How to Train a Sheltie Not to Nip at Heels
Shelties, or Shetland sheepdogs, resemble Miniature Collies but actually come from the breeding of Border Collies with various other breeds of herding dogs. The Sheltie's herding instincts can lead to it nipping at the heels of other pets and even children at play, but you can train your Sheltie puppy to prevent this unwanted behavior. Shelties are one of the most intelligent dog breeds and are generally easy to train.
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Instructions
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Crate train your Sheltie puppy. Stock your puppy's crate with blankets and toys to make it an inviting and comfortable place for the dog to rest and be contained. Use treats to entice your Sheltie pup into the crate. Leave the crate door open and let the puppy investigate it until it finds the crate nonthreatening and goes willingly into it.
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Exercise your pup. Shelties are a high-energy breed and will attempt to herd whatever gets their attention. Play fetch with your puppy and make sure it gets regular exercise in a secured, open space free from other distractions. Shelties will instinctively chase anything moving, even cars, so a fenced yard is the best way to exercise your pup safely.
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Curtail play biting. If your puppy bites in play, make a loud squeal, move away and divert your attention away from the dog. Do not touch, speak or play with the pup for at least 30 seconds to reinforce the correction. Do not hit the puppy as discipline. The brief social isolation is an appropriate correction for a small puppy.
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Provide chew toys as a diversion. If your Sheltie bites in play, say "no" loudly to startle him, and then offer a chew toy to redirect his attention. Praise your puppy when he accepts the toy in lieu of your fingers.
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Crate your puppy. If the puppy becomes too excited in play and begins repeated nipping behavior, place him in his crate for a time out. Leave the pup in his crate for five minutes until he calms down and then bring him back into the household environment. Tone down the level of excitement around the pup to prevent over-stimulation that will lead to unwanted nipping.
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Avoid contact play with your Sheltie. Stick to low-key games of fetch rather than contact play such as tug-of-war and wrestling that will entice the puppy to nip and bring out his aggressive instincts.
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Provide basic obedience training. Training your puppy to obey "Sit," "Down," "Stay" and "Leave it" commands will help you to curtail unwanted nipping.
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Tips & Warnings
Professional obedience training is a great route to take with Sheltie puppies. Shelties are intelligent and will take to obedience training readily.
Give your Sheltie a task to do. Because of his high energy level and intelligence, this breed is most happy when it has work to do. Shelties are well-suited to agility training.
Do not use physical force to discipline your Sheltie for nipping. Hitting or otherwise getting physical will actually reinforce the biting behavior and encourage aggression in your pet.
References
- Photo Credit Sheltie Portrait image by jodi mcgee from Fotolia.com
