Hi, we have 2 gorgeous Border Collie puppies that are 18 weeks old. They are excellent with grown up's but when it comes to Children they run a mile!!!!. We know that this is normal in puppies but no matter how much we try to involve children with them the worse it's getting. We ask the children to get down on their knees so they are at the pup's level but this doesn't work either.

Any advise would be really appreciated

Thanks

I'm sure some constructive advice will be along later, but I'm not sure it is normal that your puppies are frightened of children at 18 weeks old, they've obviously never been socialised with them. You'll need something along the lines of getting children to help train them, giving them treats etc etc., but as I say more qualified advice will follow. Nicki

Can you take them one at a time (not together, or they'll feed on each other's nervousness) to wait near a school at playtime. Then the children can't get to the pups and 'swamp' them, and the pup can watch at a distance and get used to the swooping seagull-like cries they make, and hopefully realise that the children aren't going to hurt them. Until they are more confident, don't let children get so close that the pups become nervous as that will only reinforce their fear. Praise pup when his behaviour is confident, and ignore fearful behaviour. Don't try to force them to "face their fears" - this will only scare them and it will become fixed.

It can be done - good luck!

Thank you both so much for your advise, we have always had dogs and I guess you just expect them to like everyone!!!!!

If you have children yourself I would keep this to a one to one, one child on the floor handling some tasty titbits and just let one pup in the room, don't put any pressure on it and when it enters have the child looking away. Border Collies can be funny about eye contact, let the pup explore and find the food, when near to the child offer it gently without looking at the pup. The important thing here is to let the pup do the work for the food and it should see the child is not a threat. I am assuming the child is old enough to be able to do this.

Don't force the pup at anytime, if it doesn't work the first time, try again later, no eye contact and definately one pup at a time, if you can get the bolder of the two to accept, the other one should follow.

Good Luck

Sandra