(CC BY-SA 3.0)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nUnderstanding and training a Border Collie is tricky, mainly because of the herding instinct that is born with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is not enough training or trainer capable of completely eliminating the herding instinct of a Border Collie that has inherited it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Border Collie may forget or ignore all the commands that he has learned when entering a herding attitude. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen he is responding to that instinct, he will miss any stimulus that is not a sheep. He can see the wheels of a cart like a sheep, so he is sometimes run over by them before he stops chasing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the Border Collie stares at children, they may be staring at them like sheep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The owners of these dogs should teach their children that when the Border Collie begins to herd them, they stop immediately to avoid entering into this dynamic with their dog.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nWhen the Border Collie sees that the “sheep” is not trying to escape, it usually relaxes and goes into a “normal” state of mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, expecting a child under 5 to handle a situation like this is asking too much, especially if the dog comes to stand in front of him and harasses him by growling and baring his teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is advisable to lock up the dog when guests have children or must play without the supervision of an adult with ancestry over the animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why it was mentioned in the intro that Border Collies are not the kind of dog you can let run around the neighborhood with your kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Your dog is confused – Head tilted.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Border Collies that look during training, especially with that cute tilted head, are usually a little confused. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your dog is trying to understand what you want him to do as if he is figuring out what you want! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It would be so much easier if you both spoke the same language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you notice that your dog is staring at you when you ask him to do something, it’s time to go back a bit in his training and find a way to communicate more effectively.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nIf you tell your dog to sit up and he stares at you, he goes back to the drawing board and retrains the behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take into account what is described and that your dog is not being willfully disobedient. He is confused!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Your dog is tense – Hard look.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Border Collie tends to give a “hard look” before biting. But be aware that some will also look away before biting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are petting a dog or approaching his food, cage, bed, or toy, and he turns his head staring at you, back away, your dog is tense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may take some practice to tell the difference between a “hard look” and just a longing look for treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learn to give your dog space when his hard look is accompanied by the following signs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n- A stiff tail (wagging or not), immobile body.<\/strong><\/li>
- Mouth closed, pupils dilated (wide pupils).<\/strong><\/li>
- A low head, ears pinned forward or back,<\/strong><\/li>
- A rigid body forward or backward.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
You may not see all of these signs at once but look for any combination. Dealing with canine aggression isn’t easy, but the least you can do right now is walk away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Confronting a Border Collie is not worth it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Your dog loves you – Soft eyes.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The opposite of the above is that your dog could be looking at you with soft eyes because he loves you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This soft look at new owners can easily be mistaken for a hard look, so context is essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This sign that your dog loves you will likely be accompanied by a soft or wide tail wag, relaxed ears, and normal-sized pupils. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These loving glances usually occur early in the morning, when serotonin levels are highest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your Border Collie is unlikely to look you in the eye when he plays, eats, or trains, so assume he has a different motivation if that’s what happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why does my border collie stare at me? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep in mind that herding dogs are prone to stare to control sheep, cows, goats, toys, and people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Border Collie’s famous “Eyeing” appears when the dog stalks a flock of animals, a toy, or a playmate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eyeing can be playful or severe, but it often appears on instinct when you’re in the middle of a game or in the woods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you notice your dog suddenly slowing down, lowering his head, and looking into the distance (or at a moving object), he’s probably in hunting or herding mode!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Owning a Border Collie is a commitment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you get yours, ask yourself if you are willing to spend two years training it and about thirteen or more with a high-energy dog that anticipates your every move? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Will you want to be with a dog that will share all your joys and sorrows, as well as excel in all herding activities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re wondering exactly why does my border collie stare at me?, evaluate the context; it’s essential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You’ll need to pay attention to what’s going on around you, the rest of your dog’s body language, as well as everything described in this blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Why does my border collie stare at me? Before answering this question, it is important to know that although the Border Collie has a receptive, intelligent, alert, energetic, tenacious, and … Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":1721,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[650],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-border-collies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10341"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10341\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}