# Best dog breed for trial riding?



## Ally56

Sorry for the misspelling. I meant to put "trail" riding.


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## smrobs

I can only speak of Border Collies, since that's what I breed/raise/train. They can make wonderful trail companions and they handle the heat very well. Ours work all summer long in pretty consistent 100+ degree temps and the only thing we really take care to do is let them jump in a creek or a water tank after each session of working cattle, where they have to run full out. As for just plodding along with the horses for 6-8 hours at 3 gaits, they don't have a problem at all.

However, BC's are very high energy dogs and most have a very high prey drive. So long as you have a good call-back that they answer to every time, then being out on the trail isn't the actual problem, it's the downtime that they have issues with. Because they are high energy, if they are understimulated, they will find ways to amuse themselves, which often includes being destructive by digging or chewing. If they are to be outside dogs, then they almost always have to be penned up or chained. If they are allowed to run free, they will often seek out animals to satisfy their prey drive; cattle, horses, goats, sheep, fowl, even deer.

Here is another thread that has a lot of good information
http://www.horseforum.com/general-off-topic-discussion/best-dog-breed-horse-people-113164/


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## katbalu

If I was going to ride a dog on the trail, I suppose it would be a great Dane.... 
Sorry... Couldn't resist. Border collies are INSANE. As in *whatsmyjobwhatsmyjobwhatsmyjob* 24/7!!!
My bf's parents have one, and I always get 'herded' through the house. I think a border collie would be an awesome trail dog, They certainly have the energy for it! I think they're annoying, but i think it's only because the one I'm around doesn't have a *job*. They are incredibly smart though.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Spirit Lifter

I'd go with border collie or australian shepherd or maybe even a lab. Since you have creeks they have a place to cool down.


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## Susan Crumrine

best darn dog I have ever had around the farm and on the trail? Red heeler.....


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## BarnflyStables

We have a border collie. We keep her hair cut short in the summer though. She is an awesome trail horse. We train alot of young horses and find that Flower (our border collie) can lead on trails when we have a horse that's a little unsure on it's first ride. LOVE our dog!


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## Kayella

A pointer! We have a pointer named Sam who is just full of energy and wants to play all the time. He think any and every dog is his best friend and wants to play with them. They're also fast learners, loyal, and affectionate. Sam loves going out to the horses.


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## Ink

Susan Crumrine said:


> best darn dog I have ever had around the farm and on the trail? Red heeler.....



That is what I want when I can move out of my apartment! I know a lot of horse people have them because I see them at shows all the time :lol:
I've also met one or two in person they seemed like great dogs. 
The breed goes by several different names: Australian Cattle Dog and Blue or Red heeler depending on the color. 

I absolutely love my Boston Terrier, but she makes me nervous around the horses because of her size. I'm afraid she'll get smooshed.

They make Mini Australian Shepherds now too if you're wanting something slightly smaller.


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## kait18

i usually see border collies, australian shephers, labs, retreivers, heelers, and cattle dogs of all sorts lol.. it all depends on what you are looking for. i am actually trying to break a beagle reputation of being fat and lazy by training my little girl beagle/border mix (looks pure beagle) to be a trail dog...

i think really any dog can be a trail dog it all just depends on the training...someone on here even had a malamute i think it was as a trail dog and taught them to jump in the saddle with them when others were approaching... 
but again its all really in the training


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## Island Horselover

I would recommend a Border Collie or a BC cross too! But the most important thing is not the breed it is how you train your dog! I have a Border Collie x black lab and she is perfect for trail riding, right energy, listening very well and has respect of the horses! Make sure that your dog is perfectly listening off leash to avoid any trouble out on the trails! Let us know your decision :0)


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## bsms

I've owned 2 Border Collies. One wasn't above trying to herd flies if she was bored, but what she really wanted was to be with her people. She could sit for hours watching us. The Border Collie I have now has short, coarse hair. He can go for hours if there is a reason, or relax contently for an entire day - IF he is with his people.

If anyone does want to get a Border Collie, get one bred for herding. If the parents haven't been used for herding or trials, pass them up. People who breed for shows or for games don't understand what a Border Collie really is. Pass them up also if your lifestyle doesn't allow you to spend a LOT of time with the dog.

Long hair doesn't stop a dog in hot weather. They don't have sweat glands, so the long hair doesn't make them hot. I don't think there is a breed that is good for trails, but any dog bred for outdoor work (hunting, herding, etc) should have potential.

If someone is interested in Border Collies, I'd recommend starting here:

Living With Border Collies

I normally try to steer folks away from Border Collies because too much popularity can ruin a breed fast. And unhappily, there are a lot of Border Collie breeders who breed for sport, or color, or all sorts of other things irrelevant to being a good Border Collie.


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## Celeste

The best trail riding dog that I ever had was a dalmatian. He stayed right with the horse. He kept the road clear of scary rabbits and snakes and such.

The biggest problem with some dogs is that they wander off into the woods, chase deer or rabbits, get in the road, or generally get in trouble. Somebody mentioned a beagle. They are super sweet dogs, but the ones that I have known will get off on a rabbit trail and they might not come back. 

My sister had a blue heeler that was an awesome horse dog. If he had a problem it was staying too close to the horse. Sometimes I worried that she would get stepped on.


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## smrobs

Bsms, that is a great website!

I adore the BC breed and will likely never go to another because they work perfectly for what I do and where I live. I am able to spend a lot of time with them and they get to work their little butts off in the summer. Because they are working dogs, they learn very young to stick with the horses until they hear the magic words "get out", which cues them to go herd the cattle that we want them to. Plus, they have a very solid call-back, so either a particular whistle or a spoken "That'll do" will immediately bring them all right back to us.

So long as a person has the dog knowledge and time to handle their high energy-high drive personality, a BC can be the very best dog for them. 

