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Canine Behavior/proctective dog

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Expert: - 1/17/2008


Question
My dog is a boarder collie mix and is very smart. He hates certain people who have been mean to him in the past and all ways remembers them. He seems to hold a grudge and will pay them back for all the teasing and kicking and water squirting and what ever else they do to this dog.
Is this normal for a dog to be this smart. I think it is. I treat him just like anyone I know and he seems to understand most of it. I just pulled him off a friends of my son who he does not like. He had him pinned to the floor. What do you think?

Answer
It appears that you are allowing your dog to be subjected to abuse by various people, including other people's children, from whom he should be protected at all times.  I don't understand the purpose for allowing other people, with whom the dog does not live, to in any way "be mean" to him.  I think that, in future, if your dog takes the next step in self defense by biting your friend's son, you will be sued, and the dog will be confiscated by animal control and euthanized.

You need to protect your dog from your abusive friends by containing him when they are in your home, so they no longer have the opportunity to subject him to their bizarre behavior.  I also think you need to understand the raison d'etre for the Border Collie, which is designed to be a herding dog, one who should work closely with its human partner.  Your dog needs a job.  Clicker train him and teach him some obedience tricks.  Make him earn his keep by "working" for you, and get some large beach balls so he can work off his herding instinct in the back yard under your supervision by controlling them.

Canine Behavior

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Jill Connor, Ph.D.

Expertise

I have spent my entire professional life rehabilitating the behavior of the domestic dog and I can answer any question regarding any behavior problem in any breed dog. If you are a caring, committed owner and need advice, I'm here for you. THERE ARE NO QUICK FIXES for serious behavioral issues; not only is it unprofessional to offer same, it is also unethical. IF I ASK YOU SUBSEQUENT QUESTIONS, I NEED YOU TO INTERACT WITH ME. More information equals more credible answers and a more successful outcome. If you want ANSWERS THAT WORK, participate in any way I request. I'm quite committed to working on this site for YOUR benefit and the benefit of YOUR DOG. Help me in any way you can.

Experience

30 years of solving serious behavior problems in domestic dogs; expert in dog to human aggression; Internet columnist for ThePetChannel.com for 5 years; former radio talk show host, WHPC.FM, Garden City, NY "Bite Back" (1995 through 2000). List owner, international animal behavior experts, K9Shrinks@egroups.com. Seminar leader: "Operant Conditioning and Learning"; "Aggression in The Domestic Dog"; "Solving Problem Behaviors" -- conducted for various training facilities on Long Island from 1993 through 2000. Former clinical director of "Behavioral Abnormalities" in conjunction with Mark Beckerman, DVM, Hempstead, New York.

Organizations
Member, APDT (UK); Psychologists in Ethical Treatment with Animals

Publications
Harcourt Brace Learning Direct: "The Business of Dog Training" "The Fail Safe Dog: Brain Training, not Pain Training"

Education/Credentials
Ph.D., UC Berkeley

Past/Present Clients
Board of Directors: Northeast Dog Rescue Connection; The Dog Project; Sav-A-Dog Foundation; etc. Pro Bono counselor: Little Shelter Humane Society My practice is presently limited to forensics. I diagnose cause of dog bite, based upon testimony before the Court, for attorneys and insurance companies litigating dog bites, including fatal injuries. I also do pro bono work for bona fide rescue organizations, humane societies, et al, regarding such analysis in an effort to obtain release for dogs being held for death in municipal shelters in the US.

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