Getting a new Border Collie puppy is an exciting time and it is your responsibility to teach your Border Collie puppy all about its new life.
It is important that your Border Collie puppy have positive experiences. If your Border Collie puppy is introduced to new things slowly, and the experience is a pleasant one, you will have a Border Collie that loves to do everything you want it to do.
If you rush or force new things on your Border Collie puppy you will only scare it and make it much more difficult to teach. It will also make your Border Collie puppy less likely to try new things....
One of the biggest things you want your Border Collie puppy to enjoy is riding in your car.
This is important for taking your Border Collie out to training, for play dates, down to the park, and for taking your best friend to vet.
Familiarising your Border Collie with the car is quite simple, but if you get it wrong you can have problems for your Border Collie’s lifetime.
Make the experience positive, one your Border Collie enjoys. When a Border Collie is still a puppy the world can be a scary place so you want to teach it all about the big wide world it lives in so it has confidence.
You probably brought your Border Collie puppy home in your car so it should not be too strange. The first thing to do is put Border Collie puppy into the backseat. Your Border Collie puppy may not like this at first and whine and try and climb into the front with you. Ignore the behavior and gently push your Border Collie puppy back. Start off doing this before you start the car.
When your Border Collie puppy stays in the backseat reward it with praise and a small treat. Now start the car and let your Border Collie get used to the different sounds. Many pups may not even take much notice.
Now start moving and take your Border Collie puppy for a short trip around the block. Your Border Collie puppy may start whining or barking. Do not tell your pup that it is alright. By doing that you are telling your Border Collie puppy it is alright to bark and whine. Ignore the behaviour.
It may be a good idea to enlist the help of a friend to travel in the back with your Border Collie puppy the first few car trips so your Border Collie puppy gets used to what you expect from it. Do not teach your Border Collie puppy to ride in the front seat with you as it is dangerous if you suddenly stop or are involved in a car accident.
When you get home, sit for a minute with the engine running and praise your Border Collie puppy and give it a treat. Shut off the car’s engine and get your Border Collie puppy out and reward it with a fun play session.
Once your Border Collie is used to riding in the car, start taking longer trips each time. Every time you get home or stop, make sure you reward with praise, a treat or a game so it associates the car with fun.