When I go out on a trail ride, I usually have anywhere from 2 to 10 dogs with me at a given time. Other than the occasional wandering of a very young dog, they all stay right there with my horse, regardless of the speed I'm going


















Once they figure out where the water is at and that it feels good when they're hot, a simple command of "Get in the water" will send them sprinting to jump in the nearest tank/pond/lake









But, as I said, the prey drive is very high and they will attempt to herd whatever they have access to. Some of them will herd fearlessly with absolutely no regard to their own health









Even though what they decide to herd can sometimes be, as the old saying goes, "as difficult as herding cats"


















But once they bond to you, they are some of the most loyal and devoted dogs I've ever seen. They will protect your family and your property to their dying breath.









Anyway, sorry for the picture overload LOL. I would recommend the breed to everyone so long as they would go into the ownership prepared and educated about what they were getting themselves into. So many people get a working breed dog because they are "pretty" and don't realize how much work it can be to keep them happy and well-adjusted.


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## Breella

LABRADOR! Preferably a black one. I'm biased towards them. I have not introduced Orson to my horses yet (I am afraid of the barn owners' current dogs bothering him) but he comes hiking with me to a local state park, he LOVES water. I can't keep him out of it for the most part.


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## bsms

I adore the breed. Hopefully they won't be ruined by breeding for looks.

When I wanted another one, I saw the name of a guy who did trials with them & I emailed, explained about our previous dog, and asked if he could help. He directed me to a woman who bred dogs for trials, and my agreement with her was that she would pick the dog most likely to fit in a non-herding home. A year later, the guy I emailed out of the blue won the National Open competition...

Jack believes his role in life is to bring order to the universe, which he defines as where we live. Unless asked, he won't go past the fence line. He's decided I need extra help, and is lying on my foot as I type. He was bitten on the nose by a rattlesnake last year. $2000 in bills later, I brought him home. His whole face was swollen. I made him a bed in a quiet place and left him to rest. Not a minute later, he crawled over to me, put his swollen face on my foot, sighed...and went to sleep.

Jack after he came home:










The first one we had was a constant companion to our baby. Some say Border Collies aren't good with babies, but no one told her:



















If our youngest strayed too far, Leila would lie down on top of her and bark for help. With the older kids, play could get rougher:


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## HorsesAreMyPassion

I also love border collies. They do make wonderful companions and they love to be out and about around the farm and with the horses. The first 2 pictures are of my first border collie, who passed away last summer, he was 13 years old. The rest of the pictures are of my new little companion, who just turned 1 year old end of March. These pictures were taken last summer when he was just a puppy.


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## Celeste

I have had several labs and they were excellent dogs. I have always loved labs. 

Do you have any problem with your border collies chasing the horses? Our neighbor had one that chased horses and cows and came close to killing them. He had to keep that dog confined 24/7 to prevent disaster.


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## mypets

I had a choc. lab that I took with me on trail. She was the perfect dog, always stayed right by my horse and listened well when on trail, never left our side. I never trained her to stay near me, it was just her personality-she just wanted to be with me. Unfortunately, my current labs don't have that type of instinct to stay as close so I don't take them with. On the other hand, I have a client with a border collie cross who is totally clued in to me, I believe that this boy would stick right by me no matter where I was or what I was doing!

And I love all the pics everyone's included of their dogs!


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## Jolly Badger

Most of the trail dogs I know are Cattle dog types, Heelers, etc. They have the stamina to keep up over distance and are small enough to carry in the saddle if they do get worn out.

Having said that, I had a Rottweiler who was an amazing trail dog. He absolutely would not leave my horse's side unless I instructed him to "sit" and "stay" somewhere. Never paid a moment's notice to other horses, riders, hikers, dogs, or wildlife we encountered. 

Having said that, his coat color made it difficult for him in hot, sunny weather if we were on trail without much shade. I usually left him at home during mid-summer rides unless we did an early morning or evening ride when it was cooler. I don't think he minded staying in the air conditioning all day. :lol:

In the spring, fall and winter he would go with me the whole time and not have a problem.

I've often wondered about Dalmatians, since the breed has origins as carriage dogs. I know the popularity boom they experienced really created problems for the breed, and I don't know much about their standard temperament. They'd certainly be an easy dog to see out in the woods. 

As with any dog, it is really important to train (and be consistent about) obedience work so that your dog is reliable off-lead, and well-socialized to be around horses, other dogs, and people. Keep in mind that many areas have leash laws, and though many park rangers are willing to overlook a "trail dog" that is off-leash, if your dog causes trouble for other trail users you ARE at fault.


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## BoldComic

I'd go with the Duck Toller. They have a more even personality. Eager to please but know when it's time to chill out. Some times border collies and other herding dogs have a hard time shutting down. They need a job to do pretty much all of the time. Duck Tollers are super smart and catch on to anything pretty quick.


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## Celeste

Cool looking breed! I have never seen these before!

Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever Information and Pictures, Little River Duck Dog


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## smrobs

Celeste said:


> Do you have any problem with your border collies chasing the horses? Our neighbor had one that chased horses and cows and came close to killing them. He had to keep that dog confined 24/7 to prevent disaster.


Yes and no. If ours get loose and there is no person around, they will often try to herd the horses from the pasture or the front paddock. They will occasionally nip at the horses and sometimes bark, but they've never shown any inclination of being aggressive enough to actually hurt the horse.

However, when one of the family is at the barn, the loose dogs are perfectly content to follow us around and completely ignore the horses.


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## AnnaHalford

While I love BCs and have owned two, I just wanted to add my twopence-worth in support of the many awesome mixes around... and also suggest maybe looking to get a young dog from a shelter? Many adolescent dogs are given up because their owners simply didn't pick the right breed - what everyone has been saying about working dogs needing a job. At a shelter you can find purebreds or mixes that have already gone through the puppy stuff, are already housetrained, and in many cases who have already settled down through the adolescent crises. Lots of shelters even work on their training. Plus, you can find one where you already know s/he's suited to trail running in terms of health, ability, and likes/dislikes. 

