Let me help you find the best dog breed that matches your life style and needs:

[Feathers of Eden]

Have you ever been around Shelties (Shetland Sheepdog)? They are smaller than Collies and incredible with Horses and on trails since they are herding dogs. I had Newfoundlands and a Sheltie with my horses and they hated the big dogs, they'd lay ears flat back and bite them if they came near but my much smaller Sheltie, they respected and let him trot right next to their legs. Horses just know. Anyhow, I'm no dog expert but I did assist with a Phd. thesis in breed specific traits and Shelties are not only good with horses, they are wicked smart, I trained and showed mine. He was absolutely gorgeous too. They come in Tri color, sable and blue merle. They're not great with toddlers but since you don't have those..... ?? Just an idea.

You know Sheltie was the breed of my last dog so I am biased but I can hardly find any real personality resemblance between Rough Collies and Shelties other than Shelties look like miniature version of Collies without collies being used in their creation according to vague history of Shelties. I would prefer a large 35 pound Sheltie to a small 35 to 40 pound Rough Collie as a companion but I prefer small Rough Collie to Shelties as Farm dogs since Shelties are just a morsel for Coyotes but Rough Collies are just one notch better in protecting themselves than Shelties by scaping the predators.
Blue merle of any dog breed is just not a good decision because of potential blindness and eye complications and in return we just get a cute dog .
Shelties will avoid toddlers for the rest of history. It is in their blood.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Yea I feel like Sheltie would be a good breed for @littledog Blue Merle from a Reputable breeder who does the right genetics (not double merle,) and tests, can be a gorgeous dog. I had a Tri-Color and a Blue Merle. My Blue Merle from Rogene's in Alaska was a CDX.

 

[littledog]

Have you ever been around Shelties (Shetland Sheepdog)?

Yes! How could I have forgotten about Shelties? When I was a tiny kid (a toddler, actually, haha) my aunt and uncle had a Sheltie name Robbie who I absolutely loved. He was super energetic, but affectionate and sweet, not nippy or avoid-y. Maybe because even as a toddler I was pretty low-key, not the "run around and shriek" type.

I think being made to be a perfect family companion is what you are trying to find

I agree, except it also needs to be smallish (not a Golden Retriever, even though they are ideal family pets) and somewhat energetic (not a Pug-type dog, even though they are super companions, they can't keep up on long walks.)

Shelties will avoid toddlers for the rest of history. It is in their blood.

LOL, so do we! Fortunately, our grandkids are teenagers.

Both Shelties and Keeshonds sound really good for us!

 

[Feathers of Eden]

Yes! How could I have forgotten about Shelties? When I was a tiny kid (a toddler, actually, haha) my aunt and uncle had a Sheltie name Robbie who I absolutely loved. He was super energetic, but affectionate and sweet, not nippy or avoid-y. Maybe because even as a toddler I was pretty low-key, not the "run around and shriek" type.

I agree, except it also needs to be smallish (not a Golden Retriever, even though they are ideal family pets) and somewhat energetic (not a Pug-type dog, even though they are super companions, they can't keep up on long walks.)

LOL, so do we! Fortunately, our grandkids are teenagers.

Both Shelties and Keeshonds sound really good for us!

The fact that your aunt Sheltie was your buddy since you were a little kid tells me you really were mature because funny enough Shelties have no problem trusting little people AKA midgets. I always wanted to know how my Sheltie react to a little person when he sees them the first time and I found out he reacted to them as he reacts to normal size people .

Shelties do not like the unpredictability of toddlers not the toddlers themselves imho.
Your case is a proof to my statement.

 

[Gizabelle]

We got our Sheltie just after our son turned two. They have been great together and she is always up for a romp around the house with him, but she has certainly bonded more closely with me.
Interestingly, she has never been great around other little people though... never nippy, but always very uncertain. That likely has more to do with her being a lock down puppy and somewhat undersocialized early on though.
She has been absolutely wonderful. She's not my first sheltie by a long shot, and she exemplifies everything I love about the breed. They have their faults (the barking doesn't bother me too much, but drives my hub crazy...we're working on it )
As much as I love the breed though, this trend towards smaller dogs is not for me. I was lucky enough to find Sunny's litter with a sire working daily as a cattle/farm dog. He was way over breed standard size-wise, but mom was small, and dad was such a phenominal working/family dog the breeder went ahead with the pairing. Luckily for me, Sunny got dad's size genes and is nearly 50lbs... far from standard, but perfect for our family.

 

[Feathers of Eden]

We got our Sheltie just after our son turned two. They have been great together and she is always up for a romp around the house with him, but she has certainly bonded more closely with me.
Interestingly, she has never been great around other little people though... never nippy, but always very uncertain. That likely has more to do with her being a lock down puppy and somewhat undersocialized early on though.
She has been absolutely wonderful. She's not my first sheltie by a long shot, and she exemplifies everything I love about the breed. They have their faults (the barking doesn't bother me too much, but drives my hub crazy...we're working on it )
As much as I love the breed though, this trend towards smaller dogs is not for me. I was lucky enough to find Sunny's litter with a sire working daily as a cattle/farm dog. He was way over breed standard size-wise, but mom was small, and dad was such a phenominal working/family dog the breeder went ahead with the pairing. Luckily for me, Sunny got dad's size genes and is nearly 50lbs... far from standard, but perfect for our family.

