Many folks have dogs running loose at horse barns. While we all might love dogs, not all dogs are well-behaved around horses (or people). Some dog owners find an empty stall and lock their dogs up when they are at a boarding stable, but what if an empty stall isn’t available? And too many times owners don’t clean up after their dogs in the shavings or straw! 

No one wants dogs left in cars, but a few unruly canines might make a ban on dogs at your farm the answer. Dogs have been known to chase horses in fields or arenas during lessons.

If you are willing to spend a few dollars (and maybe recoup that in “housing fees” for owners who want to bring dogs to the farm), Animal Arts firm has a solution. This architectural firm has worked on equine and small animal housing around the world.

Dog Suggestions for Horse Farms 

Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB, AAA, is a principal at Animal Arts. She said loose dogs are common problems at boarding facilities. She recommended building a simple kennel for the dogs.  

If you have a covered spot away from your barns and areas, great! Otherwise, you can purchase a three-sided run-in shed. Face the open side east or south to avoid incoming weather in your area.  

Pour a concrete slab inside the shed, as the dogs will dig out of a gravel or dirt enclosure, she noted. 

Lewis said you can place 6′-by-8′ or 6′-by-10′ pens for the dogs on the concrete slab. Those pens are big enough for any size dog. 

She doesn’t recommend buying dog kennels at stores because many of them rust quickly and aren’t durable enough to work for years.  

Instead, she recommends purchasing chain-link pens from Mason Company. She said this company has been around for many decades. (Editor’s note: Here is a link to their chain-link run product, which is commonly used outside.)

Lewis suggested the dog kennel not be attached to the barn but kept slightly away from it. She reminded that some dogs can be a little “stinky and loud.” 

Barking Dogs and Horses

Lewis said when boarders lock their dogs in the kennel, the dogs might bark their heads off.  

To alleviate this problem, she recommended instituting a policy that owners give their dogs a safe treat. This might be something like a peanut butter-filled Kong. That keeps the dogs busy while their owners ride or care for their horses. Lewis said shelters use stuffed Kongs as enrichment treats to reduce stress and barking.  

Keep it Clean 

For water, Lewis suggested using a hose to spritz off the slabs, keep surfaces clean, and fill water bowls. She said large, stainless steel water bowls are the easiest to clean. 

If the dog area needs occasional deep cleaning, Lewis recommended accelerated hydrogen peroxide as an environmentally safe disinfectant. She said it kills any germs and degrades into oxygen and water. She said Ogena has great solutions and protocols for disinfectant.