Border Collie!
Attentive, obedient and BOUNDLESS energy! 
NOT a border collie, please
Theyāre bred to work hoofstock and many are very āhigh drive.ā Which means they will want to herd the horses, cars you may encounter, and other animals such as loose dogs or livestock.
They are incredibly intelligent and can be taught to have an āoff switch.ā Of course, any working stockdog has to know when to stop working stock. But when a border collie, even one with a great ālie downā and 100% recall, is around stock, it pays to have your attention on the stock and the border collie. Which of course you canāt do if youāre also having to pay attention to your horse, trail companions, etc.
Iām glad the poster above had a good experience with this breed. Theyāre the best, IMO - thatās why I live with one and volunteer a lot of my time to border collie rescue. But I see so many bcās come through the rescue who were given up by their original homes because they didnāt work out as expected, that I just wanted to post a warning.
On your own property, any dog is a suitable trail companion. On public or privately owned property, leave the dog at home. The leash law applies under these circumstances and I think it would be virtually impossible to ride and have a dog on a leash at the same time.
where do you people manage to ride that is safe for your dog to run loose like that? we have to cross roads, pass near peopleās backyards (and their loose aggressive dogs), and share the trails with hikers and dog walkers when we go out trail riding. Iām fine letting a well-trained dog off leash while Iām walking on foot, because itās so easy to snap the leash back on again if you approach a road or other safety hazard, but if youāre up there on the horse? not so easy. Even a super-well-trained dog isnāt a machine, who knows what could happen.
[QUOTE=Just My Style;1906744]
On your own property, any dog is a suitable trail companion. On public or privately owned property, leave the dog at home. The leash law applies under these circumstances and I think it would be virtually impossible to ride and have a dog on a leash at the same time.[/QUOTE]
Oh, how I wish leash laws applied where I live. But they donāt, and it seems like every other landowner thinks its his/her God-given right to allow their dogs to harass passers-by on the public road. Now that Iām bringing my horses home from the boarding stable, Iām wondering how best to handle this. I love dogs, and on foot Iāve been able to either make friends or at least strike a truce with the loose beasties. But Iām not sure what my two geldings are going to think. Iām considering teaching both to accept my popping a hunt whip from the saddle, just in case some dog gets above himself.
I agree about leaving dogs at home on trail rides. My RI has a dog who stays home now by popular demand, since weāve all spent time on trail rides searching for the flighty little thing, or blocking traffic with our horses so she could catch the silly beast before he ran into the road.
I know. Unfortunately, too many think the leash law is an optional law. Well, it isnāt. I spent an extra $1k on my fencing to reinforce it with wire to keep my neighbors āfriendlyā goldendoodle out of my paddocks. The dog is friendly. The horse isnāt. 
Since you didnāt ask āwhetherā you should take your dog on the trails, those who presumed to weigh in on that should maybe start their own threadā¦
Thanks
where do you people manage to ride that is safe for your dog to run loose like that? we have to cross roads, pass near peopleās backyards (and their loose aggressive dogs), and share the trails with hikers and dog walkers when we go out trail riding
We have hundreds (literally) of miles of trails that require NO road work, no residential areas and I have yet to meet a hikerā¦meet lots of other horses. Yes, Iām spoilt in the PNW and I LOVE IT.
Reason I was asking on breeds, and quite surprised at the answers, is I want a dog that can physically take it. Great Danes are wonderful but I would imagine (and may be wrong) break down at a youngish age.
Dalmations- not a fan of, sorry. Have yet to meet a nice one (donāt flame me, I work around dogs daily and I have honestly yet to meet a nice one).
I was just curious to see what you all had and how they held up. My Rottie mix for example would LOVE to be a trail dog but is physically too big (100 lbs- not overweight) and I feel it would reck his joints. My lab/border collie mix can go all day and is sensible around horses.
My next thought for a dog was a feild cockerā¦
I canāt in good conscience recommend any specific breed. There are any number of breeds (or mixes) of which a healthy one could physically do the job. You need a biddable individual with a great temperament and channelable drives. Yeah, a Border Collie could be the best dog or the worst. It depends on the individual dog, and your skills as a trainer/handler.
As an aside, yeah, itās awfully difficult to find a good Dalmatian (because of the ****wits who bredbreedbreed every time Disney releases another Dal movie), but they are out there, and running alongside horses is what they were bred for, physically and mentally.
Good luck.
No flameā¦I understand the stigma with dals as there are with other breeds.
Yep, the breeders need to take blame for reducing the gene pool breeding to the same damn stud dog in the early 90s.
Anyway, dallies were bred to guard the stable house at night, and run with the carriages during the day. They are bred to be guard dogsā¦what happens is you get these idiots who want to buy them because they have spotsā¦they do not realize that dals a. are endurance dogs and need to run off energy b. they need to be indoor dogs with families c. they need obedience training d. they need a job.
Iāve had 2 purebreds, 1 pointer/dal mix, and I foster. They are socialized daily, exercised daily, loved on dailyā¦they are the best dogs, couldnāt imagine my life without spotsā¦they have personalities similar to arabian horsesā¦very smart, but often are labeled as dumb, as they can outsmart the person working with them.
They arenāt for everyoneā¦but I hate it when people give them a stigma of being ābad dogsā because they knew one that was badā¦more often than not, itās due to poor ownership. Thereās good and bad in EVERY breedā¦ including some of the more popular pet dogs such as goldens and labs, once again, usually due to poor ownership.
Too bad you donāt live closer to me, I could introduce to 3 good ones!!!
Best breed for a trail dog?
