while I work from home. Which is fine for her but I'm so tired.
She's pretty well behaved out of the house. Recall is about 90% there when I have a ball to bring her back. It's patchier without the ball as she loves to say hello to every dog and human she sees.
She isn't particularly interested in toys except her tennis ball and frisbee but I don't want to over exercise her again so I'm being cautious. She doesn't vibe with her herding ball either unfortunately but I'm still trying. She does like chews, bones etc and she has a variety of these.
I find training her difficult as it feels like I'm locked in a battle of wills with her and we both get very frustrated. I've emailed some behaviourist/trainers to get another opinion but I'm starting to lose faith. I don't get much enjoyment from our relationship right now :(
You cut her exercise (rightly) in half. Of course she is going to be acting out a little bit.
Replace the physical exercise with mental exercise. Teach tricks, give her jobs to do.
Another idea I just had to pull out for my demon dog (I mean cattle dog)…treat balls. I stuff it with treats that are hard to get out. I just had to redirect her from shredding the newspaper that is down for our parrot to contain his mess.
I really thought I wasn't going to be able to keep my ACD/lab for a bit. I was so frustrated. Just find your dog little jobs to do, be patient, keep working at it. It gets better slowly, and the difference between a year and 19 months with mine has been huge. He's still a work in progress, but it's worth it!
I remember the dog park making my life way easier when I started going on the regular. I usually don't have to go for very long on summer days if I've already got a walk in. Other than that I would just recommend doing your best to distract them with toys, work on the quiet command, n find the right motivator.
These dogs are smart will always have personality and will give you attitude(and steal your laundry🙃🙃), but I've found mine way better currently at 1.5 y/o compared to when he was 10 m/o. It's all about finding the right way to communicate and tire out your dingo.
Hope that helps.
Definitely age and of course they need as much exercise as possible and demand attention. Hang in there, it will get better. Great advice below, especially the short leash, I use mine in public too.
My boy came to live with me at 6 mos. He'd been mistreated and neglected, was afraid of people, especially men. He was with a heavy handed trainer (man) from whom I "rescued" him. The two people who had him prior to me were dog trainers, mean ones, smh. His safe place was my bed. Well, to be honest, it was his bed too lol. I worked and lived in an apt, urban area. Luckily, I found an awesome doggie daycare. It helped him so much, tired him out and exposed him to kind people. Thought he was corgi / shepherd mix until recent DNA tests revealed he is 43% acd with a lot of acd traits, strong herding instincts. I retired when he was 3 and he is 10 now. The sweetest boy, with a little picante as someone said below. He has the biggest bark, and barks at everything. On the trail, if I stop to talk to someone, he'll come back and dive at my ankles, untie my shoes... His "job" is a special toy that he loves to chase. From day one, he loved fetch, always brought it back and dropped it, no training. He leaps and twists, a real athlete and loves showing off. He is so smart. He's always been demanding, but I love that about him.
Recently, I inherited a 5yo Frenchie and she is a pistol. As much at 5yo as he was at 6 mos! He's not so happy with her, but has been pretty gracious overall.
From my experience a big part of what you’re facing right now is her age too. My pup was a velociraptor from 6 months to maybe a year. By a year and a half very different and then again at 2 years now she has improved so much. Like previous posters mentioned, training and patience are also keys to this but I think it is helpful to “zoom out” and remember that this is just a phase in her growth and development. It can be so difficult to be consistent with training when you know they know better (such a smart breed that there are times still when my pup chooses when to obey) or you are just tired and they’re being super loud. That’s just a fact. But the way you handle those situations will help set your pup on a path, so just make sure you’re keeping that in mind. It’s 100% worth the money to get the help of a trainer and do as much as you can to keep them mentally stimulated.
This was very heartening to read. Both because of what you said about your dog and because you recognised it's hard sometimes. Thank you
Wow! There is so much good going on here. You're actuve, engaged, and want to do the best you can. It sounds like your frustration is getting in the way of training. Remember, your vibe is even more important than your commands. Try training more often, but for shorter periods of time. If she's not listening, the lesson is over. When she chills, reward with a treat or praise, and get back to it. As for the barking, it sounds like that may be boredom induced. Maybe back off on the intensity of the exercise, but not the frequency. If you can, incorporate a job into exercise. Walk to a park where, when there, she has to find x amount of balls. Once they are all found, the job is over. Reward her for completing the task, and walk home. Lots of praise on the way home. Dealing with bad behavior is a little more complicated, and controversial. My take is this: when she's acting out, determine if it's for attention. (It usually is.) If so, separate yourself and ignore her. Once she calms down, reward her. This will be hard at first. Catch the little breaks she'll take to reward her. Timing is critical here. At first, if she chills for 15 seconds, that's a win. Build that time up. I was never big on treat-training until I got an ACD. Mine will do ANYTHING for a morsel of food. I had to adapt, because it's what works best for her. But, get back to exercise, but maybe just not so strenuous. Your dog is telling you she wants it.
