Things to keep in mind when your dog is near large animals, plus dog training tips for your cattle dogs and barn dogs alike!
Whether working cattle, or trotting happily alongside you and your horse on the trails --- if you have a dog, life on the farm, or time at the barn, means you’re likely never alone. And while it may seem commonplace, cattle dogs and barn dogs live a unique lifestyle, being nearby 1,000-pound livestock, horses and heavy farm equipment. Their lifestyle requires grit, wit and intelligence. It is crucial to help safeguard your dog’s safety and well-being.
Learn what to do should your dog be injured at the farm, and training tips for a dog’s safety.
When it comes to injuries stemming from large animals and livestock, they can range from mild, requiring dogs only rest for a few days, to life threatening. “We’ve seen dogs with head trauma from horses or cows, and even limb amputations after getting too close to a mower bar. We’ve definitely seen some things,” said Paul DeMars, DVM, DABVP, clinical associate professor at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
All dogs (even those well-trained) can be at risk for injuries stemming from horses and livestock, as their instincts ultimately play the largest role in their behavior.
“My dogs are well-trained, agility dogs. They are always good and are well-trained not to chase horses. However, I had a dog that fell victim [to injury from livestock],” said Kris Hiney, Ph.D., Oklahoma State University associate professor and Extension equine specialist.
Dr. Hiney was out one evening feeding, with one of her three agility-trained dogs by her side --- a Border Collie named Avispa --- when her horse at the other end of the field began galloping not toward her and the feed bucket, but straight toward her dog. She gave her command for Avispa to recall, but his Border Collie instincts kicked in, and he crouched into the grass. As the horse neared, the horse lowered his head and curled up his front legs, intentionally coming down directly onto Avispa.
Dr. Hiney quickly bundled up Avispa and went to an emergency veterinary clinic. Thankfully, he pulled through and is fine today.
“The reality of horses and dogs is something not to take lightly,” said Dr. Hiney. “Some owners may not realize how badly a dog can get hurt. A lot of horses are dangerous with dogs. Cattle don’t seek them out as much, unless dogs are in their space. It is 100% instinctual, as even well-trained dogs who do this for a living can get kicked, and they can be severely injured when working cattle.”
Should your dog experience an injury, Dr. DeMars recommends you monitor, immediately, if they are:
“If animal is unconscious, get them to your veterinarian right away,” said Dr. DeMars. “Even if an animal is up on all four legs, there still could be internal bleeding, and he could be falling over two hours later, dead. Taking your dog to your veterinarian is always the best answer.”
Before driving to the clinic, use your cellphone to take pictures of the injury or wound, and share with your veterinarian. This will help the office prepare for your dog’s arrival and for swift treatment.
If your dog experiences head trauma, he requires precise care and likely, 24-hour monitoring, which is not always an option at a primary veterinary clinic. For such cases, it is best to immediately take your dog to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic or University veterinary school.
Assist wounds to help stop any bleeding. If it’s a leg injury, wrap the leg just as you would wrap a horse’s leg (apply a sterile lube, then gauze and then cover with vet wrap or bandages, going in the direction of front to back with gentle support --- not too tight or too loose).
If your dog experiences heavy bleeding, he could be suffering from a ruptured artery. Apply direct pressure to help stop excess blood loss. Get to your veterinarian, fast.
For years, Dr. Hiney has trained dogs for agility. She has three Australian Shepherds and one Border Collie. When it comes to working cattle, Dr. Hiney says, “Just because they’re a herding dog doesn’t mean they are naturally good around livestock. It means they have intense interest in livestock, and that interest has to be channeled through training.”
While any dog can learn to be good around livestock, it is important to realize that cattle dogs, for instance the Blue Heeler, Catahoula and Corgi, will be attracted to it and stimulated by the livestock’s movement. “A lot of people think dogs can help while working cattle, but only a trained dog is helpful. An untrained dog creates more chaos and anxiety from both livestock and people. If your dog isn’t trained, he needs to be secured. Tie or pen them up safely out of the way, with water.”
Training tips from Dr. Hiney to increase your dog’s safety:
Professional cattle dog training offers a safe space for your dog’s learning, by working with livestock that are “dog broke,” meaning they know how to move from a dog’s pressure. They also can start them on sheep and goats, for a safer option. While a cow dog is bred instinctually to herd, they will benefit both mentally and physically from professional lessons and training to channel their instinctual habits into more strategized skills.
