Thread about leisure horses

[Clodagh]

Got me thinking about dogs. Also met up with a friend this week who has the worse behaved dogs, they bark and yowl constantly, steal food off your plates, lick food on the table, climb on the table and ruin your whole day. Apparently mine are robots and sad as they sit quietly while we eat.
I appreciate she’s a radical example but is it fair to ask dogs to do things they don’t want to do.
From heeling on a walk, I’m sure they’d rather do what they liked, to working for us.
I do feel very guilty when mine get injured at work, but I still take them.

 

[AmyMay]

Dogs like rules and to know their place in the world. The ones I’ve met who are most unhappy/anxious are those with poor training.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

They are very different beasts and live in the house (mostly). I think many dogs lack enrichment and/needs aren’t understood fully-look at the studies in recent years on scentwork for example. And anyway, I don’t buy that horses on the whole don’t want to ‘work’, they just probably wouldn’t choose to do the work many want them to.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

And giving horses or dogs or even chickens some choices, doesn’t mean they get to run riot but imagine living a life with no choices at all?

As someone said on the other thread, it’s the difference between having animals basic needs met and living a ‘good’ life.

 

[Clodagh]

And giving horses or dogs or even chickens some choices, doesn’t mean they get to run riot but imagine living a life with no choices at all?

As someone said on the other thread, it’s the difference between having animals basic needs met and living a ‘good’ life.

I got a bit ? with the other thread. I always assumed if a horse did what it liked most of time it could play ball for me some of the time. If I then had to boot it out of the yard or through a gateway so be it. It wouldn’t occur to me to have considered if it wanted a duvet day.
But friend thinks by requiring obedience you are taking away choices and making their life a misery.

 

[Clodagh]

Dogs like rules and to know their place in the world. The ones I’ve met who are most unhappy/anxious are those with poor training.

Hers do seem happy and not stressed. They do squabble amongst themselves and have had some serious fights but on the whole they are very relaxed.

 

[I'm Dun]

I got a bit ? with the other thread. I always assumed if a horse did what it liked most of time it could play ball for me some of the time. If I then had to boot it out of the yard or through a gateway so be it. It wouldn’t occur to me to have considered if it wanted a duvet day.
But friend thinks by requiring obedience you are taking away choices and making their life a misery.

Well welcome to life I'm afraid! Even wild animals have to do things they don't want to. Dogs doing some things they'd rather not is a small pay off for a life of luxury compared to wild animals.

 

[I'm Dun]

Mine is spoilt. He sleeps in my bed, I feed him treats and share sandwiches and things with him. I run my entire life around keeping him happy. But there are still rules he has to follow.

He has decided at the age of 6 he doesn't like being left, he has had a lot of upheaval so its understandable. I never leave him more than 3 hours and sometimes he just cant come with me. So right now we are doing separation anxiety training. He doesn't like it. I am doing everything I can to make it a positive and stress free experience, but there is no doubt that given the choice he would definitely chose not to do it. I have had to make the decision that its better for his welfare to be happy and settled alone for short periods and so he has to endure some minor stress while we get there. I dont like doing it, hes my best friend and I hate the fact hes not happy, but sometimes you have to do things you dont enjoy doing for the greater good.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Hers do seem happy and not stressed. They do squabble amongst themselves and have had some serious fights but on the whole they are very relaxed.

Relaxed dogs do not, ime, have serious fights amongst themselves. We keep ours safe when out and about by insisting on obedience and they are as happy as Larry (whoever he is). Whether some people like it or not, dogs prefer to have someone in charge, just as there is a wild dog in charge in a pack. That doesn't mean that the dogs behave like robots but that they don't annoy other people, eat poisonous items or cause damage/injury to themselves or others. Your friend is an idiot and I wouldn't walk with her, tbh.

 

[AmyMay]

Mine is spoilt. He sleeps in my bed, I feed him treats and share sandwiches and things with him. I run my entire life around keeping him happy. But there are still rules he has to follow.

Mine are spoilt too. Bed, furniture, never left alone. Life totally revolves around them. But they also have boundaries (admittedly not many ?)

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

I’m probably quite relaxed with mine. They go on their bed when we eat, although Goose was on my knee when I ate breakfast this morning. He won’t harass me, tho. We have rules, they don’t get away with barking, that’s not allowed. I can’t stand dogs that leap at you, we’ve had to work hard with Mitch as that’s his default. Goose’s recall is an ongoing issue, they both push boundaries and want to explore the woods behind the parks we go to and meet every dog/person they see. They’re not robots, but they are lovely little dogs.

Bear is probably spoilt, he was on my bed til the OH got home at 4am, then came back when I migrated to the other room. He’s on my knee now even tho it kills the bad one!

I honestly think they’re happier to have expected behaviour ingrained because then they know how to keep us/themselves happy. I would hate to have unruly noisy dogs.

 

[Clodagh]

Relaxed dogs do not, ime, have serious fights amongst themselves. We keep ours safe when out and about by insisting on obedience and they are as happy as Larry (whoever he is). Whether some people like it or not, dogs prefer to have someone in charge, just as there is a wild dog in charge in a pack. That doesn't mean that the dogs behave like robots but that they don't annoy other people, eat poisonous items or cause damage/injury to themselves or others. Your friend is an idiot and I wouldn't walk with her, tbh.

I don’t walk with her. In fact I don’t take my dogs anywhere near, I didn’t take them this week the robot thing was a historical quote for context.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I don’t walk with her. In fact I don’t take my dogs anywhere near, I didn’t take them this week the robot thing was a historical quote for context.

I'm not surprised! I would get very cross with any dog that tried to eat from my plate, even if I were in its home.
I feel your pain, I once went to a cafe with a colleague. She had to take her dogs to work with her that day, so we took them for a short lead walk and then went for coffee. One of her dogs, a collie, jumped up and put its feet on the table! I was mortified!
We regularly take or dogs there, they sit by the table quiet and still until we give them a small piece of bacon or a few chips when we have finished. They would never dream of putting their feet on the table, even though we like to sit on a sofa with a coffee table, as it's easier to put the dogs out of the way of other customers.

 

[planete]

Hers do seem happy and not stressed. They do squabble amongst themselves and have had some serious fights but on the whole they are very relaxed.

We have four dogs, one was entire until two years ago (he is ten now). We have had random stray dogs of all ages and sexes come and live with us. We have never had a fight or even a dust up. Letting tensions escalate to that point shows a lack of body language awareness and management. We allow all sorts of things like sleeping on our beds, snoozing on the sofas, run of the house, but the dogs know exactly how far they can go and what the rules are. I do not think it is fair to let chaos reign. I have certainly never felt guilty about the rules I teach our dogs in order for all of us to have a relaxed safe household.

On the other hand, I will not train my dogs to a point where they are lobotomised and do not dare move without first being told what to do. They are allowed to have opinions and to express them within reason. Then I decide whether they have a point. A bit like kids really!

 

[SAujla]

Your dogs are thriving and extremely happy, fact. They get to work but still live majority of the year as pets, they have the perfect balance.

 

[Moobli]

I haven’t read the leisure horse thread yet, but as for dogs, I like mine to be under control and well mannered but to also sometimes make choices for themselves (where they sleep, for example). I don’t think it’s realistic to suggest dogs can do exactly as they please as it would undoubtedly mean they’d quickly become a problem for themselves and others (chasing wildlife/livestock, harassing other dogs, jumping on people, stealing food etc etc etc). On the other hand it must be frustrating and unnatural for dogs never to have a choice about anything in their life, so giving them a choice of reasonable options is a good thing imo.