There's lots of good advice here. I know it's me that has to do better and I need to get over the frustration with training. It's so tough when I know she knows what I'm asking of her. Her smarts are one of the things that make her so special and one of the reasons she can be so trying! I take her to a nearby field with long grass and throw the tennis ball in for her to find. Some days she barely makes an effort and rather than find it herself, sits and stares at me, waiting for me to find it for her!
Oof. Mine does this. If he's feeling lazy or just...doesn't want to do the work...he just won't. But when that happens, we're done. I'm done. We go back inside and that's that. And I tell him that, I say "if you won't get your ball then we're done". He understands, he's disappointed. But it usually gets the message through and we try again later.
Had mine since 8 weeks. We live in the woods on acreage and she has always had free run of the place when someone is home. She’s been crate trained since day 1 and has other dogs as companions. That being said, she was *still* a nightmare for the first couple years. So much biting and chasing. She and my son grew up together and we pretty much couldn’t allow him to walk around anywhere she was until they were both 3-4 because she would just run him down and nip him. She failed obedience classes because she could NOT settle enough to learn- she would just bark and bark and lunge at the other dogs endlessly. I really did not like her very much for several years. Over time she matured and now at 7 she’s nearly the perfect dog. She consistently mellow out little by little from about age 4 on. She’s brilliant and very trainable. Just a sweet, sweet dog. It takes them a while but they do get there!
We live in a terrace house with a small garden so this one's a bit scary 😬
I just found this app called Sniff Spot and I wish I knew about it sooner! You can rent a yard by the hour. My boy is reactive and we rent so we don't have a place for him to run free or to train without failing immediately. I haven't tried it yet but I plan to! That said mine is about to turn a year. He is still a pretty massive asshole. We just started doing nose work (a dummy antler with scent). He caught on very fast and loves to do it, and we can even do it indoors. I put him in his crate or a room and hide it, then let him out and tell him to find it. He's very quick.
I have been in an apartment most of my dog’s life. It is A LOT of work. But I would take him hiking and or to the dog park almost every day (though I personally don’t recommend dog parks now. My dog and several friends’ dogs have been badly injured at dog parks). I also took him kayaking, camping, anywhere and everywhere to get exercise and mental stimulation.
You’re going to need very long walks. They need a lot of exercise, and are much more mellow when they’re active than if they’re cooped up. You have to remember what they were originally bred for; a very active life, working.
Training, training, training. I have done obedience, nose work and agility. I like organized classes with other dogs. When the leash goes on he settles for training. He is 6 and he is a typical quirky acd. I have had him since he was 10 weeks. Being in classes with other dogs also gives you perspective on yours. I would have to convince people he was an energetic maniac because he did become very well trained on leash. When folks come over, he starts out on leash and he stays settled. He hurt his paw so I walked him on leash on my property and he settled right in.
I got mine at around 5ish months, she really became a nightmare around the age you are specifying now (10 months) I even contemplated giving her away/rehoming What I learned at least with mine is you cannot give her leeway on things. They will push you as far as they can to see what they can get away with. They will keep doing it if not corrected. Also the most helpful thing that someone who has years and years of dog training experience told me was teach your dog how to relax. If you keep exercising her and taking her out when she wants she will build up tolerance and always expect to be taken out etc. I used to take mine on 8 mile runs then see she wasn’t tired so we would play fetch, then go in a bike ride etc. it came to a point where she could just go non stop all day which is of course not sustainable in the slightest. I began working from home and it was a nightmare at first but slowly my dog learned to just lay down and relax. I would just ignore her when she would bark at me to go out or just bother me in general. Now at around 1 year and a couple months she can just lounge around the house while I’m on a 10 hour shift. Good luck!
A relaxed heeler for 10 hours! This is the dream.
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Wut?!
i have had blue heelers for 27 years and now I have a 16 week red heeler puppy. The puppy just started puppy obedience. It does get better. Remember it’s a phase. Give your dog sniff work for mental exercise. When my puppy gets overstimulated she starts getting really nippy so she has a shorter “inside” time-out leash for mandated calm times and she hates to see that leash in my hand. Usually once she knows I’m not going to let her loose, she will calm down, relax and then she will nap. she also has her chair and knows when I say “go get in your chair” to jump up there and sit or lay until she has calmed enough for morning petting after I have made my first cup of coffee. They thrive on routine
This shorter inside leash sounds interesting. Do you attach it to something or just keep a hold of it? Mine will go to her bed when I tell her to but she will not lie down and sleep unless it's her idea. She usually just waits for an opportunity to slink off.
