I have horses and a 18 month old adopted Rottweiler. So far he seems good with the horses but whenever one rolls (horses like to roll just like dogs do) he jumps on it. He also runs with the horses (he doesn’t seem to chase them, just wants to run when they run). When I call him, he will come ‘after’ he finished running with the horses.
I have had him for over half a year. Except for the jumping on the horses when they roll, he is pretty good. Any suggestions or ideas about the rolling on the horses? If I go up and say “no”, the horse gets scared and thinks that I am scolding it.
Hi
I don’t have horses myself, but Rottweilers have historically been used as herding dogs and generally get along fine with horses, cattle and so on.
I’m afraid I’m really not sure about the jumping on the horses but assume it’s a reaction based on instinct that your dog probably doesn’t think about just acts on impulse. As long as the horses don’t seem to mind it and no-one is getting hurt, personally I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
However, if it upsets the horses or it looks like someone is going to get hurt, then you may need to keep your dog away from them until you can get him trained to the point where he stops when you tell him to. For that I would recommend some formal dog obedience classes and constant practice. Rottweilers are very intelligent and eager to please, so with effort and patience you should be able to override his desire to jump on your horses.
If anyone else has experience with Rotties (or dogs in general) and horses, please feel free to jump in with any tips or help you can offer. Thanks 🙂