horse herder

[lark]

I have a 6 mo BC who is trying (I think) to learn to behave. He has his own areas to run and is learning on leash to herd my dairy goats, at least he helps get them in. Yesterday we we getting ready to saddle one of the horses so I took him inside, before I could get the door shut he bolted. Yes he headed right for the horse. We avoided a very dangerous situation but I really need to know is there a way to get him used to the horses? When he is in the pasture with them alone he is fine, no chasing or runing at them but if I am near them he seems to think he has to get them away from me. Is he trying to protect me or what? I have no problem keeping him kennled when we ride but I am worried that if he gets out or someone else in in the area (we are very rural) riding there could be a serious accident.

Need advice please. I have alot of patience but I need to know what to expect? Also am I simply expecting too much for such a young dog? :eek:

[PennyT]

You need to post this in the training section so that you can get more replies.

 

Years ago, my now retired dogs were fine around the horses until, heaven help me, I got on one, then the dogs thought it was a good idea to heel the horse...just to move it along for me, I guess. The results were, well, amusing to my husband and at the very least kept my attention riveted.

 

I got the heeling stopped with lots of yelling and lots of leading the horses with me on the ground while I counseled dogs loudly on the wisdom of leaving horses alone. It got so that we could take the dogs riding with us safely.

 

The whole training experience was an invigorating adrenalin rush which I do not recommend to anyone but you've got to get the dog to leave the horses be and not help you out with them. Horses are good at targeting kicks.

 

Penny

[PennyT]

Part of your problem is going to be that you have been training a very young dog, probably too young to start on livestock, using a leash. By doing this, you have possibly eliminated using the leash to teach your dog not to work horses.

 

Is there a professional trainer of border collies on livestock anywhere around you?

 

Here is what I think: stop using the dog to help you drive the goats in a night for at least a month or two. You really should start your dog gathering stock for you, not driving stock from behind with you anyway. In fact, you can create a problem doing that but your dog is young enough that you can probably correct it.

 

You're going to have to be careful now or you'll turn the dog off completely. I think the best approach for the next few months is not to work the dog at all but keep the dog away from livestock so that you DON'T have to call the dog off. Then you need to find a trainer who can help you teach your dog to circle. If the dog gets into the goats, don't get excited or angry unless the dog is vicious, just call him off or get him off and tell him he is good and get him off the stock.

 

Where are you? If this is a small town, give the largest nearby town.

 

Penny