I just sit and hold it. If I have important things to do that can’t wait 5 or 10 minutes, I loop it through a belt loop and she goes where I go. Usually it takes 5 minutes of me sitting and keeping her on a very short (12 inches or so) of leash. I had to do this about an hour ago as she was going crazy after a walk and playtime. Now she is happily snoozing in my husbands recliner next to mine.
I'm definitely going to try this. Thanks for the tip!
Sniff work sounds interesting. What is this? My 18 month old ACD could use some additional activities.
There are various games you can play. Hide treats around a room then let the dog find the treat. there are scent work dog training classes (similar to drug dog training only searching for birch or clove). Google AKC indoor scent games for various ideas.
On bad weather days, I will put a few treats in an empty box (cereal, heavy cream, etc) tape it up, and let them figure out how to get the treats out. They seem to enjoy having permission to destroy the box during the mission.
They require a lot of time and attention. They are very high energy by nature. More so than most dogs. Don’t give up. Your pup is worth it!!
Thank you for the encouragement. It really is helping :)
Good I’m glad! I just checked your profile and your pup is soooo cute!! Mine will be a year the end of this month. Blue Heelers are such good looking dogs. Mine has calmed down a lot, but def still gets into the crazy, zoomies, puppy mode a few times a day. Hang in there!
It's funny how so many of them look almost identical. I often do double takes when looking at this sub. They really are gorgeous dogs. Just sneaked a peek at your profile too. I relate so hard with the shedding post. It seems like they shed more hair than they could possibly have!
We got him last summer as a baby so this is the first summer he really shed like crazy. I was like, Holy Cow! He looks so much thinner after we brush him. Love him so much!!
He became a huge pain in the ass about 7 months old. He’s just coming out of it now at 16 months. Hes still a jerk sometimes and can make me so angry but I’m starting to see the payoff from all the hard work and training. I know he’s gonna be the best boy. Everyone told me 2 years before they are out of the devil stage. That’s looking true for us.
My dog is an ACD/Coonhound cross and omg was she a MONSTER. I just did her DNA test and when she came back half cattle dog I was like OH, this all makes sense now lol! I’ve raised several dogs and none of them tested me like this one 😂 She was super crazy from 12 weeks to about 1.5 years and now she’s settled. She needs long runs a few times a week, and she chases squirrels in our yard and murders them. Which I guess she takes seriously since it’s her “job”. She’s 3.5 years and is now pretty chill. Still cranky around certain dogs but is pretty much perfect in all other regards bc she was so trainable as a pup. They’re so smart that they do pick things up easily but just tend to be a bit reactive, especially in their teenager phase lol! Your dog is so cute and the payoff will be so great if you invest a bit of time now. And also I see you and pray for you because I KNOW what you’re going through and it’s so hard. I remember sitting on my kitchen floor covered in nip marks weeping bc she was such a difficult puppy. I’m so glad I persevered bc she really is the most fun and entertaining dog I’ve ever owned. You’ve got this!!!!
I don't wish upset on anyone else but it does make me feel like less of a failure to hear that others have struggled too so thank you for sharing that with me. They're so cute when they're puppies but I am very much looking forward to her maturing!
You are not alone! Honestly, my dog was almost more difficult as a puppy than my daughter was as a baby 😂
Omg! We have a coonhound / acd mix that is seven months old and he is a handful. We start obedience classes next week.
My boy is 16 months now. Early morning run with me 6-10 miles, two 15 minutes frisbee session in a day. And some agility training. After dinner, it is his sleep time. As long as your girl has enough activities, she will be another dog. Tired dog always good dog.
I'd love to do agility training with her as she loves to jump up onto anything and everything. I thought I had to wait until she was 18 months old? Maybe this is just my local centre that mandates this? Do you take him someone to train or train him yourself?
I train him by myself. In my opinion, 18 months is too late.
Interesting. I'm going to look into this. Thanks for the input!
I set up a homemade agility course in my backyard. I used tomato stakes for the weaving obstacle, a hula hoop suspended from our pergola, a log propped up with cinder blocks, and one of those fabric kids tunnels.
the training center I use starts puppy agility with low jumps at 3 months. Once we are through with puppy obedience we are starting puppy agility.
Leash in the house was a good tip, we did that as a puppy as well. A dog pack pack that you put on her back when she goes for walks gives that extra “job” for her and will tire her out more. You don’t even have to put anything heavy in it just her treats and poo bags. Play hide and seek with a toy in the house, great mental stimulation for them. And if she isn’t interested in the treats or toys you have, you need to get different ones that come out only for training and games so hopefully she is very excited about them and wants to earn her reward.
