Hi guys, I have a lovely little Border Terrier puppy Alfie, 6 months old and full of personality. I've had him for two months, we took him rather late from his family, his parents and sister. I think this late seperation has probably led to his extra fearless terrier character! In the house he is very good, we have taught him sit, down, paw and wait, and he is fairly well house trained.
Outside is such a different matter!! He has no concept of cars as dangerous, he's terrible on the lead despite lots of training with treats, and doesn't come back sometimes when called, however I'm aware this is a terrier/puppy thing!
I don't call him when he's running off and go and get him instead, ignore all the bad behaviour and praise the good etc. and I know we both need lots of training to get there.
With that bit of background to his character one of you may be able to help with one problem I don't know to to handle. He usud to stand and suss a dog out before going over but recently he keeps bounding up to dogs who clearly want nothing to do with him, then chasing them around and it's hard to catch him when he starts. Yesterday for example, he terrorised an lady's elderly dog who was clearly timid, she had her tail between her legs and was yelping everytime he ran at her. I know he was trying to play - as puppies do, and usually dogs forgive him this, but she seemed increasingly distressed, to the point where she was barking at him and baring her teeth. Is this normal puppy behaviour or is he a being a bully because the dog was smaller? thanks, sorry for the novel length post!

i think this is normal puppy but if he is hard to controll off the lead i think you should keep him on the lead for abit longer. get him to training classes wether it be obedience or ringcraft, it doesnt mean you have to do competition but its just to get him out the house with other dogs.

as for the cars. sit/stand him by the side of a road, keeptalking to him and let the cars go by. when he has sat/stood successfully then praise him and stop it there, later go out again and do the same. make it so that he sits thu more and more cars each time. that is one way to help him.

i hope it works for you.

Ice

thanks very much Ice. The road sense idea sounds good. As for the lead I think the previous owners let him off too early without initial trainging, they didn't have a problem because he ran with his own "pack"/family whereas with me he's off looking for dogs to join. I think I'll go back to basics!