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When you are working with your dog on new tricks keep in mind just how bright they are. Our Border Collie learns new tricks stunningly fast so we have learned to mix it up with him. We start out with a basic trick, for example teaching him to backup, and then throw variations at him. Just like young kids if you simply repeat the same commands or tricks your Border Collie will become bored with the whole process and lose focus. So in the example of teaching him to back up we would have a basic command. Once he picked up the trick we change it a little by varying the distances we want him to gobackup close, backup far and way back for example. It is basically the same thing but the variations let him think about it and figure out what you want from him. These dogs need to be thinking and problem solving pretty consistently due to their working and herding instincts.

Even in the home in the evening, for example, you can keep your Border Collie busy with easy and minor tasks. As the day winds down and late evening rolls around the last thing you may want to do is run around and play with you dog. Do not let this keep you from keeping your Border Collie, especially a young one, active. We have a regiment of tasks our dog does most evenings before we go to bed that both keep him moving a bit and letting him know that the night is almost over. These tasks include going to get various toys, a few tricks for a treat or two. One thing that really seems to help is giving him the job of following me around the house at night as I lock doors and turn off lights. Every night he does this with me and I believe that it gives him one final thing to do for the day and lets him know it is time for bed.