House Training

Question: Does anyone have any tips on house training a border collie?

(Posted by: on 2010-08-13 09:47:05)

Our Border Collie is 16 wks old and was doing really well with his training...that is until this morning. I let him out of his crate to find that he had had an accident so I let him out. Then I gave him a bath. After that, while I was getting ready for work, he pooped and peed in the kitchen. Can anyone explain what's going on? I really thought that he was doing well. FYI Katarina - Crate training is an important part of a dogs overall training. It teaches independence and it also give them a place that is just for them (a den if you will). Oh yeah, and puppy pads don't work. This isn't my first puppy, just my first border collie.

Posted by: pruin1 on 2010-08-13, 09:57:54

I have a border collie...best of luck! :P they are a stubborn, high energy crazy breed but can be amazing dogs if properly trained and excercised (they will drive you crazy if not!!!) Your puppy cant hold anything right now so YOU have to anticipate when he needs to go out (roughly every couple of hours but DEF after he eats or drinks). If he eats or drinks, take him out within twenty minutes and wait til he does his business and praise him. You may want to also get up in the night and let him out so he doesnt think peeing in the crate is ok (he will eventually not need this). He will pee wherever he is standing so you have to anticipate it and take him out first. If he does pee in the house, dont get mad (or he'll learn to hide it), take him outside (even if he is done). He has to learn to associate the two. Quickly he will learn to run to the door but even then, he wont be able to give you much notice so you need to watch for it. It seems hard but if you do this regularly he will learn within a few days (my bc took a week). Remember though that as a puppy there may still be a few accidents here and there until he learns to hold it a bit better.

Posted by: Katarina Otero on 2010-08-13, 09:54:22

Its not enough to throw it in a cage, you need to get some puppy mats and put some of his waste on it so he recognizes it as a place to go and aside from using mats, collies need lots of exercise so also take him outside every couple hours to increase your chances of getting him to go outside, and when he does, praise, praise, praise.