trail dog suggestions

I would suggest a blue/red heeler, an Australian Shepard, or a border collie. They are all very smart dogs, and getting them as puppies to be around horses is always a must.

Do you have a yard the dog could run around in? At my mom's house, it's no problem as we live in the country, but a fenced yard would let the dog run and play and get exercise, a lot of people around here put their dogs on leashes (i think it's mean, they need a fence, or be out in the country) but it still works if it is a must.

But please, never take a chihuahua or breeds like that, as they actually scare the horses more. A bigger dog is more likely to bark, then run away, if anything, but one time, a chihuahua ran up and tried to bite my horses' heels. I have a Pomeranian/chihuahua she grew up around my horses and still barks at them, so she is never allowed around them. It's very disappointing, but my next dog will hopefully be an Australian Shepard (either ed or blue) when I get out of college.

I don't have any breed recommendations - but I would suggest visiting a local pound. You can get any age/breed/energy level dog there.

I have a Llasa Ahpso mix that came from a pound. He's not what you are looking for, as he requires regular grooming. We keep him shaved. In his younger days he would have made a great trail dog. He had just the right amount of speed, energy an endurance to keep up with us most of the time. He has been known to beg for (and get) a ride from time to time.

Our other dog is a boxer mix. We're not sure what the mix is, but it looks like she's probably got some pit bull in there somewhere. However, she has -0- agression. She gets along great with the horses, but is absolutely terrified of the goats! She sticks pretty close to us and has the potential to be a great trail dog, too. While she didn't come from a pound, she is still a rescue because our neighbors moved off and left her when she was just a puppy.

We also had a blue heeler/chow mix that was excellent on the trail. She went on many a ride with us. She was calm around the horses (she was ALWAYS calm!) and stayed right with us, only ranging a few feet away at the most. Our neighbors had cattle that had a tendency to find every hole in the fence and get out. They would come get old blue to put them up. Blue never ran the cattle - she was too lazy. She might run at them to get them moving, but once they were moving, she just plodded around behind them. Cattle that aren't panicked or pushed too hard will find the place in the fence where they got out and go back in the same way. Or they will walk in an open gate. We loved that old girl, and she lived to be nearly 20! We found her at a local horse auction. She was in a box of puppies that had been dropped off in the parking lot. She kept following us (well, trying to - she was less than six weeks old). We didn't really want a dog at the time, but Blue wouldn't take no for an answer. After about six times putting her back in the box, hubby said if she wants to go with us that badly, she must belong with us. She was his dog until the day she died, through his brain tumor and his stroke.

I guess my point is, you don't need to look for a specific breed for a trail dog. There are dogs out there just waiting for you to make them into what you want, and they are happy to comply!

How old is your basset? They were bred as tracking/hunting dogs, and when needed they can book it, even if their legs are pretty stubby. Instead of getting yet another dog that you have said yourself you don't have the time to invest in, take out your existing dog with you. Even if he/she is older, you can ask your vet about some good joint supplements. Especially in a breed that is easy to let get overweight/obese, the trails will do it some good.

I still agree with CP that herding breeds are your best bet...however, like photog said, if you go with that type of dog you'll need to search around and find a farm/ranch in your area that works cattle or sheep and also uses their dogs to breed. Make sure you see the mom AND dad in action, as well as how they interact with you, their owner, the other dogs, and the animals....just because they have it in their genes to work an animal doesn't mean they won't be aggressive/prey driven. Especially with Australian Cattle Dogs and blue heelers, if not properly exposed to smaller dogs they can get a little excited/nippy around them.

But, to be frank, just getting an animal that you can "play with" on the weekends is cruel. Dogs are not horses, they are actually the exact opposite...where as horses live to be lazy, dogs are predatory animals, they run, jump, play, bark, etc etc.

