Miniature Australian Shepherd Fearful of Collar and Leash

by Teresa Templeton
(Dewey, Ok.)

I am dog sitting this sweet little 6-month-old male Mini Aussie. My friend took a job for 8 months in Louisiana and I offered to keep him till she returns.

Sorry to say she didn't do any training with him at all. She did come by before she left and held him so I could get a collar on him. No doubt he is suffering from separation anxiety.

Then the cold weather has set in, snow, ice and low temps. I can't keep him in my home so I have a building and dog house with hay and light. He's eating well, better than he did for her.

He is so fearful of the collarand leash. And the biggest issue is him charging the gate when I enter or exit. He is super hyper. She just let him run loose, no containment, and he did get to go in her house. He was starting to nip her.

I'm giving him lots of love and have achieved getting him to sit. Need the warmer weather to be able to go out and spend more time with him. Want to take him on long walks like I've done with my own dogs before. I feel I'm needing to start over with him because he hasn't been trained at all.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I will have to get a picture of him. He's a chocolate merle with blue eyes.

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