Everybody has a soft spot for puppies. They're puppies, how could you not? Even the grumpiest of us secretly smile a little when we see a puppy doing something cute.
Do you think you've lost your soft spot for watching puppies do cute things? If so, you have to see this video from Tuesday, August 13th - you'll be proven wrong immediately. This little Border Collie has captured hearts everywhere:
If Raventree Ranch has 100 fans, I'm one of them. If Raventree Rach has one fan, it's me. If Raventree Ranch has no fans, someone needs to come check on me, because something is wrong!
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This Anatolian Shepherd and Border Collie combo have been winning people over since their very first meeting. There are other Border Collies and other Anatolian Shepherds on the Ranch, but Ru (the puppy) has specifically bonded pretty fiercely with Judge, her favorite guardian.
From letting her try to herd him to "submitting" to her to make her feel strong, he'll do whatever she wants! On this day, Ru wanted to practice being a herder. She's 15 weeks old now, and has just about doubled in size since first coming home. They're noticing other changes, too: she's bolder, and she's stronger, and she's starting to get that funny little "Collie Creep" they do when they're in herding mode.
When Can a Border Collie Start Herd Training?
Ru is following the same training path that the other Border Collies at Raventree have followed: she comes home at 8 weeks and spends a few months socializing with her home herd, including all the other working dogs. During that time, the focus is solely socializing and getting comfortable. After a few months, she'll be sent back to the breeder she came from for formal herd training before returning to the farm!
Border Collies usually don't start training until at least 6 months old, though some are closer to a year old before entering a training program (which can take anywhere from months to years). Before then, they're not mature enough to handle it, physically or mentally. To be an effective herder, they need to be completely comfortable around livestock.
Obviously, they'll start showing some interest or instinctual desire to herd before then, especially if they see another dog doing it. While you don't have to (and shouldn't) discourage the behavior, you also shouldn't try to "train" them yourself if you have no experience doing it. Leave that to the professionals - even though Judge will be sad to see his little bestie go for a little while!
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