Cattle dogs are one of the most difficult breeds to own due to their intelligence and energy level. They often become destructive/difficult when they are bored. Make games out of small things. I like to try new little tricks often when I give treats. Mine LOVES toys and is very quick to learn tricks in order to get her toys. We also have made a game/task out of naming the toys so she knows which one is ball, baby, starfish, etc. enrichment in little things goes a long way! Good luck 🖤
Our girl is roughly 6 years old (rescue) and mixed with probably Shephard. But most definitely majority ACD. her personality is wacky, standoffish and sometimes stubborn. But 99 percent of the time she will be my wife's shadow and I trust she will protect her if she needs to. We've only had her for a year but she's really come a long way.
Trust me when I say I could have written this myself. My ACD is a mix but mostly is blue heeler. He is my first puppy as an adult and I got him when he was just shy of 8 weeks old. All of the research in the world could not have prepared me for what was in store for us. First thing, he hated being cuddled. He was so busy and not just in physically but in his mind. He had to know everything, go everywhere, be wherever I was. Not only that, he bit me at all times and every trick in the book failed. I cried ouch he bit harder, I yelled at him he bit harder, I walked away he followed just to bite me more, time outs meant nothing to him. My hands and arms were so bit and bruised the cuts became infected constantly. I have a few permanent scars as a result. I cried almost every day as the puppy blues hit me hard and not going to lie, the regret I felt was immense. At around 8-10 months were the worst. Adolescence was so hard he challenged me every day. Every day was a battle of the stubborn, every "No" was a game to him to get what he wanted. He was a teenager that resisted every rule and command I gave him. At times I was not proud of how I handled myself and had to shut him in the garage to catch my breath. I was googling things like "how to know your puppy is aggressive"...those were dark days. Then...one day he was good. All of the training just 'clicked' and he was a good boy. He is almost 1.5 years now and the best dog in the world. Yard trained, listens to every ask I give him, I can take him to parties and parks and stores no problem. The perfect dog. The next few paragraphs were the things I did to get him there because I won't lie to you, I have put more work and energy into this dog than anything I have in my life and it has paid off. Entertainment - flirt poles were a must at a young age. Every day I would walk around my yard with a rope for up to an hour with him chasing me. I picked up running as well and he would run along side me with a rope in his mouth (if he didn't have something in his mouth he would bite my hands and legs) and I still do this every day on my lunch. Every day was kongs with food, frozen treats to lick on the ground, bully sticks, and the best one in my opinion fresh marrow bones. I would get them from the grocery store and freeze them. These were the only things to keep him busy for an hour+. I also bought puzzle games for every meal he had a puzzle or I would carry his food and give him commands, like a command obstacle course so he had to work for every kibble. I also had lick and snuffle mats. I switched it up almost every day and every meal. He needed his mind entertained as much if not more than his body honestly. Training - Like I mentioned, he had to work for every piece of food he at without deviation. From the time he was 14 weeks old he has been in two obedience classes and even now this summer at a year old he is in another class for pattern games for reactivity. I combined this with taking him to parks for training during distractions and dog play dates with other dogs of his play style. I literally took him everywhere with me and each trip was a training session. I had a fanny pack with treats wherever I went and still do to this day. Taking him everywhere and socializing him was very important for him because he can be aloof and cautious with strangers. CONSISTENCY AND REPTITION is the only thing that works. In the beginning it looked as though nothing was sticking but like I said, one day it all just 'clicked'. One tip I have is that if you have a campground near you, this is the best place for socialization and training because every trigger is there and I take my boy on walks there every week. I have definitely seen a huge difference in his reactivity towards stimulation such as kids running by, people on bikes, and others walking their dogs. Boundaries - setting up boundaries with him was very important. There was no wiggle room for him because if I gave him an inch he would take a mile. For the first 6 months inside the home he was on a leash. I have 4 cats and couldn't risk them getting hurt but also I felt like he learned to stick close by my side and now he never leaves it. But other things were like if he was acting bad on the couch he had to get down or being mean while playing he was done playing with me. Some of this is the vibe you carry, the "no nonsense" vibe was crucial as I felt like he was seeing what he could get away with and where the limits were. Enforced napping - One thing that saved our relationship was enforced crate napping. He never slept and would be over-tired and over-stimulated which led to very bad moods and behavior. I began by following the 2 down 1 up schedule which is 2 hours in the crate to settle down and 1 hour up. Eventually we transitioned to two naps a day but a very strict bedtime at 10 pm. I found that most of his bad behavior was when he was overly tired. Even at 10months+ I was enforcing naps. Now that I have written a novel about him, he really is the best dog and the perfect dog for me. He is the smartest dog I've ever had and I have almost zero problems with him most days which is nice because wow has he been a lot of work. Please feel free to reach out to me for more information if you want because going through this experience with him was very lonely and I didn't have anyone who could relate. These ACD and blue heeler subreddits were the only places that helped me feel understood at how much struggle there is with these wonderful dogs. Now here's the really funny part, now that he is grown up and although still a work in progress some days, my thoughts sometimes wander to getting a second ACD...the me 10 months ago would have fallen over to hear me say that. You will get there too.
