farm dogs

[pixie88]

What is the best way to train or obtain a farm dog? By that I mean one who won't kill chickens, cats, smaller dogs and stay on the property etc. Is there a certain breed? Just a smart mutt? I will be moving to the country soon and have 2 little dogs who will not be able to serve any purpose but cuteness. I want to get some outside dogs who know what's going on (i won't!) where do I start? Pound? Trained shutzhund?

[Bearfootfarm]

Go to the pound and get a large breed puppy that you can raise with the other animals and teach it not to kill them. There will be some luck involved but its easier if they are raised together. I have a Black and Tan Coonhound who will lay in the middle of 25 chickens while the kitten attacks his tail and he doesnt care at all. But he also wont let a strange animal come in sight without sounding an alarm.

[citysplitter]

Pixie- Have you researched farmdogs and determined which breed would be best for your situation?
This how I started out and it took months to decide, then researched breeders and obtained a puppy. I now have a beautiful 8 week old English Shepherd. You can Google English Shepherd and the ESClub forum has tons of info. but, they are not for everyone. ES are known for their excellent herding and guarding abilites. They tend to not be quite as exciteable as Borders.
I can give alot of info if you need it.
Cat ;)

[lost1]

I have a great dog, an English Shepherd. I have had dogs all my life, some good, some worthless loved them all.
This English Shepard is one of the very best.
I have the name and number of the people I got mine from, they called yesterday said they have a new litter.
E-mail me if you are interested.

[humbug]

I have to go with Martin and put a vote in on the border collies. These are exceptionally smart dogs and very protective and loyal. I never had to worry about my boys when they were younger as long as they had the dog with them. Border collies will really attatch to a family and protect them.

[remington]

Rhodesian Ridgeback. I know they were originally meant for hunting, but they are the best guard dogs ever. They require very little training just conditioning and introduction to what they are going to guard when they are young.

[nancy1340]

Rhodesian Ridgeback. *I know they were originally meant for hunting, but they are the best guard dogs ever. *They require very little training just conditioning and introduction to what they are going to guard when they are young.

They are wonderful dogs. My daughter has one that is half Golden and he's a great dog.

At the gun show last weekend a guy had one that was 150# . He said the only thing Clifford (the dog) hunted was his dinner bowl and shade. LOl LOL

[SubVetChief]

My Ridgeback is going on 10 years old. Best dog I have ever known and loved. Very easy to train. While she is known as my "shadow" around here she also is an excellent family pet.

They are very over-protective with kids when they are raised with children. ;D ;D

[kyhillbilly]

i like the austrailian sheppard myself ive had a couple and they were good with other animals and with my family, they didnt like strangers a lot and if one of our friends would play around and push or hit one of us the dog would attack

[panzer426]

I have a great dog, an English Shepard. I have had dogs all my life, some good, some worthless loved them all.
This English Shepard is one of the very best.
I have the name and number of the people I got mine from, they called yesterday said they have a new litter.
E-mail me if you are interested.


Thats awesome. English Shepherd is a really rare breed. Yes, by the way, it is spelled Shepherd, not shepard. But anyway, cool dog.

Personally I think that the best farm dog is the dog you get after doing a ton of research into the many many idfferent breeds that exist, in order to determine which one best suits your family and lifestyle, as well as what you expect and want out of a dog.

For me the best breed is the German Shepherd. For my wife it is Australian Cattle Dog. For my friend it is the Border Collie. For you it might be a Chihuahua...only you can decide and to do that accurately and responsibly you will need to do a lot of research.

[jim]

Black Mouthed Curs are great dogs too.
jim

[RNKaren]

Had a Mountain Cur that was great - loyal, great guard dog. Had a propensity for riding in the cab of the truck though. :)

Now have a couple of Walker coon hounds. Great, smart dogs. Loyal, very smart - too smart really. Get this - one of them chewed the collar off the other one, and the other one returned the favor. They didn't stray - they were lying out beside their doghouses, but they WEREN'T tied up any more! Guess they didn't like it. lol

[wr]

I don't know if it has as much to do with breed as it does with training. The key to a good farm dog is much the same as anything else, you can't just heave it out and expect it to do a job and doing so is asking for trouble. Learn your needs and then work hard on training.

