Any horse/donkey owners want to give me some tips?

Comments

• Kaddy

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Wow! That's so cool :oD
  
  I have no suggestions for you, unfortunately. I have to say at first the title of this post made me giggle a bit, but after reading it I'm slightly jealous.
• brandon_w

  January 2009 edited November -1

  The donkeys are not going to be inside of a fenced area?
  
  I have no idea how to get a donkey and a dog to like each other. I'm fairly confident that this is the first time this question has been asked on the forum, maybe anywhere.
• Heidi

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Yes, the donkey will be in a fenced area, I just want the dogs and donkeys to not try to kill each other if they come in contact with one another. And even if the dogs and donkey are separated by a fence, I don't want any crazy jumping or lunging in the donkey's direction. Plus, I might want to ride or pack with the donkeys somewhere and brings the dogs along, too.
• TeamLaika

  January 2009 edited November -1

  How old are Norman and Leon? Have they been gelded?
  Are you up for teeth floating, hoof care (trims every 6-8 weeks), grooming, hay supply, adequate fencing, deworming, salt supplements etc etc?
  
  Donkeys are very clever. They will not hesitate to strike, bite and kick. Some people use donkeys or mules as very effective livestock guardians against domestic dogs and coyotes.
  
  I would start with the donkey standing still. Work with one dog at a time. Adding motion always ads interest. A walk with dog and donkey could get real exciting real fast. Get a helper and leash the dog. Halter the donkey and groom him. Have the dog maintain a sit stay and reprimand any attempts to lunge at the donkey. Keep a fence between the two at first if necessary. Go increments, particularly if the dog is agitated. Then have the dog sit and wait while someone else leads the donkey slowly back and forth at a walk. Practice some heeling exercises while the donkey stands still. Progress to leaving a long line on the dog for remote corrections when the donkey is on the other side of a fence. Progress to doing similar exercises inside the fence. If you break everything down into smalls steps you should be OK. Get a helmet.
  
  Most hunters did not tolerate their hunting dogs harassing livestock. You may have more problems with your sheepdog than Rakka.
• Leonberger

  January 2009 edited November -1

  I have no idea of what to do. I am pretty sure Kuma would want to hunt the donkeys though. He goes crazy over horses.
• Edgewood

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Team Laika provides some very good suggestions.
  
  Your best bet is to have constant repetition and not allow the dog to get excited by the horses/donkeys, especially if the horses/donkeys start running around. Reprimand the dog when they do get excited and make them sit or lay down quietly next to you when you are around the horses/donkeys. I also taught my Shikoku that going under the fence into the paddock with the animals was a bad idea (big time angry mom) because I want him to think twice before he crosses the fence line. I am much more worried about my 1200+ lb horses kicking and killing the dog than the other way around. I do allow him out with me on occasion and he generally stays right with me and does not (now) go under the fence to the horses. Just be careful, as a puppy, he did get kicked while he was sitting calmly OUTSIDE the fence (about a foot outside). The yearling horse's foot went between the boards and hit Kuma right below his eye. It was very painful for him and the yearling was only trying to play with him. And he was being very good and sitting quietly outside the fence and the accident still happened. So I am very, very careful around the horses because they can do so much damage to a dog really quickly.
  
  I do work with him within the fence where the horses are loose and practice heeling on lead exercises and sitting/down exercises (especially if the horses start running around. I want to minimize his "chase" mode around them.
  
  Also note Team Laika's comments about the farrier work, vaccinations, teeth floating, vet work, hay (a lot of it), etc. Keeping horses/donkeys is not inexpensive. Donkeys may be a little less in cost because they most likely eat less than a horse.
• Heidi

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Thanks for the suggestions on getting the dogs to get along with the donkey.
  
  As for the cost, I don't go around obtaining animals without knowing the care involved.
• ShikokuSpirit

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Shoot, I wish I had some experience with Shoushuu on this, but sadly I haven't taken him around horses lately. Lynx grew up with them for awhile since I'd take her with me to my Gymkhana lessons and to shows <-- very dog friendly environment.
  I'm not sure how it will transfer. However, it's great and generally keeps them out of too much trouble if you give the dog some kind of job. Whatever it may be, so they either "ignore" the horse or are "working" while around them, perhaps a little bit of both. Or in this case, the donkeys.
  
