Dogs and Horses

 

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All of the dogs were out early one morning, during the usual horse feeding schedule.  The horses were playfully kicking up their hooves in the excitement of the cool morning air and the anticipation of breakfast.  Just as usual, they were working in a fast pace around the turnout before selecting their favorite feeder bins.  The dogs were happily herding them through the morning exercise when one of the pups got caught by a misplaced hoof.  The dogs were not supposed to be in the horse turn-out during that morning, or any other time, for that matter.  It was well known that the dogs were not allowed to chase those horses!  It can become a major safety issue during horse training when a dog is commanding the horse to do one thing underfoot, while a person is requesting another response from the horse.  Too many times, people allow dogs to herd horses, which is very dangerous. 

 

Not all dogs with horses stories end up the same way, but these tips were written to help raise awareness for dog owners.  We do love our faithful ranch buddies who attend every chore and patiently wait to come inside at the end of the day and keep us company. 

Most ranch dogs are quick underfoot and courageous in the face of animals much larger than themselves.  Great ranch-chosen dogs have hereditarily predisposed traits that will make some breeds a better choice than other dogs around livestock and horses.  Now, the choice is up to the rancher, of course, what type of dog also fits into the lifestyle of the home or family, and other situations and duties that a particular dog may be required to perform. .  Your dog should never exhibit herding practices with an actual horse, since this can be life-threatening behavior.  If a dog cannot perform these manners around horse activity, it is best to keep them off the ranch.  In fact, many horse facilities will have a no dog policy due to previous problems with dog owners.  You can make your dog a well behaved visitor at your horse’s ranch.   

 

STEP 1 – 3 Basic Skills

Basic skills you will need your dog to understand

With the proper training and manners, certain dogs can be a great addition to the trail-ride, the ranch activities or horse facility. 

Teach him to sit on command.  Use a commanding voice when you direct the dog to “Sit” AND a hand signal that you have chosen for this skill. (Show a closed fist)  A dog will usually learn “sit” easily, but the first time hearing this command, you will need to assist your dog physically.  So that he understands well, place one hand under his chin and lift up gently, while pushing and wiggling with your other hand lightly on his back, toward his tail.  It is important to be gentle with your hands, and repeat the dog’s name before and after each command.  “Pup, Sit Pup, Sit.  Good, Pup!”  Make sure that your dog accomplishes his trick by the 3^rd attempt and with his attention on you.  ALWAYS reward your dog.  Love and affection is the BEST.

 

Also teach your dog to stay for prolonged periods of time.  This skill must be reinforced often, with the request to “Stay” even when you are not in sight.  An open-hand with palm facing the dog is a good hand-signal for this command.  Your dog must know this very well for it to work around a lot of activity.  Start with short-time expectations and increase the length of time with practice. It is always best to keep the dogs away from any horse-training activity and make sure that the dog can sit and wait quietly on command even when there is excitement nearby

 

“Come” to you is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing.  Test your dog in other environments that are safe for him to be distracted and notice when he can perform this task before expecting this in the face of danger.  Even a large dog can be seriously injured or killed by a horse that thinks it needs to protect itself.

 

“Heal” with a pat on your leg, is a very useful exercise when your dog is invited to interact with you.  

 

Hand signals are very useful when there are other noises that will attract the dog’s attention.  An obedient canine will have one eye on you, even during those times, ready for the next command.

 

Some people teach a dog with treats, others consider it a controversial topic, since the dog should always show respect for your requests whether you have a treat or not.  Basically, the most important thing is that the dog performs the skills the instant that it comes from you, especially in potentially dangerous situations. 

Very importantly, a dog must be trained to listen to their owner or handler, and respond without hesitation at any time of excitement, for their own safety. 

 

STEP 2

Prepare your dog for your arrival together at the horse facility

All dogs have a natural herding instinct, which works well with most "herd" animals.  Giving your dog other duties during his time at the horse facility will help him enjoy this adventure, but be sure that no form of ‘herding’ is part of that job:

“Heal” without the leash, during bike rides and walks through obstacles, and add a variety of distractions to make this a challenging responsibility for your dog.  Practice that “Switch-Sides” during the movement.  The dog needs to circle BEHIND you and quickly find that place right next to your knee.  Us a quick snap of your fingers as a good hand-signal on the side that you are requesting your dog to switch to. 

Many dog owners will bring their dogs on a tail-ride. 

Trail dogs must understand where they are allowed to tread and follow all directions when needed, in order to keep the horseback riders safe.  These trail-dogs must be trained prior to attending an actual horseback trail-ride.  A bicycle is a great tool for preliminary exercises with such a dog.  It will determine if he is fast enough to keep up, and can remain steady along-side.  Teaching the dog to switch sides on command can be very useful when riding your horse next to a street. 

 

“Carry” is an impressive and fun way for your canine companion to help around the ranch.  You can start with small items and request that the dog “Hold” the item in their mouth.  Give great rewards for this, it will be fun.  Your dog can learn the name of a few items and “Carry” the “Rope”, or “Bucket”, or any other item that you would like to see your dog retrieve for you.  It should be easy for the dog to bring to you.  Everyone will enjoy watching your dog help around the facility.  This is a much more advanced game than fetch, since the dog needs to recognize the item and retrieve it on command. 

 

STEP 3

Arriving at the Horse Facility with your dog(s)

Lead your dog around on a leash without letting your dog wander away from you.  Take your time on the dog’s first visit.

A dog must not take that lead over, since the dog will not have the same goal in mind that you have for your interaction with the horses.  Just as you enter and exit doorways with your dog, be sure that you always lead and the dog waits to be invited.  Same goes for leading the horse through an opening; you must go first through gates and lead not follow.  Make the dog wait for you to greet the horses before it has any interactions.  This habit will help establish who the leader is at the beginning of every visit with the horse. 

 

Teach your dog where he may not go and tell him “Out” when you are walking him around any unsafe areas – like the exercising arena, or inside the paddocks.  

For confined horses, or horses limited to an area for which they deem their territory, any newcomer must establish their place in the herd in terms of hierarchy.  This includes people and other animals at every encounter within that space.  It's always best that the people are in charge of this invasion of the horses' area, and the horses respond to your company in a safe manner. 

 

 

This story is dedicated to beloved "Sparky", the smallest of the litter of Red Apricot Poodles.  He was one year and five months old and a tiny little guy at 4.5 lbs. when he suffered one of the worst things happen to any dog on a ranch!

 

Although Sparky's story had a tragic ending, we hope that this article helps other dog owners who bring their pups to the horses. 

 

Sparky was being treated by a great group of professionals and their wonderful staff at "Animal Medical Services" in Gardnerville, Nevada.  We are grateful for their knowledge and professionalism and wish to thank Dr. Doug Bass, Dr. Sharon Burns, Dr Dave Novotny and Camille Marsh.  Shakespeare Animal Fund also donated a portion of Sparky's medical expenses.