Sorry if this comes off as kind of preachy, I just hate to see perfectly good animals waste away inside...I'm trained in animal behavior and I work at a doggie day care, so dogs are like my life! lol, If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

I have to disagree a bit there. Horses play too, especially if they get to live in open fields. And certain dogs - and yes, I do mean that Border Collie/Aussie mix currently snoozing on my couch - can do pretty well at lazy when they put their minds to it. The point is that they're all individuals, so thinking you're absolutely certain to get such-and-such behavior from a particular breed just isn't going to work. Niki, for instance, was supposed to be a ranch dog, but wound up with me because she has zero interest in herding anything.

Oh, and grooming: a short-haired dog may not "need" grooming, but brushing is also a form of bonding & acceptance into the pack...

I agree that the dog (any dog really) needs to be exercised every day, not only in the weekends, especially if taken on the trail for hours on the weekend.

But IF you want a dog that can follow then what about a Dalmatian?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatian_(dog)

Easy to keep clean and known for their affinity with horse (as you can read in the link)

Be careful, dalmatians are extremely strong willed and without proper excersize and training can develop behavioral issues. Most dogs like the ones suggested on here like aussies, cattle dogs etc. are all high energy dogs and would do great to keep up with horses if they are properly trained, but the OP suggests a medium energy dog. Of course there are exceptions to every breed.

Also, the OP does not say they wouldn't pay attention to the dog and it would ONLY get excersize on weekends, but that the dog will be used as a trail companion only the weekends. Perhaps the OPs other two dogs are not suitable for that for some reason and the OP would enjoy having a dog companion with while riding.

However, the OP gives us some vague info. which could lead someone to assume things. I would hope the OP takes time to excersize the dog (as well as their other two dogs) during the week for bonding, training and mental stimulation purposes.

I also liked the idea someone mentioned about why not training the bassett to be a companion on the trail since they were bred to do that specifically and it fits all the OPs criteria. a shorthaired easy to groom dog who can be out or in and medium energy, and can be around horses. Unless there is some serious behavioral or medical issue that prevents the dog from doing it.

If the OP gave us a bit more info. on what he or she wants. or would clarify some things they posted it will do us no good assuming the OP will do "this" or "that" in a good way or mean way to their 'new' dog if they decided to get one. (not to start a full out debate at all or anything).

~AL615

It is this part: that make me assume the dog won't be exercised much during the week. Unless you are able to find a very lazy Aussie or Border Collie I would not recommend them. They need at least an hour of intense exercise a day. Not just walking. Every day And they need mental stimulation. So, since that sounds like too much energy for the OP, I don't recommend these breeds. We have a fairly lazy Aussie and he still needs so much exercise you wouldn't believe!

Being good with horses also needs to be trained. You can't just throw them in together, so to speak. You need to supervise their interactions. Puppies might try to go up and play with the horse and the horse can kick them and you end up with a dead dog. This takes time and work.

Unless you are lucky enough to find a trained older dog that has been trained around horses (look in the pound), you need to be willing to invest lots of time.

Good luck.

I would be wary of getting a working cattle dog, as the instinct to 'nip heels' is bred into them for hard to move cattle. I would be worried the instinct might kick in, they would nip the horses heels, and get a kick in the head. I think sheep herding breeds would be a better bet, so Border Collies, Kelpies, Coolies... All CAN work cows but are mainly sheep dogs. My Kelpie, who WAS trained around horses, and all of dad's Kelpies who weren't, are fine with the horses.

Thanks kiara. :) I totally missed that post, I had concentrated solely on the 1st post the OP had talked about. my bad. But still if the OP has two other dogs, what does she do with THEIR excersizing needs? That is why I am hoping OP meant he/she wouldn't completely not excersize the dog in some way during the week. (Maybe I am just being devils advocate)

good point about horses needing to be trained too I didn't think of that.

~AL615

the basset hound may be a good idea but she hasnt been around horses much and has a tendency to get alittle close to the horse shes about 4 years old shes good around horses she doesnt bark and scare the horses. but one problem which is why i dont want a dog with a big tracking instinct is basset hounds has a really big tendency to to find a trail and forget everything they even have a tendency to go deaf iv heard that dalmations have a tendency to turn on their owners oo and I just said i dont have time to walk the dog i didnt say that the dog wouldnt be able to get out