Just an idea. 

My trail / travel dog Delta is a two-year old example of that famous breed, the mid-size tan dog. She's from the Congo. I've had her since she was six weeks old and she is easily capable of 15 miles and up for more. ***photo overload warning***

Possibly not impressed with her photo position:









Wondering if there's a chance of a morsel of sugar lump falling out of Minina's mouth (no, there wasn't)









This was the end of a 16-mile day









Not agreeing on the need for hi-vis gear









Modelling her rucksack (she normally carries about 2.5kg but then she weighs only 17...)









OK, I'll stop there


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## Susan Crumrine

Here are some shots of my cattle dog both working and trail riding with us.
I do keep her pretty worn out, take her riding every day plus she works...










Here she is circling the horses up before bringing them in..










relaxing on my bed










Her big smile


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## Carp

Our Austrailian Cattle Dog recently did a 11 mile trail run.


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## Ink

This isn't exactly the face of a farm dog...

But she does like horses.... as long as they aren't bigger than her 










And she is great help around the house!









AND on top of all that, she still likes to hit the trails (provided we're on foot).


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## wetrain17

I have an Aussie and she's great to take along. You have to start training, for any dog, at a young age so they dont go herd the horse or run off to chase something else. I can be out there all day and my dog keeps up.


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## ~*~anebel~*~

At the barn I board at there is a little border collie type dog that just showed up last year. We think he was dumped or wandered up from the nearby reserve. 
Very, very intelligent dog and he is great for a boarding stable. All the boarders (26 stall barn) are his people and he is starting to guard more and more. He is very friendly, easily trained and with all the people around was able to be constantly disciplined for undesirable behavior. Now he chills out on his cushion by the front door and doesn't try to chase the horses.
He is so smart though that he picks up things, like when your horse paws in the cross ties and you yell at them and smack them or whatever, the dog has noticed this and will now discipline the horses for pawing Hahaha. It's not good because he will nip but boy oh boy he just went after my horse once and his 4 year long pawing habit is over.

He is a great farm dog. Hopefully the owners will start agility or something with him to give him a job.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Darrin

I would stay away from Dalmatians, the wife used to work at a shelter and they were the #1 dog turned in. The whole 101 Dalmatian thing really sent it over the top. Dalmatians tend not to listen to their owner and go do what they want, when the want which makes them a difficult dog for many owners. If you do get one, make sure you take it in for training early and often until well behaved.

The most common trail dogs I've seen all come from the cattle dog families. They have the stamina and temperment for it. Larger dogs are ok for slow rides in cool weather but don't do so well with faster horses or in hot weather. They just can't exhaust the heat they build up fast enough. We've raised both Rots and Danes as a family and had problems with during hot summer days. These were in shape dogs just trying to keep pace with our smaller dogs messing around along with "having" to run after the rigs as we worked. Our small dogs, nary a problem. Think it's **** near impossible to kill a border collie even if they spent all day running full out at 100 degrees.


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## smrobs

Darrin said:


> Think it's **** near impossible to kill a border collie even if they spent all day running full out at 100 degrees.


 
LOL, this is pretty much true. We lost _one_ to heat stroke a few years back and have had several close calls, but in over 20 years of breeding/training them (probably had hundreds, maybe thousands come through our barn) and working them for miles and miles on a daily basis in the hot Texas sun, I think that's pretty tough as far as a breed goes.


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## its lbs not miles

Border Collies and Austrailian Cattle Dogs are both excellent dogs. I've had a BC and I have a friend with a pair of ACD. For the most part you'll find more of the working dog breeds work well (but not all), and some of the sporting dog breeds will do well. In the working dogs almost all of the medium to large breeds do well, but be careful with the "giant" breeds. My Mastiff ***** does great, but only because she is very small for that breed (116 lbs). Most very large dogs can't maintain the pace. My father's 190 lb Mastiff could never hope to keep up and would have died trying to.
While hounds can do well, it's more of a case by case basis. If they have a strong hunting drive, as most hounds do, it can be difficult (at best) to keep them with you and not tearing off into the woods every chance they get.
Just as the very large breeds are not generally a good choice neither are very small dogs. I had a Beagle that did a very passable job of keeping 35+ years ago, but he could always keep the pace and so he stayed home if I was making a distance ride. My Malamute did great in during the not brutally hot weather and our German Shepherd did wonderful any time.


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## Ian McDonald

I have a McNab Shepherd that fits in well with whatever we're doing. Totally trustworthy running off-leash, leads with slack in the line on-leash, and has boundless energy when given freedom but can also shut down and be quiet inside my apartment in the city. Friendly demeanor, never met a human he didn't like. I can get him to focus when I need him to do something for me and then turn him loose to sniff around and explore and not worry about him. I've gone to sleep under trees and when I woke up he was right there. Probably the best dog I've had.


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## Lopin N Paint

I have to say, I love my lab! 
He is ALL performance bred.
Granted, he is not for everyone... you have to enjoy 'working' 24 hours 7 days a week with a dog to enjoy him. You have to love good old fashion fun energy. Oh, and you have to deal with doggie A.D.D. :lol:

But he is a good boy. Almost 2 years old (he he might slow down by the time he turns 9 or 10 lol). 
He is bred (2011 NAFC) FC AFC _Sire_ x GHRCH UH _Dam_ MH *** 
So far he loves the AKC hunt tests but he really wants to go the distance in AKC Field Trials. I'd like to at least get him a MH title. He also is a duck and goose hunting machine. I wouldn't mind doing agility with him, as he is a rocket on paws. 
He is really trainable so far though more independent in thinking than most common Labradors.
The only thing holding him back is me... poor guy! 

After having issues with my boxer being diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 6 months old I wanted a dog with health clearances. He cost me a pretty penny for a dog I think, but I really did get what I paid for.