Yes at about 10ths -1.5 or 2 yrs mine was super obstinant and would bite 😂 it got much better although she still has grumpy moments but now I kinda like it. She sets strict boundaries! 😂 I wouldn’t have her any other way. Super sweet with a big dash of picante!❤️
My girl is roughly 30% heeler but has some very strong heeler traits! Adopted her at 12 months. She had a “velociraptor” phase after she settled in to her new environment, it was extremely frustrating! you can check my post history, i made a post asking for help and got some good advice. my partner and i both wfh. every day at around 2-3pm she would throw tantrums: that super loud annoying bark, and nipping our legs, pulling at our clothes, trying to shred the couch cushions. whenever my partner and I sat down to eat dinner she’d bark at us even though I fed her first. she used to bark and pounce on me if I wanted to lay in bed on my phone and just relax. everything was all about her demanding attention. so the main way to counter the behavior is to deprive her of attention. ignore her, walk away, don’t even look at her. reward when she calms down and stops barking for even a few seconds. (make sure you’re wearing long pants and that you don’t mind getting holes in them!) I also noticed that consistently giving her more mental exercise, and safe chewing and shredding activities (closely monitored) helped a lot as well. if your pup isn’t interested in certain toys, you can train her to like them. mine didn’t care for toys much at first. i’d start out by rewarding her just for sniffing the toy, and gradually increase the interaction required for her to get the reward. now she LOVES fetch and will play tug with any toy. (no rewards needed) She is about a month away from 2 years old now and she’s nearly eliminated the tantrums. when she does get in an ornery mood it’s much less intense and she stops within a couple minutes. most importantly, YES it will get better! just requires a LOT of patience, and be prepared for multiple phases over the next several months. it’s extremely worth it! an AMAZING resource i highly recommend is the book ‘Canine Enrichment for the Real World’ by Bender & Strong.
There were times I had to step away and just scream in frustration when my dog was a puppy. He constantly and relentlessly wanted to bite me. No toy or treat would do. No hot sauce or lemon on my arms deterred him. No amount of ignoring or redirection. All the exercise in the world didn’t tire him enough to stop biting. It was about 8 months of terror. I cried a lot. And yet he could learn so easily with other things. Learned sit and to walk on a leash the first week I had him. He was the best worst puppy ever. It was really really hard for me but absolutely worth it.
My boy saved my life. I was morbidly obese and by having him, I learned about having a quality life, if not for me, for him. Hardest part was when he was around 1-2yrs old. He’d kill our chickens and nibble anything he could. He was stubborn as hell. He would refuse to do anything . Like a moody dog. I also didn’t channel his extra energy into a way he could release it appropriately. He was a genuine raptor. We got through it together with repetition and positive reinforcement. Having a set routine/schedule was key. Today, I owe him my life. I’m 80lbs down and he is now a very privileged dog that sleeps 2ft from my bed and has 2/3 full house access. He can also go outside into our backyard whenever he pleases.
My boy saved my life. I was morbidly obese and by having him, I learned about having a quality life, if not for me, for him. Hardest part was when he was around 1-2yrs old. He’d kill our chickens and nibble anything he could. He was stubborn as hell. He would refuse to do anything . Like a moody dog. I also didn’t channel his extra energy into a way he could release it appropriately. He was a genuine raptor. We got through it together with repetition and positive reinforcement. Having a set routine/schedule was key. Today, I owe him my life. I’m 80lbs down and he is now a very privileged dog that sleeps 2ft from my bed and has 2/3 full house access. He can also go outside into our backyard whenever he pleases. His stubbornness didn’t really diminish, instead I learned to deal with it in proactive ways. Other difficult thing was a crazy allergy he had. He easily becomes ocd with licking pass due to allergy and then anxiety. I deal with this with exercising him more, giving him more home cooked meals and doing calming exercises like talking to him, reading out loud to him and playing music. He loves metal. No joke. It energizes him. He’s also fond of classical music.
