# good dogs around horses



## EventingxxElise (Feb 18, 2013)

Are Portuguese Water Dogs good around horses?


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

I think it all depends on each dog, for 90% of dogs out there. 
I could have sworn that both of our roadside specials would have had issues. But one plays with my horse, the other just gets in the way, lol. At first she was scared to death and acted as if she was going to attack them. But that quickly changed when she got chased. Our dogs and horses get along great 99% of the time. I think a good calm horse can teach most any dog to be respectful.  My 2 cents.


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## WSArabians (Apr 14, 2008)

No idea.
My Pittbull and German Shepherd are great. Chihauhau's not so much.


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## HollyLolly (Dec 25, 2009)

I think any breed (usually, not always) could get along with horses. It's not really about the breed, it's about early socialisation, and exposure to all kinds of situations (both horse and non horse related). I personally would never trust a dog 100% with a horse, nor would I trust my horse 100% with my dog (as in, never leave them alone together) you never know what could trigger a horrible situation, which could have been avoided with supervision.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ditto - it just depends on the dog AND how one trains the dog.

My neighbor's Weimaraner and Black Lab both have terrible manners because all they do is play with their two boys - lol 

Until they come in my barn - they learned a few years back "my barn my rules" and they are very well mannered when they come to visit.

The Weimaraner wanted to chase the horses when she was young but my big Sorrel put the slams to that in a hurry - lol lol

I've had Rottweilers, Dobermans, big dogs of unknown origin. My two current dogs are a Dobe/Rott and Leopard Cur/Fox Terrier. Both are very well mannered in the barn.

I agree little dogs like a Chihuahua may not be as well mannered because they seem to be nervous and yippy dogs by nature.

I honestly don't think there isn't any dog than can't be taught barn manners; some may just take more patience than others


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

Totally agree walkin!

Our one had to get nailed in the head a couple months back when she forgot we don't chase moving horse feet (or swinging tails?!) I went to call the horse off, then said, nah, let her get clocked... she hasn't done it since lol.
I would agree that most small dogs seem to be unable to acclimate easily to much of anything aside from couch sitting and being cute.  Except maybe pugs. They are big dogs in little bodies! But still harder for a horse to see...


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I think as many other have said its all about training. For dogs and horses, unsupervised can lead to bad deals for all. You also need to have a horse thats good with dogs. A horse and you have to train the dog and you can't just assume that the horse will kick the dog and he will learn. Some will some won't and a kick from a horse can kill a dog or result in something like a seizure disorder (as happened to a great dog of mine growing up).


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## Horsesdontlie (Mar 11, 2011)

Its all about training. I have had dogs around my horses constantly. Some are worse then others to train to mind their manners around horses. Some are naturals. 

I have yet to notice a difference from breed to breed. I've even had a few small dogs that I've seen that are great around horses.


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## Casey02 (Sep 20, 2011)

I am a believer of the training. Not just based on the breed. I have a Doberman/ lab cross and he is excellent around horses and well behaved. My friends Australian shep cross is terrible and has no manners. The aus/shep cross has been kicked a few times


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

My labs were wonderful with horses. I now have a dog that is a cross between a bluetick **** hound and a treewalker **** hound. She is wonderful as far as loving the horses. She has learned to stay out from under their feet. She is great around the barn, but on trail rides, she runs off into the woods and then comes bounding back, overjoyed to be reunited with the horses. She startles them every time. I got tired of her making my horses jumpy, so I put her in the pen when we ride. It would take a shock collar to cure her, and I am not interested in going to that much trouble.


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

Celeste said:


> My labs were wonderful with horses. I now have a dog that is a cross between a bluetick **** hound and a treewalker **** hound. She is wonderful as far as loving the horses. She has learned to stay out from under their feet. She is great around the barn, but on trail rides, she runs off into the woods and then comes bounding back, overjoyed to be reunited with the horses. She startles them every time. I got tired of her making my horses jumpy, so I put her in the pen when we ride. It would take a shock collar to cure her, and I am not interested in going to that much trouble.


Our dogs are the same way! The bounding away to hunt, then come back empty mouthed. So I guess I should be thankful my horse doesn't seem to mind at all?!  I figured it was normal to not care. She only cares when our one dog stops dead on the trail and she has to stop too, so as to not step on him. Sure, she could walk right around him, but she would rather get all harumpy and scowl at him and wait, lol.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Dalmatians. Mine grew up, literally, between horses' feet. We always had the pack with us and the horses, and even my German Shepard killing Arab didn't mind the Dals. They are bred for going with and under the carriage, after all.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

My heeler and my horse are pals, my dog rides in the trailer with him


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## LisaG (Nov 11, 2012)

I agree with the previous posts about the need for training. My border collie tried to herd the horses when he was a pup. It took a lot of discipline to get him to cut it out, but he's great now. I'm sure it would be the same for most dogs, unless you have something super high-strung or dumb.