Just to give you an idea of the health test for these dogs; 
His parents both had:
OFA Normal Elbows (both)
OFA Good (sire) and Excellent (dam) Hips
CERF Clear (both)
CNM Clear (both)
Thyroid Normal (both)
EIC Clear (Sire) and EIC Carrier (Dam) 
Carriers are non symptomatic but cannot be bred to other carriers... this did not bother me as I do not plan on breeding anyway, though the dog is intact for competition purposes.

If your looking for an active, athletic type Labrador Retriever I really suggest doing the homework and looking into the Field lines. There are a lot of great people out there that really stress the health of the dogs and only want to breed the best. But, like any other breed, you have to do the homework and find a good breeder!


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## Celeste

I love that lab!! I have had three great labs and one bad one. The bad one turned aggressive. His father and about 10 of his half brothers did as well. Several children will mauled by those dogs. He ended up being a security dog for a business. 

My last lab was the most devoted dog that I ever owned. He was over sized, and I think that his size made it hard for him to keep up for long distances trail riding. As he got older, I quit letting him come along because he would be in pain for days after a 10 mile ride. He lived about 13 years. I miss that dog.


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## flytobecat

OP- I suggest a heeler. Our friends healer stays right with her when we're out riding.
They are also smallish dogs with few health problems.
Our Malinois are good on the trail too, but I don't think they would do good in a living in a real small space.
BC are also great like everyone else says.


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## DutchFeather

I love my Pit Bull!!!!
She's great with the horses, stays right with us on the trail and will go all day! A lot of people are turned off by the breed, but they are so loyal and loving, and are very high energy which is great for trail riding.


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## Celeste

Lopin N Paint, if you decide you don't want that lab, I'll take him.


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## mustang man

currently I have a Catahoula and had a Aussie/Catahoula mix before that. They are awesome dogs in my opinion but again as smrobs stated you have to have a good call back because of the prey drive


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## pepperduck

I grew up with Dobermans and they always made excellent barn dogs. I really believe though that any dog you raise around that environment will really work out. I love Dobermans and they were always wonderful around the horses, would stay by us on trails, and go over and through anything. They aren't for a first time dog owner though, they need to know you are in charge, but really they are so loyal and such sweethearts. 
Here are a few pictures of my old Doberman who passed away a few years ago. 
She would always stay with us


She would go through anything. She wasn't the biggest fan of swimming, but she would do it if it was needed


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## Customcanines

My Doberman is a GREAT trail/barn dog. Reespects the horses and stays out of their way, and able to keep up however long the ride. She also stays close, and doesn't ever get out of sight or go chasing afterr animals. SHe minds her own business around strange people/dogs, but I also know that if I got into trouble on the trail she would defend me with her life. (Just seeing her would probably cause a person with evil intent to back off! LOL


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## Ripplewind

Red heeler, definitely. We have a red heeler, and she is the smartest, most willing dog we've ever owned. She is fast, protective, and loyal to a fault. I would go with a red heeler for sure.


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## Susan Crumrine

My red heeler...goes out to the pasture and gets the horses into the barn and then rides with you!
Doesn't get better than that.


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## Leonsbrushofluck

How are the pointers around the horses? My husband and I will be getting another dog and I want this one to grow up around the horses. Are they herders will they help me out? Or do they constantly have their nose to the ground? I want something I can trust to stay with me.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## myhorsesonador

Leonsbrushofluck said:


> How are the pointers around the horses? My husband and I will be getting another dog and I want this one to grow up around the horses. Are they herders will they help me out? Or do they constantly have their nose to the ground? I want something I can trust to stay with me.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Pointers are NOT herders, and they will most likely not want to stay with you unless trained really well. 

Have you looked into aussies?


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## Leonsbrushofluck

I'm a dog trainer but have never really had the opportunity to work with one. I have however my husband isn't a fan, they are a tad too small for his liking. Our two dogs right now are 100+ pounds.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## QOS

I would love to have a Blue Heeler. I think they are too cute for words and can keep up on a trail ride. 

I grew up with field trial beagles and trained them as a kid. My dad hunted Beagles and **** hounds at different times. Beagles are high energy dogs, sweet as can be, I have NEVER seen a mean ****y beagle (we did have a lemon one once that was extremely shy and avoided people) and we have had packs of them...not just one or two! 

They are fun little dogs, cute as can be, easy to train and smart. Can't say they would be great protection as they are friendly to everyone. They have 3 sizes - 11", 13" and 15" at the shoulder. Get a smaller Beagle and you can tuck that rascal in anywhere and they will go all day and all night. You can train them NOT to run off and to stay with you. 

Heck, I may have to get me another Beagle. I haven't had one since I was a kid but I have always liked them.


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## Crescent

I love pointers they r awsome trail riding dogs.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Jore

I didn't bother reading through this whole conversation, but really, any dog could be a great trail dog/barn dog.  Of course, I'd stick to a medium (maybe a bit bigger) dog, and one with energy.. but a lot of it depends on personality and training.

However, with the horse crowd around here, most dogs are BCs, mixes (usually a herding breed of some type.. but my instructor's dogs are a Pitbull/Beagle mix and a GSD/Lab mix) and then a respected instructor also has a Great Dane.


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## Failbhe

I've never owned a Duck Toller, but I worked at a vet clinic (reception) and saw a few - they seem to be very sweet, intelligent dogs and they definitely left a very favourable impression on me. 

Dalmatians seemed to have a LOT of health and behavioural problems - a vet I worked with commented that dalmatians have been ruined by inbreeding to get desired traits. I'm sure they're not ALL like that, but it's worth considering. 

Personally, I love mixed breed dogs. I have a husky/shepherd x (she is a fantastic trail dog - respects the horses, has a good call-back, though she does have a prey drive that can be an issue sometimes) and a rotti x (love her to bits... but she is the dumbest dog I've ever owned! When I get on a horse she seems to think I've just vanished - she can't figure out where I went!)


