Border Collie ate my horses tail!

AnnaCarner

AnnaCarner

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The Plains, Virginia, USA
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Can anyone offer suggestions on how to stop a Border Collie from grabbing and holding on to my horse's tail. He's already taken off about 12". Very smart dog - so I figured it would be easy to reprimand him and shout "No Tail" as his cue. Forget it! Now he sneaks around when we're not looking to get Simba's tail. Depressing.
 
Your easy answer is to put him in a stable/car/crate/cage or keep a line on him, physically stop him from doing it.

Your training answer is that if there is no consequence for ignoring 'no tail' or no reward for listening to 'no tail' then it's not going to make much of a difference.
He has made the link between being CAUGHT in the act and the reprimand, hence the sneaking, it's already too late to start 'reprimanding' as he has rewarded himself already with a mouthful of tail.
You need to catch the dog BEFORE, while he is thinking about it, and distract him with whatever tool you are using, reprimand or reward for ignoring the tail and coming to you.
Also, you must have a very tolerant horse!! Lots of dogs would be dead by now!
 
Put something nasty tasting on your horse's tail. Something that is pretty smelly and tastes awful. Once poochie has had one mouthful the smell alone should put him off doing it again.
 
Gosh your pony is good though. Our German Shepherd tried to sniff round our pony's back end shortly after she arrived home. Poor pooch got double barrelled for his curiosity and kept well away ever after.
Would second spraying something yuk on the tail.
 
Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah, my horse Simba is an Arabian who allows me to grab his tail when on the climb up the steep driveway to my house - guess he's used to it:( Bummer. Any other horse would have 'nailed' him by now.

I'm going to sneak around and catch him now - then give him the consequence of confinement in my tack room, knowing he wants to go on the trail with me. I am also going to try some hot tobasco sauce as a tail-biting repellant of sorts. My luck, the dog will love it!
 
Many years ago we had a billy goat(do not ask me why as i really dont know!) and he proceed to eat daughters shetlands mane and tail. think hogged mane and stump of dock. it ate the lot. and blooming pony stood there and let him. so not impressed :(
 
honeymum said:
My mum's Collie has done this to every horse she's had at some point, she just jumps up and hangs on. She has actually lost most of her front teeth from doing this and STILL doesn't care. The only way to stop her is not let her around the horses. :-(
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There is a way to stop her. This is a dirty habit with sheep and collie dogs. We used to have some who'd hang onto the cows tails and would end up hurting them. Solution was short start painful reprimand ..or put a muzzle on.
 
Unfortunately got one of these dogs at my yard - dog lives there, and my horse's beautiful silver tail is already starting to go missing as they are nearer the house in winter. Last year he lost so much I had to repeatedly plait up and fold the rest so the dog couldn't reach it. I didn't want to make a mess of his tail by putting stuff on it.
 
AnnaCarner said:
I'm going to sneak around and catch him now - then give him the consequence of confinement in my tack room, knowing he wants to go on the trail with me. I am also going to try some hot tobasco sauce as a tail-biting repellant of sorts. My luck, the dog will love it!
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my dog loves tabasco sauce. Used to lick it off everything lol

babymare said:
Many years ago we had a billy goat(do not ask me why as i really dont know!) and he proceed to eat daughters shetlands mane and tail. think hogged mane and stump of dock. it ate the lot. and blooming pony stood there and let him. so not impressed :(
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Yep had that problem too lol
 
Making the tail taste revolting is the only way! Regardless of aesthetics smother it in cribstop or creosote or mustard....some people like tabasco as do some dogs!! I would plait it into a square of old sheeting with 2 splits to protect it as much as possible and then smother the whole plait in the selected substance!! Good luck. When the tail has been left alone for some time then you can start cleaning it up!!
 
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