Check your surrounding area for professional dog training classes. Keep in mind, well-mannered dogs are often welcome at horse shows and barns; however, a misbehaving dog nipping or barking is a quick way to be shown the door. In today’s world, there are even online dog training options available, and the World Wide Web is filled with helpful training videos as an option, too.
Dogs among livestock and horses should know commands for recall, down and stay. Teach them the boundaries of what they can and cannot do. They will look to you for the correct answers.
Allow no recreational cattle or horse chasing, barking or nipping at all, if you can avoid it. This ‘playtime’ can easily turn problematic.
Use treats, toys and your undivided attention to make training the most rewarding and fun part of their day. This will keep them happy and engaged with you to make the best choices.
For their safety’s sake, not returning to you cannot be an option. Using long lines (essentially a long leash) can prevent bad habits from forming. This is a best practice before letting your dogs off-leash.
For a wide range of pet products, such as toys, treats and life-saving medications, visit veterinarian-founded ValleyVet.com for your dog’s every need, shipped fast.
Dr. Dorothee Bienzle is a researcher at the Ontario Veterinary College who has been researching heaves in horses. Not long after the 2019 Havemeyer Workshop on Equine Asthma, Dr. Bienzle contributed to a quite large collaborative research paper on the current understanding and future directions of Equine Asthma research.
She explains by answering the following questions:
00:35 How important are opportunities like this one to advancing the studies on Equine Asthma?
01:20 Has your research benefitted from attending the Havemeyer event?
02:24 Briefly describe your research project.
04:47 What role does next generation sequencing play in your research?
06:49 Can you explain the connection between certain altered protein expressions and horses with heaves?
08:31 Are there predictors of equine asthma?
09:06 Can you take us through the scoping procedure?
10:11 More indicators of heaves.
11:38 Practical applications and treatment.
13:23 The future of Equine Asthma research.
by Nikki Alvin-Smith for Horizon Structures
Donkeys of course are not horses, their needs for care and shelter, feed and forage, and general health care are a bit different to their larger and more energetic cousins.
When I began my equestrian career eons ago as a kid, my first Equus was a baby donkey called Sage. Along with his half-sister Cleo, they were purchased by Mom and Dad from a donkey breeding stud in the heart of the Gloucestershire countryside. Not that I was very happy about that at the time as I was hoping for a pony, but a horse is a horse of course. Well, kind of – so my late kid brother and I adjusted our wish list and set about training the wee beasties. At first with walks on bridle trails through the woods on halters, and later under saddle using the smallest tack we could find, racing saddles.
A donkey, as my farm neighbor (an equestrienne in the showjumping world of some repute) had told my neophyte pet-owning parents, was the perfect ‘starter’ horse for a child. And looking back I have to agree. Being kids, we treated Sage and Cleo just as we would a horse. We rode them in local gymkhanas where they would outshine ponies in the agility class. We would give donkey rides at local village fêtes among the tombolas, white elephant stalls and cake stands. We even participated in Palm Sunday processions some years, taking them inside the tiny village church much to the joy of children participating in the service. In fact, we rode them around the country lanes so much, we had to have them shod. The farrier was not happy about that job, and he dreaded seeing us show up at his forge.
After 38 years and 34 years respectively, Sage and Cleo, departed over the rainbow bridge. Sadly, my donkey Sage lost his life in a stable fire at my parents’ property. Though of course I headed out of their daily lives long before that, their companionship was a great comfort to my parents as they also aged up in years.
As you may imagine, donkeys and all the delights they provide are very close to this advanced dressage rider’s heart. We all start somewhere, and keeping donkeys taught me self-discipline, putting animal’s needs before my own, how to ride and stay safe riding on the roads, and generally gave my brother Curtis and I endless hours of fun.
How do you care for donkeys? Donkeys of course are not horses. And how to care for donkeys shelter, feed and forage, and general health care are a bit different to their larger and more energetic cousins. If you are setting out on the donkey owning adventure, there are a few caveats to know and a well-trodden path to follow to help ensure the wee beasties thrive under your care.
Donkeys are notoriously good at keeping unwanted critters out of their territory and are often kept as a deterrent to chase pesky loose dogs in the neighborhood, and even keep coyotes or other wildlife out of livestock enclosures. Alpacas, sheep, goats, poultry etc. are all vulnerable to attack by predators, and the donkey with his keen territorial sense will usually attack any invader.
Turnout is good for all Equus as it keeps their joints and digestive system moving and their minds refreshed and happy, but smaller species in the genus like donkeys, including the miniature variety, are prone to laminitis.
