Running pup with sheepdog

[jwed 16]

Hi lads,

I'm bringing my 16 week springer pup up the fields with my sheepdog. The sheepdog likes to run and the pup follows him. Can he pick up bad habits? I mean bad for hunting. Will he get into a habit of just sprinting in straight lines? Am I best to take him out on his own? I usually bring him for short rambles along the ditches and he potters around me without sprinting off.

thanks

[skycat 6,173]

The habits you put in place, now, or are put in place by your other dog, will become ingrained for life. Quite apart from the physical dangers in allowing a very young pup to tear around after an adult: too much running too young can damage soft joints and bones. If you have to take both dogs out together then keep the pup on the lead while the collie tears around. Then swap them round. A 4 month old pup needs to learn that it cannot always follow the other dog in any case, so good training for it to learn to be restrained sometimes. And make sure to get the pup out just with you as well, as often as possible, or it won't listen to you and will be fixing its attention solely on the other dog.

[jwed 16]

Thanks lads, good points. Yeah I take the pup out for one on one walks too.

[jwed 16]

In fact it's mostly one on one time with him.