New puppy love: Beware of bringing home those cute deceiving predators!

[MrFluffyandGirls]

Nope. Bet you lost$. My GSD ran $800.00 and I didn't register bc I got her spayed. Her sire was imported from Romania ("Chico") and her mother's parents are both from Germany ("Lagertha.") Not the latest picture, but I got her microchipped. She aDORES my older dog, "Pyg."View attachment 1980815

Lost lots of money and time! I got him free from the lady in the tractor supply parking lot but Free is defiantly never free! But the lucky new owners got a fully vetted basically trained pet with out the outrageous breeders fees so at least someone reaped the rewards of my bleeding heart. Your shepherd is a beauty!

 

[ducks4you]

Thanks! She is SO SWEET!! Never want to "beat the sweet" out of her, so she gets isolation punishments .
No one Ever need apologize for PAYING for either dog training or horse training.

 

[centrarchid]

I believe that instinct is something you maybe able to divert with training methods but you can not eliminate and when the chance arrives instinct/drive can short circuit training. I see some have been pressing hard on irresponsible dog ownership to impatient to train, socialize, contain properly and flippantly re-homing, I get it. Don't worry I'm not novice enough to throw away the morals of responsible animal ownership.

I also understood that I had command trained this pup just as well as my older Shepweiler but when livestock entered the picture I could see a switch flip.( Try to think on the lines of a pitbull news story that says it would never hurt a fly and then attacks unexpected) My husband was even alarmed at the intensity of his sudden drive. It was the best decision for all involved as a responsible pet owner.
I assure you the pup I re-homed is laid back on a couch eating cheese balls waiting for his next trip to PETCO right now! (which is a heck of allot better than he got with me! Because I had him on a strict diet! LOL!) Responsible owner ship is foremost and I should of added some back ground in picking this pup up on impulse at a Tractor Supply not knowing his family history, seeing how he interacted with litter mates or properly judging his temperament. Yes. very irresponsible...but he was pound bound so I sorta saved him from the possibility of the gas chamber.

So my initial warning was for the novice or not so novice (ie..me) that can easily fall prey to those doe eyed, baby breath canines that get thrust into unsuspected arms. Stay Aware!! HA,Ha!

And I was curious to see which breeds people had successfully added to the mix which were not typical LGD breeds. Sorry if I stoked the fires on anyone thinking I was being unrealistic or irresponsible.

I have used the following purposely; English Shepherds and German Pointers. Prior to that we had over 30 years several Black and Tan Coonhounds, Dalmations as well as Beagles, Border Collie, and one Labrador Retriever. Free range dogs with chickens usually involved mature dogs. Hounds were used for hunting, not simply pets.

 

[MrFluffyandGirls]

I have used the following purposely; English Shepherds and German Pointers. Prior to that we had over 30 years several Black and Tan Coonhounds, Dalmations as well as Beagles, Border Collie, and one Labrador Retriever. Free range dogs with chickens usually involved mature dogs. Hounds were used for hunting, not simply pets.

Now that's a motley crue of canines in ones life time! You know the ole saying, Variety is the spice of life!

 

[MaryZoe]

I've been doing a lot of research on LGD, as I recently lost one of my two pups (lost the big brother of the one in my avatar). Prey drive is an instinct that in some cases training can't overcome. One of the things I've read is that its essential that the very young pup be in amongst the livestock as young as possible - long before they are physically capable of harming them.
As for the breeds - my guy is half great Pyrenees and half greater swiss mount dog. The Pyr instinct was absolutely dormant when he was the submissive dog in our house. When his big bro had to be put down (12.5 y.o. / hip arthritis) his instinct to protect just kicked in. NOTHING is allowed near his chickens. He chases hawks, owls, coyote so far. He also chases helicopters and planes.
But I wouldn't get a Pyr in a hot weather climate.
My next dogs will be an Anatolian Shepard, and a Greater Swiss Mountain dog. (I will always have two - my two protected me from a bear - and I"ll always have after watching them alternate by attacking the back of the bear, and kept spinning him until he took off)

So - I'm presently looking for an Anatolian pup.

I'm sorry you had to rehome your GSD... but don't give up - do some research and find a guardian that suits your situation.

Good luck.

I can't speak highly enough of our ASDs. We are in south Florida--every bit as hot as SC, and our two ASDs are perfectly happy. I have a gorgeous white Anatolian Shepherd female we intend to breed in the next 6 months. Waiting to complete her testing for hip dysplasia, etc. and for her to go into heat again. Now that she is two, she is totally trustworthy around my chickens and has killed many a raccoon, opossum, rat, and chased tons of birds of prey away from our yard. In the attached photo she's the one I'm laying on. Her stepbrother is behind us. She will be bred with a fawn colored sire with a black mask. If you're interested in a puppy, let's keep in touch!

 

[NHMountainMan]

I can't speak highly enough of our ASDs. We are in south Florida--every bit as hot as SC, and our two ASDs are perfectly happy. I have a gorgeous white Anatolian Shepherd female we intend to breed in the next 6 months. Waiting to complete her testing for hip dysplasia, etc. and for her to go into heat again. Now that she is two, she is totally trustworthy around my chickens and has killed many a raccoon, opossum, rat, and chased tons of birds of prey away from our yard. In the attached photo she's the one I'm laying on. Her stepbrother is behind us. She will be bred with a fawn colored sire with a black mask. If you're interested in a puppy, let's keep in touch!

She's beautiful. And yes - interested!

 

[ducks4you]

This was my reaction to the original post:
https://www.hoofprints.com/Dont-Dump-The-Dog-Outrageous-Stories-by-Randy-Grim/productinfo/BKDDD/

 

[featherhead007]

I don't think people should beware of getting a new puppy as much as they need to be aware that dogs need training.
It's no surprise that without any or much of any that they're gonna kill your chickens again and again and again.
Dogs are a responsibly not just a throw away object when they do something wrong.

Honestly, I think you hit the nail on the head! good job man!

 

[MaryZoe]

Honestly, I think you hit the nail on the head! good job man!

Great points. Even our ASDs, who have very low prey drives and protect our livestock instinctually, need training to leave the chickens alone. I didn’t leave them alone with my chooks til they were 2 and trained. So much is about creating the relationship with them and their wanting to please you. And being old enough to know how to. Haha.

 

[centrarchid]

My dogs are of the high prey drive variety and I prefer that combined with a biddable nature. Smart dogs are more capable and fun.

Note first thread links another going into more detail. German Pointers are focus.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ve-posture-scooby-doo-sir-is-no-more.1007297/

Current effort involving English Shepherds. We just had a litter of pups and selected two that will be retained to increase pack size and abilities. Retained pups will be used for 4-H and chickens with one also be trained to work sheep.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/english-shepherd-as-poultry-guardian.1008645/

You should be able to see I have been doing the chicken and dog bit for about a decade based on postings on this site. I had already accrued about three times that before this site even came into being. I keep chickens, especially juveniles in a very free-range setting where chickens could walk to town if they wanted to.