I seriously considered a mountain cur when I was looking into getting a dog. Chose not to get one because my yard isin't big enough and that's not fair to the breed. But some day when I move to the mountains...
A good friend of mine has a red heeler, Australian Cattle Dog, that guards her chickens. She stays outside all year long(in northern Ohio) and is a good protector. My friend does have a few losses, one dog can't be everywhere