I know many event venues still allow dogs to come. As I’m planning my year, I’m thinking about what I will do with my two pups that can’t stay home in the fence. I generally just love having my dogs around anyway, but I’ll most likely be at the show alone. So I’ve got to figure out something for the pups.
Is putting them in a stall an option? Will I get in trouble if they make any noise?
Anyone else bring their dogs along?
Many stalls aren’t going to have great doors or be secure enough, and they may also have dirt floors-- you will most likely have to tie them or put them in a pen or crate. If they are going to bark or whine the whole time you are riding-- and especially if they might bark or snap at horses or other dogs-- I would think hard about doing something else with them.
leave your dogs at home, please. the competitors have too much at stake and should only be worrying about themselves and their horse. competition days are big days that are the climax to months of training and preparation… it should be all about the horse and the rider and nothing else. having a dog complicates the mix and poses serious risks for all participating at the event, not just yourself. the dog won’t die if it’s left at home for a day.
I don’t like to see dogs at events. So many other options. Board the dogs at a kennel, have a petsitter stay at the house, or stop by multiple times a day to check on them. Especially if you are by yourself that is a lot to manage.
There’s a whole thread here back a ways about dogs. I can’t find it. Last event I was at I watched two big loose dogs wandering everywhere and, being males, peeing on people’s stuff. I’m a dog lover and it surprised me how annoyed it made me, how cavalier the owners were about it. And I had to pick up a few small ones that were in heavy truck trailering traffic areas, one just missed getting hit, and take them to the office to be claimed.
I’m not saying that you would let yours loose. If you need to try to bring them then start crate training them now. And leave them crated to sort it out for themselves and if they can’t crate, and BE LEFT, without barking and becoming obnoxious then there’s your answer for sure.
Stopping by to check on them isn’t an option when I’m out of town…
Boarding them is my only option as I don’t trust anyone enough to have them stay in my home to tend to my dogs.
I would appreciate if everyone didn’t get in the defensive about a question. I value your answers about dogs being at shows, but there is no need to get worked up over a question.
[QUOTE=pony grandma;8477836]
There’s a whole thread here back a ways about dogs. I can’t find it. Last event I was at I watched two loose dogs wandering everywhere and peeing on people’s stuff. I’m a dog lover and it surprised me how annoyed it made me, how cavalier the owners were about it. And I had to pick up a few small ones that were in heavy truck trailering traffic areas, one just missed getting hit, and take them to the office to be claimed.
I’m not saying that you would let yours loose. If you need to try to bring them then start crate training them now. And leave them crated to sort it out for themselves and if they can’t crate, and BE LEFT, without barking and becoming obnoxious then there’s your answer for sure.[/QUOTE]
I too would be annoyed in this case!!!
They are crate trained, but I don’t think I’d want to leave them in crates in the heat. Which is why I thought about the stall. However it seems like boarding them or finding a day care facility near the show grounds would be best. With the latter, I could still have them with me at night
OP, I don’t think anyone was worked up. The problem is, that having dogs adds another unreliable and IMHO quite uncontrollable variable to an already hectic environment. You can’t guarantee your dog won’t get away from you, you can’t guarantee he won’t bite, attack, or destroy someone else’s property. The only guarantee that your dog will not pose a serious risk to other riders is by leaving him home.
I say this as kindly as possible, with no defensiveness or hostility intended. But I have a friend who nearly lost her life on XC at Full Gallop when a dog of a jump judge’s lunged at a horse right before take-off. The horse flipped and she was thrown clear into the second part of the combination and was very lucky to have not been killed. There is a poster on COTH who has had a very similar experience, and a giant thread about it - it is not my story to tell but I am sure she will pop in shortly.
It is chilling to think that my friend may have lost her life that day – and over what? A dog?
