Who has their dogs with horses?

[Basketmiss]

We have a chow-Bryson, I show him off on here all the time. He will be 2 in June, still full of energy...

I am not comfortable having him with my mini- Giddy or my Biggee-Suman.

I wonder how many people do have them together without problems.

I think my guy would chase and bark and freak the horses.

He barks at them sometimes (not all) but especially when they are running!

He really barks when he sees Giddy (mini) and gets very excited..

I dont think he is the right breed to keep with horses?? He is 70 pounds..

Forgot to say he is an inside/outside dog! He is out most of the day in a fenced yard or laying on the deck and in at night sleeping in our room...

 

[Debd]

I have an Australian Shepherd and Lab that go out with the horses only when I'm with them. My Aussie follows my lead and will stay several feet back when I am feeding them. She waits for commands on what to do......my yellow lab, however, just wants to play, but fortunately the horses seem to enjoy her company and even come over to see what she's doing.

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

I personally don't trust dogs alone with my animals. We are lucky enough to have dogs that have been raised with the horses, so they don't bother them, but I hate to ever risk the chance. My goat just got bite through the fence and almost had her face taken off sunday by my cousins dog, who has been brought around animals since she bought her. Yet that didn't matter. She bite my goat and almost killed a duck twice and she just moved home with this dog 4 days ago.

 

[Fanch]

I know some may disagree, but our dogs are free ranged with the horse. They can get away from the horses if they want as we have the back yard for just them. Our 2 dogs, golden retreviers, Cleo aged 6 and Yogi, aged 1 1/2, avoid the horses because of Macduff is very untrusting of the dogs, and has chased them a couple of times.

So I guess it really depends on the relationship the dogs and horses have. I think if the dog has respect for the horses, it should be fine. But if you are unsure, then don't. Maybe start out with the dogs coming down with you when you feed the horses, to let them get aquanited?

 

[Magic]

I really think it depends on the dogs, and what the dogs were bred for. I have a good friend who has several dogs of different breeds (blue heeler, golden retriever are two) that hang out with the horses and actually protect them from coyotes and other dogs. I used to have a Siberian Husky (died of old age) that I wouldn't have trusted for a minute with my horses so he was carefully kept separate. I have a Great Dane who is superb with the horses, she loves the foals, and I let her be out with the horses when I am nearby and can keep an eye on her. She's never made a false move with the horses, even when she's been nipped by a frisky weanling, but I like to keep watch, as much to protect her as to protect the horses, lol!

Two years ago I got my first Livestock Guardian Dog, and since they have been bred specifically for thousands of years to live with and protect livestock, and I've done the research and training that is recommended for LGD's, I trust them (now have two) with my horses. I've watched yearling horses take my female LGD's back leg in their mouth and hold it up, and my dog stands patiently for the horse to release her. When the foals accidently hurt her by biting too hard, she'll yip and get out of their way but not bite back or snarl. The horses "groom" her and she enjoys it, like she's getting petted.

 

[Sonya]

I never let my dogs with my horses unless I was there to supervise, one a lab and one a mix. I don't know if I would trust any dog with a horse totally, or visa versa! Even GD's have been known to attack the animal that they are there to protect. In my situation, my horses actually tormented my dogs, almost provoking the dogs, so they were never left unsupervised. I actually never let my dogs out of my sight when they are outside period...and we live in the country.

 

[Sixstardanes]

Even though I post alot of pixs of our mini Saber with our pooches they are only together like that when supervised.

Our home is currently blessed with 4 Great Danes and a lil mutt dog named Jet.

Our Danes are Eagle who'll be 7 next month, Luca who'll be 5 in May

and littermates Rooster & Kele who'll be 3 in July.

Eagle is a very passive dog and I like to work Saber with him for tricks.

Rooster is our bubbly, full of life guy who is much like a young pup... or is that colt.

Wanting to play, play, play.

However, he is very respectful and submits very quickly to both Eagle & Saber should either of them think he needs to relax.

Saber seems to enjoy Rooster's company the best as they take turns chasing each other

but its mostly Saber as the chaser.

Luca doesn't seem to understand that Saber isn't a dog.

She wants him to wrestle her. She doesn't know how to say no to other dogs.. even when they try to "hug her" from behind.

So other than posed pixs I really don't have those two interact as Saber isn't fond of her when she tries to play. I don't blame him either.

Kele is the one most curious about Saber

but is also the most submissive to him.

Saber seems to pick up on this and often moves slower around her.

He'll pretend to take longer to notice that she's sniffing him and he seems to subdue his body language around her which puts her at ease.

Saber will take an interest in toys that Kele may play with and she'll drop them for Saber

and only when he's done will she retrieve them.