[QUOTE=dalpal;1907626]
Thereās good and bad in EVERY breedā¦ including some of the more popular pet dogs such as goldens and labs, once again, usually due to poor ownership.[/QUOTE]
Poor breeding too.
And I donāt know about anyone else but I can only deal with one animal brain at a time! :eek:
My Jack Russell makes an excellent trail dog. She stays right with us and if there are strange dogs in the area, she will stay right next to me.
I also had an Aussie that was a great trail dog too. Unfortunately she also LOVED to go. She would jump in any car/truck door if it was open. She ended up getting stolen that way.
Iāve had a Dalmatian in my life (serially) for over fifty years. My current one, a dumpee post 101 Dalmatians, is the only one who isnāt attracted to horses. Heās a wonderful guard dog, but not a good barn/trail dog. I live in the middle of a huge row crop farming area with no people for miles, and I can ride the turnrows with my pack of dogs to my heartās content.
One of the best dogs for trail riding in my current group is a āsportingā bred American cocker. I just really, really hate the coat maintenance that goes with him. He seems to attract cockleburrs like a magnet.
Not a hunting dog. :no: They will put their noses downā¦ and go aāhunting. Trust me! You will spend more time looking and hollering for the dog than you will hacking! The only hound I would suggest would be the Ridgeback which make a NICE hacking dog! :winkgrin:
Best to look at the wiry working/herding dogs built/designed to go and go and go, yet stick with you come he!! or high water ā border collies, Malamutes, Aussies, Belgians ā or in the Sporting Group ā Weimaraners, Dobies.
I canāt say enough about German Shepherdās. Living in Northern WI, Anna has been a godsend. We have a population of wolves and bears. On more than one occasion she has cleared the trail of unwanted predators which believe me are much scarier than the dog themselves. My horses have become very dependent on her. Albeit she is well behaved and doesnāt stray. And my horses, well, they are not very tolerant of other dogs so if another dog interferred Iād say Echo (the horse), āsic emā. LOL
Mary
[QUOTE=gothedistance;1907999]
Best to look at the wiry working/herding dogs built/designed to go and go and go, yet stick with you come he!! or high water ā border collies, Malamutes, Aussies, Belgians ā or in the Sporting Group ā Weimaraners, Dobies.[/QUOTE]
Good Lord, not Malamutes. :eek: Perhaps you mean (Belgian) Malinois? Belgians (my breed) can be extremely high drive, and temperament problems are, sadly, fairly common. Kind of a āfull timeā breed.
But a good one is fabulous, and yes, they can go and go and go.
And Dobies are great. An underrated breed for sure. I was very active in a Dobie rescue group for a few years, and was stunned at all the good, resilient temperaments I saw despite some horrendous conditions. But theyāve got more than there share of health issues.
Weāve had several different breeds; cross Standard Poodle was the best one for me. Sheād stick by me and my mare at all times - for miles and miles. Even when there was a wildlife lurking out there, sheād just ignore it and stick by us. 
Cleo was really friendly that people felt comfortable around her even when I was high up on my mare. Everytime weād go out, Cleo would bounce with joy and GO! I miss her.
Those two breeds are loud no for usā¦Border Collie and White West Highland. Westie would take a look at us, turn around, walk back to the house, and lay down on the porch looking very despodent. Iād cajole her to follow us only to see her āshaking her headā. Sheād much rather stay at home! :eek:
Border collie must āworkā at all times which was vexing at times. Plus, she was not suitable to be a hearing dog. 
Having had hunting dogs, ranging from Coonhounds to Beagles to Pointers, I would vote against a hunting dog for sure. Finding one who will not pursue his own instinctive agenda will be tough, I think.
I will vote FOR any service breedāsheps, dobes, etc., or a mix thereof. If I were you, I would go down to the local shelter and look for a youngster with good leg and high energy, combined with an interest in taking direction. Bring a ball with you, and take any dog you are interested in out to play. Throw the ball, and then make a big ācome see me, doggy!ā deal out of him coming back to you. Donāt worry so much about the release, but see who is interested in playing the game within the parameters you set (coming back, etc.). That dog may be a good candidate for you.
Great advice!
Thanks!
Years of fostering rescue dogs makes it important to size them up quickly, esp. when you are checking for important things like a lack of interest in killing the resident dogs and cats. :lol:
[QUOTE=dalpal;1907626]
No flameā¦I understand the stigma with dals as there are with other breeds.
Iāve had 2 purebreds, 1 pointer/dal mix, and I foster. They are socialized daily, exercised daily, loved on dailyā¦they are the best dogs, couldnāt imagine my life without spotsā¦they have personalities similar to arabian horsesā¦very smart, but often are labeled as dumb, as they can outsmart the person working with them.
Too bad you donāt live closer to me, I could introduce to 3 good ones!!!;)[/QUOTE]
I am living for the day that I can finally get a dal. True story-Iāve wanted one since I was a very little kid, like six years old or so. I hadnāt seen the movie 101 dalmations, we were actually looking at houses because we were moving and this one house had a dalmation named Tigger that howled the whole time. I donāt know why, but since then Iāve wanted one (I was a strange kid anyway!). I finally saw 101 Dalmations when I was much older and it pissed me off because I knew people would want one solely because of the film.
I also want a chocolate lab. I found a chocolate lab/dal mix for adoption on petfinder. My SO said that dog would probably be the naughtiest dog alive. I said it would be perfect for me
The morgan farm next to my house breeds dalmations. I am really looking forward to getting my own place so I can finally get one. I also really want an appy. I guess I just have a thing for spots
