Did I make my dog psycho or is he supposed to be like this?
We recently adopted a working line BC from a private foster-based rescue. His ad said the word “calm” 7 times. We visited him a bunch of times, his foster said that he was super super calm in the house, and just a crazy boy outside. Described him as just sleeping/resting all the time, needing a big play every 2-3 days.
At this time he was free fed a cheap grocery store dog food, and he was slightly underweight (a bit ribby, not horribly malnourished). Foster said that’s just the weight he keeps himself, as he has constant access to food. I prefer dogs to be slightly on the lean side over fat, so wasn’t alarmed. Foster made jokes about how often he farted and had loose stools.
We brought him home.
Dear reader, I was not expecting a truly calm dog. I didn’t expect a working line border collie to need no exercise- I got one because I absolutely love training and adventuring with my dog. But I was expecting lower energy on the border collie scale, because that’s how he was presented to me by the person who had lived with him for a long time.
He has been home 6 weeks. He eats Arden Grange. His stool is solid and his coat looks good. He’s gained 2 kg, with the vet describing him as at a “perfect weight”.
….This is the driviest dog I’ve ever worked. His herding instincts are really intense. He’s always game to train, so we’re working on training neutrality, self/impulse control, and having listening ears even when herder mode is activated. He does 1-1.5 hours of really good exercise/day, and puzzle feeders/chews to help him through the workday.
I do not know the dog the foster described. I love my dog, and always intended to play/engage with him, but he is so much work it’s a full-time job. Especially in a house with cats 🥲 (he was labeled good with cats). We are training constantly. He doesn’t get meals anymore, we use all his kibble training the behaviours I want around the cats and rewarding settle (or in puzzle toys). I see consistent improvements every day, he’s so clever and trying to please, I cannot imagine giving up on this animal. I am constantly leveling up my handling and training to help broaden his world and help him adapt to more things. & I’ll do it for the next 10 years. He will always be loved and cared for to the best of my abilities for the rest of his life.
But how is this dog the same one as the dog described to me? Did I make him crazier or am I just seeing the dog he’s meant to be?