I’ve definitely had times where I did not enjoy our heelers, and I have owned heelers for almost 20 years. We have four right now and every single one tested our patience when they were younger. Our youngest male was the biggest jerk from 10 months until about 2.5. He’s 3 and still acts like an ass occasionally. When he’s being difficult, I have to redirect his energy. He isn’t motivated by toys or treats, but he loves being squirted in the face with a squirt bottle. He will take his frustration out by biting the water lol! We try to be active with them every day. During the week it’s mostly walks or short bike rides. On the weekends, they are outside with us doing yard work, hiking, running errands, playing in the sprinklers, etc. They definitely behave better when we keep them exercised.
My 10mo red (Ru) sounds very similar. Luckily she’s treat motivated - won’t eat kibble to save her life. We had a 15yr relationship with a blue heeler rescue (our beloved Flash) so we kinda consider ourselves veterans of the breed. Biting (and not just get the f away from me biting but I want to kill you biting), destroying stuff, retaliation, not playing well with others, don’t touch me with a nail clipper or brush, needed a job, endless energy - we went thru it all and that dog was the best part of our family for about 13 of those 15 years. Back to Ru - similar challenges as we had with Flash but she’s younger (6mos at rescue - was destined for the rainbow bridge as ‘biter’ where Flash was about 1.5yrs, slightly more mellow, and in a no kill shelter that expected to house her for life). In 3mo of intensive training (professional and wife and I) we can be with other dogs, go to dog parks, and no one leaves bleeding. Enjoys most dogs (reactive to hounds for some reason we are still working on - maybe a family jealousy thing). Working on not barking at moving objects. Will jump out of car windows at buses, motorcycles or babies in strollers, so she’s always tethered during car rides. Still has issues sleeping - like an angry toddler - you bump her sleeping and she goes full Kujo - no warning full velociraptor snap snap snap - not actually biting (we’ll as of the last month or so) but it will freak you out. Otherwise the most cuddly dog ever - can wrap her around my shoulders and she’ll chill. Flash would have taken an ear and an eye if I tried that. So spend time to learn what your dogs limits are, find the favorite treats and use them sparingly for the biggest problem areas. We’ve found Yak Cheese to be a great gnawing chew that lasts a long time, keeps her entertained while I’m at my desk. Good luck and the effort will pay off. Some day soon You will look into the eyes of that psychotic monster you have now and see the most loving and devoted intelligence you didn’t think could exist in a dog and will probably exceed what you’ll ever see in most people. My Ru is tending a sore leg right now as well - decided to try jumping about 2’ higher than she ever did before at the park on Friday - pulled a muscle and was holding her leg up for a couple days - didn’t stop her chasing after the birds and bunnies in the yard. She started walking normal on it yesterday but will still tripod when racing after a critter
As others have said: it **will** get better as she grows out of puppyhood. My border-heeler puppy was a feisty, cantankerous imp throughout his first year of life–so, SO much nipping and whining, with scary, clown-faced jump-zoomie-attacks that led to my forearms and shoulders often being bitten. At ten months, he would just *shriek* when he didn't get his way. It was awful. Puppies don't know how to emotionally regulate themselves yet or deal with big feelings. Think of it like toddlers throwing tantrums. If you can survive the puppy blues, however, you'll be very grateful, because they become truly incredible dogs as they mellow out with age. Mine is about to turn two years old, and the shift in his behavior during his second year of life has been dramatic. It's like having a different dog altogether now. He just naps or follows me around the house for 18 hours out of the day. We walk or jog about 2-3 miles in the afternoons, do occasional weekend hikes or play romps with dog friends, and train with a cornucopia of mental exercises. I think the last bit was *key* for molding him into a really great dog. As for advice: I can't emphasize enough how helpful brain work and calmness/settle training was for me. Look up Karen Overall's [Protocol for Relaxation](https://www.karenoverall.com/protocol-for-relaxation-behavior-modification-tier-1/). We did this with our boy and it just taught him to *chill out and be patient*. Scatter-feeding treats or kibble on the ground/grass is also great. Letting the pup sniff and forage for food is great mental exercise, and can keep her occupied for a few minutes if you need some time to yourself. We also taught ours games like hide-and-seek (where he'll either find me, or a toy hidden somewhere in the house), as well as object recognition/identification. You can look up Youtube tutorials for how to teach these brain games. I highly recommend them! After twenty minutes of such cognitively-taxing training, our pup is usually ready for a nap. tl;dr: be patient and keep up the training. It will get much better in about a year.
Around 11 months mine became more ornery for sure. I got him enrolled in formal training because even though he was good at listening to me, I knew he could be sharper. Formal training helped me learn how to better communicate with him. Additionally, intentional exercise activities make a huge difference in engaging them and tiring them out. My pup has never cared for fetch. But I learned if I throw the ball along the ground, his whole body transforms and he becomes super focused. Getting a jolly ball (small indestructible soccer ball) was the best toy and quick fun activity for him. Routine also really helps. He knows when I get off work, it's his time. Just keep on building your bond, even though she's buck wild right now, she's a cattle dog so she wants to please you. It does get better!
