Dutch Shepherd Forum

How does the DS do with horses? I couldn't find any specific mention of it when I googled it.

Thanks,
Christina

I can only speak about my household, but we have 3 horses and 6 Dutch Shepherds. Our dogs have all been brought up with the horses and have good obedience/control. We have no problems. When the horses get running, the dogs can get over stimulated and want to chase/herd. But they are easily called off. The younger ones really enjoy going on trail rides.

That's exactly what I wanted to know. I wondered how the herding nature reacted. Thanks

We've a bunch of DS and 2 horsies, the meet through the gate. Nose to nose, when the filly runs the younger dogswant to chase, but that is a absolute NO-NO. The older ones just ignore the live stock.

Lyric has been taugh from 12 weeks of age that the horses fence is a boundary she is not allowed to enter.
She goes to the barn at night with me and waits at the gate while I go in to feed. No issues at all with my mare and her. She really shows no interest in the horse. (The JRT is my morning escort, after all--someone has to check the feed bins for mice.)

We've got a dozen sheep and three horses plus the neighboring farm has 400 cows and donkeys so my dogs have plenty of opportunity for herding but they are somewhat indifferent unless one of the critters takes a run, and that prey drive kicks into high gear. But I just call the dogs off. So far, so good (realizing I'm probably rolling the dice here!)

Well...my QH had a disagreement with a argumentative DS once. The DS never repeated the argument post that point. Another brindle, usually good as gold, had ended up in a chase and had a bad limp, not caused by me, to show for the infraction. The brindles that did not grow up with horses may tend to be more opinionated, but are usually easy to control, especially with a little horsy help.