We have a two year English show cocker who is reactive and anxious with a high prey drive – the trifecta!
We often walk her in somewhat rural areas, and I am very cautious about avoiding livestock – she is on a lead well before any fields, and if they have livestock in them, I generally walk around rather than through.
This has worked up until this weekend when we had no choice but to go through a field with not only five cows in it, but also a bull and a baby bull. I was genuinely terrified.
My partner picked our dog up in the hope of calming her down, and I fed her treats almost constantly, but as soon as we got close to the cows, she fixated and started scream barking. The cows were freaked out, and the mummy cow lowered her head as though she was going to charge my partner.
We hurried through and all was okay, but I was just wondering – is there a way to manage this better? Would it have been better to leave her on the floor? I just thought she was a more obvious little target down there, whereas in the arms of my partner, it’s perhaps somewhat of a deterrent. Also, if the cow does charge, are you really supposed to let your dog off?!
For context – the bull was the other side of this massive field and had no interest, but the cows and the baby bull were all grouped around the gate we had to go through.
submitted by /u/shinymagpiexo
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