A general overview of training practices that will help a new dog owner turn their Collie into a pet that is welcome anywhere.
If you have decided to make a Collie part of your family, not only are your in for a lifetime of companionship and love, but, if you start right away and follow through consistently, you are in for an easy time training you new friend. Collies are highly intelligent and eager to please, so teaching them to be obedient is, usually, an easy task.
As mentioned before, the most important part of any training program is consistency. For this reason, it is best if one person is primarily responsible for the dog's training and other family members serve as reinforcement.
To being, the person who will be training the dog needs to establish dominance. Basically, this means that you need to show your new friend who is the boss. To do this, several time a day you should roll your dog on its back and kneel over it. Stay there until the dog submits (is quit and still) Because of the alpha dog principal that is part of every dog's genetic make up, doing this repeatedly will quickly teach the dog that you are in charge. This practice should be continued throughout training. Be aware that the dog is probably going to like this"¦it is important that you continue to do it anyway. Being stern and consistent now will ensure that your new dog turns into someone you want around years to come.
Before you actually start a training session, play with your dog. Tire him out so that he will be ready to focus on you and always teach new things in a distraction free environment and add distracters as he learns. Next, start with one basic command and work on it until your dog has it down. Don't try to teach him everything at once; it will only confuse the dog and frustrate you. "Sit" is a good place to start. Get your dog's attention, look him in the eye and say "Sit" then gently force his rump to the ground. Once he is sitting, tell him "Good Sit" so that he learns to associate the command with the action. Do not stand over your dog and repeat the command until he happens to sit. He needs to learn that when you say it, it happens. So, say it once, force the action, and then praise him. Follow the verbal praise with a small treat (pretzel sticks work great). Then, walk them 2-3 feet and repeat. Continue this for 5-10 minutes and then stop. Several small, focused training sessions through the day are effective. Longer sessions are less productive. When the two of you have it down, show other family members the process and ask them to reinforce what you have taught the dog. Again, consistency is the key.
This same process will work with various commands (lay down, stay, shake, etc.), as long as everyone that interacts with the dog is "on board" you should be in good shape. You Collie really wants to please you, which means that he wants to learn. So, don't let him down, teach him using patience, praise and consistency.
