Lately I'm finding I am too old for challenging dogs....those that don't train up easily. Just don't have the patience needed for that. Maybe I've just been spoiled by all the good dogs I've had, so the ones that require a lot of work, more patience and even more patience are just too much stress for me now.
Unfortunately, as this herding pup has grown, he's become one of those dogs...I can't even pet him, he's so jazzed up. He can't sit still and just be petted without jumping, twisting, turning, licking, or otherwise spazzing out. He can't just BE around someone calmly, no matter how much exercise he just had. There's no middle ground....either I have to put him in "down" and not touch him or just walk him on a leash and not touch him nor talk to him. ANY stimulus sets him into a frenzy.
Hence, the reason he can't handle the free range chickens....just too much stimulus. The only way he could escape that is to be put into a pen or shed wherein he cannot see the outside world and there's no WAY I'm doing that to any animal.
I've never been around any animal like that...it's like being around a tweaker. It sets my teeth on edge and I find myself growing VERY tense and angry because he just can't be still. I just don't have the time nor the patience to do endless work with this dog to get him where he needs to be in life. I need to find him a home where they can give him a better life and more training than I can offer, as he's a really sweet dog with a lot of intelligence and drive. Just too much dog for me.
