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ANSWER:

You must train this dog immediately so it will stop harassing these horses (miniatures). It takes Daily and Dedicated training to gain control over this dog. At 6 months old is a perfect time to start daily "Basic Obedience Training".

The Border Collie is listed as the most intelligent of all dog breeds. I have worked with Border Collies a great deal in my life. They in fact NEED daily training because they love to work and work for you, their master. They also should not be locked up in a cage/pen as the Border Collie needs to move to be happy. Another thing is to daily play games of Fetch, Flyball, Frisbee, Agility with this intelligent breed. Fun for the dog but most important, it is not just Games to the dog but exciting WORK!!!

First you are going to teach it the Basic Commands, Sit, Stay, Down, Come and Heel. Once you have that down Pat, you can begin working in earnest on "No More Harassing Livestock".

A well trained Border Collie is a pleasure to see. The only bad Border Collies I have ever come across where the result of the Owner, not the dog. The owners always seem to think hollering at a dog, screaming at a dog, kicking a dog, tying it up, locking it up should teach a dog instead of being GOOD DOG OWNERS and taking the DAILY and DEDICATED time to teach it Basic Obedience.

You have no idea how many horses end up seriously injured because of Border Collies, Australian Shepherds or other such working breeds. To start with, this is still just a pup!!! Can you imagine the harassment he is going to cause once fully mature??? Start daily training NOW before he is to mature and set in his ways to break him of these herding habits.

(1) Savage dog bites/serious wounds/death to livestock are most often caused by other breeds such as German Shepherds, Rotti's and other such breeds bred as Guard dogs. But: Border Collies have chewed the limbs off of young newborn livestock as well as other serious bites. Keep in mind here when I talk about "Livestock", I am talking about large breed cattle, horses, etc. So you can see why I am so concerned with Miniature horses.

(2) An untrained Herding breed of dog such as a Border Collie will put animals through fences just as quick as other breeds of dogs.

(3) An untrained Herding breed such as Border Collies can cause starvation/dehydration in animals by preventing them from getting to feed and water on a continual basis.

(4) An untrained Herding breed such as the Border Collie can cause such continual "Mental Stress" in livestock that pregnant animals may ABORT. Or fail to get pregnant in the first place.

(5) An untrained Herding breed such as the Border Collie can cause livestock/ horses to kick frantically when even the owner attempts to pick up their hind feet for hoof trimming. The horse becomes so afraid of anything/anyone touching it, especially its hind legs or perhaps even the front region that it will fight the slightest touch.

I could go on and on but I think you understand what I am saying. These are all PROVEN FACTS from untrained Border Collies, not just other breeds that may cause Mental or Physical injury to livestock.

Remember the big 4 when training any animal. Patience, Kindness, Consistency and Repetition. All 4 combined never fails to work.

It is up to you, the owner to take the time to daily work on training this great and highly intelligent breed of dog. This dog deserves to be trained. He deserves to work with and for his master. He wants to learn so teach him. DAILY!!!