Collie Encounters

01/10/2024

🎆🎇 Firework season is nearly upon us! I highly recommend going to this online webinar tonight hosted by the fabulous Rachael Maxwell 🎇🎆

🌿 **A Soothing Herbal Solution to Ease Fireworks Stress and Fear in Animals** 🐾💥

We fully understand the fear, anxiety, and terror that fireworks can induce in our horses 🐴 and dogs 🐶. And it shouldn't be that way! Really, it shouldn't.

So, join us in our £8 charity webinar 🌟 to discover effective herbal strategies 🌱 and holistic techniques to help your animals feel calm, nourished, and safe during fireworks season.

Our chosen charity for 2024 is Bodmin Moorland Pony Rescue and Rehabilitation 🐎💖.

**Registered charity no. 1167401**

Designed to help you navigate the week-long celebrations that fireworks are, ensuring your horses and dogs feel less anxiety, fear, and stress.

In this webinar, you will learn:

- 🎆 A method that you can use consistently, for fireworks, loud noises, anxiety & stress-based traumas.
- 🌿 Guidance and support on preparing and using your herbs to best effect.
- 🔄 A method that supports the long-term changes to trauma and builds long-term resilience.
- 🤝 Access to our Herbs for Horses and Hounds Facebook group.
- ❤️ A bond that deepens between you and your animal.
- 📚 All material available for you to download and keep forever.
- 💡 Simple, effective, affordable tactics and techniques.
- 🐾 Animal-focused and animal-centered care.
- 🌺 Techniques and practices that provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support.
- 🌱 Botanical products that can be utilized for several years. More than just this fireworks night.

Our webinar shows you the right botanicals to use, how & when to use them, and why you're using them. Ensuring your animals mediate the stress and are better equipped to cope with the night.

Our webinar includes:

- 📋 A kit list of all the botanicals needed. Including dried herbs, powders, and essential oils. You can purchase our kits or go DIY.
- 🕒 Learn how and when to provide the right herb at the right time, and exactly why you're doing that.
- 🐕‍🦺 Discover how the herbs support each aspect of the animal, the physical body, and the emotional responses.
- 🎥 You have full access to the webinar and recording for later viewing. 1 x month.
- 🕖 You get the option to attend at a time that suits you. 2 times available.
- 📥 Download all the documents and presentation handouts to use when you need.

Yes, It Really Is Possible! A much calmer, stress-free evening for all our animals, using natural, toxin-free products. Enriching for you, enriching for them, supportive, and calming.

20/08/2024

I have recently started spending more time around a particular lovely horse who is owned by a wonderful new friend and its been quite eye opening.

So what does this have to do with dogs?

I know nothing about horses, literally nothing. In fact, they scare me a little bit, so I decided to learn more about horses and why they do what they do.

I went to good old Google and YouTube, and I couldn’t believe some of the videos, advice, and so-called knowledgeable professionals giving horse owners advice in the name of training and behaviour.

There was so much information out there that I had no idea whether it was true or not. There was so much about dominance and how to "control" your horse and whether your horse is being "pushy" or "disrespectful".

Some even showed training that looked so quick and simple, backed up with the words, "Look how calm and well-behaved he is now, and it doesn't hurt them," they say as they yank and push around the horse.

It made me think about the parallels in the dog world and when owners are really stuck and they want to learn more about their dog and jump into YouTube and google and are then given so much awful and damaging advice that appears to be quick, easy and painless....unless you really know and understand dogs and then a lot of this "advise" is painful and sickening to watch.

How hard it must be as a dog owner to know what is true and what is not. It's a minefield full of awful information. How do you know what’s right? How do you know what’s wrong? Is this training ethical? They seem to make sense, but the animal does not look okay.

It's terrifying out there with all the easily accessible information.

It took me a really long time to find someone who spoke about positive methods with horses, understanding their body language, putting the horse first before their own needs, and building trust, relationships, and confidence.

Thankfully, I have some amazing horse professionals in my corner who I know will always be kind and trusting and have the knowledge to train horses effectively and can guide me.

If you are struggling with your border collie, I can promise you that I will never do anything that makes you or your dog uncomfortable or scared. I will always have your relationship at heart and use effective and positive border collie specific training methods.

I currently have some spaces opening for new clients, so please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]

17/08/2024

Lovely review from a wonderful client!
Super proud of them both ❤️

14/08/2024

Is your border collie not taking treats?

