# Introducing dogs to horse.



## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Never had to do this before. Anyone have any advice?


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## Lucky Dog (Sep 16, 2007)

I don't know about others, but this is how we have done it with our dogs. A lot depends on the dog and the horse. We have one old guy that is great with dogs, kids, old folks and all the other farm animals. That's the one we do the intro's with. BUT first make sure your dog has a "leave it", "place" and a good recall.

Most dogs are a little intimidated by a big animal. So we do the intros slowly. The dog is allowed in the barn only when all the horses are in their stalls or out in the fields. Then she can come in to smell around. Leading the horse with the dog on the leash isn't done, to much of a chance for tangles! We will bring the dog over on the leash to the fences and let them sniff, no dog ever is permitted in the ring or fields when the horses are in there.

Once Penny has a good comfort level with the horses, she is given an old horse blanket tolay on in the barn ( in tack room or in a stall) when I am grooming the horses. They do get use to them. Just remember no running is permitted ( of course there is the emergency exception) around the horses. 

She is now at the point when we feed, she waits outside or goes to her place. On the trail she is never behind but to the side of the horse or in front. When I go into the field, or ring she has been taught to wait outside. Leading the horses she is always in front or to the side. Penny has been more of a challenge since her herding drive is higher than our old lab. But it does work for us. Good Luck.


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## skelaki (Nov 9, 2006)

That's a good way. Be sure to keep the dog on leash (later have it drag a long line) so you can correct the dog if it starts to bark at the horse or chase it. If the dog has a strong prey drive you might eventually want to consider an e-collar (be sure to have someone knowledgeble teach their proper use if you do).

I've been fortunate so far to have dogs that were generally good around horses and one (a Keeshond) that loved horses. They were her best friends and playmates. My friends had a mare that, for unknown reasons would literally try to kill any dog that came into her corral but Robin would permit Misty to come in and meet her newborn foals.


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## Rowdy (Sep 2, 2007)

I don't own any horses, but there's an equestrian center within walking distance and the horses share a lot of my summer hiking trails.

What I did is take the dogs ON LEASH over to the stables (after checking with the horse people) and walked them around. I let them sniff the horses and check them out from a safe distance. I made them sit, down, etc and got them used to doing their normal thing with the horses as background. I did this a number of times over the early part of the summer. So the dogs learned to just ignore the horses. Now when we run into horses on the trails and the dogs are off leash they know that the horses are no big deal and they just go on about their business.


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## LucyGoosy (Mar 19, 2008)

I adopted a dog recently and have two horses. It was obvious that Lucy hadn't been around horses before because she was scared of them even from a distance. At first, I just let her out in the fenced yard where she was no closer than 50 feet or so from the horses. I did horse chores and didn't bring her any closer until she was comfortable watching me mingling with them from the end of her yard. Then, I put them in their stalls (shedrow type barn with dutch doors opening to the pasture) and left the top door open so they could put their heads over but there was a solid bottom door so they couldn't hurt her and she couldn't get to them. I brought her out. She was nervous but interested. She barked a lot at first but both she and the horses felt comfortable with this barrier between them. Once she calmed down, I had her on a leash outside the pasture as they milled around near her. 

It took a few weeks before I really trusted both horses and dog together in the pasture loose. One of my horses is known to kick dogs, so I had to be pretty careful. They have now worked out an agreement and neither dog nor horses are scared of each other. Lucy barks at them some but not as much as she did at first. I can call her off the horses and get her to stop barking pretty easily. She is a herding breed mix, so she thinks they should be in their place and isn't completely happy until they have gone into their stalls. She takes great pride in being a part of that operation, lol.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

I have had Cassie sniff Bree (the horse)through the fence. Bree whuffled once and Cassie shot backward SO fast. I didn't know she could reverse that fast.LOL Cassie is normally good about meeting new animals. 


Bree is only about 10 mo. old. She is the steadiest filly I have EVER seen. I haven't seen her spook on ANYTHING yet. She shows no fear of the dogs. The dogs go ballistic when they see her from the dog run.

I did happen to be walking her past the run once and mom let the dogs out of the house. The all ran down in a noisy mass. I managed to get the three big ones to sit and Bree was fine other than one little dance. Cookie the JRT was of course in total quiver mode. I was thinking of bringing the two labs over one at a time and introducing the through the fence. I'd just like to get the dogs settled before we put bree out in the electric fence for free grazing. Just in case there are accidental escapees. Especially as Bree is SO calm, I'd like this attitude to continue.

ETA: Thanks for all the advice BTW.


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## GreatDaneMom (Sep 21, 2007)

my dogs have been great with the horses. i used to take Chloe to the barns with me when she was very little and she would sleep in the hay stall most of the day. but she did sniff horses through their stall gates and such. one thing i DID MAKE SURE to teach her was to SIT when horses walk by. this way there was no chance of her spooking the horse by moving, or getting stepped on. Everytime someone walked a horse down the isleway i would move her to the side and make her sit. now she does it automatically. 

whats cute is that my mare, her first born, and my oldest dane are best of friends. when you toss them hay at the gate of the paddock, Chloe gets on the other side of the gate and eats the hay with them lol. its cute. she also would run up and down the fence with the filly and jump and twirl and the filly would do the same and whinney and Chloe would bark. it was soooo cute. i cant wait for my mares next foal, shes due next month!!


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