Why in the world would a jump judge have a dog??!! I feel like that should be against the rules!! I am very sorry for your friend. And you are correct, I have no idea how my dog will react despite them both being perfect at my farm as well as many public outings. They are dogs. Which is exactly why I posted this thread. I tried searching but came up with nothing.
[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8477947]
Why in the world would a jump judge have a dog??!! [/QUOTE]
SAME reason as you. They can’t be away from home all day and leave them.
And this has been a topic of conversation here and for organizers that desperately need a high number of volunteers. As well as you the competitor need them there! There are reliable long time volunteers that have very quiet well behaved dogs and it is a terrible point to have to lose their experienced services b/c an organizer can’t tell others no to their dogs, and not everyone, and can’t take the risks.
In that light you would understand right?
I can understand not wanting to lose volunteers, but my dog isn’t the same as a jump judges dog. I’m not allowing my dog to sit right next to a cross country jump. Seems like those volunteers should be placed else where. My dog would simply be chilling in my tack stall or in my horses still if I didn’t have a tack stall. Behind a closed door and baby gates. Probably teathered as well for good measure. Can I promise they won’t bark? No. Which is why I asked about it. They are dogs. At some point they may bark or be playing loudly.
Why, as a competitor, would you bring an animal when you aren’t going to be able to supervise it the entire time you’re there? IMHO the jump judge has more ground to stand on in the “should I bring my dog with me” fight than a competitor does, as the JJ sits in one place all day, usually for hours at a time, with no company and only very short break times.
You have to think outside your sphere for a moment - think of how many competitors will be affected by your dog and its presence - the stablemate next to you, the girl trying to walk past the aisle with a water bucket when you are on course and your dog is locked up – the groom that is trying to tack up a horse for a show… there are really so many variables and things out of your control that adding another living thing with its own autonomous agenda is really inconsiderate to everyone at the event. There is no reason your dog needs to be there, with you. Hire a sitter or suck it up and place him on the line with shelter food and water for a day. Or, do what my friend does and buy pee pads and line the bathroom or other linoleum areas with the pee-pads and lock them up there for the day.
I think you’re missing the fact that it won’t be just for a day. It’s an entire weekend.
If you want to go the inconsiderate route, is it not just as inconsiderate for a jump judge to bring their dog that may or may not disrupte actual competition. At least my dog may or may not just be annoying. As posted above, the jump judges dog could actually be life threatening. My dog who is locked in a stall is not.
OP, I have never used a bark collar, and do not generally advocate the use of shock collars.
But, I am appalled at the thought that you might bring dogs who might bark while crated to a horse event.
Ha e you considered teaching them to be crated without barking, by the method of your choosing, perhaps including the bark collars?
Otherwise, perhaps finding them a day care option, with you taking them at night, when you can devote your attention to them, seems reasonable.
Please do not allow your dogs to annoy others.
[QUOTE=Houndhill;8478197]
OP, I have never used a bark collar, and do not generally advocate the use of shock collars.
But, I am appalled at the thought that you might bring dogs who might bark while crated to a horse event.
Ha e you considered teaching them to be crated without barking, by the method of your choosing, perhaps including the bark collars?
Otherwise, perhaps finding them a day care option, with you taking them at night, when you can devote your attention to them, seems reasonable.
Please do not allow your dogs to annoy others.[/QUOTE]
I’m not sure at all where you got your information from. Never said my dogs bark in a crate. Never said my dogs bark at all. I said I won’t crate in the heat. Because it’s hot. I also said they are dogs. Dogs do as they please and sometimes bark. Do my dogs usually bark when left alone? No. Could they bark? Sure! All dogs can bark. Might as well just erase your post because you just assumed and made up things.
I seriously don’t know why everyone gets so on the defensive. I asked a question. Can no one speak like a grown up and have an actual conversation. I’ve also already stated that finding a day care in the area for the dogs would be a good idea because some people deicided to give helpful advice and reasoning as to why bringing my dogs wouldn’t be a great idea. Things I didn’t think of.
