I think I should call this more trials and tribulations of raising a dog. She’s 3 on 3rd September. Well Lady has never been very keen on large animals, especially horses since a stallion attacked me in a field last year. Man’s best friend withdrew to a safe distance and sat neatly watching to see what the outcome would be. Answer, horse – 1 : human – 0 although I did manage a right hook to the sensitive part of his nose that made him back off long enough for me to crawl backwards across a deep smelly ditch and through a Hawthorn hedge. Don’t laugh! It’s not funny. Well ok looking back it is as no real damage was done. He got my favourite dog whistle too. It needed stealth to get that back a couple of days later using trees in his line of sight as a screen! So the situation is that farmer Y has his cows and calves in the 15 acre over the far side of the river. She can cope with that if I give her some encouraging hand signals to skirt around the cows. In reality the mums are ok. It’s the feisty calves that are the problem. But yesterday morning farmer B had put bullocks on this side of the river in the 5 acre field that connects the main grazing fields on his farm. The cows use the 5 acre as a transit between fields. They are as mild as anything showing no interest in the dog at all, but what a struggle to get her through. In the evening she just wouldn’t come anywhere near the style into that first field so the walk was pretty much abandoned. I tried some retrieves with her to get her a bit of exercise but she just retrieved the dummy and then backed off towards the field gate encouraging me to follow her. She took me for a walk back to the house! I think she’s quite bright really on the quiet. This being a clear road to ruin I tried a different strategy this morning. High value fresh cooked chicken treats were deployed and we managed to get into the 5 acre with the bullocks and across into the 15 acre amongst the cows and calves where we met G, a dog walking friend with her dog and stood chatting for ages amongst the cows. Lady even went off to do a pooh! We walked back a different route but I don’t think the problem is solved yet. Must get more chicken! All a bit worrying because I don’t want to end up with a dog that’s ultra-nervy. Any advice gratefully received. David
Re: Cows and Other Snags If you ask me, she's sensible being afraid of cows. They can turn really nasty on dogs...
Re: Cows and Other Snags My thoughts entirely Being brought up on a farm , I have a very healthy respect for anything bigger than me I know from personal experience that cows with young can be fine one moment but if they ever feel that a threat to their young is imminent , they can turn very aggressive indeed . You are a brave soul David , I wouldnt take either of mine through a field with cows in it if they had young especially , I reckon Lady is being the very sensible one, far better that she has respect
Re: Cows and Other Snags Yes I know, but it's not really a case of walking her through the centre of the herd. The problem is actually I can't even skirt around the outside if they are anywhere within about 300yds she won't move.
Re: Cows and Other Snags Maybe you need to spend some time walking beside some cowfields, with a fence or hedge between you and the cows, to get Lady more used to them. Out of interest, is it all large animals, including horses, or just cows?
Re: Cows and Other Snags It's actually mainly cows. She won't go near horses in a field but she will at least go in the field.
Re: Cows and Other Snags Maybe she was frightened by cows at some time in the past... and to be honest, they are pretty scary, especially if you are a dog. Imagine being told you had to go into a field of smelly, looming ELEPHANTS. You might not be keen, either...
Re: Cows and Other Snags It's got to be a bit of a nuisance actually. There just needs to be a cow in direct line of sight anywhere up to about half a mile and I've got problems. Walking by a field with a hedge won't work either cos she's figured they can't get at her. Hey ho!
Re: Cows and Other Snags I reckon its all to do with the horse attack David , especially as you say if she sees a cow in the distance she reacts because to a dog , I would think that at a distance, a cow and a horse would look pretty similar, same size etc . The attack must have frightened her a lot, and despite what some experts say , I think dogs do remember traumatic events .
Re: Cows and Other Snags Kind of hangs together. They most certainly can remember these things. I think Labs have very good memories as proven by Lady remembering the way through hedges on walks she has only done the once and then months and months ago. The incident with the horse was actually quite serious and I had a fractured tibia, sprained ankle and knee. The Tibia problem only came to light when I had a MRI scan about 12 months later for an unrelated problem with my knee when I twisted it very badly on a walk. So it turned out I had been hobbling around on a broken leg - no wonder it was a bit uncomfortable. Anyway this morning with Lady off the lead so she was in charge of what she would and wouldn't do, I was able to coax and cajole her to come through the first cow field (cows at a safe distance) and then through the second cow field (cows close but chewing the cud). She did very well and was a really brave girl. Lots of praise, pats and treats. So progress ....