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## wyominggrandma

One major problem with Duck Tollers is they really don't bark when excited, they scream........... Very much gets on your nerves. I show a bunch of them for the owner and really hate when they start up with their scream/bark thing.......
Ugh.


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## equiniphile

I love my JRTs for trail riding. They're small enough that you can pick them up in the saddle if you needed to, but they definitely have the endurance to keep up on those 6+ hour rides.

Our black labs were also great trail/horse dogs.


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## Failbhe

wyominggrandma said:


> One major problem with Duck Tollers is they really don't bark when excited, they scream........... Very much gets on your nerves. I show a bunch of them for the owner and really hate when they start up with their scream/bark thing.......
> Ugh.


I can see how that would get old fast... I'm surprised none of them ever did that at the clinic. A vet clinic is usually where the worst of an animal comes out!


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## Celeste

Failbhe said:


> A vet clinic is usually where the worst of an animal comes out!


No truer statement has ever been made!!!


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## WSArabians

I honestly don't think breed matters. I think how well the person who owns the dog can train it matters.


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## luv2ride

I have a Red Heeler and she is great. She is high energy though.She is great at coming or stopping when she is called. Years ago my friend had an Irish Setter that always went with us. Really nice dog and could go and go and go.


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## COWCHICK77

WSArabians said:


> I honestly don't think breed matters. I think how well the person who owns the dog can train it matters.



I agree! 
Of course though breeds do have tendencies as well as bloodlines.
But training and environment is a big factor.

I know that I have said this before on here, but I have a Chihuahua that thinks he is a cowdog because he was raised with them. He follows me when I ride. Chases the neighbors cows/bulls out of my stack yard when I put my other dogs on. And loves to go out in the pasture to chase bugs and swim in the tank while I check grass and water. But yet he still has those Chihuahua tendencies, he likes being a lap dog, likes being under the cover to sleep and gets nervous easily and shakes in unfamiliar situations. 

It amazes me how well dogs adapt to their surroundings!
So maybe not so much as a breed of dog as rather just finding the right one for your lifestyle.


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## Failbhe

lol - my rottweiler thinks she's a lap dog. And my husky/shepherd thinks she's a cat! When we got her as a pup she was the only dog living with several cats. She HATES water and cleans herself like a cat. And she's a better mouser than any cat I've ever seen! She even catches birds sometimes!


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## COWCHICK77

^^^^Nature or nurture....lol


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## dctack

I have a border collie and an aussie. Both have made excellent trail dogs. The aussie has gotten along in years, so she doesn't go on long rides. But the bc doesn't miss a ride. She does nip at times, but stays very close to me on the trail. And with her small size, if she does get tired she has been known to hitch a ride on the horse!


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## smrobs

Oh, wow!!! ^^She could be a twin of my dog Coco









And her son, Trip.


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## dctack

They're beautiful! I think our girls are related! lol!


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## Blue

I have had a medium sized german shepherd mix that was awesome for 11 years. He finally passed and it was a couple more years before I was ready. But a little puppy on a group camp out started following me so home he came. He's a purebred blue heeler and scary smart! about 45 lbs, short hair and tough as nails. He stays right with me on the trail and doesn't leave until the trailer is in sight. If someone gets separated in a group ride he'll round 'em up and make sure they stay where they belong!

I can't seem to post pics. Is there a trick to it?


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## Celeste

You need to post the images to an external site such as 

Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

It is free. Then you take the image link off of that and post it.


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## possumhollow

I ride with my pit, Chloe and my husband takes along his Boxer, Lakhota. All of the dogs like to go, but we don't let the mini weenies follow along, just too small.


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## Blue

Celeste said:


> You need to post the images to an external site such as
> 
> Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket
> 
> It is free. Then you take the image link off of that and post it.


Thank you! I'm gonna try it.


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## Blue

Ok. This is my dog Blue. He's pretty special to me. The first one was when he was about 6 months old and we were camping. Some ranchers cattle had gotten out and kept coming in to our camp drinking the horses water and stealing our hay! So Blue kept guard for us.


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## flytobecat

Heelers are awesome.


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## QOS

OMG he is DARLING. I'd love to have a blue heeler just like that.

Well, seems we now have a dog again. Not a blue heeler - a German Shepherd puppy. My son's wife gave him the pup about 3 weeks ago and had paid a chunk for him. He is a nice looking puppy. They split up last week and he is home with the dog who howled quiet a bit last night. He said he would stay with us a few months and has found an apartment that will take dogs. LOL we told him a GS up in an apt. wouldn't be good for the dog. I told Honey Darling Precious he would have to train Thor to run with the horses. He is quiet good at training dogs so we now have a dog again.

This is Thor...the mighty. Hope he likes horses!


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## Celeste

Thor is cute!!


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## Blue

OMG! He's adorable! We used to raise GSDs. I got out of it because I always hated it when the puppies had to go away. We still have our momma dog and the last 2 of her pups. This is just one of them.
























I used to take one of our shepherds with me on the trails. The only thing I would say about teaching them to trail ride with you is go slow. Their joints develop more slowly than say a heeler or one of the smaller herder dogs. And they do have a tendency to become very protective of you so socialize, socialize, socialize. I had to stop taking mine because she was ok with other people, but if we came upon other dogs on the trails she would go directly into protect mode! Sometimes it was just more than I wanted to deal with.


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## BlueSpark

> I didn't bother reading through this whole conversation, but really, any dog could be a great trail dog/barn dog.


It depends on how fast/ far you are going, and where. Its really hard to take a heavily furred breed(like a great pyrenees) on a long, fast trail ride. My barn owner has one and beween overheating from the fur and trying to keep her 100# with us, she has a very hard time.

My jack russle gets distracted every 5 seconds and I'll find her sniffing flowers, or playing with someone elses dog. She has a great recall, but she's too small for the faster speeds and exhausting to keep track of.

