09/10/2026
Great read. Thanks Collieology
Today our breed expert Carol Price reveals:
THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS I HAVE LEARNT ABOUT TRAINING BORDER COLLIES
No dog will ever give you more thrilling results in training, or performance, than a Border collie. But also no dog will ever test you harder. That is a lesson we all have to learn early on in our experience with these remarkable dogs. And when, in our naivety, we think that training them is all just going to be about telling them what to do. Especially with a breed that is supposed to be as ‘easy to train’ as a Border collie! And then how rapidly we come unstuck as the reality hits home, and we realise just how many other lessons there still are to learn.
Border collies are incredibly bright dogs, but they are also very proud and sensitive. They will not suffer fools gladly. And they will also never work well for you if you constantly dismiss their needs, insult their pride, or make them feel more pressurised, threatened or frightened. They always need a reason why they should give you their best and the most important reason of all is trust. The trust that you have to build, and the trust that you have to consistently earn from them over time. Trust, and mutual respect, are what hold the whole human-collie ‘working’ bond together
Conversely, there is nothing easier in this world to do than totally ruin a Border collie, with less respectful, insightful or sensitive handling. Like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, which would have happily opened all by itself with greater kindness. And I have seen this happen just too many times.
ALL ABOUT YOUR DOG
As I have repeatedly highlighted in past features, all good, or more effective, training of Border collies revolves entirely around the needs of your dog. It is not about you, or your ego and desire to simply ‘make’ a dog do something you want them to do. It is entirely about what your dog needs from you in order to far better understand what you would like them to do, feel really comfortable doing it, and to also find it intensely rewarding.
You must learn greater patience, and also learn to read your dog better. Understand when they are struggling, or feeling more stressed, due to you inflicting too much pressure, or them perhaps not feeling too well. Or when they are simply unable to do something, because they have not yet been taught it well enough. Collies can also so often get dismissed as ‘stubborn’ or ‘disobedient’, when they are simply shutting off from the pressure you are placing them under. And I am sure I have made this mistake myself many times, in the past. It is not always easy to see how your own behaviour is affecting your dog, but you can get better at it.
YOUNGER DOGS
Younger dogs, in particular, need special consideration in training. Because they are still in the process of learning new things which they may remember one day, then forget the next. It is just a normal part of growing up. Similarly they can get far more aroused or distracted by other things going on around them, which affects their concentration. So again you just have to be patient, and not see this as simple ‘disobedience’ on their part, requiring more pressure from you to get them to comply. They just need a bit more help and time to get things right more consistently. Which they will do, if you continue to keep the whole training process sufficiently rewarding for them.
Also – know when to stop! I see far too many collies consistently ‘over-trained’; i.e. made to do the same exercises again and again in some more personal mission, on the handler’s part, to get ever more ‘perfect’ responses. This is stultifying for dogs, and can also progressively undermine their confidence. If you get one good response to an exercise in training, always leave it at that, until the next time. End on a good and happy note and quit while you’re ahead. It will keep your dog’s confidence and motivation to cooperate with you much higher.
ARE YOU BEING TOO UNREALISTIC?
When you have raised and trained as many Border collies as I have - like a lot of our other followers, I’m sure – it’s also important to respect the natural individuality of each dog. And not to make constant comparisons with any other dogs you have owned or known who picked up things faster, or you believed did things ‘better’.
For the fact is every Border collie is different. Some will learn particular exercises or responses that much faster, but need greater time and work with others. So just accept that, and give them that time and help, for as long as it takes, until one day they finally get there, with their confidence intact. For no amount of frustration or impatience, on our part, has ever made a dog learn anything quicker, or better.
KNOWING YOU
When training collies, as I have already hinted previously, you also have to get to know yourself a lot better. Your own inconsistences, weaknesses and flaws, because they will always see them, and respond to them, even without you realising it. And they may also play a greater part in how your dog reacts, or responds, to you than you may ever appreciate.
Finally, just keep things QUIETER! Border collies have got incredibly sensitive hearing. They may require a louder tone from a handler when working sheep three hills away in a howling gale. But not when they are standing right next to you! People are just too loud around collies all the time, be this in their voice tone or more agitated or pressurising body language. Causing a level of sensory stress that can greatly interfere with the dog’s concentration or overall willingness to engage with you. So just try speaking as softly and gently to your dog as you possibly can, and see what a difference that in itself can often make.
Meanwhile all aspect of training Border collies is covered in the RED book in my BREED APART trilogy – ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS & LEARNING.
All text ©Carol Price 2026
Carol Price books on Border collies:
In the UK from: https://performancedog.co.uk/?s=carol+price In the USA from: https://www.dogwise.com/ # and In Canada from https://4mymerles.com/collections/books In Australia from: https://gameondogs.com.au/ And in the Netherlands and Belgium from: https://mediaboek.nl/border-collies-a-breed-apart-book-1.html
The books are also available through most Amazon outlets
