collie biting

Question
Hi,

We have a five month old rough collie(female)she is a very sweet and good natured dog however she bites at our 4 and six year old boys constantly.

She does not do this out of aggression and I suspect it is herding behavior. Now that she is now 45 pounds and has her adult teeth the behavior has become a problem.

Initially she responded to "no bite" now however if we are not right with the boys she does  not stop and I am afraid she is going to accidently hurt one of them.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Char

Answer
Hello Charlene,

In my opinion, you should keep this dog away from the kids altogether.  If you are not strictly using her for stock dog herding, then I would consider buying a different breed for the kids to play with.  Border Collies are primarily working dogs and it is often hard to find one that is compatible with kids...unless the child is taught how to work a herding dog.

To anyone else who views this dog's behavior with your kids or anyone else, they will not understand the herding instinct causing this problem.  Instead, they will only see your dog as a biter.

The boys are probably paying no attention to her until she starts nipping.  They are mostly likely playing in such a way that gets her excited enough to start herding them.  She will not likely change her behavior.  So, it is up to you to protect your children.  You want to teach your kids respect for the breed, not fear.  So, explain to them why things will be changing either with her directly, or with another breed of dog altogether.

I hope this helps and I really wish there was another alternative, but I strongly suggest a total change in what you allow this dog to do at your home or, like I said, get a different breed.

Warmest regards,
Ann Jordan
Border Collie Coach
BorderCollieCoach.com