They re just like people, they have different dispositions, and there s no two the same, he says. If they ve got the instinct that s what they have to have bred into them to work livestock, then they ll do it. Before a dog works livestock, Gilman teaches obedience. Before I ever take them to the livestock they ve got to have obedience, he says. By 6 to 8 months, he says an owner should know if a dog is worthy of working with livestock.
Some dogs are ready sooner in two to three months.
Border Collies, usually by eight months old, you ll know whether they want to work or not, Gilman says. By obedience, Gilman means teaching such commands as stay, heel, sit and no. Instead of sit, he prefers to use the command there. When you start obedience, they won t like you, Gilman says. It takes a lot of patience, and be sure when you put them back in the pen, you tell them thank you.