This is a message directed specifically to John, but if anyone else has experience of this problem, or has any suggestions I'd be very grateful.

A couple of years ago we moved to a rural area from busy town where our dog was well socialised to everyday things in town. Following foot and mouth saga, many of our local farmers have changed from livestock to stabling horse/ riding schools etc. and one of our dogs is petrified of the sound of approaching hooves. I have inroduced him to ponies and horses in fields - no problem, but if we are walking the narrow lanes around our home and he hears the hooves on the tarmac he gets very, very upset. He will rear up on his back legs and bark as the horse(s) comes close. I have tried following the horses after they have passed in the hope that he won't associate his barking with having made them go away and when he is following the horses he is fine. The problem is when they come head on towards, or from behind and pass him.

I spend life dodging back into gateways to give more passing room or trying to reach junctions and turn off so as to avoid but I know that's not the long term answer. I know all about sytematic desensitisation but as I can never tell when we are going to meet a horse this makes it difficult and recordings of horses trotting don't help because I can't avoid him hearing the 'real' thing as they pass near our garden.

Any ideas on how to solve this?

Hi Elaine. Just to let you know I've seen this post. I'm a bit tied up at the mo but keep an eye open, I'll be back later in the day.

Regards, John

Thanks John

Whenever you're ready will be soon enough.

Regards

Elaine

Sorry I've not been back Elaine but my PC has crashed. Have formatted the disk and got windows and internet running. Going to bed now but will post tomorrow (Tuesday)

So sorry, John

Hi Elaine. Sorry to have taken so long but I’ve had big problems with my PC. Bill Gates has a lot to answer for!!!

Horses and dogs. You obviously know your stuff so this is more for other people who may read this. Trying to train out a behavioral problem such as this poses two major problems. One is not rewarding the bad conduct and the second is not siding with the dog against the horse!

Obviously no one would do either of these things deliberately but if you think about the first of these, it happens every time the horse passes! The horse approaches and the dog barks. The horse gets level with the dog, passes by then goes away from the dog. In the dog’s mind he has won! He has driven the horse away! He has his reward!!

In the second case, siding with the dog. The dog barks and the owner tells the dog off. Unfortunately the dog is not paying attention to the owner. All the dog knows is that both he and his owner are barking, in other words, in his eyes both are trying to drive the horse off!

I think you are right about desensitising but you cannot do that on your own. You just cannot take the risk of spooking a horse and have it maybe throw the rider. What you need is the co-operation of someone with a bomb proof horse. Maybe a riding school horse or better still, if you can find it, a helpful hunt stable. These horses are so use to having dogs running around them that they would not be too concerned. If all else fails you could go to a Game fair. Dogs are welcome there and there is usually a hunt giving a display so you have the chance to get your dog reasonably close to the horses once they have left the ring. The local gymkhana is another place to find horses although in this case the horses may well not be so bomb proof and you would need to work from a greater distance.

I would be inclined to play with my dog, gradually getting closer to the horses but at the same time, not appearing to the dog to be in any way interested in the horse. Take it easy and don’t try to get too close all at once. It may well take several trips out to do the trick. Start each session from well away and gradually move closer trying to always stay outside the critical distance. Take some time to find your dog’s turn on. Some love to play and will ignore everything except the game, some are good under orders and a sit stay works for them, with others its food. As I said at the start, be careful not to reward the crime. The play/food only happens if the dog is behaving and if it is not then it should be the dog who gives way to the horse not the other way round, walk the dog away from the horse before the horse starts to move away from the dog. This is a situation where I would discipline the dog. I don’t believe the voice should be used on its own because of the dog interpreting it as me supporting the dog against the horse so I would hold it with a hand each side of the neck and, lifting the front paws off the ground, hold eye contact while I’m telling him off. I stress the eye contact because I want the dog to be in no doubt that it is him I’m dissatisfied with, not the horse! I know the theories about not looking into the eyes because it is issuing a challenge but the leader is the leader and to me it is the dog who should look away when I challenge him, not me.

You don’t say what breed he is but in my experience I would guess BC/WS, I’ve seen several who exhibit similar traits. My guess in most cases it is part of the herding instinct coming out.

This is just a few ideas on how I would go about it. Really it is a matter of trying something and being ready to modify your tactics in a light of the response.

Hope this helps a little. Please keep in touch about it.

Best wishes, John

Hi John

Thanks for your reply. It has already reminded me of one or two instances where his behaviour has been indirectly rewarded. It is so often easier to see what is happening when it is someone elses dog you are working with, so much harder when you are in the situation and trying to control/dealt with/modify at the same time.

He is not a BC but an Irish Wolfhound/Beardie x so is big, powerful (and very, very handsome!).

Most of the time he is marvelously obedient, has his KCGC Gold and I've been told more than once that I should enter him competitively for obedience and Working Trials for which we train but its not my bag. BUT, no amount of obedience work helps him in this. He hears me not at all!! One thing I do remember after having read your reply is that on the very first time he came face to face with horse on the lanes I could see he was getting agitated as it approached so I did what I did when he first met a herd of cows, I crouched down beside him and very matter of factly, said 'its only cows - no problem'. With the horse, the rider shouted for me to stand up as her horse was nervous and didn't know what we were (we were at ground level) and would not move forward. I shouted back that my dog was afraid etc and she shouted back. My dog got more and more anxious as the shouting between (not at each other) us continued. I think he decided there and then that people on big animals were a threat to him and me and must be warded off at all costs! Other meetings have done nothing to undo his concept. Security of the horse and rider has always been uppermost in my mind but in deferring to that I have not handled my dog correctly so compounded the bad behaviour.

I will have to change his expectations of what is going to happen when he meets the horse - you are right I will have to let him know his behaviour is not acceptable to me. I believe he will look away from me when challenged. Although for the most part he will sit in a 'stay' infront of me and has no problem making eye contact because we have a good relationship already established, I think he will break first.

Thanks for the response, it has helped me to see things clearer aswell as offering some tools! I'll keep you posted.

Regards

Elaine