Ideal dogs for around horses?

I have a boxer and she....
Comes to work with me (work with horses), no bother (got to keep half an eye incase someone comes onto yard and she goes jumping all over them!)
Comes riding around the farm with me - never gives me any bother sticks to me like glue and obeys voice commands no problem (provided the correct tone of voice is used ;) )
Is happy to stay at home all day if/when necessary, she just sleeps
Has never been destructive, even as a pup
Matches my energy levels so if we go for a gallop she'll follow happily, if we're chilling on the couch she's happy too. When she's on one though she is mad and super bouncy, even in her old age!

Boxers aren't for everyone but my girl is perfect for me :)

I also have a rescue terrier crossbreed and she is good too but not for riding out, she just goes off and does her own thing :( she is also yappy which is very annoying.

I thought about getting a Dalmatian as OH used to breed them and I knew they were carriage dogs, but he said they were bred to chase and nip at horses heels to get them to go faster so thought better of it.

Boss has lurcher crosses and when we go for a ride they just disappear into the woods and meet us as we get back! They frequently bring down deer as well, I personally wouldn't like that (boss doesn't let the carcasses go to waste though).

I do understand the other posters who say they wouldn't have the dogs around the horses but my dogs and I are happy and I enjoy the security of having the dogs with me on the dark nights in the middle of nowhere. If vet/farrier etc about then I do lock them up in a stable or if I'm going riding off the farm as wouldn't want to be crossing other people's land or roads with loose dogs.

Good luck with the search :)
 
J&S said:
My last three dogs over a period of 35 + years have been collies and I would not change now, except possibly for a lurcher. All three have accompanied me out riding, both in new Forest and in Devon. They really do need to be well exercised to keep them sane and happy and the miles covered accompanying a rider nearly equates to the work that they might be doing with sheep. The other advantage with a collie is that they will stick with you and not disappear off hunting, if you do loose your collie you must look for it as it may be in trouble, caught up behind fencing or worse. Do NOT get a Basset hound!!! (detailed info supplied if required!!)
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Tell us more please, would love a basset hound!
 
Nearly 30 years ago I had a Dalmatian. He loved coming coming both up to the stables and coming out on hacks with me. He used to pace automatically by the side of my horse. I suppose he was so good because Dalmatians were bred originally to be carriage dogs. He never ran off and always followed/paced beside us without Any training. I got back into horses a few years ago, thought I would be able to do the same with my Labrador but the reality of the situation is that the roads are now too busy and I can't be getting off and carrying poo bags around with me.
 
My little cross breed was great around dogs. I think because she was brought up around them. I used to take her out on hacks with me and she was pretty good, but occasionally was a pain in the neck. This was on an RAF base that went straight into the woods so normally was fine but every now and then she would get into mischief. I was a slightly scatty teenager at the time and just assumed she would always be ok. Now as an adult I don't think I would do it again but it totally depends on where you're hacking I suppose.

I'm not sure I'd have a dog again though if it had to be left all day. I have done it before but now I work part time and my in laws are about to pick my daughter up from school our dog is only left for a few hours at a time.
 
Labradors all the way. Or my never to be replicated little mutt from the local dogs home back in the 80's. Wish I could have cloned her!

You can't beat a Lab. Just a bit greedy, so you need to keep an eye on feeds, bins, packed lunches etc, although my current one would choose a tennis ball over a steak. Definitely a bonus!
 
wills_91 said:
Tell us more please, would love a basset hound!
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I used to have a dog training class and in my experience they are probably second only to Great Danes as being the most frustrating dogs to train! They look at you very earnestly and then proceed to do their own thing! However, I too, like them, and would happily have one as a pet but not to take out around or with horses. You would spend half your time getting off to retrieve it from the wrong place and the other half persuading it that .yes, it can in fact walk and needs exercise!
 
I'm voting for Jack Russell terriers - two so they can keep each other company when you're not there, although you should definitely get a dogwalker in, more so they see someone than for exercise as all day's too long to leave them. Not all walkers take 12 at a time, find someone who's doing it for pocket money rather than a career.
Jacks are also great at amusing themselves at the yard, sniffing out rats etc.
I see people riding in the forest with jacks trotting along behind, they'd traditionally follow on hunts so it's part of their working instinct, the downside is if you get one who goes off after squirrels/rabbits on his own. In my experience bitches are more loyal, but you might have problems with two together fighting to both be dominant, most settle after neutering though.
Good luck OP 😀😀
 
Going to throw a spanner in here- I have a German Shepherd, comes up the yard with me and is no bother, everyone loves her, and he doesn't bother the horses or the cows or chickens! I don't often hack out, and there isn't much off road hacking where I am so she only comes when someone is free to walk her, but she understands that I'm still me when I'm on a horse and she obeys the commands from me on the horse ( sit,stay, down). She also is quite sedentary, she'd be perfectly happy to couch out all day after half an hour romping about the yard. Though I will add that she is quite destructive, but we solve this by making sure there is nothing she can destroy!
My vote too would probably be a lab, you cant go wrong!
 
