Cross Post: Considering a dog: Anatolian Shepherd: Opinions/Experience

[watchdogps]

I’m a big fan of rescuing dogs for chicken guard duty. All of our dogs are rescues from the local human societies. I have never gone through a rescue organization due to their sometimes extreme requirements and high prices, though I have often been tempted because they make it easy to find a specific breed and seem to be able to provide a lot of background info on the dogs.

I like rescuing mature dogs because I can better evaluate the dog’s temperament. To use the used car analogy again, with some breeders you don’t know if you getting someone else’s problems. Genetics are a tricky thing making the results sometime surprising. But, when you have a mature dog at the shelter, you can pretty much see what you are getting. You can conduct all kinds of behavioral tests on the dog. You can bring another dog, cat or even a chicken to the shelter to see how the dogs reacts. Plus, many shelter with conduct their own interior behavioral checks and can tell how the dog did.

So, watch the listing at your local shelter but, if you see an Anatolian Shepherd listed, run don’t walk to the shelter. I’m a little bummed right now. Our local shelter just listed an ASD. I thought I’d take a look at the dog and dropped by after work. As I was walking in, the dog was walking out with its new family. The good ones go fast.

Jim

For someone who has some experience with LGDs, I'd agree. But the OP is a total newbie to LGDs, and to dogs in general. She probably wouldnt be able to properly assess the dog, and shelter evaluators usually have no experience with LGD, or if they do it is as housepets, not LGDs. Thats why I think she would benefit from a rescue who had the experience to do the evaluation already.
Yes, some rescue can be a bit over the top. I know the one I gave her a link to isn't.
Bringing another animal to a shelter isnt really a good indicator of anything. You will see if the animal is overtly aggressive perhaps, but both animals will be stressed (your own probably more so) and will not behave normally. Also, since they havent established territory there, they will be different in a few weeks.

BTW, if you (or anyone else) sees an Anatolian in need, please feel free to contact me so I can try to get it into a foster home.

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

Quote:

BTW, if you (or anyone else) sees an Anatolian in need, please feel free to contact me so I can try to get it into a foster home.

I see another, you can find him at my house

Jim

 

[watchdogps]

Quote:

I see another, you can find him at my house

Jim

Good! You know what you are doing with them!
However, you can also contact me if the one you bring home eats all your animals or wants to be a housepet, LOL.

 

[Mountain Man Jim]

Quote:

For someone who has some experience with LGDs, I'd agree. But the OP is a total newbie to LGDs, and to dogs in general. She probably wouldnt be able to properly assess the dog, and shelter evaluators usually have no experience with LGD, or if they do it is as housepets, not LGDs. Thats why I think she would benefit from a rescue who had the experience to do the evaluation already.
Yes, some rescue can be a bit over the top. I know the one I gave her a link to isn't.
Bringing another animal to a shelter isnt really a good indicator of anything. You will see if the animal is overtly aggressive perhaps, but both animals will be stressed (your own probably more so) and will not behave normally. Also, since they havent established territory there, they will be different in a few weeks.

BTW, if you (or anyone else) sees an Anatolian in need, please feel free to contact me so I can try to get it into a foster home.

As always, very good points.

I guess I don't know how to assess a true LGD hence, why I like the humane society shelters. I'm still of the opinion that in most situations with chickens, the OP included, you don't need a classic LGD and all of the training/bonding. I have been very happy with a good watch dog that is fairly independent but, still believes that it's a 110 lb lap dog.

I kind of think we need a new term Chicken Guardian Dog (CGD). The CGD needs to be independent enough not to just curl up by the front door waiting for you to arrive. The CGD should be wary enough of strangers and predators to bark and rush the fence. The CGD should be protective of the property to be on the lookout for the predators. The CGD needs a good low frequency bark, all weather coat and enough mass to be a force to be reckoned with. But, the number one trait that the CGD needs is to be obedience and submissive to its humans; we are not protecting sheep but delicate little creatures here. I have pretty much described any of the LGD or guard/watch dogs and I think they can all work very well. But, after breed, individual personality and temperament are very important traits to consider and evaluate, which is why I like adopting shelter dogs.

What has been important to me and training for Chicken Guard Duty (also CGD) is a dog with will except me completely as pack leader and is completely submissive to me. Maybe, that's just coming from my experience with our Pyrenees and Newfie, very sensitive dogs, but, in training a puppy or adult dog with the chickens two things have seemed to be critical 1) the dog responses quickly to my verbal corrections (NO ... chasing of the chickens) 2) an established pack of dogs that understand the rules of accepting the chickens. There I did it, I revealed my big secret, pack mentality. (crude, now I sound like Cesar Milan)

Here’s another secret to picking of a good dog from the shelter that my wife developed into one of our standard tests. When we met a dog for the first time in the shelter, one of the first things we do is sit down on the floor/ground. If the dog comes to us and sits in our lap or close to us, bingo they have passed the Lap Test. So, far this test is 100% successful in determining a good for us. It determines that the dog is submissive to people which we find to be the best indicator of a dog that will listen and follow commands. As Watchdogps points out, the dog will behave very different several weeks after you take her home but, I believe careful observations can give some clues to the dog’s true personality. So, the Lap Test is one of these little things we do in evaluating a dog.

Much of my opinions are formed by my unique situation and particular pack of dogs. We run a tight ship, we are selective of the dogs we bring into the mix (the pack has comprised of 7 different dogs over the years) and all of the dogs are well behaved. I don’t think we know enough about CGD or have bred the perfect, preprogrammed dog for this service. So, your experience will vary.

Jim