Blue heelers need firm, gentle training.
Rough play, including biting, nipping and play growling, is the natural way dogs play, but it is inappropriate behavior with people because of possible injuries. Puppies have to be taught appropriate ways to play with people, such as hide-and-seek, fetch and tug. Australian cattle dogs -- blue heelers -- can present a special challenge because of their heritage. Heelers bite, or nip, at the heels of livestock to move the herd and this practice often carries over into the heeler's behavior with other pets and people. You must be consistent in your training to curb the biting. If your blue heeler's biting is true aggression, then you may need the help of a veterinary behaviorist.
Instructions
1. Avoid rough play. Rough play such as fake growling, fake screaming for help and physical roughhousing teach dogs that rough play is acceptable -- but your Blue Heeler's rough play is much rougher than most people enjoy. Your dog needs the same rules for everyone; instruct those who handle the dog not to permit the rough play.
2. Teach bite inhibition by crying "Ouch!" or whine like a puppy does when another bites it too hard during play. When your heeler puts its mouth on you, cry immediately. This teaches the dog that humans get hurt from a very light "bite." If you wait until the playful bites actually hurt before you cry, the dog learns that it takes a stronger bite to hurt a human. The theory is that if a dog that was trained in bite inhibition ever does bite, its bite will be much less severe because it was taught that it takes less to hurt humans.
3. Teach children and adults not to run from the dog, scream or pretend to be in distress. Fake cries for help teach the heeler to ignore a real cry and the cry you make when the dog puts its mouth on you. It learns to intensify the game instead of calming down when the crying cue is given. If a small child screams in fear, the dog may think the child is playing and intensify its game, causing serious harm to the child. Running from any dog can trigger the prey-chase drive, but heelers have a particularly strong chasing and nipping instinct.
4. Make fetching a job for your blue heeler.
Give your heeler exercise daily, both leash walking and off-leash romping. Teach appropriate games, like fetch or hide-and-seek. Tug is a safe game as long as you don't battle your dog. Provide only enough tension to keep the game going. Teach and enforce rules for all games, such as when to start and stop the game and any behaviors that would cause the game to end, such as nipping. Give your dog jobs around the house, such as fetching, to help focus its energy.
5. Learn the "Nothing in Life Is Free" program (NILIF) and instruct everyone who handles the dog to follow it. This is a program that shows you teach your dog that you are the leader in a positive, non-confrontational manner.
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