Introducing dogs to barn environment

So, I am going to start taking the dogs (one at a time at first) to the stable where I take riding lessons. I want to introduce them to horses. I also want them to eventually be able to be off leash and roam the barn while I ride. Many other riders do this with their dogs, so there are usually at least 3 other dogs roaming around, plus the barn cats, plus horses in their stalls.

I'm not sure this is a realistic goal for Nala. She might want to play with the other dogs and cause a commotion, or chase cats. Or even worse, she might want to go in the arena and chase the horses. The other dogs generally know not to enter the arena - one might creep in every now and then but the owner just sends it back out again. The one time Nala saw a horse up close, her hackles went up and she growled and barked at it. I have no idea about Bonnie. I don't know if she has ever seen them before or not. I am guessing she will be scared but not terrified and will be able to work through it.

Any tips on how to get started and how to handle problems? I am going to bring one dog up this afternoon (I hope) and of course she will remain on leash. I haven't decided yet which dog I will bring.

What do I do if Nala growls at the horses?

 

I think bringing them there and keeping them leashed until you feel they are comfortable around the horses is a good idea. If Nala growls at the horses I would back away with her until you are at a distance from them where she will not growl. Gradually (over several days if necessary) work your way closer praising and treating her for remaining relaxed and not growling as you bring her closer to the horses. Good luck.

 

I highly suggest that you put nala in the back of your truck in a crate and let her be. let her smell the horses and she the horses from a distance. tell the riders not to walk their horses within a close range of your truck. nala might just be scared. people bring their dogs to our barn all the time and some of them have tried ( and succeeded) to bite both my horses. i'll tell you that those dogs got a prompt boot in the butt. Just a warning, i'm pretty laid back with my horses, but when something tries to hurt them i'll be right there, and you can take my word for it, so will every other horse owner in that barn. for bonnie i would just take her to the barn and walk her around. introduce her to the other dogs and cats. give her lots of time to be with you. when you tack up your horse let her lay by the horse and watch you. let her spend as much time as possible with oyu and the horses while on leash. Does oyur barn have dog agility classes? mabye that would be a good way to start nala out. get her used to the smell and surroundings and stuff. best of luck to you and your babies!

 

The most important thing to remember while bringing a dog into a barn environment is safety, not only for the dog, but for the horse, and people working around the horses. Many horses are upset by dogs and they can really pose a safety risk to people on and around them as well as the dog. So it's always a good idea to monitor the horse's behavior as well as the dogs as your doing this. I'd take Bonnie and let her on leash sniff around everything and see the horses. The hardest thing with your breeds is going to be keeping them from herding the horses when they are off leash. I had an instructor once though that had a german shepherd that would bring the horses up from the pasture, but once they were up, leave them alone, but it was a retired police dog and had a lot of restraint. I still can't take Annie off leash at the barn because she's too hyperactive. It's just too dangerous to have her tearing up and down the aisle. If I take her with me I keep her tied safely out of the way and with in eye sight. With Nala, I'd do what nern suggested, she needs to have a healthy respect for the horse, but not fear it.

 

There are tons of dogs running loose at our barn, so the horses are all used to it. The dogs are very well behaved, though. Most of them stay out of the arena, and if they do wander in their owners can tell them to get out and they do.

I brought Bonnie up on Saturday. She was cautious, but not terrified. I kept her on leash. We walked through the barn and watched people grooming horses. Then we went to the arena where they were holding a jumping clinic. At first she ignored the horses cantering by. After a while, though, she started reacting to them and whining and barking at them. I told her no and rewarded her for staying quiet. I started distracting her every time a horse cantered by, letting her see it and then calling her attention to me and treating her. She seemed to relax more then. So we went back in the barn and I let her off leash. She explored and seemed to do fine. She is cautious enough of the horses that she didn't get close to any of them. Then I took her home.

