Advice for a Farm Dog please. Scotch Collie, English Shepherd, Pyrenees, etc. ?

[chalbond]

Hello! We live on three acres that is about 1/4 park like, 1/4 orchard, 1/4 wooded, 1/4 sunny. It has some gulleys and isn’t super level so fencing all three acres would be tricky, but not impossible.

We currently just have chickens that we keep in a run. We have lots of hawks and three small children that would devastated to lose a chicken to a predator. They are in a very secure run/coop at night, so my concerns are mostly with daytime predators, which would include the neighborhood labs that get out frequently. We’d eventually like ducks as well as more chickens, and to be able to let them free range a good portion of the day. I’m even afraid to do a chicken yard with electric fencing without a guardian. We already have a mostly indoor Britney spaniel (unfortunately she doesn’t like to be outside much) so that adds a dynamic to the mix as well. Two cats, maybe outdoor angora bunnies one day.

Any tips on which sort of farm dog or guardian dog would best suit our needs? I’m leaning towards a Scotch collie, but am intrigued by the Maremma as well, although all I have seen are well above what we’d spend on a dog. Which breeds are most intuitive and least stubborn? I’d really prefer to adopt an older dog, but I know a well trained older dog is hard to come by. Im wondering what fencing needs for a scotch collie or maremma. I know a Pyrenees we’d have to fence in entire property. Im also concerned about nighttime barking as we live in a “neighborhood” with 3 acre lots so we are somewhat close to neighbors. We mostly need daytime protection as all animals will be secure at night.

Tips on breeds? Where to look?

 

[Theorrin]

imo Pyrenees. Our duke never bark much and was very gentle with the livestock and humans but very protective

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

so my concerns are mostly with daytime predators, which would include the neighborhood labs that get out frequently.

No matter what breed you ultimately choose, neighbor's dogs would be my ultimate concern unless you have secure fencing. Wildlife predators including hawks are generally more likely to respect a flock guardian than other dogs are, especially since you used lab(S) in the plural. Some claim that female dogs are more protective and territorial than males, though I have found both males and females to be protective. A secure fence will give your future flock guardian reinforcement to warn off the neighbor dogs before they get near your flock.

Any tips on which sort of farm dog or guardian dog would best suit our needs? I’m leaning towards a Scotch collie, but am intrigued by the Maremma as well, although all I have seen are well above what we’d spend on a dog. Which breeds are most intuitive and least stubborn? I’d really prefer to adopt an older dog, but I know a well trained older dog is hard to come by. Im wondering what fencing needs for a scotch collie or maremma. I know a Pyrenees we’d have to fence in entire property. Im also concerned about nighttime barking as we live in a “neighborhood” with 3 acre lots so we are somewhat close to neighbors.

You have clearly done some research re the breeds you mentioned, and all three can be great flock guardians. (Or not.) Great Pyrenese are yes in general more prone to roam and bark, while Maremma sheepdogs are generally more likely to stay close to home. But every dog is an individual, and plenty of other breeds (and mixed breeds) can become great flock guardians too. It's not necessary to spend a ton of money to aquire a great flock guardian. And likewise, spending a ton of money is no guarrantee the dog will suit your needs. If you are intuitively leaning toward a scotch collie, that may very well be the breed best suited to your situation. As far as adopting an older dog, many dogs representing classic LGD breeds are turned into shelters and rescue organizations because they killed the livestock they were supposed to protect. Often this happened because those puppies/ dogs received little to no training. Their former owners thought they would instinctively protect and not harm livestock because they were the "right" breed. An older dog comes with set personality traits that are much more difficult to shape than a malleable puppy's, but still, older dogs can have the right temperament to be well-suited to be natural flock guardians. Just know that if you get a puppy, no matter its breed, it will take time, training and the necessity of aging out of its puppy behaviors before it becomes a trusted and reliable flock guardian.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Great Pyrenees are a very suggested breed, but like any farm dog they need to go through some hard and sometimes difficult training and it has to start as a puppy as that's how you get a bond between livestock (mostly goats) to dog and same with chickens. Guard geese are also a thing! They will stay with duck or chickens and they will keep them safe! However I'm not exactly the person to ask about this as I don't have a guard dog or goose for my chickens.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Great Pyrenees are a very suggested breed, but like any farm dog they need to go through some hard and sometimes difficult training and it has to start as a puppy as that's how you get a bond between livestock (mostly goats) to dog and same with chickens. Guard geese are also a thing! They will stay with duck or chickens and they will keep them safe! However I'm not exactly the person to ask about this as I don't have a guard dog or goose for my chickens.