[jajbellsouthnet]

I swear by Dobermans. Never had one trained or untrained that would attack livestock or let a predator get off the property alive. Every one that I have had was gentle, tolerant and protective around kids. I hate to admit this, but I have had a couple that could either read minds or were just plain smarter than I am.

[Daisymae]

I love Dobermans. We have some. I am very impressed with how sensitive they are- I can give a command with just a look!- and how easy they are to train. I don't have much experience training dogs, but these guys are so easy. It doesn't take much effort to teach her something. And like any dog- she is a more obedient and happy dog with frequent walks.

My only complaint with them is that they are not very cold tolerant. We live in Alaska and come winter they dont like to be outside unless they are on a walk.

[Koolibri_Rantso]

Farm dogs, not well bred, not well trained. They do come when called to eat. :)

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m135/Koolibri/koerad_051106.jpg

[lost1]

Wow!! real chow Hounds!!!!!!!!
Good picture.

[Koolibri_Rantso]

Another one of those crazy mixed up farm dogs. He good dog at heart, but fortunately "Estonian Native Horse" (Northern Forest Horse) breed is known for it's good disposition!
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m135/Koolibri/Eesti/saan_riisi.jpg
Vastlapäev 2006, Pahkla, Kohilavald, Raplamaa
(Preferred choice of transportation in rural Estonia in winter.)

[knight88]

We have had very good luck with the weimeraner great dane cross. very intelligent and the dane seems to override the weimer stubborness. Good with our livestock, kids etc. They average about 100lbs. and keep the big cats and illegals out. Andy

[Daisymae]

I liked the photos you shared so here are my dogs..
http://render2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6aQQ%7C%3Dup6%3DzqH%3AxxqUD7qRUrKxzX7BHpUUKx gXPoG%3F87KR6xqpxQQolxPPoxoaaxv8uOc5xQQQoeGnGQ0aaa qpfVtB%3F*KUp7BHSHqqy7XH6gXPoG%7CRup6lQQ%7C/of=50,590,442

[lost1]

:o :o WOW! talk about a neat photo, you've got it!!!!
I hope this isn't your backyard ;D

[MullersLaneFarm]

We've got 3 farm dogs.

A male Australian Shepherd/Blue Heeler cross, a female Border Collie, and her 9 month old pup (BC/Blue Heeler)

Farm dogs don't just happen (okay, some do), but even the English Shepherd needs consistant rules/guidance as a pup.

Teach your pup to come, sit & stay then build from there. You might want to check into American Working Farmcollies

[Business link removed by admin]

[bookwormom]

we kept one that was dropped on our road and it wandered down. now unless you keep a lot of cattle would not recommend one, it is a Blue Heeler, the biggest busy body you ever saw. we do not have enough energy for him and I feel sorry for him. but he is a lovable dog. He is kept on the other side of the critters because he constantly tries to work them and just stesses them. He has killed several chickens and turkeys, not by killing, there was no blood, but by working them to death.
the goats are not afraid of him, they give him a good whack and he better not turn his back, mamma goat will get him for sure. We ordered a Great Pyrenees to protect lifestock, he is a good watchdog but won't protect anything. I call him a useless mutt, but husband loves him, they are buddies.

[Cassie]

I'm with Bearfootfarm: I had a black and tan it was worth it's weight in gold..... varmit critters never had a chance.... guarded the livestock, No threat was to large for him to take on.... Smart loyal and huge about 125 lbs when mature.... Cassie

[nuke]

Pyraneese or great Pyraneese are great protectors,good guard dogs and will love all the animals and family. Mine will eat with the cat and not even bat an eye even though the cat constantly picks on him....

[mistyriver]

We have 2 Great Pyrenees to keep the predators away (cougar, grizzly and black bears) and we have a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd cross pup to herd with (when he's older). The ruler of the ranch? My daughter's Pug. ;D

[unclesam]

1 Pyrenees, 1 Pyrenees/komondor mix. ;D