Benefits of Having Dogs on Horse Farms

Many responsibilities come with running a farm, but, there are times it can get quite overwhelming to fulfill those duties without a helping hand around. This is why many people who have farms keep a dog with them that helps them out in their many chores.

Many dogs can adapt to the countryside lifestyle, however, some dogs are bred by dog breeders specifically for farm work that can also get along well with the livestock and help their owners out in any way that they can.

Although it’s not as common in some countries, many people keep dogs around at their horse farms. In this guide, you’ll find out about the benefits of having dogs on Horse Farms:

1. Guarding and Protection

One of the greatest benefits that having a dog has to offer is the protection that you and your horses get provided with from it. Most of the time when you’re busy with your farm, you’re not able to focus on other things like making sure who comes to visit your farm and whether they’re an intruder or not especially if you’re working at night.

However, your dog is perfectly capable of doing that task and will immediately alert you in case of any visitors or intruders. Dogs also do a great job at guarding your animals at night and protecting them from any predators, thanks to their heightened senses of vision, hearing, and smell.

Dog breeds like German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, and Anatolian Shepherds are perfect for guarding and protecting livestock and you, from not only intruders but also predators. Although they may not get along well with the horses, they can be taught not to bother them through training. They can be a great companion to you on sunny days and make you happier.

2. Reliable Farmhands

When you have so many things to take care of on the farm by yourself, you end up being in a constant state of stress and feel demotivated to do any work. Having a dog on the farm allows you to decrease your workload and helps you relieve stress because you can split your chores with your dog.

Your dog can easily handle tasks like herding livestock, pulling carts, etc. This helps you to create a balance in your work and feel less burdened. Working cows can also serve as a good team-building exercise for your dog and young horses that were paired up for this task.

By doing this, they can get more used to each other’s presence and form a bond even if it’s just work-related. If you want to choose a specific dog breed to have with you on your farm, then choose the Border Collie.

It’s considered one of the most intelligent working dogs and is widely used in the world on farms. There are also other dog breeds that are good to have on the farm for working such as the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Dutch Shepherd, and the Great Pyrenees.

3. Pest Control

Do you struggle in trying to get rid of pests and rodents on your farm by using poisonous chemicals? The answer to that is quite simple, get rid of all of your chemicals, and get a dog instead. It’s part of a dog’s natural instinct to hunt down and get rid of rodents.

Vermin and rodents tend to crawl inside the food that you feed to your horses and other livestock which can contaminate the food and cause your livestock to get food poisoning. Hence, this is why it’s important to get rid of them.

In your case, it’s a safer option to have a dog get rid of pests on your farm than using chemicals. If any one of your animals find the chemicals and consumes it, it could easily die or get severely sick.

Dog breeds like Brussels Griffon, the Jack Russell Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, and the Dachshund are referred to as the “Ratter Dogs” or “Terrier Dogs” as they’re very well known for getting rid of pests and vermin anywhere.

4. Companionship

Having a dog on the farm doesn’t mean that it only helps you in decreasing the workload that you have and providing you and your livestock with protection. It also provides you with love and affection while being completely loyal to you.

When you’re working on the farm day and night, you tend to get lonely and even feel demotivated to work. Having a dog can help fix that. While you’re working, your dog stays by your side and keeps you company, never letting you feel lonely and making you laugh with its happy go lucky and goofy personality.

Dogs also help keep the animals, especially the horses calm and happy. According to research, people who work on farms feel more motivated to work and have less stress when they have a dog around to keep them entertained.

An example of this can be the Australian Cattle Dog. This dog is the ideal farm dog that is faithful to its owner, active, very focused and willing to do any chore that you give it eagerly to please you. Another example is the Border Collie dog. It’s a very intelligent breed and well-known for its herding skills. It’s perfect for doing chores like pulling carts and working cows and they’re also very easy to train. Border Collies are also very loyal and loving towards their owners.

Conclusion for Benefits of Having Dogs on Horse Farms

We are truly blessed with the presence of dogs. In this guide, we can learn about the benefits of having dogs on horse farms. You can train your pupper to help you with tasks and give you company while you go about your day. With proper training and discipline, you can definitely have a dog on your agricultural farm and make your long days a little more exciting.