Giant Schnoodles?

[enola]

When I was a kid, we had a mutt that the vet said was part Manchester terrier. She was one of the neatest dogs I have owned over the years. She would brood chicks in one of our recliners. We covered her with a blanket, put the chicks under the blanket with her and she nosed them around until they were tucked in and warm. If one got restless and fell out of the chair, she would bark until someone came and replaced the chick.

When she wasn't brooding chicks, she was doing garden guarding duty. All we would have to say was, "Missy! Chickens!" Open the door and let her out. She would race up and down the rows until they were all running for the barn yard. The garden was the only place she was allowed to bother chickens. They were perfectly safe from her when they were not in the garden.

She was a tiny dog, probably only 10 pounds, but long legged and extremely agile.

 

[Cubzwin1908]

When I was a kid, we had a mutt that the vet said was part Manchester terrier. She was one of the neatest dogs I have owned over the years. She would brood chicks in one of our recliners. We covered her with a blanket, put the chicks under the blanket with her and she nosed them around until they were tucked in and warm. If one got restless and fell out of the chair, she would bark until someone came and replaced the chick.

When she wasn't brooding chicks, she was doing garden guarding duty. All we would have to say was, "Missy! Chickens!" Open the door and let her out. She would race up and down the rows until they were all running for the barn yard. The garden was the only place she was allowed to bother chickens. They were perfectly safe from her when they were not in the garden.

She was a tiny dog, probably only 10 pounds, but long legged and extremely agile.

I love this story so much!! My sister "supposedly" has a Min Pin that I suspect is actually Manchester or a cross. She is twice the size you would expect of a Min Pin. Her name is also Missy. She has never shown any bad behavior toward my chickens but is hell on wheels with rodents and snakes. : )

 

[enola]

I have a Min Pin that I rescued from a bad situation. She was an adult when I got her. She is approximately 10 years old now. She will never be trusted around chickens.......

 

[gevshiba]

I never said you couldn't train a dog to leave the birds alone, but you should be aware of what a dog was bred for. That will play into training the dog. Or it should, anyway. My breed is very independent. I tell people I don't think outside the box, I throw the box away. Giant Schnauzers are a lot of hard headed dog and a Poodle, well it depends on Toy (which isn't likely for this cross), Mini or Standard, because they don't have the same temperament. Knowing what their instinct is telling them to do can be very helpful. But once you start mixing breeds, things can get a bit more complicated. I have mix breeds as well as pure breeds.

 

[justdishy]

I have an Australian Shepherd-Standard Poodle mix. Very soft mouth, not interested in touching my rabbits, hens, cats. He whines whenever one of these is out of place. Very much a babysitter type. My Aussie-Sheltie mix is known to do a little chicken chasing for the fun of seeing them scatter, but she has never harmed them. Here they are eating scratch with hens.

 

[Bigwig]

No....these are a mix of Giant Schnauzer and Standard Poodle. Sorry, I should have been more specific, : )

Apology accepted.

 

[dodochick92]

I have a PitBull protecting my flock at the moment. Rescued her from a shelter where they said she was in dogfighting. Trained her well so she doesn't go after the chickens. Have never lost a hen since I got her. She chased down a coyote the other day, didn't kill it, but I don't think it will be back.

 

[Cubzwin1908]

I have a PitBull protecting my flock at the moment. Rescued her from a shelter where they said she was in dogfighting. Trained her well so she doesn't go after the chickens. Have never lost a hen since I got her. She chased down a coyote the other day, didn't kill it, but I don't think it will be back.

That is SO awesome! There are so many pits or pit mixes in the shelters. So happy it worked out for both of you. I have to admit I am a little leery of the breed....but only because I know people have messed so many up, not necessarily the breed itself.

My daughter works at both a Humane Society and a vet practice so I might just end up having her watch for me a good candidate. All my others have been rescues.