Sniffing Border Collie Puppy

[JANICE SHEEPSHANKS]

I have had my 9 month border collie for 2 months now. I am his 4th home. He was badly injured 5 months ago and had 3 major surgeries on his badly smashed left thigh and was not allowed to go for walks, etc, until 6 weeks ago.   My problem is 2 fold.  I how do I use up some of his masses of energy as he is not allowed to run or play with other dogs at the moment. He solves brain games in seconds, that could be due to my second problem. 2 - he is a sniffer and his nose is never more than 2cm from the ground. I am trying all the techniques to stop him from pulling and they are not working as his prime objective is to sniff out smells and then mark his territory.  Can anyone help?  Thank you. Apart from these 2 things, he is adorable.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hi there!

Welcome to the forums! Poor pup, but so very lucky to have found you!

About his energy, no more food bowl, every kibble needs to be earned through training and the rest is used in food puzzles and brain games that don't involve any running (like I would skip hide and seek for now and, rather than toss treats/kibble, just hand-feed).

Several activities are covered here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/adriennes-picks/top-5-dog-feeding-toys/

You can raise criteria in brain games/food puzzles by adding some extra challenges so that they last longer. For example:

-Organize more complex treasure hunts by hiding kibble in several rooms of the house

-Magic carpet brain game-last hyper dog I had, I got all the beach/bath towels I had in the house and hid kibble in them and rolled them up

-If you use a Kong Wobbler, place a cookie in it so that the kibble doesn't come out too freely

-Kongs-serve them frozen so that it takes longer for him to extract the contents (have a nice reserve ready like 4-5 frozen at a time) They don't have to add extra calories, can be just wet kibble stuffed in the Kong and frozen, although can be mixed with a little mashed banana for some added enticement.

-Do clicker training for training new things that don't involve running (like play the piano). 

Check with your vet about exactly what things he can and cannot do at this stage just to play it safe. 

About the sniffing and marking, is he an intact male or is he neutered?

What are you using to walk him? Collar, harness? If harness, is it a front clip or back clip?

Have you been able to get any attention at all during walks? If so, what are you using to reinforce that attention?

I have had intact males do that a lot (sniffing and marking) due to hormonally-induced behaviors, but one common denominator was that they had some underlying anxiety issues. So it would be important tackling this, if present.

Last dog I worked with who was doing this, had a generalized anxiety to anything unfamiliar (people wearing hoods, plastic bags flying with the wind, sudden noises). Sniffing and marking was his way of seeking some security and making things smell familiar. 

You can use his strong desire for sniffing by using that as a reinforcer for walking a few steps nicely on leash. First, start training walking next to you in a hallway without leash, then practice with a leash, then practice in other areas nearby your home. Here is the guide: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/

Initially avoid grassy areas and areas where other dogs congregate/pee often to help set him for success- unless you can use access to those areas as a reward for doing a few steps with you without pulling.

For example, practice walking by a bush at a distance (so he's less tempted) and see if he can look at you/walk next to you as you walk by that bush. If he does, praise/reward with a tasty treat. Repeat several times. Then get closer, and closer to the bush gradually, and when he's almost next to it, walking nicely, praise and reward by loosening the leash and pointing at the bush and telling him to "go sniff!" 

In many cases, excess pulling outdoors is due to the distraction levels being too high, and the dog not being trained to walk on leash at a fluent enough level in quieter scenarios. Often, the step between calmer places like home and the distractions of the outdoor world is too steep. Anxiety can add a further hurdle to the process. 

If he is too hyper, and being calmer is critical to his healing, talk to your vet. He/she may temporarily provide some calming meds to help him recover.