Boxer or boxer mix as LGD?

[PuppyBantamCochin]

just a few questions...
Are boxers good with livestock if raised w/them from puppyhood? Would they be too rough (trying to play)? Could a boxer live outside (w/appropriate housing)?

I'm thinking about maybe convincing my parents to get a LGD in the future, but i do not really like the looks of Anatolian, great Pyrenees, etc.
looking into other possible dog breeds other than your typical lgd.

Thanks!

F.V.

 

[Epona142]

No. A Boxer is not a Livestock Guardian Dog. They lack the instincts.

My Boxers are safe around my livestock. They don't chase or harm. Mostly ignore. But they do NOT guard.

And Boxers are not great outside dogs. They are sensitive to cold and heat.

 

[Queen Scoot]

Get a Heeler...we have a puppy about 3 months old and he's AWESOME with the livestock and chickens!

 

[mhwc56]

absolutely agree ! Boxers are NO kind of LGD at all.....

an Australian Cattle Dog is the correct name for the "Heeler".NOT all A.C.D.s are "Heelers" some are "Headers"..meaning Heelers bite at/ go for feet and Headers bite at/ go for the face.
The breed MAY be a tolerable LGD..then again he may not.. the breed is so variable in temperment and traits.. You could go through 20 dogs before you found one that had the right mindset to do what you need him to do. ALL of them are HIGH energy and ALL of them are VERY intelligent ..... .
However I've known some that would take a child's face off in a heart beat and others that would die to protect a child...just as an example of how different they can be from each other .
personally i love the breed even though they are a huge amount of "work " . They were bred for working LARGE livestock not small animals. Also ,many tend to bond with just one person and in some cases be aggressive with anyone else.
I'm thinking they wouldn't be your best choice...

 

[tnchickenut]

I would trust my JRT to be witht he chickens alone before my boxers.

And no... they do not take outdoor life well.

I love my Boxers, but they are not built for LGD service. Look into Anatolian Shepards (my favorite LGD). A boxer is a great guard dog, IN THE HOUSE. Very tempature sensative and way too human attention hungery to be left out like that.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

Quote:
well put

 

[patandchickens]

It seems like folks on BYC tend to use the term LGD really loosely (to the point of meaninglessness), and to the point that those new to the discussion never actually get to FIND OUT what the term means.

There are several different things. They are *different* from each other. Only the last one, labelled "LGD", is LGD

:

-- a dog that gets along well with livestock, ie. does not chase the goats and try to eat the chickens. The mere presence of this dog around the animals may somewhat deter some (fairly casual) predators, but the correct term would be something like "farm dog" or simply "dog that gets along peacefully with my livestock". Cuz it *ain't* actually *guarding* the animals.

-- a dog, usually of a herding breed, that is used to herd livestock. It may work under human direction, e.g. a border collie being used to move sheep from one place to another; or (much less commonly) it may work more or less on its own to keep the livestock within whatever area the dog's been trained to keep them in. Usually the dog does not live full-time with the livestock. This would be a "herding dog", not a guarding dog. Again, its mere presence may to some degree deter some predators but it is not a LGD.

-- a dog of really fairly few breeds most of them pretty obscure these days at least in N America, that lives full-time 24/7 with the livestock, IS NOT a pet or housedog "also", its fulltime existance is guarding its herd of livestock. Like, ACTUALLY guarding, hence the term livestock guardian dog (LGD). Actually many people say that it is not uncommon to have an eventually-good LGD attack or eat a few of your animals while it is learning; the point is to have it eventually learn (mostly) not to, and to have it prevent more losses to predators than it *causes* itself

Again, not a "I let my dog watch the chickens when they're out and then he spends the rest of the time with me" thing; the dog totally lives with the livestock and is not a pet. Often they are used in pairs rather than alone, too.

So I guess my question would be, does the o.p. really *mean* LGD or do you maybe just mean "dog that won't eat the chickens". Which some boxers would qualify for.

Pat

 

[wildeflowers]

Quote:
Absolutely, but NO boxer would make a good outdoor pet as they are extremely sensitive to temperature changes.

Our boxer has no problems with any other animals, including the poultry. She is not a typical example of the energy of the breed, being much more laid back than usual. It may also have to do with her training for the show ring. (I did not show her, but the breeder did before we got her.) Most boxers are extremely playful, energetic, and typically bond closely with their handlers. They need good training and lots of attention. I would never expect a boxer to do well in an outside situation.

 

[PuppyBantamCochin]

Turns out a boxer wouldn't work for us anyway...my dad's not too fond of bulldog breeds...
I was hoping to have a bull-dog breed as a guardian dog, just cuz I love boxers, pits, etc.


Thanks for all the responses though, they're very helpful.

 

[Barred Rocks forever]

http://www.lgd.org/ heres alot of lgd breeds that may be good for you