Oh yes, if dogs are quiet and well behaved, no issues.
But your question was about possible noisy dogs.
Do you understand that these are very different situations?
Crate your dog in the stall. Get a tack stall, cheaper than a dog sitter. Put fans on the dogs. They will be fine. What do you think those of us competing in agility in the summer do? Dogs get no hotter in stalls than horses. Teach your dog to stay quiet in the crate, keep it on leash at all times when walking it. I quit jump judging years ago as the show committee wouldn’t provide a tack stall and someone to check on my dog once a day. I wasn’t willing to pay for a stall myself for something I was volunteering to do. And if I was going to work all day for the show I thought they should have considered my dog needed to potty. That’s why I didn’t leave it at home alone. So I just stopped volunteering.
Find out which events in your area are dog friendly. Enter those. Bring a friend or hire a pony clubber who’s there with friends to be dog nanny. Don’t enter events that have rules about dogs if you need to have them with you. (Hint: events that have lots of camping tend to be dog friendly in our area). When there are rules, follow them.
I tried an endurance ride last summer and loved the atmosphere. Everyone camps, they’re very, very laid back and there were almost as many dogs as horses. I’m a lot more likely to go back to that next year than a mini event where dogs aren’t welcome.
Is there no one at home that could stop and check on them?
I for one think events are stressful enough without having to worry if my dogs are okay or hot or loose, or barking while I am competing.
I assumed you read the post about crating them because still in my original post, it says nothing about crating my dogs. Not once. It also doesn’t say they will bark without me being there. They shouldnt, but it’s still a dog. The most noise I could see them making is if they started playing together.
Yellowbritches, I’m so sorry that happened to you! I’m glad you’re okay now! This story and the other are why I’m not sure how I feel about bringing my dogs anymore. They are horse savvy. They come to the barn with me daily. Hang out with my horses, lay in the ring, or play with the neighbor dog. They go in public regularly as we volunteer at a children’s hospital in my area. We also go on vacations together. Their only flaw is they jump out of fences, which is why they cannot be left home. I have 6 dogs, 4 of them I can leave out and have someone come feed them and check them. The other two, have to stay in the house when I’m not there.
I’ve got time to think on it. I definitely want to bring my dogs with me, but I feel they might have more fun if they are at a day care facility while I’m riding. Then I can pick them up after my ride times
Another option is to lock them in the trailer when I ride. I didn’t think of that. I have a stock trailer, so air flow is good and it’s away from people so they can’t bother anyone if they get to playing.
I always take my dogs. I crate them, or leave them in the truck or trailer, and provide blankets, fans, water. They have been going for years and are no problem. They walk the courses with me and sleep in the hotel room. I spend lots of time with them. I would only not bring them in extreme weather. I am very careful to keep them away from horses. I never tie them up.
I’m sorry for the confusion. I call all my dogs pups. One of them is three. The other is five. 
If I had the stock trailer option, especially if you could park in the shade away from things, I’d choose that - it seemed to be the normal way to do it at the endurance ride, in crates or just loose. A friend puts hers in the LQ part of their trailer when she can’t watch them, another nice option. Mine would definitely bark, so they get their nanny. :-/
OP – I bring my dogs with me occasionally, depending on the venue and if I have my BF with me. I definitely bring one with me to the venues where the camping area isn’t right next to the xc course or rings. She crates quietly, and stays on a leash ALL the time. I don’t ever take her in a ring or even by the fence line, and if she starts showing any excitement we leave the horse area. Also, would never dream of taking a dog on or near the xc course except on course walks the day prior. Why any jump judge is ever allowed that is beyond me.
That being said, our events still have loose dogs everywhere with people not cleaning up (how rude to the property owners) and even some coaches who have blatantly disregarded our provincial body’s requests to keep them away from
And OUT of the warmup rings. At one event, an announcement was made AND the TD asked her to take her dogs out, and she didn’t. Same person ties their dog in the aisle of stabling, and while stalled next to me I was unable to get my horse in and out safely without someone holding the dog away from my stall door.
