How to Train Your Dog to Not Chase Cows

Start far enough from the cows that they are not visible to your dog. She should be able to smell them, and know that they are around because of droppings in the pasture. Have her restrained on a leash for safety but try not to need to use it. We want her to forget she is wearing it.

Wait until your dog acts interested in the cattle smells and then ask your dog to watch you. As soon as she looks at you, reward.

Keep practicing at this distance until your dog is looking at you whenever she sniffs the cattle, without being asked to watch you.

Keep moving closer, practicing until your dog is reliably looking at you without being asked whenever she starts to feel interested in the cows. She is likely to have much more difficulty once you are within sight of the cows. If she will not perform at this level, step back and practice out of sight again for some time.

Keep moving closer and rewarding until you can walk among the cows with your dog. Whenever she becomes interested in the cows, she should look at you. In time you can try off-leash and then begin trusting her with the cattle.

It works best to be in a smallish pen with cows milling around freely outside the pen. If your cows will tolerate it, you can also leash your dog and go among the herd.

Ask your dog to look at you, sit, lie down, or any other basic behavior she knows. As soon as she focuses on you instead of the cows, reward.

Once your dog is taking treats for behavior and not focused on the cows, offer her a chew or food toy. She will likely not want to chew around the cows and will try to carry it off. Don't allow her to. If she refuses to chew, take it away and go back to the last step for some time before offering another chew.

Once your dog is willing to chew on the chew toy or play with the food toy, watch her behavior and expression for indications that her state of arousal is decreasing. This can be shown by a relaxed mouth and eyes, relaxed ears, and a casually upheld tail.

Keep working with your dog around the cattle, gradually moving up to having the cattle move around her. Watch for a relaxed epression and continuously reward. If your dog has a setback, go back a step for some time.

Choose a cow that is mild mannered, good on a halter, and motivated by food.

Walk with your dog around the cow, rewarding when she pays attention to you instead of the cow.

Once your dog is not reacting to being around the cow, take the cow by the harness and your dog's leash, and walk them on either side of you. If you find this challenging, you can have a helper lead the cow. Make sure to reward the cow too for her calm behavior.

Once your dog and cow are walking calmly on either side of you, put your dog between you and the cow so that they are walking side by side. Reward both enthusiastically for good behavior.

Once you feel confident that your dog and cow are calm together, remove harness and leash and continue to walk and reward. Keep practicing until your dog is very relaxed with this cow before slowly inroducing more cows.