Don't worry; it could be as simple as switching to a softer, wet treat that’s not only easier to chew but also more appealing and easier to swallow. This change could make all the difference in your collie accepting treats🍗

It's important to remember that if arousal levels are too high, your border collie may have gone into its sympathetic system. This is the fight-or-flight system, and your collie just isn’t able to take any type of food at this time.

Helping your dog calm down and return to its parasympathetic system, which is the rest and digest system, will help them to take food again.

13/08/2024

Hello, and a huge warm welcome to my page 👋

You may have noticed a few changes around here! I'm very proud to officially introduce my new business name, Collie Encounters.

If you are new here and we have never met before, my name is Jessica Richardson.

I am a border collie specialist trainer.

I help and support border collie owners who are struggling so much with their collie's behaviour that they are at a crossroads and don’t know who or where to turn next.

Border collies make the most fantastic companions, but they can also come with lots of challenging behaviour, making living with a border collie very stressful.

Having had my own challenges with my now wonderful border collie, I can identify with the struggles that come with sharing your life with a border collie.

As a professional with 20 years of experience in dog training, my aim is to support border collie owners in training and living effectively with their dog to build the relationship they always dreamed of.

Encountering your collie with new eyes, we can delve into their unique problems and tackle any underlying issues together. Alongside specialised border collie training, I implement a comprehensive approach, blending unique strategies like health, herding activities, nutrition, and holistic methods for successful training!

If you have any questions or would like to know more about how I can help you and your border collie, you can send me a direct message.

Or Email me: [email protected]

Love of love

Jess ❤️

📣 I am also so excited to share some more really exciting news with you soon. If you are struggling with your border collie, ensure you like and follow me to be one of the first to know!

*I am APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) and ABTC (Animal Behaviour & Training Council) qualified and have a lifelong passion for learning.

12/08/2024

Are you ready to get your border collie walking well on the lead?

💪 The ultimate goal is to teach your border collie that the space by your side is the most rewarding area, encouraging them to stay close to you on and off the lead.

I like to start off with a Hansel and Gretel trail so that the dog is always being rewarded at my side or behind me🍪 🍪 🍪

This means they don’t go in front of me, so I don’t need to pull them back or stop and stand still, which causes even more frustration for the dog.😤

Start with small, manageable training sessions throughout the day over the next few days. This gradual approach will set the stage for the next steps that I can share with you soon ❤️

11/08/2024

Tips for a happy, healthy Border Collie!
❤️

28/07/2024

Happy Sunny Sunday!

Reds is helping out in the secure field today at Chapel Farm with some of my clients dogs who really struggle around other dogs!

He is doing a great job and having a well earned break 🤩

27/07/2024

We are half way through Bonny’s training program and the difference in her is amazing! ❤️

Today Bonny was full of confidence and radiating pure pleasure in the training. Training should be fun 🤩

When Bonny is worried she becomes fixated on the thing that is worrying her. Today she was able to move around and carry on as if another dog wasn’t even there 👏

She even got to train around a big loud tractor on today’s session too! ❤️

12/07/2024

How absolutely perfect is this!!!

As Red is on a very restricted diet I have to make all his treats by dehydrating venison. I always end up with little crumbs when cutting them up and it feels such a waste binning them but this would be a great way to use them up. ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/w5MCGEPHz7FpfWiU/?mibextid=WC7FNe

09/07/2024

Is your collie always on the go?

I had a message pop into my inbox from someone asking about an “overflowing bucket” that I mentioned in my previous post. What did that mean?

If you haven’t seen that post then go check it out!

If your dog has an overflowing bucket, they are likely to be overwhelmed with day-to-day activities going on around them.

You may see behaviours like

🔺Constant barking at every noise and “sleeping with one eye open”
🔺Always throwing a toy into your lap and encouraging you to constantly play
🔺Ignoring your every word even though you know they must be able to hear you
🔺Having a short fuse and snapping out
🔺Being restless and unable to go and lie down
🔺They may always be trying to find things to do like digging at the carpets, wanting to chase the squirrels in the garden, chewing the coffee table

If this sounds like your collie, they may have an overflowing bucket. If you keep adding to your dog's bucket and they aren’t getting adequate rest and cannot settle down, you may fill it even more.

The bucket will be pouring everywhere, and your dog will be unable to make good choices or learn new behaviours.

Think about your own dog and what activities they do over a 24-hour period, and see if you can empty their bucket a little bit by recognising what fills their bucket up, and how you can limit or get rid of that activity altogether.

For example, if your dog shouts out the window all day, can you limit access to that room? Or if your dog pulls you towards other dogs to play or to grumble at, can you walk at quieter times of the day?