My best yard dog was a lurcher cross, he was a rescue and very easy to train. I now have 2 Romanian rescue terriers types, adorable boys who are so loving, but they are kept in the tack room when I'm at the yard - their scenting/hunting instincts completely overrule everything when out and about!
 
springtime1331 said:
Sounds very like my patterdale. He's extremely lazy unless he fancies going for a run. Basically he's only ever interested if it's his idea, and he mainly thinks my ideas are rubbish and boring.
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They were clearly separated at birth! Hector really comes to life if there is a fox down a hole and then he is like a thing possessed, and if he is on the scent of a fox it is extraordinary quite how quickly such a lazy creature can cover the miles. Otherwise he is very placid and is bossed around by the cats, chickens, ducks and is utterly tormented by the ferrets. He is also only obedient if he is within reach (and he knows to the nearest mm what distance that is!). His recall tends to be at his own speed and you have to make it very clear that it is non-negotiable and even then he is likely to stop and sniff at things on the way back! He is great around the horses because he basically isn't interested in them and keeps out of their way, but he would really prefer the urban lifestyle he has when he goes to stay with a friend of mine!
 
I have a lab (working bred) who ticks all your boxes (he either goes to my mum and dad while I work or we have dog walker in for few hours- currently twice a day as have a 11week old Lab pup too)
I don't take him out riding with me but he would as he has come when OH is walking or cycling and I'm riding.
However we have spent thousands training him as he is used in winter to work and I honestly think if we didn't he wouldn't be the same dog he is now! We will be doing the same with new pup altho she is being helped along as he is teaching her the ropes (not sure she will be as good at yard tho as she is more independent and already wants to go exploring, our older one is people dog and likes to be nearby so he just potters round the yard keeping relatively near)
Make sure you do your research into working labs and get the right lines (you don't want a dog bred for trialling as they will be more high maintenance than one bred just to pick up)
 
FfionWinnie said:
My honest opinion as a dog trainer, behaviourist and person who uses dogs professionally every day for work, is none.

No dog is "ideal" around horses because horses and dogs are not ideal companions.

Any well trained dog and well trained horse might be ok but what happens if you fall off and are injured. I can think of a million boring scenarios where having a dog in tow would be a right pain in the ass and I am saying this as someone who has professionally trained dogs with excellent temperaments and manners as you are likely to find anywhere!

I could easily take my dogs out hacking with me, but they are worth more to me than that and so is my horse who is also very well behaved and nice tempered. I honestly think keeping the two mostly separate is the safest and most enjoyable life style!

Call me boring but I've been there and done it and seen it when it comes to dogs and horses and that is my conclusion.
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I agree with this.

My JR's mum used to hack out with her owner and I was really excited at the idea of being able to take my little dog out with us. However, the reality is that it is a total pain and really not worth it. JR's are (IMHO) the very best dogs in the world, however they are prone to getting a sniff of something exciting and becoming totally deaf to anything their human says!

I do take her down with me to feed the horses in the evenings and she absolutely loves it. It took careful training of both dog and horses to ensure that they were all safe around each other and I keep a very careful eye on her but mostly she is more interested in whizzing around the field at warp speed to bother the horses.

I think JR's are the ideal dog for the horsey/country lifestyle however, I wouldn't leave one at home all day on it's own. I work part time so my little dog isn't on her own for too long.
 
Des-rocks said:
I'm voting for Jack Russell terriers - two so they can keep each other company when you're not there, although you should definitely get a dogwalker in, more so they see someone than for exercise as all day's too long to leave them. Not all walkers take 12 at a time, find someone who's doing it for pocket money rather than a career.
Jacks are also great at amusing themselves at the yard, sniffing out rats etc.
I see people riding in the forest with jacks trotting along behind, they'd traditionally follow on hunts so it's part of their working instinct, the downside is if you get one who goes off after squirrels/rabbits on his own. In my experience bitches are more loyal, but you might have problems with two together fighting to both be dominant, most settle after neutering though.
Good luck OP 😀😀
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Yay another JR fan! :)

I'm thinking of getting another little dog and it will probably have to be another JR as Maddie is pretty anti social towards anything that isn't another JR.
 
