Border Collie: pair precise cue work with deliberate settling and off-switch practice.
29 chapters · English / 中文
Border Collie: pair precise cue work with deliberate settling and off-switch practice.
Breed profile
Training group
Herding and cattle dogs
Origin
The Border Collie was developed along the England–Scotland border to control sheep at a distance.
Male height at shoulder
48–56 cm
Female height at shoulder
46–53 cm
Common weight range
14–20 kg
Coat
Double coat; rough-coated and smooth-coated types
Coat care
Routine brushing
Drive keywords
Eye · Stalk · Chase
Handling practice
Brushing · Hair dryer—off, then on at a distance
General reference ranges only; individual dogs vary substantially
08
Precision before vocabulary
Marker training foundations
A marker is one short, consistent sound—a clicker click or a spoken “Yes!”—that means: “That exact behaviour; your reward is coming.”
Charge the marker in three steps
Choose a quiet environmentRemove toys, people and movement so the sound is the only new information.
Marker, then food within one second ×15Make the sound once, then deliver one piece of food within one second. The puppy does not need to perform a cue.
Test the associationMake the marker sound while the puppy is not already watching you. An immediate turn towards you means charging is complete.
YES = marker word; TREAT WITHIN 2 SECONDS = reward promptly. This manual uses a stricter one-second training target.
Reward placement sets up the next action
Keep the position
Feed at the puppy’s mouth
To maintain a sit, bring the food directly to the mouth so the puppy does not need to stand or step forward.
Reset for another repetition
Toss the food away
To have the puppy get up and repeat, toss the food away, let the puppy collect it, then set up the behaviour again.
Training with FluffyWA
Day school, board & train and private sessions are quoted after a chat, and boarding or daycare can be booked online with live prices.
