Wife scared shitless

[Polkey 70]

Got a phone call at work today from the wife in a not so good mood. She had just got back from walking the dogs but had not got far as my beddy wippet had been a right arse. They entered into the first field on the usual walk (we have permission around a few acres) which rises up a big hill, as the wife started around the edges she spotted a horse that had got out of the neighboring field, not sur how but there it was. She called the dogs back to put them on leads but the beddy/wippet was off like a rocket straight for the horse. Chased the poor thing, whilst barking all the way to the top of the feild turned it around and chased it back down again towards the wife who had the baby on her back. She had to leg it out of the way and was understandably a bit shaken up. She eventually managed to get the dog under control and back home.

I have never had any probs with him before and although its his first time in a field with a horse it not like he has never seen one before as we have plenty of them around us which have their heads over the fences for a sniff and a stroke. I have taken him along to see them plenty to get some contact and make sure he was behaved in their presence but it was always on the other side of a fence. Im bloody annoyed at myself for not taking him somewhere to break him to horses sooner, now the wife is propper pissed and rightly so. Worst thing is a client has invited me on to her livery to sort out a bunny problem and said I could run the dog as well as shoot. Its taken me ages to get and as the dog is 1 I was really excited to get him started, its my first lurcher and im really pissed at myself for not sorting this sooner, proper school boy. I have a lady living behind us who keeps horses, im going to throw myself on her mercy and and hope she will let me take the dog in and break him in.

Any advise would be welcome on this as I can not have a repeat, I dont want to make ant more mistakes and wont be taking the dog on to permission until sorted. :icon_redface:

Thanks for reading,

Polkey.

[Guest Daks]

ELECTRIC COLLAR mate or a long long rope tied off to a fence so when it reaces the end it hurts it!!! worked fo my 1st x saluki grey he chased everything until i did this!! hth ...daks

[stormrider8 59]

It happens to them all mate. You gotta nip it in the bud as soon as it happens. Ive allways been taught a good hard wack and a real stern telling off, i never lay a finger on my dogs apart from this part of being a pup. After the first time a stern voice is generally all that is needed if they stray again.

They only do it once!

[shushyjukal 41]

Sorry to hear bout that mate. My bitch did the same a few weeks ago when we were out. She has never jumped fences but for some reason she just looked at the horse and was straight over! She ran around the horse a bit, barking and that but luckily it didn't move. It just casually turned it's head round and kicked the fck into beaus chest. I shit myself and thought she was dead but instead she ran staight back to me as if to say what the fck! She had a hoof mark in the centre of her chest which was quite funny but it could of been fatal.

 

This was the wrong way to do it but it worked. Either a shock collar or get your dog on the lead and hope your neighbour will help you out. Just remember lurchers get exited at anything that moves so it will take time.

 

Kushty bok with it mush.

[Helen 2]

This can be a difficult problem I have dogs and horses so my pups are brought up with them. It's very easy to habituate a dog to horses when the horse is standing still or walking around, it's when they start moving at speed its a problem. I have all my dogs on a long line from tiny, it's no good keeping them on a tight lead and saying leave, they have to learn to use their own self control. For an older dog I'd get an experienced trainer to use a remote collar. One of my dogs was only cured when I shouted leave half a second before it hit the electric fence, won't even look at stock now.

[Polkey 70]

Thanks for the replies all, its reassuring to hear others have had similar experience. I think I will try the long lead first, not so keen on the lecky collar but if he dont get it then im willing to give anything a go and if I have to shock his arse to keep horse and dog safe then so be it but fingers crossed that wont be needed.

[craigheff 12]

shock collar is your best bet mate..i know they are a bit pricey but u will have it for the rest of your life if you mind it..just give him a bit of a shock when he trys something with the horse n he will find out soon enough that it aint worth it...ATB CRAIG

[Annmarie09 5]

Your poor wife! She must have been terrified for the baby. It's a bummer, he's just a pup and we all know how excited they get when something runs! Do you know someone with a horse that is totally calm with dogs? Mine won't run from dogs, then they get up to him all ready for fun and don't know what to do! Most dogs will back down from a horse just standing looking at them, when they realise just how big they are.

 

I was lucky, my lurcher took a smack from one of the racehorses once, not that she had ever chased them but she was too cocky about walking between their legs and under their bellies and I was worried she would get hurt. One day she walked behind one who was in a grumpy mood and he just lifted a back leg and gave her a tap on the ribs, thank goodness it was just a warning, and now she stays right away from the horses. Of course being saluki cross she screeched as if she had been shot, but I saw what happened otherwise I'd have been worried! So in the end it worked out perfectly, she knows what the horses are capable of without being damaged.

[Helen 2]

Just a comment on modern electric collars.It is doubtful you would be able to blast a dog in full flight and prey drive off a chase with one of the new electric collars, you would have to catch the dog before it took off. I have had this problem with my Deerhound, he will yelp at the slightest tingle when not in drive but takes no notice whatsoever with collar turned up full when he is in drive he just picks up more speed. Electric collars used by inexperienced handlers can really mess up a dogs head if you decide to use one you are better finding a proffessional dog trainer.

Modern collars dont't have the same effect as the old german collars they used to give a shock like an electric fence, like a hard thump, really strong! The new ones are nowhere near as strong and most have an irritating stinging effect some have a pulsating effect not a lot of good for anything but mild corrections really. Plus they can REALLY piss a dog off.

[mccroryart 0]

I think one of the most useful commands you can teach a dog is ‘sit’ - not just when he is standing in front of you but when he is well out of reach. Keep practising this every time you go out -again and again and again. ‘Sit’ also means stop, obviously - so if the dog is edging away from you and thinking about doing something he shouldn’t then ‘sit’ is likely to be more effective that ‘come’ . In your case the dog starts to run towards the horse so you shout ‘SIT’ as aggressively as you can - this should scare the dog and make him think twice and stop. Once he has stopped then walk up to him and put him back on the lead. If you had just shouted ‘COME’ in an aggressive voice then the dog might think he’s in for a beating and just keep on running. The other thing to remember is that just because the dog knows the meaning of a command this doesn’t mean he will obey. My son (who is bigger than me) often asks why the dog will do things for me but wont do the same for him - simple answer is because he thinks he can get away with it. So in your case the dog must gain the respect of your wife - so she will have to put in some effort training the dog.

[sambam 8]

yeah i had the same with my pup a few weeks ago, a hores and rider ran past on a lower path and i could see the dog watching it but didnt think anything of it, as i carried on walking i turned round and he was running towards them i shouted and whistled and he stopped come back. i too have had him round livestock from an early age. infact i walk past the stables everyday on his walk and go and stroke the horses and let him have a sniff ect must just be the chase instinct in lurchers.

 

atb sam

[Hoolit 2]

Walk your dog around the outside of fields with horses slowly bringing the dog closer and every time the dog makes the slightest attempt at barking or lunging at the stock jerk him sharply on the rope with a very sharp leave, slowly and gradually lemgthen the rope ie distance between you and the dog ,let him get nearer the horses if he is fine get in the field with them ,dog still on rope and start him close to you then slowly build up the distance .

All dogs get used to cattle sheep horses etc with the proper training .

I dont want to start a debate on shock collers but I have been training dogs for 33years and never used a shock coller there is no need for them in dog training.

[Polkey 70]

Again, many thanks for the replies