My best ever flock guardian was a cattle dog mix that was seven years old when I first got chickens. She soon claimed her new job as flock guardian Supreme, and made it her mission to guard the chickens with her life. She remained vigilant and alert every night and most of the daytime hours too, watching for any predators who might think to take one of "her" chickens. Her watchfulness over the chicken in the photo enjoying her dust bath is but one example. Many older dogs soon become excellent guardians when poultry are introduced for the first time.

I don't have geese so can offer no opinion re if a goose will guard other poultry, but here is an excellent article about the matter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-goose-and-why-you-should-not-get-one.77508/

 

[Gigachad poultry]

My best ever flock guardian was a cattle dog mix that was seven years old when I first got chickens. She soon claimed her new job as flock guardian Supreme, and made it her mission to guard the chickens with her life. She remained vigilant and alert every night and most of the daytime hours too, watching for any predators who might think to take one of "her" chickens. Her watchfulness over the chicken in the photo enjoying her dust bath is but one example. Many older dogs soon become excellent guardians when poultry are introduced for the first time.
View attachment 3610666

I don't have geese so can offer no opinion re if a goose will guard other poultry, but here is an excellent article about the matter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-goose-and-why-you-should-not-get-one.77508/

Wow, that's awesome. Wish me dog Ozzy (my Border Terrier) was nice with the chickens like he is cats, however Thor (my truffle dog) is very nice with them and as a puppy he once got into the yard and he was sleeping in the sun with the sun bathing chickens! They were right on top of him just relaxing. However my mom doesn't like him with them as she doesn't trust him. But I plan on training him to guard and protect the flock. He is kinda a big scaredy pants and when one of the young roosters attacked him.

 

[my hennypenny]

Great Pyrenees are a very suggested breed, but like any farm dog they need to go through some hard and sometimes difficult training and it has to start as a puppy as that's how you get a bond between livestock (mostly goats) to dog and same with chickens. Guard geese are also a thing! They will stay with duck or chickens and they will keep them safe! However I'm not exactly the person to ask about this as I don't have a guard dog or goose for my chickens.

A llama is great protector for any farm animal. Just a thought.

 

[my hennypenny]

My best ever flock guardian was a cattle dog mix that was seven years old when I first got chickens. She soon claimed her new job as flock guardian Supreme, and made it her mission to guard the chickens with her life. She remained vigilant and alert every night and most of the daytime hours too, watching for any predators who might think to take one of "her" chickens. Her watchfulness over the chicken in the photo enjoying her dust bath is but one example. Many older dogs soon become excellent guardians when poultry are introduced for the first time.
View attachment 3610666

I don't have geese so can offer no opinion re if a goose will guard other poultry, but here is an excellent article about the matter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...d-goose-and-why-you-should-not-get-one.77508/

 

[my hennypenny]

My dogs are no help to me. They are chihuahuas and my chickens will be bigger than them.! LOL

 

[Little Tala Bug]

My little street mutts were 3+ years old when we got chickens and they learned to protect them like they belong to the pack. We haven't had predator problems the way the previous owners and neighbours had, because the dogs are free to roam about the yard with the chickens. That said, I would put up dog-proof fencing if the neighbourhood labs are in the picture, though. Foxes and hawks fear my wee dogs, but other dogs wouldn't care.