As I mentioned before If I get a sheltie again, I would try to find a large Sheltie. The standard of 13'' to 16'' is just for competition.
Barking is not really innate with Shelties as I was able to teach my dog to be quiet indoor and enjoyed his vocalization outdoor. Once I kept my dog in an apartment for 10 days and the neighbor could not believe I had a dog next door for ten days without him hearing his bark once.

 

[Mgd]

Hi there! We are trying to pick a breed of dog. We live in an urban environment in Texas so we have a hot climate in the summers, but it can be chilly in the winters. We live in an acre in the city, so we have land, but we also have neighbors who will be annoyed with barking. We have chickens, & also small children. We want a good family dog that we can train not to chase our chickens, that will not bark a lot, and preferably can be outdoor/ indoor. In the past, we’ve had a beauceron and a bolognese, so we aren’t afraid of large or small. Just need a dog that will be safe with children, safe with chickens, will not bark a ton and is low maintenance when it comes to grooming.

I have been intimately involved with Canine and specifically Livestock Guardian dogs and sheepdogs and Sheppard breeds for almost forty years.

My last dog was( it is the first time I am using was for him instead of is) a Shetland Sheepdog who filled the last 15 years of my Canadian Life with joy and passed away ten day ago.

I have kept Caucasian Sheppard as a pet and guard dog for years. I used to live in Iran and moved to Canada 16 years ago. My last dog was a Caucasian Sheppard/ German Sheppard mix who her first litter was the lucky number of 13 puppies.

More than anything I am passionate about dogs and dog breeds.

When my dog Delta was young I used to take him to the local dog park so he can socialize with other dogs and I can also improve my social skills . There in the park was a young Japanese lady around 24 years old. She had a German Sheppard that was big and full of curiosity and energy. She was a very petit girl weighing less than the dog. Dog was too energetic and wild to be off leash so he was always pulling her toward whatever he wanted to sniff or play with.

She was always tired since she was working all day and in the afternoon even the thought of walking her dog was a painful chore. Plus her dog was notoriously infamous for playing harsh with smaller dogs. We all liked her but not her dog.

On day after couple of years knowing each other I asked her what was the reason she picked German Sheppard . She said when she was a kid back in Japan she used to watch a TV show staring a German Sheppard so she followed her raw childhood dream.
I think almost every country has a long lasting TV show staring German Sheppard . I know we had two of them in Iran. Inspector Rex was one of them.

How many bored German Sheppard and frustrated owner are victim of Hollywood and dog TV shows, only God knows

For choosing Shetland Sheepdog when I moved to Canada I used three different online website and answered their question honestly and they gave me a list of ten breed each. Shetland Sheepdog was top three in all three websites. It worked for me.

Now I know a lot more about breeds and dogs in general. If you are thinking about choosing a breed to fit the bill , I think I can help you choose the right breed. Specially I know a lot about Livestock Guardian Dogs and larger dogs in general.

Give it a go, what do you have to lose ? It is just a suggestion but can save you a lot of headaches the wrong breed may and will create for you.

That Japanese friend of mine now has a small dog. I suggested the breed to her. Every now and then I used to take my dog to old neighborhood and she looked happy when her small well behaved dog was playing with other dogs. She was the same owner, it was just the right breed.

Anybody thinking about a new dog?

 

[Mgd]

Hi there! We are trying to pick a breed of dog. We live in an urban environment in Texas so we have a hot climate in the summers, but it can be chilly in the winters. We live in an acre in the city, so we have land, but we also have neighbors who will be annoyed with barking. We have chickens, & also small children. We want a good family dog that we can train not to chase our chickens, that will not bark a lot, and preferably can be outdoor/ indoor. In the past, we’ve had a beauceron and a bolognese, so we aren’t afraid of large or small. Just need a dog that will be safe with children, safe with chickens, will not bark a ton and is low maintenance when it comes to grooming.

Edited to add: we LOVED our beauceron, Claude and I have been inclined to think we should get another, but when we first brought Claude home, we had no children, lived in California and he was able to go to my office job with me. We were able to take him on 2-5 mile hikes most days to help him get exercise. Now with 4 children ages 2-12 & living in Texas, the regular hikes won’t be as much of an option. So just wanted to see if you have any other suggestions.

I grew up in Alaska and we had a lab/newfy mix which I loved. My parents have also has purebred newfy’s and currently have a Great Pyrenees. Love those breeds, but I would feel bad having a Newfy outdoors in the TX heat and I think that a GP will bark too much.

After reading through the thread, I’m starting to research Hovawarts, I had never heard of them!

