Dog Breeds That Can Keep Up With A Horse?

Hey I trail ride quite a bit and I'm often gone trail riding for a few days at a time - sometimes even a week or two!! I would like a dog for company on these trail rides. I currently have a labrador mixed with a grey hound and although she's fast enough to keep up with my horse she can't run for as long and gets tired very easily. I can usually only go out for a few hours with her because she gets so tired. I've tried looking this up but all the forums only say how fast the dog can run, but I need a dog that also has the stamina to run literally all day at the same speed as my horse for days in a row. I need a dog with astounding stamina.Can anyone give some suggestions of a dog with great stamina?? It would also need to be a fairly large dog (between thigh and waist height)!! Does anyone have any suggestions?? I was thinking perhaps a Malinois or an Anatolian Shepherd... Any suggestions??Oh my horse is a mustang and he has been clocked at 43mph before over quite a long stretch!! Just think of the movie Hildago people...I would also need a dog that can stand running for a long time in the heat!! I live in a fairly hot place. Also a waterloving dog would be great since sometimes we have to cross rivers on our trail rides!!

a husky would be ideal, or an Australian cattle dog

Border Collies, Shelties (Shetland Sheepdogs), Golden Retreivers, Australian shepherds or Collies are all very good choices.All are very sturdy, suitable for cold weather, all very calm, loving with good dispositions.They are all dogs that are often used for herding as well. With the exceptions of the Collies and Golden Retrievers. But they are still good around hroses and can be trained.All of these dog breeds also have long coats so would be required to be brushed often and kept well groomed but they are also very pretty or handsome as well.

Something you will have to consider is the prey drive of the dogs in question.I would suggest something such as a Siberian or Alaskan Husky as they are both bred for running tirelessly for days on end. However with the Siberian especially, you may have to secure the dog to yourself to ensure he does not take off on you. As well as raise the pup in such a way that he does not see the horse as a prey animal and attempt to harm him.With the Alaskan being more a "type" dog than an actual breed, you may be able to find one with more desirable traits for this activity.With proper training and breeding, a Husky type dog could be incredibly happy with this lifestyle.The prey drive is also a concern with herding breed dogs. I know of many Border Collies whom have met their demise as a result of attempting to herd the horses. And as a result the startled horse may trample the dog. Rhodesian Ridgebacks are another breed I would consider. Originating from Africa, they are built to tolerate extreme heat and for great speed and stamina. But again, the prey drive may be an issue without proper breeding and genetics.

I can't suggest a breed to you, I can only point out that you should not ask this of a dog who is not fully developed...perhaps 18 months. If you want to do this right away you will need to look for a dog that is at least 18 months and build his fitness up SLOWLY (start with 30 min trail rides, then 1 hour after a few weeks, build it up slow) otherwise you could seriously damage the dog's joints and bones.

well commonly Australian cattle dogs are good for long but slow rides.but when i seen that you want stamina then i would get a Brittany. these dogs were pretty mellow some time ago but somewhere in the breeding line a spaz got in and now these dogs can run for hours. however i would never expect a dog to run 43mph

The stamina of the English Bull Terrier is astonishing. Their long snouts make breathing easy for them and they can go for hours without tiring. Mine is so fast, when I ride my mountain bike as fast as I can go he bounces sideways in front of me like he's telling me to hurry up. They may not be as big as you would like, but they make up for their stature with plenty of heart. Fun loving dogs, too. Hot weather is no trouble for them, as long as they keep hydrated.

How about the dog that was bred to run with the horses? A Dalmatian!Can't beat a Border Collie! Run all day in any kind of weather & ask for more. An Australian Shepherd or an Australian Cattle Dog can also make great trail riding partners. A field bred Lab. A lot really depends on the individual dog & their physical conditioning. One of the best trail riding dogs I ever had was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Another was a Great Dane.

" I need a dog that also has the stamina to run literally all day at the same speed as my horse for days in a row. "Unrealistic expectation. Dogs are not horses. If you're not willing to go at a slower speed most of the time, no dog can keep up with a fast-paced horse "literally all day". Look at the difference in length of leg...for every stride your horse takes, your dog would need to take several strides. That's like saying a 6 year old child should be able to keep up with an adult marathoner."I would also need a dog that can stand running for a long time in the heat!!"Unrealistic expectation. In heat, dogs need frequent breaks for a drink of water and to cool off. Otherwise, you'll be watching your dog die of heatstroke.Either modify your plans to give your dog enough breaks, or get something smaller like a border collie and train him to ride in the saddle with you part of the time. And remember this: your dog will try to keep up with you long after he is overheating and/or exhausted, so it is up to you to learn his limitations and be mindful of them.

Maybe its just me, but this seems like an unreasonable expecation for ANY dog to be able to keep up with a horse ALL DAY. I feel sorry for this dog.

I would definitely have to go with the Rhodesian Ridgeback. I had two of them in the past and they had zero problem keeping up with my then five year old OT thoroughbred when I would take them up to the mountains, even at a full out gallop. The only reason that the horse was retired was because he only got third to fifth place, never first. He was never injured. They are a short haired breed originally bred in africa to hunt lions and other large game. They are a bit hard to train, but once they learn something, they never forget, meaning you have to teach them right the first time. Their pads are thicker than most breeds, meaning they do well on any terrain.

Australian cattle dogs.