He does run around in the bush on trail rides, but I figure it's a good training opportunity for the horses. They seem to get used to his shenanigans pretty quickly, and they're less likely to spook if a deer pops out (or, God forbid, a bear).


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Dalmatians. Mine grew up, literally, between horses' feet. We always had the pack with us and the horses, and even my German Shepard killing Arab didn't mind the Dals. They are bred for going with and under the carriage, after all.


I had a Dalmatian. Eventually he turned out to be a great dog with horses. He was given to me as an adult. He was determined that horses were to be chased. He ran behind my Arab gelding, leaped through the air, and grabbed him by the tail and held on. The gelding kicked him so hard with both back feet, that he flew through the air and landed five feet away, unconscious. I just knew he was dead. He got up, shook off, and never chased another horse again. He was a fearless trail leader and a great horse. I would consider another Dalmatian for sure, but he would need to be socialized with horses at a younger age and hopefully less violently.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Celeste said:


> I had a Dalmatian. Eventually he turned out to be a great dog with horses. He was given to me as an adult. He was determined that horses were to be chased. He ran behind my Arab gelding, leaped through the air, and grabbed him by the tail and held on. The gelding kicked him so hard with both back feet, that he flew through the air and landed five feet away, unconscious. I just knew he was dead. He got up, shook off, and never chased another horse again. He was a fearless trail leader and a great horse. I would consider another Dalmatian for sure, but he would need to be socialized with horses at a younger age and hopefully less violently.


They do socialize much better when small
We had the puppies with the horses once they were agile enough to get out of the way if necessary.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I didn't really intend to get this dog. He strayed up. We found out who owned him, but they had quit feeding him in hopes he would go away. We asked them to give him to us and they did. Not the best people you ever met.........


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Friend of mine had a pack of five Salukis who raced with her Arabs. She had 5 acres fenced in with mesh wire, so she could let the dogs loose. Quite a sight to see...speed, grace, beauty....horses AND dogs


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Friend of mine had a pack of five Salukis who raced with her Arabs. She had 5 acres fenced in with mesh wire, so she could let the dogs loose. Quite a sight to see...speed, grace, beauty....horses AND dogs


Holy cow, I bet! Salukis can run! Beautiful all together, I bet!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

GracielaGata said:


> Holy cow, I bet! Salukis can run! Beautiful all together, I bet!


Yup, I was expecting bedu's and camels coming around the corner all the time.....still gives me goosebumps, thinking about it


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Celeste said:


> I didn't really intend to get this dog. He strayed up. We found out who owned him, but they had quit feeding him in hopes he would go away. We asked them to give him to us and they did. Not the best people you ever met.........


Geez....:-(


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## GracielaGata (Jan 14, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Yup, I was expecting bedu's and camels coming around the corner all the time.....still gives me goosebumps, thinking about it


Ha, that would be awesome! I would love to see it! 
Both of our dogs appear to be wonky hound mixes. The one adores the horses, and loves to go out and get my mare to run with her. They were adorable when we first moved here and she was an only horse- she would run and romp with him in the fields!


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## Nightside (Nov 11, 2012)

I would love a saluki! My wolfdogs are extremely unconvential farm dogs but they do alright. They don't hurt our critters. Not that I'd trust them in the chicken pen, at least, not all of them. The akitas are also a sight to see, I'm told.

I am even teaching my oldest male to herd the cows, in what is probably the most crude/basic way ever. I don't know much about professional herding, haha.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Roadyy (Feb 9, 2013)

Back in 01 I got my leopard/App/Arabian mare to the house as the first horse in the pasture at that place. The next morning she is trotting the front fence next to the road, my daughter and I walk to the gate that is midway across that fence and stand there in her way to see if she will stop for us. She would go around us and continue on her path. 

My oldest dog "Bud",who is about 18" tall, started coming out to where we were in the front of the pasture. Dolly got in between him and us with her face towards us. Every time he would try to go around her to get to us she would reposition to block his path. I fell in love with that horse and all her awnary(sp?) at that very moment!