My mutt however, is awesome best dog I've ever owned, dont think I'll ever own one like her. Loyal, obedient, fast, enduring, just the right size. She was a neglect/abuse case from a near by reserve. It took a bit of work to get her over her fears and trusting again, but it was all worth it. She can keep up when we go for faster trail rides. We did 15 km in 1.5 hours the other day, and she was right beside me the whole way, through mud, steep hills, a river, thick bush. Just had to say "Off" and she'll ignore any dog on the trail. I really recomend checking out local rescues. Near as we can figure she is Sharpei/blue heeler/germanshepherd/pitbull. Wonderful dog.


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## Blue

I love those pictures!


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## Golden Horse

There is more to getting a dog than deciding what is going to be good on the trail.

I never set out to have a trail dog, but my Doberman decided that he was going to be one, and when we lost him the Blue Tick decided that trail guard was his job.


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## QOS

Your shepherds are gorgeous!!! Thor is a cutie patootie but isn't our first Shepherd. We had a GS female for nearly 14 years - we had to put Betsy down about 3 years ago. She has been missed by all of us. Hubby grew up with Shepherds and is used to training them and Labs. My daughter is ecstatic about having a dog again and he will get the treatment from the grandkids too, so he will be socialized quickly!!!

Betsy was as good as gold but woe be unto a strange dog that came on her turf...she would roll them in a flash. She didn't play :-o but with humans she was pretty chill unless she had pups...then she only was ****y with men she didn't know. Children and women she was ok with. She was smart as a whip and better behaved than my kids...here is an pic of Betsy with the little rabbit in the backyard...I nearly split a gut when the rabbit ran after her one day giving the appearance of chasing the dog!!! This picture is not too long before we had to put her down so she is old in this picture. In her younger years I don't think the rabbit would have been a playmate!!


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## Blue

Betsy looks beautiful in that picture. Isn't it wonderful how they maintain their looks into their senior years? LOL:wink:


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## QOS

She was a beautiful dog...she had lightened up considerably in her old age. Poor darling developed breast abscesses and I had to nurse her back to health - I made her chicken in the crock pot every day until she got better. Unfortunately, they kept coming back and the last one wouldn't close up and we had to put her to sleep...much crying from the entire family over that. She is missed. 

Little Thor has wailed and cried about being in the crate for parts of the day. My son and hubby are going to put up some fencing to make him a dog run. We have a huge yard that is mostly fenced but hurricane knocked down the neighbor's part and he hasn't repaired some of it. We will have to put fence up so that Thor will have the run of the yard!


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## DashforCash

I really love the herding dogs BC and aussies and blue healers but we only have two horses. Would a herding dog be too much for such a small farm? I would love to bring him along with us on our trail rides too. We have alot of land he can run around on too.


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## Blue

DashforCash said:


> I really love the herding dogs BC and aussies and blue healers but we only have two horses. Would a herding dog be too much for such a small farm? I would love to bring him along with us on our trail rides too. We have alot of land he can run around on too.


I love my blue heeler. I haven't trained him to "work" but he goes with me everywhere. Stays with me on the trails and waits patiently when I have something to do. He's the right size for camping in my trailer and short haired so easy to take care of. I also have german shepherds and love them dearly, but I will stick with the heelers from now on.


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## BlueSpark

> love the herding dogs BC and aussies and blue healers but we only have two horses. Would a herding dog be too much for such a small farm


No. Mine is part heeler but she has INSANE endurance. I live in town and board my horses. We walk/jog/bike 4km a day and she follows me on rides. As long as your willing to provide the structure and excercise they need you should be fine.


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## bellagris

I have an english mastiff, while she does really enjoy coming along, she is definitely not built for it. If she does come it is always a short ride with plenty of rests lol

Ryder excels most at being a doormat, lounging in puddles, pools and poop


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## DashforCash

I think that's exactly what i need for my one horse he is green broke and gets spooked from time to time and i think if he got use to the companionship of a dog that might calm his nervous nelly mentality. The one day we went on a trail ride he did fantastic 6 and half miles but about 1/2 before we got done he just jumped and my son got bucked off and fell. Luckily my son didn't get hurt. I still don't know what made him do that.. Maybe a snake, rabbit.


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## TinyTexasCowgirl

*Shocked*

LOL I can say that after reading some of my fellow Texans posts, I am very surprised that no one mentioned Black Mouth Curs, Blue Lacys, or Catahoulas. All three are amazing trail dogs and were bred to cover long distances with cowboys. Only down falls to them are they can be a bit stubborn, but correct training can fix this, and you have to be careful on Deafness with the Cats due to some breeding for color and nothing else. 

Black Mouth Cur









Blue Lacy









Catahoula


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## fkcb1988

The best dog in my opinion would be an Australian Shepherd. I grew up with one and she was wonderful!! Tippie loved going on trail rides and behaved perfectly. She was a great protector, helper, listener and "sister".

Now I have a lab rot mix, Riley and he is amazing around horses and out on rides. Wouldnt trade him for the world! Our other dog, Millie, is a stray we found when she was around 4 months. She I believe is a Cocker Spaniel who is around 1 now and she took perfectly well to horses, goats, cows, chickens, water, truck rides etc. For a little dog shes a natural country dog!


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## fkcb1988

I dont know what happened but this pic was suppose to be with my post. This was Tippie the Ausie! 

I dont think breed really matters all that much however. Its about what you teach them and expose them to. Even individual personality and demeanor plays a big part.


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## thenrie

I'll second...or third...or whatever...on the Australian Cattle Dog (Heeler) as a trail/horse dog. A little Heeler trivia. They rank among the top 5 most intelligent of dog breeds (I think the BC is in the top five as well) and rank #1 as the longest lived dog breed. The record holder lived, I believe it was, 27 years. They regularly live into the late teens. They tend to be a "one-person" dog. In other words, they pretty much get along with everybody, but they will have that one special person. My wife has taught my Heeler all sorts of great tricks and he loves to do them for her. I can't get him to do any of them. But when I talk to him, he pretty much understands what I'm telling him. When I dress in my business suit, he knows not to jump up on me. When I'm in my work/riding clothes he gets so excited he can't stand it, because he knows he's going with me. When I'm going to my truck, there isn't anybody he'll listen to but me.

