# Really worried about new Rescue Border Collie



## Sian_03 (Mar 30, 2021)

Evening all, newbie here. We’ve rescued a Border Collie who’s almost 3 and tonight I’m having serious misgivings and thinking we’ve made a terrible mistake. For background, DH has had dogs all his life and is brilliant with them; a bit of a dog whisperer by nature. Our first dog together as a couple was a Border Collie, rescued from a farm at around 6 months old as he was the runt and nobody would buy him. Like all dogs he had his ups and downs and needed teaching everything, even that it was ok to eat. He was a typical BC, obsessed with a ball and needed a lot of physical and mental exercise, but not overstimulation, with calm and routine. He lived until he was 14 and was bloody hard work but an absolute joy and never showed us an ounce of aggression. 

We overlapped him with a Mini Schnauzer pup who again, had his moments (!) and could be incredibly stubborn, but was a wonderful little dog who sadly died of pancreatic cancer 18 months ago. For the past few months we’ve discussed getting another dog and decided to rescue one. A couple of weeks ago, a beautiful Border Collie popped up on our local rescue page and we went to meet him. He’s lived with an elderly man who’s kept him in one small room, never trained him properly and seems to have either ignored him or hit him as he’s hand-shy. All the rescue knew was that the poor dog paced and circled obsessively out of boredom but had no medical problems and had been taken to the vet regularly. 

We went to the Rescue Centre to see him every day for a week, and he seemed like a lovely dog; very affectionate, clever, ball obsessed like most BCs but surprisingly good on the lead and especially responsive with our 20 yr old daughter. The Rescue said it would be good for him to be in a home ASAP so he didn’t get too stressed in kennels, and that once they put him back in his kennel, they “didn’t hear a peep out of him.” So we paid the fee and adopted him, bringing him home on Saturday just gone.

Unlike our Schnauzer, who was crate trained, we thought the BC wouldn’t like a crate having been confined for 3 years, so in theory, he would sleep behind a baby gate in a little “den” area with access to the kitchen.

On Saturday, we took him straight into the garden, let him explore slowly, do a wee and so on before slowly introducing him to the downstairs of our house. He spent the morning pacing around, had a short walk which was good, the house is quiet and calm anyway so we didn’t overstimulate him, he paced around all afternoon, ate dinner, had another short walk and finally lay down around 7pm. He weed and later pooed on the living room carpet but we didn’t tell him off, just took him straight in the garden (then every hour afterwards). It seems that he can’t regulate himself or let himself relax, and while we expected this to a certain degree, it’s more extreme than we thought. On Saturday night we tried to put him to bed behind his gate, expecting whining, but we got panicked (and very loud) barking which we couldn’t stop, followed by weeing all over the kitchen, despite having been out (he drinks loads because he pants while pacing). Eventually, DH came down and slept on the sofa with the dog in the living room, because that’s the only way the dog would settle, and then only after mouthing and biting DH for a good 40 minutes in a bid to get attention. 

We had a good day yesterday with a routine that seemed to work well. He’s got a ton of undercoat which has never been brushed and it’s hot here today. Tried brushing him really gently, holding a treat, but can only do a minute or two at a time before he whips his head round and you get the odd warning growl. The pacing before lying down and giving into sleep was much quicker yesterday though and he slept all night. 

This morning he was reactive to another dog and then a slow-moving car on his walk and it seemed to unsettle him for the day. He’s been really mouthing and biting on and off all day, did lay down for about 2 minutes in the garden but then woke up again, has got more and more overtired and naughty despite us praising good behaviour and ignoring/distracting the bad. This afternoon, the pacing got so extreme that he started to trip over his own feet like a drunkard, so I put his lead on him and sat quietly on the lawn with him, praising him quietly when he stopped pacing. He was trying to bite again so I folded my arms and after a minute, he licked me and lay down with a big sigh. You could literally see him fighting to stay awake.

As luck would have it, a neighbour’s dog started barking which woke him up again and he didn’t settle again. He had dinner and a walk, “killed” his duck, then we thought he’d conk out, but he just got more and more demented, eating his bed, pacing, panting, barking, jumping up, and biting incessantly - any bit of me he could reach. Eventually, he just collapsed at 9.30pm.

We’re beginning to think that this isn’t just the stress of being rehomed, or typical BC behaviour; he seems to almost have a split personality. It sounds extreme but when he’s tired, it’s as if he’s possessed by Satan himself. When he’s rested, he’s gorgeous, but after tonight with a sore hand and arms where he’s managed to bite me, I’m on the verge of tears, we’re all worn out and I must admit to wishing we’d not adopted him. I think he needed time in a foster home, rather than a week in kennels and then being adopted. 

DH is seriously thinking his behavioural problems are too extreme and that he might have to go back. I think we should give it at least a week but tbh I’m not sure I can have another day of being bitten and watching the obsessive pacing. What I don’t want is for him to start trying to bite our daughter. 

Any advice gratefully appreciated (with apologies for the v long post).


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

While it is early days it does sound like his behaviour is extreme, likely stereotypic, almost definitely due to his past life being completely abnormal for such an intelligent & active breed.

Have you contacted the rescue to see if they can recommend a behaviourist, alternatively you can find one via a vet referral.

It's definitely not something you should struggle to overcome without help.

Have you tried any training with him yet? It might be a good outlet for his energy.