Whatever you choose you need to bear in mind it can take a LOT of training to get it behaving how you need it to. Can you cope with that initial training as well as everything else? If you get a pup you will need to wait a year before it can come riding or running with you, and it will need a lot of supervision and time spent with it. If you get an adult you may have a lot of work too, or it may just fit. Also what happens if you get a dog and for some reason it doesn't turn out to be suitable for this life? Doesn't like following the horses, chases stock, becomes nervous of other dogs so can't go offlead? You need to bear that in mind, could you still cope with it if it couldn't fit in to your current lifestyle?
Just playing devil's advocate a little, it sounds a nice set up for the right dog but we can't always control who we end up with! I think the one thing that is shown by this thread is that it is the dog more than the breed that matters.
 
Another vote for Staffords. I have 3 and was previously 4. All were easy to train around the horses, short haired so not too dirty. Did hack out with the younger one when I had hacking access but I did put a lot of work in first..Staffords love people so expect a lot of hugs. SusieT is incorrect in suggesting that Staffords are automatically prone to separation anxiety. I have had this breed for nearly 30 years and have rescues. In all,the time I have had or been involved with them, I have only known one and she had come from a horrendous background (and was trained out of it). I work full time so have a dog walker in at lunchtime which was a suggestion OP said. All mine have to be straightforward around dogs as we have upto 12 at the yard. Mine know they will get walked first thing or go to the yard, they know they will be seen at lunchtime so sleep in between. They know they have a routine so are easy dogs to have. oh and they get borrowed to go running as well by a neighbour!
 
FlyingCircus said:
Starting to do some research into what dogs might be appropriate for mine/my bf's lifestyle and wondered at what dog breeds you typically find well suited to horsey life!

- Dog would be alone during the working day, so preferably one that wouldn't be destructive!
- Taken to yard in the AM, field is 15 mins away so atleast half an hour walk but takes an hour or so for me to do yard jobs in morning
- At yard again in the PM, would ideally like a breed that can accompany me on hacks around the estate (land, not housing development) and occasionally to the New Forest. I spend a good 2 - 3 hours at the yard in the evenings. Lots of other dogs to play with and allowed to be loose as long as they don't get in the way/cause problems
- Access to garden
- Would be nice if it could go for run with my bf at weekends


So what do you think would be ideal/what do you have? :)
I was thinking a collie of some type, maybe
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German Sheperds or German Sheperd X, depends what you want them for guard dog or family pet. I would not recomend a husky / NI particularly if it has taken the malamute side of the NI. A N/I who has taken the Shepperd side should be fine IMO and EP
 
springtime1331 said:
Sounds very like my patterdale. He's extremely lazy unless he fancies going for a run. Basically he's only ever interested if it's his idea, and he mainly thinks my ideas are rubbish and boring.
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This made me chuckle and also made me sad! I miss my patterdale so much, just exactly as you describe there, she owned me not the other way round and she was actually a nightmare in so many ways but I adored her and she always made me smile. I have 2 dogs now, a min pin x whippet and a lab and I love them both dearly but they are just not the characters she was.
 
I have two Manchester Terriers and they are great around the ponies, having been raised with them since pups. I don't hack with them as they would disappear into the distance at the first sign of prey but they are happy to play on the yard, run themselves ragged round the field while I poo pick and have a deep bark so people think they are bigger than they are if they can hear them but not see them. Their very short coats makes them easy to clean up, they keep the yard clear of vermin but I have two as they have very high energy levels and really need to play and run non-stop. I found entertaining one on my own while trying to get everything done was just too much! We work from home so they have the run of the yard and the garden in good weather.

ETS Forgot to add, they might be small but they love to run so would be a good running companion as well!
 
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FfionWinnie said:
Have those recommending dog walkers seen many dog walkers in action "walking" 12 out of control dogs in public areas with a pack mentality. It is the absolute last thing I would do to my dogs!
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I agree the ones that walk in the woods opposite my house are dangerous, they take far too many to be able to control them, I have had a few incidents with them where my dog has been terrified I am really not keen on dog walkers I am sure there are some good ones but I have not seen any, I will go and hide now!
 