Keeping the grass from being overgrazed and free of worms is important. Manure removal from paddocks, harrowing the pastures in hot weather for best breakdown of worm larvae, deworming protocols for the donkey including fecal worm counts before treatment, are all good methods to incorporate in caring for donkeys.
Sidebar: Donkeys are the preferred host for lungworm. Dictyocaulus arnfieldi is a nematode that all donkeys should be treated for to avoid contamination of the pasture.
To mitigate the risk of laminitis, it is wise not to overgrain or overfeed donkeys. This includes keeping the grass long enough not to become oversweet (5-6 inches tall is optimal), keeping donkeys off pasture after a heavy frost when sugars are highest in the grass, and ensuring that the hay or forage provided is low in sugar.
Fences should be sturdy and secure to keep donkeys in their safe space. While a donkey does not require the height of fence a 16hh horse may need to keep it from jumping out (5’ is the standard), any fencing should always be installed with a view to future use. Because as is often the case including my own, in family life ponies follow donkeys and horses follow ponies. Barbed wire is not suitable for use around any Equus.
All animals should be provided with some form of shelter from wind, rain, snow and most particularly sun. As donkeys are smaller than horses and have a higher surface area-to-volume ratio than their counterparts, donkeys will feel the negative effects of extreme heat and cold faster than horses.
Bearing this in mind, the donkey is generally quite happy to share stable space with his compatriot herd members. A large interior barn space, or even a relatively small 12’ x 12’ stall can suffice for a few donkeys to share, as long as their grain rations are provided individually, and each receives its fair share.
Blanketing donkeys is not usually necessary unless they are very young, very old or ill, the provision of a run-in shed, or some form of in/out shelter is necessary.
Stable/stall doors of the Dutch variety installed on the exterior of the barn can facilitate the donkey’s freedom to choose to be inside or outside.
Dutch doors or stable/stall doors can be built to include three rather than the standard two split style design. This allows the stall door to be low enough to offer a room with a ‘boredom relieving’ view for the animal, while still allowing the stable’s use by horses if the need arises in the future.
Bedding your donkey on pelleted bedding or pine shavings (ensure no walnut or cherry wood is present as these woods will founder an animal) is a good idea versus straw or hay. Hay will encourage lice and fleas and is heavy and arduous to keep clean. Hay is not a good bedding material for Equus. Straw (only wheat or oat straw should be used, barley is not suitable due to its barbs), is often just a feast for the wee beast who will bloat up quickly by ingesting it.
To cut down on bedding needs and to provide comfort for the animal when laying down, rubber mats installed over a compacted stone dust stall floor or concrete floor is a good idea. Dirt floors will quickly disintegrate into muddy pits and cratered surfaces where urine and manure are consistently removed during the daily mucking out process especially where geldings will use the same spot to relieve themselves.
Donkeys, just like many domesticated animals, enjoy attention and interaction with humans. Donkeys make great service animals and companions.
However, donkeys, just like horses, do require training and establishing some basic ground rules is an essential part of an owner’s responsibility. A donkey should pick up his feet for the farrier for trimming (every 6-8 weeks is usually needed) without fuss. He should accept a halter and rope and be complaint to lead forward, stop and back up. Ideally, he would also be trained to walk onto a trailer for transport.
A donkey that works in harness in a small cart or is ridden by smaller sized equestrians (a rider will ideally only weigh up to 12% of the animal’s weight), will need appropriate training so that he understands his job. Just like horses donkeys will bolt off if frightened, kick, rear and generally act up if they are not properly trained. If you do not have the necessary experience in this training regard it is well worth investing in some professional help to set you on the right track.
Giving your donkey good basic training is a gift he will be blessed with all his life, and he will always be welcomed in the future as a new acquisition elsewhere should your circumstances change over his long lifetime and a requirement to sell or rehome him become necessary.
Bear in mind that donkeys are herd animals and do best with some form of animal companionship. It does not have to be another Equus, a goat, an alpaca, a few sheep or a cow will suffice.
Just like horses, donkeys do require regular farrier and veterinary care. Set yourself up for success by engaging their services from the outset of your donkey ownership. Routine vaccinations against prevalent diseases such as rabies, equine influenza, encephalitis, tetanus and several more are necessary depending on where you live.
So, are donkeys easy to care for? Donkey ownership can be very rewarding and is relatively easy to navigate. Watching the animals interact, hearing their noisy welcoming bray as you appear with a flake of hay or engaging them in work and play is something the whole family can enjoy.
Why not give it a go? There are many donkeys out there seeking a home.
This article originally appeared on Horizon Structures and is published here with permission.
You can find more informative articles in our section on Tack & Farm.
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