I understand how exhausting & upsetting the constant nipping can be, our youngest dog came to us at 6 months & was a horrific biter- we overcame it with a combination of redirecting her onto a toy or, if she carried on, completely withdrawing attention for a short time.


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## Sian_03 (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks so much for replying, simplysardonic. Yes, we’ve been doing some very basic training in short bursts before he gets distracted by some new noise. Last night he slept behind his gate for the first time and we didn’t hear a peep out of him, which is brilliant. This morning, he’s like a different dog. 

When tired, he seems to lose control of himself entirely; in between the biting - which was hard and has left a couple of bruises - he kept giving me a lick. The biting and snapping was really horrible to see and I do worry about our daughter as she’s becoming wary of him.

DH is exhausted and was all for taking him back but I think we’ll speak to the rescue today and see if they have any behaviourists. They’re a small rescue but they do say they are here for all their adoptees.


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## Blaise in Surrey (Jun 10, 2014)

With the right help, persevere if you can. I’ve known dogs like this turn out to be wonderful, once they feel safe.


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## Sian_03 (Mar 30, 2021)

I think that’s spot on, Blaise - he seems to trust us already, is eating, understanding a couple of commands, is toileting in the garden, and the sudden looks and half-hearted mouthing attempts when we touch him are more “what’s that” than aggression. I have no experience of a dog who turns into Satan for hours before literally passing out though.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

It is still very early days in the life of any rescue, but particularly one that has a troubled past.

Guidance from a good behaviourist would help and give you confidence.

One who only advocates positive, reward based methods.

Avoid brushing him at the moment if he’s growling as that’s a strong warning which should not be ignored.

Once he’s more settled and trusts you, you can then start getting him used to it.

Will he settle with a filled Kong?

That can be very relaxing for them and can tire them out enough to nap.

Use a rag toy to help distract him from your arms.


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

This chart is useful to recognise the subtle signs dogs give us that they are anxious (I prefer Ladder of Anxiety though):










Recognising these and stopping whatever it is that is unsettling the dog will teach him that you are listening and won't pressure him. This will eventually build his confidence in you and strengthen your relationship.


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## Sian_03 (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks, Lurcherlad. He isn’t interested in a filled Kong or any sort of chew. He’s definitely anxious a lot of the time, easily distracted, really short attention span and not even very food oriented, so training is going to be a very long process. 

On the ladder of anxiety, he goes from pacing and head turning straight to biting and snapping at his bed and then snapping at and biting us when we remove the bed gently and try to distract him. He looks absolutely out of control of himself and doesn’t do any of the other things higher up the ladder.


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## Ian246 (Oct 27, 2018)

I suspect he’s massively stressed at present. If he then gets over-tired because he can’t settle, he’ll get antagonistic - and from what you say, he’s had a pretty awful time so far in his life. It’s easy for us to think, “well, clearly this is a better place” but dogs don’t think that way. All he does know is that he doesn’t know what’s going on. It can take considerable time for some rescue dogs to settle in (several months in some cases) but slowly he should improve. BCs are also very bright, of course. If you can - and I do appreciate it’s much easier said than done - try to persevere for a bit longer. I would certainly contact the rescue centre so they know what’s going on, but also they may have a ‘tame’ behaviourist who gives his/her services to the rescue centre and might be able to help. If you do get someone in, make sure they don’t start talking about ‘dominance’ and pack theory - it’s outdated nonsense, frankly, and has been discredited, but it still clings on, sadly. If you get anyone like that, just thank them politely and find someone else! 
Good luck, though, whatever you decide.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

You may also find this useful:


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## Sian_03 (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks, both. We’re now realising that our first BC, although rescued, was a completely different undertaking to a 3 yr old who’s clearly been badly mistreated. I don’t blame the Rescue; I just think they were very quick to rehome him without having him in a foster home first, to see what he’s really like in a home environment. The Rescue lady did say he’s only the 3rd BC they’ve had and she’s not used to them.

I’ll email her in a minute, explain what’s been going on, and ask if they have a Behaviourist who can assess him.


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## Ian246 (Oct 27, 2018)

simplysardonic said:


> You may also find this useful:


I was desperately trying to find that, or something similar!


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

I wouldn’t try to take his bed away for the time being.

If he’s in danger of harming himself from eating bits of it, then try to divert him away by calling him to another room, but otherwise I’d let him vent his anxiety on the bed.

If you continue to try and take things off him, he will feel you’re not acknowledging his signals and he might escalate his behaviour.

The more he learns you do listen and not pressure him, the calmer he will become.


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## LydiaC (Mar 6, 2019)

You've gotten great advice already, the only thing I'd add is perhaps it would be better not to walk him for a few days while he settles in. He's probably over threshold (understandably, poor lad) and any stimulation on a walk (other dogs, cars) is going to wind him up more until he's had a chance for the stress hormone levels to settle down a bit.


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## Gingerfish (Jan 6, 2021)

Dumb question - but if you have space and a crate could you cover it with blankets put it in a corner somewhere with the door (always) open so if he wanted a closed hidey hole where he is very left alone he can have it? Maybe some food in there and something soft to chew and water? We have a crate for just that purpose - no human allowed in it even a little bit when a dog is in there and the door never shuts.
I should add that you just leave it up to him whether he wants to go in there or not.


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