Dog training with Barbara Sykes MCFBA & TLC Thinking Like Canines

05/06/2026

Don't think I need to say why I hate this, the person on the other end of the lead wasn't even looking at the dog but each time it moved she pulled up like it was luggage

09/05/2026

Nature and nurture - your thoughts

taken over 20 years ago, which one did I choose?

the one right at the back, her face just is sight. She was always with the others but never rushing forwards, she was a thinker and liked to stand back and observer. She became a fabulous working dog with sheep, was amazing with people, did lots of seminars with me and helped me to train other sheepdogs. She was well bred so some was nature and some nurture.

24/04/2026

when someone rings for help with their border collie that won't tug, play with a ball, chase, or accept treats so how can they train it. One must wonder if the power of speech has gone. what happened to that good old fashioned thing called communication, I often get more sense talking to my dog than to some folks!

17/04/2026

A sneaky couple of days away on the east coast with Bonny and TJ in the camper. A crow scarer went off miles away and I awoke to my big brave sheepdog who can stand up to the stubbornest of rams in the bed with me! Not only that, she snores!!

05/04/2026

Happy Easter everyone,

Chocolate puts weight on of this you can bet
but chocolate pinched by the dog is a trip to the vet.

Just thought of that rhyme, maybe good to share on

11/03/2026

With Easter just round the corner Vicki's been working really hard at her little cottage industry and has added lots of new items to her on line shop at the link below. Just a few new items are in the photograph but there are two pages of gifts galore on the site. Dog lovers, horse lovers, all sorts of idea. More about what she does is on her fb page Wiggies world of art and crafts and you can contact her for a bespoke design, she has just finished doing a special cat clock for a client
Please feel free to share
https://www.bordercollies.co.uk/shop/

01/03/2026

Our rescue March/Spring newsletter is now available to download from our websiteat the link below. Updates, news, fun facts, an article why dogs often struggle to cope with small children. Lots of news and info. You can download at the link and scroll down to march 26, there are also archived newsletters if you haven't seen them all.
They take quite a bit of putting together so Feed back on what you think and what you would like to see in them would be great
Thank you
Barbara

Newsletters – March 2026 Keep up to date with all that’s happening at The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies Our latest newsletter is ready for you to download. Please click the link below Happy reading:   newsletter 2026 Share This Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email

09/02/2026

It seems a lot of collie owners have a huge misunderstanding of the breed. They see it stalking something and then think 'oh it would love to work sheep so I'll book it in somewhere'! We get the call that the dog wants to work and they want it to be happy. That same person will often say how obessed the dog is with a ball. After we explain that the dog needs to learn to ignore sheep and not have a taster that will set it off wanting more and what about that 'obsession'!! If a dog isn't going to be able to 'work' sheep regularly and fully trained then its far kinder for it to be able to enjoy long walks in the country keeping safe by ignoring sheep. Usually it is the owner who wants to 'enjoy' having the fun. To be fair once explained they usually always see the sense and realise its not a good idea. But why get that idea in the first place. So little understood by so many and the internet doesn't always help.
thoughts?

01/02/2026

I thought this might be a good way to start February. There's snow or rain or wind, its cold and we must all at some point think - if even only for a second - what it might be like if...........
So bring it on Feb, we're happy and we're ready for you!

Who Do You Want To Be?
I’m at a wonderful age where I like being me,
But have you thought who you would like to be?
Is it the one with the jag who lives next door,
Or the one down the road that always has more,
Or maybe the one with nothing at all?
For with no great expectations there’s rarely a fall.
There’s the one with a huge family who are always there
And the one with nobody but doesn’t seem to care.
I know there are places I could have been
Buildings and statues I could have seen.
There were mountains to climb and valleys to explore
I could have tried them all and still wanted more.
But I am content as I have both happiness and wealth
With my family and friends and I am in good health.
So, whatever I haven’t done and whatever I didn’t see,
I’m just really happy that I am me.
B Sykes
in reflective mood!
happy for you to share if it can cheer the winter blues up for folks

26/01/2026

Question, has anyone noticed anything a bit strange with their dogs, or even humans, in the last month? TJ's brain doesn't function fully due to head trauma at birth (she came into rescue at just 6 days old) but she loves the van and has people she 'visits' regularly. But for a couple of days she would get calmly out of the van, then try to take off as if she was scared of it. We have heard of several cases of dogs having seizures, one in our rescue, and none of them old dogs. Bonny suddenly worried about noises she's used to. All over a period of about 2 to 3 weeks than back to normal. Animals know if there is a freak storm or tsunami, so has there been some kind of shift. As several people not connected to me or my dogs have experienced similar I wondered just how far it went.
Thoughts welcome.