Aled, 2 years today!

TheresaW

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2 years ago, Aled came to live with us. First dog I’d owned for a long time, and first dog for the OH ever. Were a few issues in the beginning, mainly guarding issues, I have scars that will be here long after he has gone, but, we love him, and have learnt to manage them. The scars are only from one bite, and really were my fault as I’d told OH exactly how to deal with it, and then ignored my own advice! My bad. No issues at all for the last 18 months.

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He was very aggressive towards the horses when he first came to live with us, mainly fear I think, and was something I worked on really hard. Not so much for my benefit, because it wasn’t the end of the world if I couldn’t take him up horses with me, more for taking him out in the woods where we would meet other horses, and not fair on them and their riders. He is now too chilled around mine, would think nothing of just going and laying down in the middle of them and at risk of getting trodden on if I let him. He will now ignore horses when we are out and about, so we are all happy. He will be 13 in January, and I cherish every single day we have with him.

I have some video of him totally relaxed around the horses, but unfortunately, no idea how to upload them.
 

Clodagh

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He is such a lucky boy to have found you. (And you him, obviously).
I don't know how to put videos on here either, for which you can all be thankful or there would be loads!
 

TheresaW

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He is one of the lucky boys in that he had a good life before us, just sadly he outlived his previous owner. He did go to someone else before us that didn’t work out, mainly because of his guarding issues, but he’s stuck with us now for the rest of his days.
 

BBP

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Can I ask how you went about working on his behaviour around horses? My puppy is doing brilliantly now at a distance from them but I know for sure that if he got off the lead he would be after them. So I’m interested in what approach you went for. Sounds like you have done a great job.
 

TheresaW

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It was just time really. In the beginning, I used to tie him on the lunge line whilst I did my poo picking etc, far enough away from the fence that he couldn’t get to them as he used to really go for them. When I started to put hay in the field, once the horses were all occupied eating, I took him into the field on his normal lead and just walked him near them until he learnt to ignore them, then gradually started letting him off his lead at the opposite end of the field from them. He does live for playing with his ball, so always have it with me and as I’m poo picking etc, we just play. I now trust him more than the horses as he’s so indifferent. I do have to keep my wits about me because if one of the horses did decide to charge at him, he’d probably just sit there staring at it!

Our other dog kind of taught herself to stay out of the horses way. First time I let her off lead, Mac came over to the fence and she jumped up for a closer look. Electric fence, she got a shock, thinks Mac did it, so now, if one of them starts to come over, she’s straight under the fence into the empty paddock! (Field is divided into 3 paddocks all with electric).
 

BBP

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Thank you. About 6 weeks ago I took my puppy up to the yard and he just lost the plot, was beside himself hysterical, no idea what triggered such a reaction other than that I was in a very fragile place myself and feeding my stress back to him.

I didn’t take him back up there for 4 weeks but we have been up a few times in the last 2 weeks with the long line clipped to me and keeping out of the fields that have horses in. He is now watching intently rather than obsessively and will recall happily away and work through his obedience heelwork and search training up there. So I’m really really happy with how he is doing and from your post it feels like I’m going in the right direction.
 
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