So instead of trying to publicly shame me for considering something, how about you all get off your high and mighty horse and trying being nice and informative. Not rude.
I’m the other one who paid the price of a jump judge’s dog. My horse is not find of strange dogs (soooooo much better than he used to be, when even my well behaved, very horse savvy dog would send him into orbit). He spooked at the judge’s BARKING dog and lost focus jumping into a pretty tough combination, and left a stride out in a panic. I got the free ride to the hospital and spent over 5 months out of the saddle. Three months of that on crutches.
Funny, I am not opposed to WELL BEHAVED horse savvy, well contained dogs at horse shows. My own dog was sleeping at the trailer when we crashed. And they definitely should NOT be with a jump judge (plenty of reasons why if you do a search for the thread about my accident or search for the discussion on EN’s Facebook page about it).
I still take my dog. But she is VERY quiet (usually…about once every 10 outings, she barks at a dog for about 5 seconds). She is VERY well behaved. She barely acknowledges other horses and people. I can tie her to the trailer with a bed in the shade and water and she sleeps soundly while I’m away. If it’s cool, she happily snoozes in the truck. I can stick her in a stall if we’re stabling, and know she’ll go to sleep and not bark and carry on while I’m gone. It is not unusual for a neighbor to no realize she was even there. When I walk around venues with her, she does not pull or act up. We usually have a loop in her leash, and I stop to watch a round, talk to the secretary, chat with friends, order food, whatever, she lays down at my feet and sleeps or surveys her kingdom. She is an EXCELLENT companion. Better traveled than most humans, better behaved than most humans her age (she’s almost 12).
Are your dogs going to be quiet, content to snooze when left alone? Are they good around horses, strangers, and other dogs? Are they at anxious or aggressive? Are they obedient? Do they have good manners? Will you be distracted by worrying about them while you’re riding?
I would say that if they aren’t going to be very well behaved unsupervised, and a distraction to you, you may be better off boarding them or finding a dog sitter you CAN trust. Dogs are a touchy subject at horse shows and I get it. I also have an amazingly good dog. When she is gone, I may elect to leave the next one at home (my old dog didn’t go to many shows because she was not as good as Stella). Even the best dogs can be distracting, and I do worry, when she’s tied, that a less awesome dog will be loose and hurt her. Be honest with yourself, for your sake, your dogs’ sake, and oth competitors’ sake…are they going to be a distraction?
[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8477775]
I know many event venues still allow dogs to come. As I’m planning my year, I’m thinking about what I will do with my two pups that can’t stay home in the fence. I generally just love having my dogs around anyway, but I’ll most likely be at the show alone. So I’ve got to figure out something for the pups.
Is putting them in a stall an option? Will I get in trouble if they make any noise?
Anyone else bring their dogs along?[/QUOTE]
Excuse me OP, you said nothing in your post about concern for heat, only concern for possible noise you dogs might make.
That is what I was responding to.
No intention to be rude, nor assumptions made without evidence.
[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8477775]
I know many event venues still allow dogs to come. As I’m planning my year, I’m thinking about what I will do with my two pups that can’t stay home in the fence. I generally just love having my dogs around anyway, but I’ll most likely be at the show alone. So I’ve got to figure out something for the pups.
Is putting them in a stall an option? Will I get in trouble if they make any noise?
Anyone else bring their dogs along?[/QUOTE]
Excuse me OP, you said nothing in your post about concern for heat, only concern for possible noise you dogs might make.
That is what I was responding to.
No intention to be rude, nor assumptions made without evidence.
If your dogs might benefit from a climate- controlled environment, perhaps a boarding kennel or day care arrangement where you could pick them up after the horse show, for the evening, might be the best arrangement.
OP I think the suggestions regarding training come from your first post when you said that you wondered what to do about your ‘two pups.’ Are these young dogs? Then you will have to make some adjustments until they learn to settle.
Many riders do bring dogs. The quiet well behaved ones never concern me.
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