Mine likes to bark, which is aggravating. He doesn't like it much when a bunch of my kids' friends come over, so I have to be right there to make sure he doesn't start herding them away from the house with nips on the lower legs. I've been told they are great with small kids...but only your kids. They will herd them away from other kids and try to keep other kids away from them. Never experienced that, because my kids are older, but it could be true.

My dog, Clancy, follows right along with the horses, although he will occasionally chase a deer or rabbit for a few yards. He won't get far from the horses. When we come to a road crossing, he will, at my command, come sit by the horses and wait for my command to cross the road. When we're riding alongside a road, he will often trot along on the edge of the road. Apparently more comfortable on his feet. So I try to stay away from roads except the occasional neighborhood roads.

I have also had other good trail dogs, labs, shepherds, a Dane/Doberman cross (looked like a giant Greyhound), a Queensland Heeler, and even a crazy Irish Setter. They were all good trail dogs. I think my Blue Heeler is the smartest.

Pics: My Quensland Heeler (a little larger than a Blue Heeler) with me on a 50-mile pack trip in AZ; My sister's Golden Retriever with my dad on a day ride in the White Mountains of AZ; My Blue Heeler on a short training ride with my daughter in VA.


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## MHFoundation Quarters

I can only speak for my dog, he's a pretty good riding buddy. This is Dell, Deutsch Kurzhaar (basically a GSP). He has awesome stamina so he's good for however long you want to go. DH takes him for a 'run' with the quad going 15-20mph for what seems like forever, they cover some ground.


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## Blue

thenrie said:


> I'll second...or third...or whatever...on the Australian Cattle Dog (Heeler) as a trail/horse dog. A little Heeler trivia. They rank among the top 5 most intelligent of dog breeds (I think the BC is in the top five as well) and rank #1 as the longest lived dog breed. The record holder lived, I believe it was, 27 years. They regularly live into the late teens. They tend to be a "one-person" dog. In other words, they pretty much get along with everybody, but they will have that one special person. My wife has taught my Heeler all sorts of great tricks and he loves to do them for her. I can't get him to do any of them. But when I talk to him, he pretty much understands what I'm telling him. When I dress in my business suit, he knows not to jump up on me. When I'm in my work/riding clothes he gets so excited he can't stand it, because he knows he's going with me. When I'm going to my truck, there isn't anybody he'll listen to but me.
> 
> Mine likes to bark, which is aggravating. He doesn't like it much when a bunch of my kids' friends come over, so I have to be right there to make sure he doesn't start herding them away from the house with nips on the lower legs. I've been told they are great with small kids...but only your kids. They will herd them away from other kids and try to keep other kids away from them. Never experienced that, because my kids are older, but it could be true.
> 
> My dog, Clancy, follows right along with the horses, although he will occasionally chase a deer or rabbit for a few yards. He won't get far from the horses. When we come to a road crossing, he will, at my command, come sit by the horses and wait for my command to cross the road. When we're riding alongside a road, he will often trot along on the edge of the road. Apparently more comfortable on his feet. So I try to stay away from roads except the occasional neighborhood roads.
> 
> I have also had other good trail dogs, labs, shepherds, a Dane/Doberman cross (looked like a giant Greyhound), a Queensland Heeler, and even a crazy Irish Setter. They were all good trail dogs. I think my Blue Heeler is the smartest.
> 
> Yup! That pretty much describes my heeler! I've had several dogs and loved each and every one of them to pieces, but "Blue" is by far my most comfortable trail dog.


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## ARTEMISBLOSSOM

0P I posted this same question a few weeks back. After careful consideration and a lot of research I decided to get a boxer. I wanted a very short haired dog because I get allergic to dogs that shed clumps of hair. I believe like most posters here that any dog can be trained to be good trail dogs it just depends on what you like. I chose a boxer because I did have 2 fantastic bird hunting boxers years ago and I just love their happy goofy personalitites both on and off the trail. They have lots of stamina, are a good size not to get under the horses feet and clean up from a wet muddy ride very quickly. Have fun choosing your puppy from whatever breed you decide to get and good luck.


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## WSArabians

I had Boxers. Good dogs. 
My Pitbull is my best riding buddy.


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## thenrie

Yup, that's one thing about Australian Cattle Dogs (Heelers). They shed like nobody's business during the summer months.


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## Blue

Everybody is right. Any dog is just what you make of it. I only say that many breeds have inherent physical attributes that can either enhance their trail worthiness or hinder. In any case, good nutrition, regular and proper exercise and attention to training. Pick the dog that loves you back!


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## Ellieandrose

I had a Dalmatian, she passed away afew weeks ago actually at the ripe old age of 13 almost 14. Six days a week she would run 10k up and still she was 11. She got kidney failure just before turning 12. She would follow us to the end of the earth and back, she could go all day. Now we have a jack Russell and a finish lauphound x fox terrier x Pomeranian x something that has escaped my mind. The jack can hardly get down the stairs with out getting tired but the multi breed girl can go for days! She is all legs, slim build BUT she is pure WHITE so she does get quite dirty but hey at least you can spot her anywhere!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DaisyMae

*My opinion on this is The German Shepherd.  Of course I am a bit biased as they are our families breed of dog, but we have found no other for us. Not only are they protective and alert (which is nice while riding in the woods) but they love running and exploring as well. It also helps that they are a confident breed.*


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## thenrie

Went on a three-day trail ride last week. Had a Golden Retriever along. She's an excellent trail dog. 