Took about 2 weeks of him steadily wandering out into the pasture before she would tolerate him and then another month before they were best friends playing chase or dare I say tag in the pasture. She would lip him on the tail and take off running with him hot on her trail til he nipped her hoof. This would go on for hours a couple times a week.

Edit to add: He is a Heinz57. Not sure what all breeds in him. He is 13 now and could care less if there were an horses within his sight. lol I would say within hearing, but he is deaf now.


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## Lexiie (Nov 14, 2011)

My lab is great around the horses.
He'll jump up and put his paws on my mares side and she doesn't care
He follows out in trails and un the ring.

It depends on the dog and the horse. A few horses really dislike him and charge at him and he chases the pony arouns


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

One thing I found that seemed to help my dogs (and my friend's dogs) socialize with the horses is to groom them together, using the same brush. That way they (especially the dogs) associate the pleasure of being brushed with the horses, and they each carry a bit of the others smell on them.


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## Ponies (Aug 18, 2012)

my border collie is great with them, though she completely ignores them. lol! Rather be playing with the cats.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

WSArabians said:


> No idea.
> My Pittbull and German Shepherd are great. Chihauhau's not so much.


LOL! funny you should mention Chihuahua...

I have one, but he has no idea he is one, he thinks he is like my cowdogs. When we were in TX the neighbors bull and a couple of cows would get through the fence into my stack yard. I would walk out, open the gate and put the dogs on them to chase them home. Good watching, watching a 7 lb. Chihuahua chase a Red Angus bull...LOL! He gets excited when I grab my jacket and put my boots on, he likes hanging out while saddling horses and follows me when I ride.

Right now, my horse pen doubles as an arena and I ride with my loose horses. They are all ranch horses and used to ridden with loose horses, they follow you around for a lap or two thinking they are being wrangled then realize they aren't and go back to what they are doing. Anyhow, I was riding our big black horse about a week ago, the others following and dogs in tow. Mare gets the notion to attack my Chihuahua. She attempted to stomp a hole in him, I had to smack her with my romels to her off. I get off, scoop him up and take him to the house, wait for his adrenalin to wear off while I ride. I hauled him to the vet to get him some pain killers which cost me a whole $50. No broken bones, just scraped up and his tail didn't work well for a couple of days. Thank gawd it happened in the corner where the sand is deep, because all I saw was dust and hooves flying, thought she killed him but he didn't know it yet...LOL. But nothing has changed he still loves to go outside and feed and ride with me, he will even ride in the saddle with his front feet propped up on the horn while I am cooling out.

I think it is all about the training and socialization. My dogs do not go hunting their own work like working breeds do with out a job. But will work their a$$ off when it is time to go to work and I send them.


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## NaeNae87 (Feb 26, 2013)

My Border Collie is super with horses. She comes out on trail rides with us, doesn't get under their feet and never chases them.

As soon as she had all her vaccinations as a puppy, she was down at the stable with me and my horse though. She has grown up with horses.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

Any dog can be good around horses )And all stock) providing it is well trained.

My GSD is known as Florence Nightingale - she has to make sure that every horse is OK!
When this colt was gelded she refused to leave him until he was up on his feet and eating.










As for Chihuahuas, a friend has a Chi X some terrier. She is _tiny_ weighs 2 lb. This tiny thing is treated as a dog and not a toy and is perfectly happy and well behaved around the horses. 

One day friend went to let the young horses in (they come in loose) and Sugar went with her. I was waiting in the yard and my Lab, BC and GSD along with friend's other dog a pug X, were sat at the top of the track waiting for the horses to arrive. 
All of a sudden I heard friend yelling "RUN Sugar, *RUN!"*
This was repeated and next thing was this tiny chestnut ***** came streaking up the track, past the four other dogs and out of the yard to hide behind the stable wall. 
The four dogs just watched with expressions on their faces as if to say "What the heck?"
The horses had charged out the gate and Sugar was in front of them! She never had the sense to go under the fence but ran ahead of them. 
The horses know they are not allowed to run into the yard and had slowed to a walk but the Chi was taking no chances!
I was peeing myself with laughter, it was so funny. 

My late greyhound loved to race the horses, he would entice them to run and most of the youngsters loved the challenge. Never any nastiness from any just the sheer joy of running together.


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## NeighAngel (Feb 14, 2013)

All of my dogs are good with the horses. We have 2 dobermans, 1 collie, 1 toy poodle and 1 Jack Russel. All the Herding dogs I've had over my life time always took to horses like water. I started my dobies out as babies by introducing them to the sent of horses around them...blankets and such. For dogs smell is everything. By them already being used to it, the rest was easy.


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