If you live with a Border Collie or any herding breed you’ll know just how powerful their focus can be. That intense stare, the lowered body, the creeping stalk… it’s part of what makes them so brilliant at their job. But it can also tip into fixation, and that’s where things start to become a problem.
Fixation isn’t just about sheep. It can happen around toys, food, other dogs, or the movement of cars. And once it becomes a habit, it’s hard to interrupt. That’s why one of the most important skills I teach my dogs is how to let go, how to break focus and check in with me instead.. that famous That’ll Do behaviour that sheepdogs do at the end of the job.
How I teach it
I don’t start this training around sheep or anything too exciting. That would be like trying to learn to swim in deep water before you’ve even splashed around in the shallows.
Instead, I begin with everyday situations. I might put food in a bowl and ask for a simple behaviour like a sit or a nose touch before releasing my dog to eat. Or I might surprise them by rewarding with something else entirely something equally good or even better.
It’s not about teasing or withholding things they love. It’s about helping them realise that letting go doesn’t mean losing out. In fact, it often means they get something even better.
I also practice during play. If one dog is fixating on the other, I’ll gently interrupt and reward a moment of disengagement. It becomes a pattern: release the focus, earn a reward.
Why it matters
Dogs who feel like they have to fight for everything will find ways to bend the rules or avoid them altogether. But dogs who feel like they’re working with you, not against you, start to trust your guidance. They learn that stepping back doesn’t mean missing out it means staying in the game, calmly and confidently.
And that’s what impulse control really is: not about saying “no” all the time, but about helping your dog choose “not yet” or “not now” and feel good about it.
Want to dive deeper into building this kind of self-control in your herding breed? I’ve got you! That’s why I have created my Collie Club, the online membership, where I can teach you all the things you need to get that focus back:
- motivation
- drive
- recall
- desengagment
- impulse control
- thinking skills
Want to learn more?https://thatlldoacademy.newzenler.com/courses/the-collie-club