We also had a pack mule along. After setting up a base camp, we just let her run loose while we rode, since we didn't have her packed. We didn't want to leave her corraled at camp alone. Turns out she my just be the best "trail dog" I've ever seen! She had a ball, back and forth, up and down. We all got a laugh when she decided to roll on a hillside. She went up the hill, laid down and started a roll and slid all the way down the hill on her back. Must have been fun, because she did it three times! We had a ball just watching that goofy mule play!

That's my dad with the dog. I guess the fact that he's still able to go out with me at 78 is a good sign for me.


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## AshlynNicole94

I have a few dogs right now, and have trained them all the same way(very well trained from day one and finished within 8months-1year) 

My first pup I bought was a Shetland Sheepdog, and he is the best dog I could ever ask for, I picked the largest pup of the group, but they come in ALL sizes. He weighs roughly 40lbs, and that is because my grandmother is over quite a bit, and you know how much grandmothers spoil their grand babies hahaha. He does have a thick coat which is quite a bit to maintain but we get him groomed once monthly and it's about $80. 

I take him out to the ranch with me, and he follows me everywhere, minds the horses and doesn't dart off. He's been on hacks with me through the neighborhood since the boarding facility I'm at doesn't have trails, he stays about 10-12 ft exactly behind my horse by busy roads, and pretty much the same through any terrain and my horse LOVES him haha. 

His only downfall(though I think it is just him, not the breed) is that he HATES water, but I think this is due to the fact that my dad threw him in the pool when he was just a pup. It was pretty cruel. :/ 

I think if you trained them as a pup to know that water is GOOD, you wouldnt have a problem at all they aren't very high energy dogs unless you ASK them to be. He is actually my indoor dog, and goes to the ranch with me daily for hours at a time so he can be a dog:b 


I will never own own another dog breed now that I have experience with other breeds. 

I also have a 1year old splash coat Siberian husky, who is very well trained, but sadly he is a bolter no matter how I train him so he can't be let off his leash unless he's in either the backyard, or a dog park haha. 

And lastly, I have a teacup Pomeranian.... And well. I think she'd be mistaken as a meal for a hungry coyote on the trails hahah. Though she is a great companion

Best of luck!!! Hope it helped!


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## TimeFlys

I just love my Heelers. They are loyal, smart,tough, stay with you, don't freak out and bark at other horses or people on the trail. If they start to take of on a scent all I have to do is call em back. They can go all day and then some more. Took my Boxer out once and she ended up falling out on the trail and getting lost.


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## cowgirl928

One of my friends has a Black Mouth Curr and he is my FAVORITE dog to ride with. He is incredibly smart, flushes things out in front of us, comes back easily when we call, he crosses ANYTHING, and he still knows when it's time to relax.


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## tim62988

one of the best dogs I have seen on the trail is my friend's boston terrier

the dog got tired of the slower pace and trotted right along with my TWH for most of our camping trip in September. 

i know my border collie would LOVE to go riding but I got her at 6months old (rescue) so i had to put a lot of time into fixing problems so she isn't as well trained as if i had gotten her at 8weeks old and started training, I do have a customer that owns Border Collies that says females are a lot easier to work with, males (no jokes needed from you ladies) tend to need a couple years before it clicks that they really really want to work for you instead of making up their own games


in the end it's what you put into the dog for what you will get out of it, feed it right, mentally train it right, and physically train it and most breeds will do fine.


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## montcowboy

there are tons of great dogs for trail riding. the best i ever had for hot weather riding were blue healers..or red...big dogs get to hot in general.what i have now is not the best trail dog i ever had..in fact he kinda sucks at it..but he is my best buddy i ever had goes everywhere with me. and yes..often i have to carry him aways.. he has the heart justnot the legs.. burs in his long hair is a drag.hates crossing water..all the things that make a good trail dog...i call mine the new breed of mountain papillion...lol... sad but true.. my buddy.boo


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## jinx1990

I have a min pin mix that likes to tag along with me on trail. He's small only about 13 pounds, and doesn't have a hard time keeping up. I only take him on shorter rides, but he loves it. But my favorite trail dog was a friends wolf mix! She loved my horses and the horses loved her. My mare really bonded with her and the dog stuck really close by and didn't wander at all. Even after the ride was over she would still sit out in the field with horses...she loved them!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## LisaG

Ally56 said:


> I've also heard that the border collie is a great trail companion, but correct me if I'm wrong, it seems like they would get REALLY hot in that thick black coat. ​


I have a border collie (rough coat), and he sometimes gets very hot in the summer, even up in northern Saskatchewan. He lays down in sloughs or any water body to cool off. Other than that, he's great for trail rides, but a border collie probably wouldn't handle the temps you're riding in (though neither would I).

You might want to think about a kelpie. They're a high energy stock dog, like a collie, but the breed was developed in Australia. They have no undercoat, so they shouldn't overheat.

The only thing with a kelpie pup is it might try to heal your horse at first. My dad has a kelpie, and this is a bit of a problem. But you might have the same problem with a collie (I did at first), or any stock dog actually bred to work. They're all smart dogs, so with effective corrections, they learn to stop.


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## jinx1990

A kelpie is great idea. I had one with my first horse and she did learn very quickly not to try and herd the horses. They are great dogs and I think would male an awesome trail buddy.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## rockyrider227

*Trail Dog*

After reading alot of posts on trail dogs I really want a Texas Heeler. It's a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Heeler (cattle dog). Both are supposed to be great around horses and both have alot of endurance for trail riding.


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## jaydee

Border collies are great as are springer spaniels, they have no problem with water and very trainable/high energy dogs. You can clip them in the summer
We have pointers now - also excellent around horses and trainable
Labradors & retrievers are another great breed - bred for retrieving from water
All the dalmations I've ever known have been totally bonkers!!!
Any dogs is only going to be as good as how much work you are prepared to put into it though


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## AnnaHalford

jaydee said:


> Any dogs is only going to be as good as how much work you are prepared to put into it though


This.


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