I’m all for respectful, responsible owners with reasonably well behaved dogs, but too many people aren’t conscientious enough.
As for the heat and such, I always take wire crates and set them up in the shade, either under my gooseneck or in the back of the trailer. If it’s really hot, they stay home.
Okay, I love taking my dogs to events. They have a blast walking the xc course on a long leash before the event begins. They are very very friendly (Golden Retriever), well behaved, happy (ecstatic) to be near me, and I get a stall, they have crates, toys, fans, water, and a TON of other people who spend time with them. They are part of my life. Heck, if people bring their horse-ignorant family members to events, who get in the way and can be hazardous (I can tell stories), then I can bring my dogs. I follow all of the rules and have never had anyone complain. So there… love my dogs, and they thrive traveling to shows and basically everywhere I go (vacation, beach, and the local tack store. They would be horribly miserable cooped up in a boarding kennel.
Many horse people are also dog people. We love our dogs. Some do not follow rules (and I have more than once taken a dog to the show office who is wandering about off leash), but that is no reason to ban those who do follow the rules.
I’ve done the same as Winding Down. Toys, water, chewies, anything else they needed in a stall and my dog chilled there. She loves walking XC in the mornings, is happy to hang out and sleep the rest of the day. I did bring someone with me to her first couple shows to make sure she was going to be good, now she’s 6 and has the horse show thing down to a science.
[QUOTE=Winding Down;8478391]
Okay, I love taking my dogs to events. They have a blast walking the xc course on a long leash before the event begins. They are very very friendly (Golden Retriever), well behaved, happy (ecstatic) to be near me, and I get a stall, they have crates, toys, fans, water, and a TON of other people who spend time with them. They are part of my life. Heck, if people bring their horse-ignorant family members to events, who get in the way and can be hazardous (I can tell stories), then I can bring my dogs. I follow all of the rules and have never had anyone complain. So there… love my dogs, and they thrive traveling to shows and basically everywhere I go (vacation, beach, and the local tack store. They would be horribly miserable cooped up in a boarding kennel.
Many horse people are also dog people. We love our dogs. Some do not follow rules (and I have more than once taken a dog to the show office who is wandering about off leash), but that is no reason to ban those who do follow the rules.[/QUOTE]
You’re dog sounds just like my two! All of my dogs really. They all love going places and being around me. I took 3 with me (at the same time) to Rolex and we got complimented on how well they did in the crowd. These two have not been to Rolex (but will this year).
Thanks for the good stories guys. Still not sure I’ll leave them alone, but it’s good to know I’m not as “inconsiderate” as others were trying to make me feel.
I know you say you don’t have anyone you trust enough to stay in your home to babysit your dogs but you might want to look into finding someone. I have had the same person for 23 years now who comes to care for my cats and when I want someone to house sit as well I have had great luck finding trustworthy people through my barn. This way I already know them quite well and I know the animals are happy in their own home. It’s not all that expensive either. If you ask around I think you might find someone through your horsey contacts to pet sit.
You asked…leave them home…if it’s not an option then don t show. More and more places are going to continue to ban dogs…
[QUOTE=BAC;8478515]
I know you say you don’t have anyone you trust enough to stay in your home to babysit your dogs but you might want to look into finding someone. I have had the same person for 23 years now who comes to care for my cats and when I want someone to house sit as well I have had great luck finding trustworthy people through my barn. This way I already know them quite well and I know the animals are happy in their own home. It’s not all that expensive either. If you ask around I think you might find someone through your horsey contacts to pet sit.[/QUOTE]
Everyone I know has dogs of their own, so while people can come and feed or walk dogs, I can’t find anyone able to stay over night. About an hour south of me is a wonderful boarding facility that I use if I have to board. Ill only board in “kennel free” places. I’m one of “those” dog owners. My dogs get a bedroom with a TV to themselves and have several supervised play times outside with all the other dog. I can also check on them through web cams set up in their rooms. It’s very pricey however, but worth it for the peace of mind. I’d love to find someone who could stay in my home with them. I’m sure I’d save a ton and they would be happier.
Maybe one day!!!
