chasing animals

Question
Hi. My dog, Josie (a border collie x blue heeler) always chases our wildlife away. She will jump up and chase deer, skunks, foxes, etc. She even chases coyotes that have tried to eat her. I realize that she is doing her job by protecting "her pack" but she WILL NOT come back when we call her; she totally ignores us. We were told to try a shock collar. Do you think this would be a useful training device? If so, what do you think would be the safest and most effective way to use it?  thanks.   Erin

Answer
Your dog is a mix of two extremely obsessive herding breeds.  Your dog is not attempting to protect you, she is following a strong genetic instinct to chase:control, one that is so powerful that no casual recall (come when called) can override.  Shock collars are barbaric.  There is NO SAFE or EFFECTIVE WAY to use such a "tool". The dog will associate the pain with its own strong genetic instinct or the presence of another animal and she will have an altogether different, but equally awful, fear driven behavior.  Your two alternatives are:

1.  control the dog outdoors right now by taking her out on very long leash or buying a six foot high, covered, 20 foot square dog run very close to any entrance to your home.  Do this ASAP.  Your dog will be lost, injured or (as you say there are Coyotes in your area) killed.  Your responsibility is to protect her, not the other way around.

2.  Find a reputable obedience class in your area, one using clickers and/or positive reinforcement and led by someone with a BRAIN.  If they use choker collars, punishment, or any aversive, run like hell.  Teach this dog, in an environment which is replete with stimuli (group training class) the basics in obedience, including a recall.  Once she has graduated from this series of classes, take your recall outdoors with the dog on VERY LONG LEASH.  Working with her in this manner should produce a very strongly conditioned recall, but you will NOT be able to control the dog's inherent hard-wired chase:control responses without doing additional training to address her herding instincts.  Obviously, people who use such breeds to control and protect their flocks (sheep, cows, etc.) MUST be able to control these dogs and they can and do by careful training for that purpose.  If you can find a group of agility trainers in your area, you will no doubt find several with Border Collies.  Go and observe, ask questions, and work with your dog for several months.  Until then, protect her by preventing her from running loose.