I brought Nala up on Sunday. She was a bit overwhelmed with all the dogs that came to investigate her, and the huge horses standing around. She almost seemed more fearful than Bonnie! We went to the arena and she watched the horses go by. She was VERY attentive to those moving horses. The way she was standing, I couldn't help but think that if she were off leash, she would dash out there to see or chase the horses. She was standing quietly with the leash on, but she knows when it is futile to try to chase. She also tried to get very close to a horse that was walking into the arena - like she was going to sniff (or nip at) his heels. I told her no and made her back away. I also corrected her every time she tried to set a foot off the concrete and into the dirt of the arena, hoping to convey to her that she is NOT allowed to even put one paw in the dirt. I took her back to the barn and let her off leash. She explored without getting overly excited. She was very curious yet cautious about sniffing one of the horses in her pen.

I didn't feel safe letting either dog be off leash in the arena. It could be a real danger to the dogs, horses and riders if one of them ran into the arena and I couldn't get her back.

My other concern is that once the newness wears off and the dogs become more confident, they will get more out of control even in the barn. Also, even if I can keep them in control when I am supervising, I'm not sure they could be left to roam while I ride. Bonnie would probably go nuts seeing me but not being able to come with me, and Nala might decide to chase the horses or the barn cats. Perhaps if I want them to be with me, I will need to tie them when I ride?

 

Good for you!
It sounds like the 1st venture to the barn was a success! Do you ride a young horse or a seasoned horse? if you ride a young horse i would ride an older one while you let oyur dogs get used to you riding. some people i ride with let their dogs ride with them. i have had more than one wreck were i was standing my colt near a ledge and one of those dogs wanted to ride with me and tried to jump onto my horse. my horse flipped and took off, i stayed on and brought my horse back under control quickly, but it could have been bad if i wasn't ready for it. sometimes those dogs can't distinguish when it is ok to ride and when it isn't. i like your policy, just don't even go on the dirt and nothing bad will happen. i also think that with confidence they will be able to lay and relax as you ride. or go off in the fields to play with the other dogs. or even go on a trail ride with you and your horse. i love it when dogs go with me and my horse on trail rides. keep up the good work, it sounds like you are breaking your dogs in wonderfully, to many people i know have had major problems by just dumping their dogs in the middle of the barn and not teaching them manners to use around the horses.

 

I am a very beginning rider, so I am on an old lesson horse. My daughter and I just started riding about 6 months ago. If my horse does something terribly weird in response to a dog, I will end up in the dirt.

 

Your a newbie. AO I suggest not starting that while your riding. Taking them along to observe is an excellent idea, but if your going to be riding, I suggest crating them, or tying. For your and your dogs safety.

I do not allow dogs around during my training session with the horses, or riders. In my own experiances they cause a distraction. One, the rider wants to pay attention to their dog, and tow the horse is focusing on the dog and not the rider...SO if someone is to bring a dog, it must remain tethered or in the back of the truck (crated or tied) until the rider is finished.

When I'm training the horses alone, or with an audiance (regardless) dogs are not allowed, Even my own stay kenneled until I'm finished. No matter how well behaved my dog is or how well I know them, They are still animals, and when dealing with a horse that has the potenial, and wont' think twice about it, to hurt me, I won't risk it. I've already cracke dand damaged my back, had concussions, the whole 9 yards.....
Safety is my first priority, for the horses, the riders, dogs, and my self.
Period.

 

I have to agree with Sams. If it were me, i would tie my dogs while i ride unless they bark, then they would go straight outside into a crate. not only for your saftey, your horse's saftey,and everyone elses, but also for your dog's. my trainer has jack russels and my horse is very tall, if my horse does something stupid like try to buck me off or something, i'm right on him and i don't pay attention to were the dogs are. my only priority is not letting my horse win whatever battle he just picked with me and not killing any of the other riders and horses, but the dogs are kinda on their own because they are so small. all dogs there know that when there is a problem to get out of the way. i move my horse closer to me in the winter and the dogs there (corgies) love it when a horse is getting in trouble and are right there to "help" i've had to yell " butch, cindy GET BACK!" to keep from squishing them. it's not fair for me to have to worry about squishing dogs, and if your dogs are running loose, you especially won't be able to concentrate because you will be worried about them, and that will highly affect oyur riding.