An emptier bucket means your dog is more likely to

✅ Offer calm behaviours
✅ Have a healthier immune system
✅ Are more content and happy
✅ Can listen and connect with you
✅ Able to focus and learn new appropriate behaviours

Every dog is unique so you will also need to consider adequate physical and mental exercise and ensure your dog is getting enough. You should see a content tired collie and not exhausted to the point where they conk out and then jump to life again an hour later.

It is also important to rule out pain, discomfort and diet intolerances.

If you need any help with your herding breeds overflowing bucket, please reach out to me at [email protected]

05/07/2024

As a collie owner, I'm sure you’ve heard the phrase, “You need to teach an off switch to your dog.”

But what is an off switch, and how do you get your dog, who always seems to be high on life, to switch off?

An “off switch” in dog training terms is a dog’s ability to calm down and relax when asked and progressing to a dog who starts to choose to switch off without being asked to do so.

It is not a down stay like you would see in obedience training but a true relaxed lying down and calmly taking in the world around them, perhaps even drifting off for a snooze.

For dogs that are genetically inclined to be up and ready at a second's notice, collie dogs can find switching off and relaxing difficult.

Many owners feel like they can't tire their collie out, and they always seem so full of energy. I often hear that they are trying to tire their dogs out with more and more walks, ball throwing, and playing, often with the misconception that their collie is bored.

If your dog gets adequate rest and can relax more often, they are far less likely to run on adrenaline and create mischief, like barking out the window or throwing toys in your lap.

You can relax after a hard day's work with your dog calmly snoozing beside you.

Sounds like Bliss, right?

Training your dog to have an off switch typically involves:

✔️ Creating a calm environment so that your dog has a quiet, distraction-free area to help them relax.

✔️ Removing excessive excitability and/or stressful daily triggers by analysing your dog's bucket so it doesn’t create too much adenosine for your dog to switch off.

✔️ Use positive reinforcement and reward your dog with treats at very specific moments, such as when your dog is offering you more settled behaviour, such as resting on one hip, lowering their head down, softening theirfeatures, and lying out relaxed.

✔️ You can then gradually increase the duration, starting with short periods of calm and gradually extending the time you can ask your dog to remain relaxed.

✔️ Practising regularly: Consistent practice helps reinforce the behaviour and make it a habit.

❤️ Having an off switch benefits your collie's overall well-being and behaviour.

You can get a free copy of my webinar on teaching settles and calmness by clicking on the link in the comments.

Enjoy! 😊

04/07/2024

Does your border collie stop about 6 feet away from you when you call them into you?

It's common for collies to create a gap between themselves and their owners and then insist on keeping that open space when their owner reaches for them.

I call it sticky, sticky border collie!

If this is happening to you, you'll know it can be really difficult for you to recall your dog and take hold of them to pop them on lead, especially in an emergency.

It can feel embarrassing and frustrating, and thoughts of “why can't I just take hold of my own dog” can create real anxiety about taking your dog out for a walk.

Or you may have a consuming feeling of guilt that your collie is stuck on the lead rather than running free like other dogs you see in the park.

🔊I want to tell you about a gem of a game I call the Proximity Game and it will make a real difference for you and your sticky collie.

The game helps your collie realise there is a huge benefit in moving towards you and being in close proximity.

And when your dog learns the value of proximity… well, that means your dog learns that coming in close to you and you taking hold of them is super rewarding and lots of fun 🤩

Your dog will regularly start to come in closer and closer, which means you can clip a lead on with no problems.

How amazing would that feel? 🤗

This simple game can be life-changing and help create an stress-free recall.

1) First, have your collie on a long line and practise the game at home in the garden.

2) You can then introduce it on walks but still keep that longline on until you and your dog are smashing the game, and you can easily take hold of your dog's harness mid-game.

3) Once you and your dog become experts at the proximity game, you can add simple tricks mid-game to improve your dog's response, creating even more connection and fun.

I like teaching the middle trick so that my dog can really find the fun and value in being right with me instead of 5 feet away from me out of hand reach.

*Tip—To ensure your collie dog doesn’t feel like the lead is going to go on every time you play the proximity game, include lots of “false” lead clips and let them run again.

So grab your treats and your longline, get practising, and you'll have the best proximity recall in the park! 👌

30/06/2024

What’s one of your favourite pictures of your dog? I’d love to see so pop a picture of your beautiful puppa below ❤️

28/06/2024

You may have heard the term “eye contact” and that it's great to teach your dog if they are easily distracted… but what is it, and can it help you and your dog? 👁️

Eye contact is putting a dog's behaviour of looking at a person in the eye on a cue in the hope that they will look at a handler rather than reacting to a distraction in the environment, such as a car or a dog.