I don't think there is an 'ideal' breed, and though breeds have different traits, a lot is also down to training.
Though it isn't ideal to leave a dog all day - plenty of people do and a well exercised dog can be OK by themselves, though some do become very distressed when left alone so you must take this into consideration.
We have a Patterdale terrier, and given their strong prey drive I wouldn't recommend one for a dog around horses. Mine cannot be trusted off the lead around other animals, if she gets the scent of something she's off. She's a big dog in a small body and can be a handful. Of course this is just her - I'm sure there are some that wouldn't be like this, which brings me back to their initial training and what their personalities are like. I just know that I wouldn't take my dog out on a hack with me for example - it would turn into a drag hunt quite quickly. When at the yard she wears a hi vis jacket so I can see her and is only off the lead when I can watch her every movement, otherwise she either stays on a long lead, or stays at home.
You also need a dog that is good with other people, other dogs, doesn't mind children crowding it as might happen on a livery yard.
 
MyBoyChe said:
I would have thought a rescue greyhound/lurcher would be well suited to being left alone during the day, all the ones I have known have been quite happy to sleep on the sofa. A lot of horsey people do seem to have a lurcher in tow, only thing that would worry me would be whether it would stick with you out hacking, although to be honest that surely must come down to training. All dogs, to some degree, will head off after something if they fine it more interesting than you. Ive always wanted to have a dog I could take hacking with me but have come to the conclusion that I cant control 2 animals at once, especially when they both have different agendas. We have a jrt now who comes out with me but only when my OH comes along as well!
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I would definitely NOT recommend a lurcher if you want to take it hacking with you!! They are bred to hunt and if they spot something they are off, no amount of training will remove that instinct.
 
I think you are looking for a difficult combination there.

I used to have greyhounds / lurchers and they are perfect for staying at home all day alone. So long as they get a good run morning and evening they are quite happy asleep on the sofa all day (mine did have access to an outside area for a wee). Unfortunately only one of the four I have had (a collie x lurcher) was safe around the stables and horses. The one who was safe around horses was very well behaved and well trained but I couldn't take him hacking with me as once I was on a horse his recall failed (especially around rabbits and deer).

I have also known several dogs who could safely come hacking with us, mostly collies and two spaniels. The spaniels also ran with the owners OH and were working gun dogs. I am hoping my own terrier x (rescue) will be able to as well once he has had some more training. Unfortunately none of these dogs were at all suitable to stay at home all day, they would just get too bored.

The only dogs I have known that might have coped with that lifestyle were two older labs, they stayed at home all day a few days a week, came out hacking and wandered around the stables safely. They weren't up to long hacks, canters or running by the time I knew them though and I don't know if they were as well-behaved when younger.
 
Lots of advice here already .... my experience is its less about the breed and ALL about the training ...... but I also have to add that I don't think its fair on a dog to leave it alone all day while its owners are working.
 
windand rain said:
A well trained dog of any sort but for me it has to be a working labrador
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I agree with this. My little girl is a working Lab. She's four years old, petite and sprightly, loves the horses and a ball, but curls up on the sofa when at home, and is absolutely no trouble at all.
 
Personally, I wouldnt have a dog if it were left at home all day every day. Especially not a high energy dog like a collie that needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. I have a labradoodle (if anyone says its a mongrel, I'll lose the plot - I clearly know what my dog is made up of thanks, much like any part bred horse!). She suits our busy family life very well, but is still quite high energy so we have to take her to weekly agility training to keep her sane for the week! However, I'm in and out all day and she normally comes with me in the car. I work full days on a Monday and when my OH cant come home at lunch to take her out then I have to just work a half day so Im around for her - I'd never leave her all day, she'd need a pee at least! On the very very rare day we are all out all day and she can't come then I get someone to let her out half way through the day.
 
also think every dog should be crate trained as a puppy. We are retired so mostly there is someone here but we have a small house with a tiny kitchen so have a crate for our girl. She loves it and takes herself in there to sleep. We dont often leave her and have a superb dog walker who will take her into her own home if we need overnight care Willow loves her. It is unheard of for this dog to touch anything she is not given we can leave a roast dinner on the coffee table and she wouldnt touch it. Can Identify her own toys from the kids toys. Loves the horses walks to heel on and off the lead either from the horse or beside you walking is agile and happy outgoing friendly girl. Only barks if there is someone new about. She only asks to go out about every 10 hours or so we of course will take her more often if she needs to go
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Juni141 said:
I would definitely NOT recommend a lurcher if you want to take it hacking with you!! They are bred to hunt and if they spot something they are off, no amount of training will remove that instinct.
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Don't agree with this. I have a whippet, a saluki and a whippet x staffy. All three come riding, sure they have a prey drive and they will take chase but they stop and come back if I yell at them, I don't think I'm just lucky.
 
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