My dog has started attacking the horses...

[Carly Rae]

My bordercollie did this once. But it was only when she was influenced by other dogs. She liked to copy what other dogs did. Our old neigbours had a bordercollie too and he would chase their horses if he got out, nipping their ankles, freaking the horses. So my dog decided to have a go with my horses. I saw her doing it and I chased her down and gave her a smack. She has never done it again. My dog is also very jealous.

Does he listen to a mans voice? I know when I talk to my dog it usually goes through one ear out the other. Until my dad says something to her and she is the most obedient dog out, drives me mad. Dad can put her in her place without even touching her, she knows when she is in the wrong with him. Maybe if he responds to a deeper voice it might help? I'm not too sure. I really hope you get things sorted with them. Good luck!

 

[paintponylvr]

One other thing - when he is leashed, you will still need to keep an eye on him. You don't want him wrapping around you (or a horse's legs), nor do you want him unable to "get away" if one of your loose horses decides it's time to "teach him to mind his manners" and you aren't able to prevent it.

I got too far away from a leashed/tied dog once and had a yearling gelding go after her. She'd already gone through the gate - her leash didn't allow her to go back thru - so he nailed her a couple of times pretty darn good. MY FAULT - and now - she's a little more pro-active in protecting herself - which isn't what I was aiming for. Have some more work to do with her! But I set myself up for problems w/ my own forgetfulness/not paying attention. Good lesson in "what not to do", LOL.

I have had both stallions and mares that would kill a dog. Much more prevalent in the shetlands/minis than in the big horses! Had nothing to do with size either - one dog was almost as big (tall) though nowhere near as heavy, as our 500 lb pony stallion. Personally, since some of our pastures were just wire (not hot at the lower levels), I didn't mind them going after the dogs - both in MT and here in NC, the dogs seem to run in packs and I don't want my ponies injured by someone else's loose dog(s). Our dogs learned quickly to listen when my voice was backed up by pony corrections. The yearling gelding above is a grandson of the stallion in this paragraph. With our previous dogs - they went trail riding and driving with us. No problems. Until there were other dogs (loose w/ no owners around). Those were the dogs we had issues with. I quit taking our dogs out with us... The current "crop" of dogs we have - most wouldn't like going out and the ones who did, have aged and couldn't keep up.

 

[Minimor]

I absolutely will not put a dog on a leash and attach it to myself if I am going out around the horses. If I can hand hold the leash--fine, that works. Attached otherwise, no. It is dangerous for the dog and it is dangerous to me. I would never recommend that anyone do it. The dog can run around your feet to avoid a horse and you may trip. A horse might run through the leash, between you and the dog--and if that horse should get tangled in the leash it could end very badly for you and/or the dog.

 

[aliasmel]

My dog would chase my horses out in the paddock.... Until one day, the stallion I owned at the time got jack of her antics. He stomped on her and she went under him and he kicked her as she came out the other side...Being a pretty dense animal, she came back for more. He picked her up by the scruff of her neck and she sailed through the air and over the fence. She rarely goes near them now and sits outside the paddock instead.

 

[NewToMini's]

Thanks everyone. I think I will keep him out of the pasture except for when I can keep a close eye on him.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

My fencing does not allow my dog into any paddock / yard / lot or any other area that my horses/minis are in.

Plan and simple - " im not prepared to take the risk" And when dogs and horses are in the mIx , there is ALWAYS A RISK.

Keep him out of the pasture "ALL THE TIME" there will be a moment when you need to attend to something else , and when you take your eyes off the dog , a disaster will happen, either to the dog, the mini or yourself.

Im actually concerned for your own safety NewToMinis.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I do not have a fence that would stop my dog- I do not actually think anyone could BUILD a fence that would stop my dog if I were on the other side of it. I have never, ever had a Dobe that chased my horses before, but this one- with exactly the same time frame as yours, btw- did. I say "did" as it was find an answer or shoot the dog, so I found an answer. I bought a proper e-collar- PAC collar to be exact, one of the originals, if not THE original. It was not cheap- I had one of the very first ones when I had a Dobe thirty years ago that was not 100% around people. The first thing to tell you is you can programme the collar form the handset. The second thing to tell you is I used it ONCE on full blast as I was advised. After that I used the "buzzer" vibrator choice. What I have found is that these collars- which have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years - allow you to relax. There is NO chance of the dog ignoring you/chasing/ behaving in other unacceptable ways. No chance at all. It seems harsh to those that do not understand the concepts but, in two cases now with my dogs (out of nearly 40 years of Dobe owning I have to say) they have saved the dogs life and do NOT have to be continually used, in fact the firm give you a "dummy" collar so you can pretend to have the collar on the dog when it is not needed....which will be quite soon, once your dogs bluff is called. Yes, the dog needs more exercise, but I am working on the premise that, were you able to give it more you would. NO the dog has NO right to assume it can chase your horses, or bite them, or harass them or even to interact with them, if YOU do not say it may. I am sorry but, much as we call our dogs our "family" I did NOT give birth to my dogs and they are NOT surrogate children. Even though I do love them dearly. My dogs have normally responded well to my horses, were safe to allow in the field even with small foals, the horses were MINE and they were brought up to respect MY property. This dog, however, came second hand, respected NOTHING and thought the whole thing revolved around him getting away with stuff. I wish I had had the collar when I got him as I would have been able to prevent the things I had to correct form escalating, and my blood pressure would not have needed a safety valve fitted!!! You still need a trainer for the dog and yourself, as these collars are NOT for the faint hearted, but if you find someone in your area who can run you through all the dos and donts you will be amazed at the difference in the dog. Stop it now, before it goes any further.....