  I have a few training buddies that have horses and they take their dogs along on rides, normally off leash. Sometimes the dogs will even ride the horse or hold the reins, lol, it's very cute. Usually the dogs are just content to trail the horse and chase rabbits but they manage to keep up. While back at the barn, they are generally assigned "chores".
  
  Good luck and congrats on the donkeys!
• tsukitsune

  January 2009 edited November -1

  I've got nothing helpful, except that at a farm I visit - the two livestock dogs have invisible fencing collars on specifically to keep them from the horse areas...
  
  but congrats on the donkeys!
• Sangmort

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Awwww! I LOVE Donkeys! Wish I could offer you some advice.
  
  
  
  But...I would LOVE some spam of them! haha Congrats! ~
• Heidi

  January 2009 edited November -1

  Oh, you'll get spam! They won't be coming out here for a few months, though.
• LisaW

  February 2009 edited November -1

  Hi!
  
  I dont have experiences with meetings of dogs and donkeys for the firs time, but i can give you some genereal tips how you can make your dog familiar with new things. Try to make their first meeting as positive as you can. Use special treats as reward and/or for the dogs their loved toys. And stay calm. If your nervous, your dogs get nervous too. Just one dog( on loose leash) with one donkey (if its not afraid of dogs with a person holding it on a loose leash, with tons of food in front of him).
  
  Start with your dog on a big distance, where your dog is calm, then go nearer with your dog, but not on a straight line to the donkey - a big bow is much better, as long as your dog behaves as you wish cheer him up, give him treats, when he starts getting nervous or excited for hunting, stop, let him make sit or something and if he is calm, give him a reward. Then go a little bit nearer until the dog becomes nervous again, then again sit or down and when he's calm he gets a reward.
  
  If your dog want to charge at the donkey, just hold against, dont pull on the leash but try to attract his attention, let him make sit or something and if he is calm, give him a reward. Then go a little bit nearer until the dog becomes nervous again, then again sit or down and when he's calm he gets a reward.
  
  If your dog barks and makes the donkey really nervous, try to give him once a command to stop,if he does - >reward, if it doenst work just ignore it and go away with him for few minutes and then start again on a more far away point. During the time your getting nearer just feed up your dog with treats as long he is calm.
  
  If your dog reacts with fear, give him time, go back to the point where he just gets nervous, stay there, calm him down, give him some reward and then go just few steps nearer until your dog becomes nervous again.
  
  If the donkey is afraid of dogs it gets little bit complicated, in this case its better to make the dog familiar with the donkey( or much better would be a trainingdonkey whos not afraid of dogs) and after that working with the donkey to reduce its fear, but for this your dog has to be calm and follow your commands during he's nearby the donkey...if you have your dog under control you can do it like before with the dog...wander around with your dog, sometimes coming near until the donkey gets nervous, than going a little bit away, just ignore the donkey, do some quite training with your dog, just ignoring the donkey... for the first time i think its better when the donkey is free in the fence and not on a leash, when the donkey starts to ignore you both you can begin with the closer training with the donkey on a leash and tons of food :)
  
  if one of those two is really panicing or complete out of control, break up and try again some days later... or much better LET THE TRAINING END BEFORE one of them gets out of control, a positive ending of the training is really important, if something is going really wrong and you break-up do some easy training with your dog somewhere else so the last thing he remembers is something positive.
  
  thats the long but gentle and much safer way! Perhaps you cant/ dont want to use everything, but i hope i could help you a little bit :)
  
  greetings and good luck! :)
  Lisa
  
  PS im just reading a book about calming signals in dog communication from Miss Rugaas, she found out that humans are able to use these signals in communication with dogs too... so perhaps yawning, and blinking with your eyes could help calming down your dog :) if your dog is sniffing on the floor, has a scrath or tries to show the donkey his back, let him..these are just calming signals to show the donkey that your dog doesnt want a confrontation.
• Heidi

  February 2009 edited November -1

  Thanks for the tips, Lisa. I just finished reading the Calming Signals book. It's a gooder.