Working BC on horse farm

[Balian's_Mom]

I have a year and a half old BC mix, and an 8 week old husky/shep. I am a barn manager/horse trainer, as well as living on a horse farm. I want to make both into competent farm dogs. I obviously have different expectations for the puppy than my BC! How did you train your dogs to follow on chores, down stay while I'm working one of the horses, and to NOT herd the horses. My BC has a healthy fear of the ponies, but will run the fence line with them. Do you start on leash, then work to off leash? How did you get anything done while you were training? Did you train off site before asking in the moment? How did you simulate the environment? Because my needs are different, I haven't found an obedience class that works for me. I'm also interested in doing off-farm activities with the boys, I'd be interested in SAR type activities with them. What do you do with your dog?

[jvw]

Do you NOT want the dog to run the fence line with the ponies? Or is this okay with you?

 

I don't have animals on the other side of my fenceline, just cars, gravel haulers, and motorcycles. But I absolutely do not allow running the fence line. I stopped this behavior in its tracks before it even had a chance to really start. Every morning we walk the perimeter of the property. When we would walk along the road fence line I watched my puppy as he looked at the cars etc go by. If he looked for more than a second I would tell him "get out of that" in a growly tone. As he looked at me and started toward me I would praise and pet him. I did this EVERY time he looked at a vehicle going by. Once early on a motorcycle zoomed by and it was too much for him to resist. He started running the line. I RAN at him in a threating posture growling "what are you doing?!! Get out of that!" He got the message. He is 8 months old now and I still watch him when we walk. He is a border collie after all and will always be drawn in by movement.

 

The key is to catch them as their brain starts but BEFORE their legs start!

 

Jennifer

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

As the brain starts but before the legs start! I like that!

 

The answer to how do you get anything done while training, is, you can't really for a little while. But considering you are investing time towards a future when you can trust your dog 100%, it's worth the extra effort. What you might have to do is have sessions where you are pretending to do stuff, but actually training. Use a long line at first, then you will be able to wean your dog off eventually.

 

What works for us as far as the limits to what they can do - the dogs are supposed to follow us around. If we leave and they don't, they get a correction, and then we go get them if that doens't work. Otherwise it doesn't matter what they do or where they are relative to us, as long as they are in sight and not chasing stuff.

 

Good luck!

[Balian's_Mom]

I do NOT want him to run the fence line, it works up the horses, and I work with old/lame horses (sanctuary environment). I do correct him when he does it, but I think it will always be a draw. He is a mix, and his herd drive is not over the top, and he is still young, so I'm hoping if I'm consistent with him, it will get to a point where I can basically trust him.

 

The pretending with him on a line is a good idea. I work 4 days a week, and I am thinking that on my days off, I can do some training there, without actually being required to do the work!! It's basically to keep him close to me (a road runs through the farm!) and when I put him in a down stay (or sit staay, or just stay) outside a paddock or arena, he is to stay there until I release. I think the hard part will be the very beginning, when he is still jazzed about being out with mom!! I may take him out for a hike before I take him to the farm.

 

Thanks for the tips, keep them coming!!

[Guest pax]

My dogs do not come into the barn with me. At both places where I have horses, my dogs have big fenced yards or tack rooms, or the houses. They are allowed free roam only when all of the horses are in their stalls, right now that's all day because we're doing night time turn out.

 

I have a huge fear of liability issues should something happen. I have seen a few dogs severely hurt. I have seen horses run and put themselves through fences. It's just not a risk I choose to take, because I have so much traffic, human and equine in and out of my barn, and most of the human traffic is relatively clueless. You know how that escalates things.

 

Just so you can put my two cents into perspective, I am a newbie BC person, but not a newbie horse person.

[Balian's_Mom]

We don't have a lot of traffic in and out of the barn, and those that are, are pretty knowledgable. I just need my dog to be polite and well-mannered about it! But I understand where you are coming from, and I will not be ok with him loose until I trust him to behave himself, which may be a while, seeing as he is only a year and a half, and the puppy is just a baby still!

[Bula's Lady]

my last dog was great at the trail riding barn i worked at, she didn't bother the horses and always went out on trial rides...just either followed behind or went in front of me...i taught her to "go ahead" so that she was in front of the line and new it was ok to lead.

 

there are some dog aggressive horses out there....one horse picked up a full grown GSD in its mouth and flung her and sent her rolling, then went over to stomp her. luckily she rolled under a fence...

 

i also have another horse that i take care of right now who is dog agressive as well, he does not like them in the paddock with him at all, he will try to stomp on them, even if they are just out sniffing the poop! my dogs now know not to go in the paddock with the mean horse, but they can go in with the gentle horses...my bc doesn't try to herd them at all, just roll in the poop!

 

the main people i hang out with, with horses. have border collies and GSD, that are allowed free run of the barn and rides, no problems with them at all.