It really is interesting to see the dynamics there.

In regards to Jet.

He and Saber don't seem to be concerned about each other in either direction.

Even when I put Jet on Saber's back neither seems to mind at all.

 

[Marty]

The beauty of a German Shepherd is their desire to feel needed, protect, and work. Thus,

enter Pup-Zilla, Amy, who early on took her natural born herding instincts to

another level.

True to form, Amy learned the day she arrived to walk slowly and calmly into the herd and observe

and watch. Since then much has happened. She's obcessed with being out there among the horses.

She'll lay out there in protection mode all day long if I'd let her. She guards and herds and like Tracey,

she is very good at helping me put certain ones in their designated pastures.

She has her favorites who love and adore her as much as she them, the babies, Noelle and Brite Star.

She must somehow know they were born around the same time because they have an incredible

bond. She worries herself to death about them and when they are in their stalls, she camps right

there in front of them. She plays with them and they play right back with her. It's amazing to watch. Boggles the mind.

They play together with the basketball that she killed, chase eachother, jump and pounce together and

then lay down and rest together.

The other horses tollerate her presence but if she becomes rowdy, they'll chase her away; so she is learning the difference.

However all this facinating bonding stuff would not ever convince me to leave her completely unattended

for two reasons

1. She's still a puppy

2. I don't trust any dog unattended to know their limits

 

[Miniv]

We have four dogs ranging from mid sized to HUGE (Bernese). They are inside/outside dogs and only spend time with the horses when we are out with them.

 

[Minimor]

I won't keep a dog that I don't trust absolutely to be outside loose, with free run of the property. Our dogs (only ever 1 or 2 at a time) are expected to protect the place, the horses and the cats, and they can't do that if they are confined or tied up.

I don't expect one of our dogs to stay out with the horses, but if it's necessary that our dog goes out into the pasture to chase a fox (or stray dog or whatever intruder), then I trust her to go out there & run off the fox and then come back to the yard without bothering the horses. We've had problems in the past with foxes grabbing cats (not many, but it has happened 4 times or so in the past 8 years--and likely would have happened more often if the dog wasn't outside, loose and on guard duty--the idea is the dog is supposed to run the fox off before it gets anywhere near the cats!), and the only thing that saved those cats was the fact that the dog was loose and able to give chase as soon as the cat started crying. When the dog takes after the fox, the fox drops the cat & runs for its life.

Our best dogs have all been shepherd crosses--usually crossed with rough collie or rottie or both.

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

we have 11 dogs, mutts of all sizes as well as a Great Dane, a Chihuahua, a Queensland Heeler and a rat terrier. one mutt is quite old, and the Dane and 2 of the small mutts are afraid of the horses and rarely go in the pens, but all pretty much have access to the horse pens except for the Chi who only goes out when i am out, due to her size, and my daughter's Heeler who will NOT leave them alone unless my daughter is home to command him, he will not listen to anyone else. consequently he is locked in a (roomy) pen when she is not home. i will be sorry to see my daughter leave home but not her dog lol. quite a few of our horses will play with the one dog who initiates it, the JRT mix, and it is not one-sided, they go back and forth as to who is chasing and who is being chased. while most often the JRT starts the play, i have seen the horses initiate as well. anyway they have all, except for the old guy, grown up here and been taught from early on that any aggression toward the equines is NOT tolerated. that said, i do realize they could disobey... but in six years we have not had a problem.

the one precaution i do take is that the foaling pen is inside another larger pen with a wire perimeter fence that the dogs cannot get into, and the foals stay in there for at least a month, because they are so small, with only supervised contact with the dogs. however we have had surprise foals and had no problem except that the dogs want the placenta...

 

[Laura]

[SIZE=12pt]For anyone who still believes that pet dogs are safe with horses, just because they have been raised with horses, please look at these pictures. I won't post them again, because most have seen them and they are VERY hard to look at. This is Ramble, my daughter's gelding. He was attacked by our 4 FAMILY, PET, MUCH LOVED dogs (2 Aussies, 1 english shepherd and our Livstock Guardian Dog).[/SIZE]

Ramble1

Ramble2

Now, with that being said, I do have 2 dogs here that ARE loose now. We cannot be without dogs that BARK and will chase coyotes (we lost a yearling filly Christmas 2006 when she went down in the creek and was torn apart by coyotes, because we let the dogs sleep in the house that night) . One is a 9 year old mixed breed that I have had since he was dumped with us at a few months old. "Puppy" KNOWS BETTER than to EVER, EVER chase a horse, no matter WHAT (he was living at the other farm when this attack occured). Bud, our almost 2 year old German Shepherd/Lab cross has had Puppy as his mentor and guide in acceptable behavior around horses, as well as having had a few "come to Jesus" discussions with ME when he even thought about MAYBE chasing a horse as a puppy.

