Blue heeler removing horse's tails and injuring goats- help?

[merrylieux]

I have a 9 month old male blue heeler from farm stock-- not really a working dog. We have a rooster and two cats that he does not mess with, but he will catch one of the goats and gnaw on her leg, and he will chase the horses, catch their tails and swing from them, shortening all the tails. Not all the tails-- the more dominant horses do not seem to be affected. For now we are keeping the goats stalled, but in the spring we will want them out. I have never seem him on the horse's tails, but the rest of my family has. One day after school, my daughter had let the goats out while the dog was inside. Later the dog went out and at bedtime, I found one of the goats lying near the stall with a bleeding leg.
My husband says shoot him with a BB or paintball gun when he is doing it. Would this work?

He is a very obedient dog when I am present. He loves to chase cars, but will not do so, or will stop at a dead run when I call him. He will obey others who are willing to use the right voice and use common sense. (If my teenager yells "Cut it out" when the dog is getting wild, the dog ignores him, but the boy refuses to use the commands or the voice to enforce it.)

As I write this, I realize that my first answer should be to exercise him more, train him more and work directly with him and the goats, with him and the horses, to teach him that these animals are not to be harassed. I am thinking of getting a second dog to keep him occupied. A friend has a 2 month old male Aussie pup I could have. This would give the heeler an appropriate focus for harassment(!) Or it might give him a partner in crime.

After all this, I am realizing that more effort on my part is the most reasonable option. Still, I would like opinions about whether an Aussie pup would solve the problem or add to it. I have a six year old daughter, so any dog I get, I have to commit to keeping. It would me very easy to find a great home for this pup, but it would break her heart and be an example of laziness and lack of commitment. I am home most days, and he is in the house more often since the problem started. Following me around the house keeps him out of trouble, but it isn't really much of a job for him.
I would appreciate any and all advice. Thanks!

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

I have a blue heeler that chases the horses as well, nothing we do seems to make him stop, he doesn't do it while we are riding, just when they are out in the pasture, he doesn't grab tails or anything. I have two border collies that are tied, if left to their own devices they run and chase horses as well. I wouldn't recommend getting another dog, until you get this problem fixed.And then still you may have the same problem with another herding dog. It's in their nature to herd animals, and I've about reached my limit on tryin to get this heeler to stop chasing. I wouldn't recommend a paint ball gun, this may scare your horses worse than it does the dog.
Mine hasn't messed with daughters 4H goats in the past, but they stay in a pen that he can't get into.
I as well as you would be interested in any tips or training advice that someone may have, that will help in getting this stopped.
Someone once told me that after they get kicked a few times it'll stop, either I have an extremely hard headed dog, or my horses have poor aim with their kicks. Because it hasn't stopped. LOL

[alabama]

Get a donkey.

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

We've got a mule, seems that's the one he picks on the worst.

[alabama]

If you last him out the puppy stage and stay on him every time you catch him he will learn. However if he is killing goats and calves you has got to go.

[Northern Rancher]

130 grains of pain reliever.

[merrylieux]

Wow, thanks already for the thoughts. He actually enjoys the challange of getting hit or kicked at in any way. The Missouri Fox trotter stepped on him by accident and broke the heeler's leg last July, but that hasn't stopped him. I wouldn't mind him chasing if he didn't harm the animals, they all could use the exercise. I think the idea of BB's or paintballs is bad, as you say, the horses are most likely to suffer. Probably the second dog idea is not good either- more likely the old dog will teach the new dog the tricks.

[ropesanddogs]

Or 30 grains,aka 22.Or,borrow a shock collar from someone,oor,give him a job to do every day,let him bring the horses in for feed,call the horses and send him out,he'll begin to think he's making the horses come in,IMO its mainly boredom/instinct.

[kolanuraven]

I went a bought one of those starter pistols, like they use for races, and each and every time my heelers or Aussie acted up....I fire it. They would stop dead in their tracks.

Here the BIG problem is chasing deer and that will lead to who knows where...found one dog 5 miles away once. The starter pistol is small enough to keep in your pocket...shoots blanks...but for me it's been the best 'dog whistle' I've used and I've trained a lot of these dogs.

Hand one dog who would go after the testicles on the bulls! Of course the bulls helped me out on this problem...but the pistol worked wonders.

These dogs are strong willed and you need to prove to them that YOU are the alpha dog . Hope this helps out.

[merrylieux]

Northern rancher, are you serious or just kidding? My husband jokes about the same thing. If that is the only way to stop him (the dog), well, that is what I need to know. But if it is just laziness or ignorance on my part... that I could fix-- if I had the energy or smarts.

[merrylieux]

I really like the shock collar and starter pistol ideas-- why not both at once? That could really work on this dog, Thanks! Also the idea of sending the dog when the horses are coming in -- then if he does go for the tails, he can be "corrected"! Thanks so much.

[Northern Rancher]

Well heelers can be hardheaded-I won't tolerate a dog chasing horse or nipping them-it's all good till he wirecuts one running them or gets somebody in a wreck by nipping one they are riding. Unless you tie him up till your going to use him it's a treally hard habit to stop. I don't like having to remove a dog but I can do it if I have to.