# Herding Behavior!! Needs to stop.



## cinnamonteal (May 16, 2008)

hmmm... this behavior must come from the "mix" part of your dog. You'll probably have more luck with a herding dog forum. Maybe something on GSDs or border collies or cattle dogs.

My BIL has a cattle dog puppy and whenever she nips at people, he corrects her with an "ah ah!" 

sorry I couldn't be of more help.


----------



## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

It's not 100% clear to me that you're seeing herding behavior and not something else - I'd have to see it to diagnose it for sure. If it is herding behavior, the goal is to move you - the definition of herding right? 

In an otherwise stable dog (no other behavioral issues) I would suggest a verbal "cease and desist" marker and moving into the dog's space - as in the opposite of being herded. I would also make sure that all fun ends when the herding behavior begins - that might be removing yourself and the other dog from the herder - that might be kenneling the offender - that might mean that the dog wears a long line and you step on the line when the herding behavior starts...Be particularly aware of how much freedom this dog gets. Herding behavior - if it is herding behavior - is incredibly self-reinforcing. One chance to get out there and move people (children are especially fun) will undo much work you've done to correct the problem. I would be very careful with him around the other dog too - obviously he's keen to herd his other dog and I would not subject it to harassment by a newcomer...

Erica


----------



## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

bumping up


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Would a ball or something like that work to redirect her?

With my border collie he'll grip the goldens and herd them a bit but only if there's nothing else I want him to do, like fetch a ball. You may have to limit the time they spend together where she's 'herding' while you teach her a new, positive outlet for this. Then start using a shaker can or something to startle her when she starts to go into that mode. Do you have any herding dog people you can chat with? Maybe she needs to meet some 'real sheep' and figure out that's a better idea.

I did hear of a sheltie mix who was going to be rehomed for chasing and nipping the other dogs in the house, they finally used a barking collar on her and the corrections from the collar for barking timed very well with when she was chasing - so within a week she had stopped doing both herding and barking and was starting to learn to 'play' better with her siblings.

Lana


----------