Eye contact can, however, feel threatening for many dogs and increase their anxiety if they are unable to look around them. I'm not a fan of teaching eye contact to dogs as a way to get a dog to stare at us in the eye until a distraction has gone.

I always look at the dog in front of me (pardon the pun) when considering teaching eye contact as an exercise to a client and their dog.

Instead of a stare in the eye, I like to think of it as a check-in. A dog's check-in is recognisable as an intentional orientation towards us to investigate and read our intentions. They should only offer eye contact if they wish to do so.

Many owners feel their dog doesn’t listen to them and only looks at other people and dogs.
Teaching eye contact and check-ins correctly can benefit owners who feel they have no connection with their dogs when out on their walks.

To teach eye contact to encourage check-ins, I like to capture the behaviour. I’m not looking for a stare into the eyes or making the dog hold my eye contact.

1. Grab some natural treats and start in a low-distraction environment, such as a bathroom in your home.

2. Whenever the dog looks at you, even a glance, praise and treat.

It doesn’t take long for a dog to release its value and orientate towards you.

3. Once your dog gets the hang of it, you can practise in other areas of the house and then out on walks too.

Another great thing to start doing is to reward and acknowledge any check-ins when your dog is out on a walk. Many clients are surprised at how much their dog is actually peeking up at them when they actively start to look for these moments of connection.

Once we start to reward the check-ins, they can help build more connection and trust. Some dogs will start to check in and make eye contact as if to say, “Hey, Mum, there's a dog over there, and I'm not sure about them.” When we start to notice these moments, we can be proactive and help our dogs so they don’t need to react.

If you have a dog that loves to leg it off and ignore your pleas to get them to listen (don’t worry, we've all been there), then rewarding these check-ins will really benefit your relationship with your dog and create engagement and proximity to you.

So go grab your treats and start practising.

Let me know how you get on ❤️

27/06/2024

Some collies love to rollick with other dogs, and then some would rather put their tennis ball in a blender and pulverise it!

As I was walking into a field, I saw two labradors who I knew were young and frisky, and Red would not appreciate jumping on him, rightly so, and I didn’t want them to get told off for charging at us, so we waited until they had left.

It's important for me to be considerate of any dog's needs. If I anticipate an interaction that might not be enjoyable for Red, I'll put him to one side and give him the space he deserves. As you can see he is very happy to watch 😇

For us to be alert at gateways, the end of a hedge line, or a blind corner and asking our dog to be close to us whilst we assess the situation is something we can all do regardless of whether our dog is “friendly” or not.

I discuss this respectful approach with my clients to help them avoid unnecessary stress. It's also easy for them to do on their walks, making them more enjoyable.

Less stressed dog, less stressed owner, tranquillity for both ☮️

25/06/2024

It’s okay to skip a walk in hot weather. A dog hasn’t died from missing a walk, but they have died from heat stroke.

Tomorrow is Highs of 29c tomorrow which is too hot for me, so I’ll be sitting in front of the fan trying to stay cool 😎

Keep your dogs safe 🐾

25/06/2024

It was my first day back, and I got to spend some one-on-one time hanging out with this delightful girl.

I hadn’t seen Bliss for a while, and the difference in her was amazing; it really did bring a tear to my eye! 😇

When I first met Bliss, she was a very insecure and confused border collie who often hid away from other dogs or shouted at them. She had a love-hate relationship with her sister and was often “bullied” by her, which really knocked her confidence and kept her stress levels very high.

This made life very difficult for her owners, and Bliss was rather dispirited She wasn’t able to learn, listen, take food, or relax. But now she is shining in her full collie-ness.

During our time together today Bliss was joyful and confident and found pleasure in everything around her. When she saw two young labradors belting it over to her, she was confident enough to carry on doing her own thing and not bat an eyelid at them.

We even got to play with some herding balls, and it was great to see the true collie come out in Bliss. ❤️

When I dropped Bliss home, Bliss’s owner and I had a chinwag. She told me how grateful she is that now she really understands what makes Bliss tick and that re-learning about border collies was essential for a happy companionship between them.

Im grateful to be able to help such lovely people and their dogs.

I'm lucky enough to be able to spend some more time with Bliss one-on-one over the next few weeks, and I can't wait to share more of her collie spirit with you.