Maybe try your local college/high school/middle school? I’ve always gotten my dog sitters from there. Just like horse crazy girls at the barn I can normally find a young lady who just desperately wants to take care of animals. Especially if they have a 4-H or FFA program it’s pretty easy to get a solid recommendation from the advisor.
You may not need it for horse shows but it’s nice in case of an emergency to have someone to call.
1 - Don’t bring them. (You do need to find a place they can go in a pinch anyway.)
2 - If you do, then your goal should be that nobody else realizes they are even there.
I LOVE dogs, but do not understand why anyone would bring one to an event. As responsible pet owners, they should always have a place they can go during events.
I would never bring mine as I would never impose his presence on strangers during an event.
I have brought my dogs, crated them in a tack stall, closed the door and no ones knows they are there unless they go into the stall. 
these are if shows like Upperville and Devon. No issues, no complaints.
I don’t see why having a tack stall with their crates would be a problem at all. If they are used to being around horses, on a leash whenever they’re out of the crates on the show grounds, and can handle not roaming free for a weekend, then bring them.
DH and I are both horse professionals (he builds and designs XC courses, I’m a vet) and our dogs come to work with us every day. “His” dog, the heeler, rides in the truck around XC, is on a leash during competition hours, or hangs out in the horse trailer (we have a LQ, so a/c if it’s too hot). “My” pup, the JRT, rides in the truck with me, stays in her crate while I’m working, comes out to play if there are other dogs around and the farm owner is ok with it. She is also on a leash at shows, or in her crate by my horse’s stall.
That being said, one of my biggest pet peeves is loose dogs at horse shows. I’ve worked in the secretary’s office, held loose dogs “for ransom” when their owners finally get around to coming to collect them, and am APPALLED by some competitors attitudes. I don’t care how well behaved you think your dog is, when other competitors complain about it marking their hay/tack, roaming the barn aisle, or, worse, roaming the xc course unsupervised, we have a problem. You are not special. Every person at the show thinks they have “the best behaved farm dog on the planet”… it still has to be on a leash at a competition.
OP, it doesn’t sound like you have the mentality of the aforementioned competitors, but just know that that’s where a lot of the strong opinions on this thread come from. A few bad apples spoiling it for the rest of us, as is so often the case.
The intensity some have on this topic is enlightening, but misguided. The OP asks a question on an Eventing Forum that is read and responded by fellow horse riders. So many of the answers then are slightly selfish in nature (don’t do it, it will upset my horse, pee on my stuff, be noisy around me), many I agree with.
Still, what do you do with those spectators who brings dogs? Tell them to not do so? When you watch a 4* event over in England, how many dogs are running around, barking, pooping, peeing that came in via a fan of the sport and not a rider.
Personally, I do not think it fair or right to tell a rider to not bring their dog. They have their reasons, in part it might be that dog makes them feel better, more relaxed before they compete. Who knows. This last year I got a dog in my life. When he was but 4 months old he went to his first AECs and was the darling of the puppy world. These days, when he comes he still charms and he still gives me joy and if a venue said no dogs, I would not go.
How I handle Mr Einstein?
I trained him to be okay with a crate.
I never let him off a leash when a show is in progress
If traveling overnight, I find hotels that allows pets and he stays in a crate at night.
At shows, when I need to walk a course without him I will put him in my trailer, in his crate with the upper doors windows open if it is hot, or next to a stall with a fan.
Jump Judges with dogs is a completely different issue, but I agree with the view that shows need volunteers so to lose a set of people with a no dog policy is the wrong way to handle the issue. Perhaps the Organizer can make JJ aware that if they bring their dog, it either stays in the vehicle, or they get assigned to fences that allow the judge to be a little more distant.
When I see a loose dog at a show I don’t worry about whether it came from a rider or spectator or judge. I attempt to catch it, give it to the office and let them deal with it. I am aware that most venues, and the USEA, have actionable items if your dog causes an issue so instead of saying to some, don’t bring your dear one, say something like if you do and things go bad, be prepared to face the piper (fines, yellow card, angry competitors).
