Could this be a coincidence?

OK, I was lying down for a quick nap, and I called out to the cats to come to my bedroom and join me. "Elsa, Tigger, Nadette, Smudge...I need kitties!" Of course I got no response. So I laid down on the bed, and then heard QUITE a commotion.

JD, our (possible) Border Collie mix puppy, methodically chased each cat up the stairs and into my bedroom!! Surely this had to be a coincidence...???

I don't know if I really think that a coincidence or not! I mean, I've seen some expert herding abilities in young herding breed puppies!

Good luck with that! I could never have a herding breed dog, I'd never know who to keep them busy!

Fosters is a Collie/ Australian Shepherd mix. He enjoys "hearding" the other pups and kitties around and watching over them He's always gentle though and we have thoroughly trained him to avoid any problems. He has a sit/stay and also a freeze command that we use whenever we feel as if he's getting a little too rowdy "hearding" his friends. That rarely happens though- but every once in a while we'll use it. When we do- he freezes and goes into the sit/stay position. Works really well to calm everyone down Boarder collies and dogs similar to that breed have a strong hearding instinct- some will even nip at legs and heels to get the other animals to herd. (not a good thing with smaller animals such as kitties!) so while he's young- definitely go ahead and start training him- make sure you establish yourself as the pack leader and the dominate one. I definitely suggest "Dogs for Dummies" and "Puppies for Dummies" - those books are AWESOME guides with tons of usefull information- there are also other great books out there that have excellent tips for training. It also might not be a bad idea to go to obedience school with him till he's trained (many times it's a few weeks worth of sessions- about 5-6 weeks once a week for about $10 a session- it is well worth it! ) Between that and those books you should have your pup following your commands in no time and reduce his tendency to heard. He might always have that instinct to heard - it's natural for them- but with training you can teach him what is allowed and what is not and you can also get him to sit/ freeze when he gets a bit rowdy or you see a behavior you dislike

I'm definitely a big fan of training. I have an 11 (soon to be 12) year old Wolf mix. Since she is 1/2 wolf- we started training her at an extremly young age to attempt to rule out potential problems Ginger has done well with training. / Right now we also have two other pups staying with us (a friend was rehoming them so we took them both in and are keeping one and rehoming another with a close friend - both excellent pups.) I am constantly working with the two new pups to train them well so that when Brownie goes to his new home he will have great manners, and so that Digger also behaves well in our home PM me if you want any info or anything and i'll try and help ya!

No coincidence...it's in his blood to herd those kitties to you!

git along little kitties! yee-haw!! sounds like you have a very smart pup on your hands

I have had a few hearding dogs and no it aint a coincedence

He told them :Listen to your mama and get up those stairs!!"

Herding cats, LOL.

Wish I knew how to make him do it on purpose. Imagine entertaining friends and visitors that way.

Thats hilarious, clever puppy!

I had herding dogs most of my life and still have one and I wouldn't advise encouraging this behavior because if your cats grow tired of it and scratch him it could be bad. Most border collies herd through stairing down the other animal but when that doesn't work they use force and with cats that could be a bad thing. You can train a border collie to do almost anything they are ranked and the second most intelligent dogs in the world with standard poodles being the smartest. Border collies are alot more intense then other herding breeds they don't just need physical excersize they have to have mental excersize as well so I would really look into something like frisby training or agility they excel in this. If you don't channel his energy for positive things he will do it and you don't want that. He's already trying to find ways by herding the cats which while neat can lead to chasing the cats which can prove to be deadly. Trust me for along time I couldn't have cats when I was a kid because my dad had cat killers and what's weird is one day a little stray cat showed up and dad told our boss dog no and he never killed another cat. And we had cats since then although we can't have outside cats now because he got another cat killer. But back on the topic I would really look into frisby throwing and agility and that could prove to be worthwile. Or you could both visit a local sheep farm or cattle and let them train him and let him go maybe a couple times a week to do what he was meant to do.

OMG - that is too funny! He was rounding them up for his Mum!

That I would love to have seen!!!

I think your puppy noticed in some ancent way that you were loney for cats and wanted to herd them up to please you. Dogs are very tuned in animals to the wishes of humans. He might have figured I get to please my master and lesson to my herding lust. http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...laughing02.gif

I wish I could have been there for that, did your puppy lay down with you to?

Originally Posted by jamasmom

I wish I could have been there for that, did your puppy lay down with you to?

Click to expand...

He did stay in the room - but he prefers the space between the bed and a low hope chest at the foot of the bed. It's his "den."

Cool, sometimes I wish I had a dog, heard they are ALOT of work though. I fixing on getting one later on after I get my dream job as an art teacher, maybe if I'm lucky enough to get a job working a school, I can bring my dog to class for the kids to draw pictures of, I've had teachers in school growing up that did that.... very rare though.http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ima...lies/agree.gif. Woud have to get purmission.

now all you have to do is call the puppy to do his job