 

[the_finch_family]

I have been intimately involved with Canine and specifically Livestock Guardian dogs and sheepdogs and Sheppard breeds for almost forty years.

My last dog was( it is the first time I am using was for him instead of is) a Shetland Sheepdog who filled the last 15 years of my Canadian Life with joy and passed away ten day ago.

I have kept Caucasian Sheppard as a pet and guard dog for years. I used to live in Iran and moved to Canada 16 years ago. My last dog was a Caucasian Sheppard/ German Sheppard mix who her first litter was the lucky number of 13 puppies.

More than anything I am passionate about dogs and dog breeds.

When my dog Delta was young I used to take him to the local dog park so he can socialize with other dogs and I can also improve my social skills . There in the park was a young Japanese lady around 24 years old. She had a German Sheppard that was big and full of curiosity and energy. She was a very petit girl weighing less than the dog. Dog was too energetic and wild to be off leash so he was always pulling her toward whatever he wanted to sniff or play with.

She was always tired since she was working all day and in the afternoon even the thought of walking her dog was a painful chore. Plus her dog was notoriously infamous for playing harsh with smaller dogs. We all liked her but not her dog.

On day after couple of years knowing each other I asked her what was the reason she picked German Sheppard . She said when she was a kid back in Japan she used to watch a TV show staring a German Sheppard so she followed her raw childhood dream.
I think almost every country has a long lasting TV show staring German Sheppard . I know we had two of them in Iran. Inspector Rex was one of them.

How many bored German Sheppard and frustrated owner are victim of Hollywood and dog TV shows, only God knows

For choosing Shetland Sheepdog when I moved to Canada I used three different online website and answered their question honestly and they gave me a list of ten breed each. Shetland Sheepdog was top three in all three websites. It worked for me.

Now I know a lot more about breeds and dogs in general. If you are thinking about choosing a breed to fit the bill , I think I can help you choose the right breed. Specially I know a lot about Livestock Guardian Dogs and larger dogs in general.

Give it a go, what do you have to lose ? It is just a suggestion but can save you a lot of headaches the wrong breed may and will create for you.

That Japanese friend of mine now has a small dog. I suggested the breed to her. Every now and then I used to take my dog to old neighborhood and she looked happy when her small well behaved dog was playing with other dogs. She was the same owner, it was just the right breed.

Anybody thinking about a new dog?

This post is literally so perfectly on time for me to see. My boyfriend and I really want to one day get a caucasian sheppard, but were not 100% sure about that yet as we have small animals (finches, budgies, pigeons) in the house.

Do you think you could point us to a good, cold hardy breed of dog who would get along well with ducks, maybe chickens and wouldn't bother the smaller birds? That's keeping in mind that we have our disabled pigeons free in the house most of the time.

It might be a lot to ask, but I do know we'd of course have to put in a lot of training for the dog not to bother small birds, afterall they are dogs.


I will add, that I'd personally love to have an outdoor dog. I think that'd be a generally more fulfilling life.
I sometimes compare my raven to being like a puppy, and it makes me sad he doesn't get to be outside much for now, due to his disabilities and past trauma. So since i have the choice, I'd rather let the pupper enjoy the nature and all the fresh air i can offer.

 

[Feathers of Eden]

Edited to add: we LOVED our beauceron, Claude and I have been inclined to think we should get another, but when we first brought Claude home, we had no children, lived in California and he was able to go to my office job with me. We were able to take him on 2-5 mile hikes most days to help him get exercise. Now with 4 children ages 2-12 & living in Texas, the regular hikes won’t be as much of an option. So just wanted to see if you have any other suggestions.

I grew up in Alaska and we had a lab/newfy mix which I loved. My parents have also has purebred newfy’s and currently have a Great Pyrenees. Love those breeds, but I would feel bad having a Newfy outdoors in the TX heat and I think that a GP will bark too much.

After reading through the thread, I’m starting to research Hovawarts, I had never heard of them!

I am not sure what dog is suitable for you because you have a wide range of options . I summarize your case : Family dog , bark only when necessary , indoor/outdoor , good with chickens , good with kids , does not need tons of exercise every single day .

Here is my question: Do you really want/need a dog that can live outside some days and nights or you want a dog that live with you inside and spends most of its time outside during the day?

If you want both outdoor and indoor potential then the livestock guardian dog breeds comes to mind but they bark a ton. A guardian dog either barks or bites . You pick your poison with them.

But I think you mostly need a family dog that is good with kids of wide range and if you are ready to sacrifice the outdoor portion of your dream for a better breed I think you have a good chance with Newfoundland . You already had a 50 percent newfie once although Newfoundland mix is not really a Newfoundland .
They are called Mother Teresa of dogs for a reason. Although I am not sure how kind was mother Teresa in real life but I have never seen a newfoundland not to be very kind.
How do you think any of your kid would be involved with the dog training or it will be all up to you ?
PS: If Hovawart is an option for you then honestly it could be the perfect indoor/outdoor breed for you if you can handle the first six months of initial training .