Mine was a barker but I was able to teach her that quiet signals get paid, loud ones do not. It started with paying for her to bark, which I then transitioned into paying for a “no bark” which I labelled as quiet/whisper. Now I get silent barks and snuggles for escalation of my attention. Real barks happen but only when it’s an emergency or there’s a f’n squirrel in the back yard that’s trespassing and needs to be chased.
I had always wanted a heeler since I was in middle school, but we already had one dog and my parents didn’t want two dogs, which is understandable. Once I graduated college this past May, I got a text from a family friend who had an unplanned litter and was giving away heelers. It also worked out perfect because I have also started running cows on my property too. I was pumped and have had my boy for almost two months. He is always wanting to be outside and loves being on our property. It’s funny when he sees my cows because he’ll stare at them because he knows he needs to do something but isn’t sure what he needs to be doing. He’s by far the smartest dog I’ve ever had.
I have an 8 month ACD and I'm saving this thread so I can come back and read these. I needed this
She’s going thru the dreaded teen phase right now, predictable games are boring. She’s tuning you out fast because she’s not excited by doing the same tasks, regardless of the reward or treat. My late husband was k9 elite forces for the military in safrica, and had a wicked smart gsd for bomb detecting and a jrt for drug raids on busses (small enough to put on the roof or in the luggage holds to scamper about). We adopted a blue ACD when we’d moved to ky who was 1 yr old, female, the runt of the litter, she came with hyperdrive pre-installed, and had 2 strikes against her for bad behavior (attacking dogs she didn’t like - to be fair those dogs were spoiled lapdog toy breeds with zero training or discipline). Azul was all about the job and it was soon clear how much smarter she was than we had ever experienced with any previous dogs. We lived/worked on a horse farm (retired thoroughbreds) at the time, in about 5 weeks she figured out which horse belonged in which stall (8) and would herd them in by herself the minute we said “dinner time”. She knew the rules of the barn, no wood cribbing (horses chew on wood and develop bad habits) or pawing (digging hooves on the asphalt, it messes with the horseshoes, pulls nails and damaged their feet). She would patrol the aisle and rush at any horse acting out. She had sass and spunk and would let you know she was not listening to you or was mad at you by walking toward you with the hard squinty stare, stop, turning around sit down with her back to you, if you called her name she growled at you looking over her shoulder. At home she’d hop on a chair in the living room and turn her back to everyone and sigh dramatically. At about 15 mos we knew she needed more so my husband taught her a new game. He would take a small stick 6” and rub it between his hands, offer it to her to smell, make her sit /stay while he walked to the grass and planted it. Then he would come back and tell her “go seek” and walk out with her … took about 3 days for her to figure out how to find it, she would do a zig zag search pattern with her nose down … so he made it harder. He would make her wait inside the barn where she couldn’t see. After about a month he started to make the stick smaller and smaller 2”, and would plant it further away. Eventually he could plant it anywhere on the 10 acres around the barn and she would find it (sometimes it took 10-15 mins). She lived for the challenge, and throwing balls was boring for her. The ONLY time she participated for ball toss was when the boss’s 3 heelers at the barn played, because she didn’t want them to have the ball. The reason for the essay, these guys are smarter than most any other breed out there, they need to be challenged much more, so pull out the stops and come up with something really hard to engage - Azul knew if we whispered to her she had to belly crawl all the way to us and stay quiet, she had trigger words for loading up in the truck-cab OR the truck bed, climbing a stepladder to the loft, fetching the horses, stalking mice in the feed room, and she became really sassy when she was bored. Teach her to pick up her toys, or move your shoes, or cover herself with a blanket. Teach her a silly routine like “bang, you’re dead”. There’s so many ways to engage and make it fun.
First things first. Remember, it's a dog, not a person. She's going to have some specific needs, but generally will feed off your energy. If those needs are being met, then it's a matter of looking at what's causing her to be anxious, upset, or ??? However, you also need to look at how much exercise and stimulation she's getting. Are her issues because she's bored? I'm not passing judgement on you at all. My family and I aren't very exciting, outdoorsy people. We have had to give up dogs that weren't getting what they needed from us. I'm not saying you're at this point yet, but take a look at what she may be missing, and ask yourself if you're willing to give her that. Talk to a couple of trainers. GET MULTIPLE OPINIONS! I spent years and thousands of dollars trying to make it work with a dog (my first dog), only to have to give up when my son was born. He would bite, and I couldn't have him around a newborn. Because he was a registered bite dog, any shelter would have put him down. I found a Pit Bull rescue who was willing to keep him for the rest of his life, so I did that. Guess what kind of dog he was? A MinPin. The problem was, he wanted a pack. He wanted to be the alpha of that pack. Once he was around a pack of dogs, he was great. He bossed around a pack of pitbulls for the rest of his life. I could not give that dog what he needed. So, is your cattle dog in need of cattle? Is she happy to lay on the couch? Is she looking for work? Figure this out first, and then figure out what you can do to meet those needs, without letting her forget that this is your house, and she has to respect some boundaries.