Many, many dogs are great with the horses, but we ignored danger signs (rare "play" chasing, protectiveness towards us near the horses, running up to and barking at the horses to make them run away) because our dogs would never hurt the horses, but they did

Again, these things happened RARELY and never by the LGD. He had grabbed a horse by the tail before (which is what we believe started the attack), but we had *thought* he was just defending himself from a NOTORIOUS dog stomper.

Just keep your eyes open and be objective. Just because a dog isn't a horse suitable dog, doesn't mean it's not an awesome family pet. It just mean you should be even more careful to protect the horses from the dog AND the dog from the horses.

 

[Equuisize]

Our German Shepherd, Chevy, will be 2 in June and has been around the

horses ever since we got him as a little pupkins....

He has great respect for the horses and keeps his distance, all the time

even when he thinks he's herding them, for us.

I would say he's never in with them unless he is with one of us but it'd be

a fib.....

If I can't see him, at first glance out the window, I go look and he's laying

in the pasture, just watching them.......

He does not get to be in with the babies, as that pasture is well fenced.

Until later this spring when we finish the fencing projects here at our

new-ish place - I'm glad I can say at this moment he is good with

them..... However, I do not take for granted that would always

be so....and hot wiring between the rails is a priority

 

[Firefall]

Our Mastiff loves to play with the minis. I swear he has a major crush on the yearling fillies, when the weather is good he is out laying in their pen or playing with them.

He'd like to play with the mares too but since most are close to foaling they are a tad grumpy and won't put up with his antics. He usally gets a nip from one of them, guess thats why he likes the yearlings they still like to play and be silly with him.

 

[Indian*R*A*I*N*Dance]

I don't let my dog in with my minis. I have tryed it before and Rain, my colt, tryed to play with her, horsey play and shes a lab, old too and it just didn't work. He also tryes to bit her but when i have perfect out she will go up to him, the back and, and sniff and he doesn't care what so ever, i would be comfortable leaving Perfect and my dog out together but my dog doesn't go outdie w/ out somebody else out, he gets lonley : P

 

[Just Us N Texas]

The G.P. puppy that was dropped here always is with the horses when he wants to be. He's a free range dog. The Shetlands don't like dogs and will kick or stomp at him if he gets too close, and the mini moms won't let him too near the foals. He lays out in the middle of the field with the mares and foals and watches them. Once he is assured that all is okay, he leaves and goes on his other rounds or comes to the house. He and my daughter's aussie were play wrestling too close to a mini stallion last week, he kicked back and got both of them with one shot. Talk about two shocked pups! We do keep as close an eye as possible with the dogs and horses, and if one of them shows even a small amount of aggression towards the horses, he is disciplined on the spot. I do have a couple of dogs I won't allow anywhere near the horses, because I know they would try and hurt them.

 

[bluetaterbaby]

I have 2 Border Collie/Akita mix females that have always been with my 2 mini mares and Nigerian Dwarf goat. They all live in the barn and lot together. I also have a Collie/Border Collie mix and a huge mixed breed dog that share the pasture with them. When the "ladies" are tied out in our yard to eat grass, our outside dog watches over them. Our chihuahua and toy fox terrier love to go outside and greet them. So far, things are peaceful.

 

[Sterling]

Lakota has been raised with the horses, chickens, ducks and cat not to mentione my Boxer. She is very in tuned to guarding "her" farm. She'll go in the corrals with me at times when I'm doing something in there with the horses and her being just as big as they are and swifter they all just walk around as if each one was another horse not minding her and vice versa. However that being said I don't leave her out alone with them...nor out alone for an extended period of time because she is my shadow and where ever you find me you can find her. One thing her and her sister love to do when the chickens are out is follow them and wait until they make a "deposit" and snatch it up!

When they see me looking their way they act like if nothing and keep right on walking like good little girls.

The first thing we do with any puppy we get is introduce them as tykes to every animal here on the farm.

 

[Sue S]

I have a chow and a black lab, they are both very gentle, but I would not allow them to run by the horses, they have a very large kennel they are put in when they are out side, You may have gentle dogs but dogs do have a wild streak in them, After what happened to Laura's gelding I do not want to take a chance.

Laura how is Ramble doing these days? Think about him often.

 

[Basketmiss]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I really felt I wasnt comfortable letting our chow near the horses.. I will just keep him seperated from my boys. I wouldnt want to take a chance..

Laura I am so sorry for what happened to your boy, I cringe looking at his backside- I hope he is doing well now...