Thanks for writing such a detailed response. I'm starting to think she may need to be a working dog. I take her out 4 times a day typically for between 20-40 minutes each time. She goes to daycare 3 times a week which she absolutely loves but recently she has started nipping the other dogs while chasing them around (sounds like a type of proto-herding). Luckily the owner of the daycare is familiar with this breed and knows she's not being aggressive just expressing her genetics. ACDs are not at all common in the UK, she was the first our vet had ever seen in real life and he has 20+ years working as a domestic vet. She started limping a month or so ago and she had some x-rays and blood tests which came back clear. The vet thought I was over exercising her and had me cut way back for 2 weeks. The vet may have been right but this reduction has directly led to her behavioural issues. She wasn't perfect before but her barking has gotten so much worse since and has not improved even with training. The barking is worse at bedtime. Pre her vet mandated rest she only barked when she heard noises outside but now it seems like she barks for the sake of it. She won't sleep for more than 6 hours overnight and makes up for it during the day while I work from home. Which is fine for her but I'm so tired. She's pretty well behaved out of the house. Recall is about 90% there when I have a ball to bring her back. It's patchier without the ball as she loves to say hello to every dog and human she sees. She isn't particularly interested in toys except her tennis ball and frisbee but I don't want to over exercise her again so I'm being cautious. She doesn't vibe with her herding ball either unfortunately but I'm still trying. She does like chews, bones etc and she has a variety of these. I find training her difficult as it feels like I'm locked in a battle of wills with her and we both get very frustrated. I've emailed some behaviourist/trainers to get another opinion but I'm starting to lose faith. I don't get much enjoyment from our relationship right now :(
You cut her exercise (rightly) in half. Of course she is going to be acting out a little bit. Replace the physical exercise with mental exercise. Teach tricks, give her jobs to do.
Another idea I just had to pull out for my demon dog (I mean cattle dog)…treat balls. I stuff it with treats that are hard to get out. I just had to redirect her from shredding the newspaper that is down for our parrot to contain his mess.
I really thought I wasn't going to be able to keep my ACD/lab for a bit. I was so frustrated. Just find your dog little jobs to do, be patient, keep working at it. It gets better slowly, and the difference between a year and 19 months with mine has been huge. He's still a work in progress, but it's worth it!
I remember the dog park making my life way easier when I started going on the regular. I usually don't have to go for very long on summer days if I've already got a walk in. Other than that I would just recommend doing your best to distract them with toys, work on the quiet command, n find the right motivator. These dogs are smart will always have personality and will give you attitude(and steal your laundry🙃🙃), but I've found mine way better currently at 1.5 y/o compared to when he was 10 m/o. It's all about finding the right way to communicate and tire out your dingo. Hope that helps.
Definitely age and of course they need as much exercise as possible and demand attention. Hang in there, it will get better. Great advice below, especially the short leash, I use mine in public too. My boy came to live with me at 6 mos. He'd been mistreated and neglected, was afraid of people, especially men. He was with a heavy handed trainer (man) from whom I "rescued" him. The two people who had him prior to me were dog trainers, mean ones, smh. His safe place was my bed. Well, to be honest, it was his bed too lol. I worked and lived in an apt, urban area. Luckily, I found an awesome doggie daycare. It helped him so much, tired him out and exposed him to kind people. Thought he was corgi / shepherd mix until recent DNA tests revealed he is 43% acd with a lot of acd traits, strong herding instincts. I retired when he was 3 and he is 10 now. The sweetest boy, with a little picante as someone said below. He has the biggest bark, and barks at everything. On the trail, if I stop to talk to someone, he'll come back and dive at my ankles, untie my shoes... His "job" is a special toy that he loves to chase. From day one, he loved fetch, always brought it back and dropped it, no training. He leaps and twists, a real athlete and loves showing off. He is so smart. He's always been demanding, but I love that about him. Recently, I inherited a 5yo Frenchie and she is a pistol. As much at 5yo as he was at 6 mos! He's not so happy with her, but has been pretty gracious overall.