Good small dogs for protecting flock

[centrarchid]

Just wondering if there’s a smaller breed of dog that’s good for guarding chickens? I know corgis are good, but what else? I’m looking into buying a dog but also using it to guard the flock, especially since we want them to be free range in the day

Explain better your setting. Number of chickens, how they might be confined when not free-range, acreage, perimeter type, predators present, etc.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Explain better your setting. Number of chickens, how they might be confined when not free-range, acreage, perimeter type, predators present, etc.

This would be helpful. If you have a big operation, cattle dogs *might* work. But if they don't have enough work they will quickly become bored and destructive.
I'd rather a 100lb Pyr with their laid back temperament than a 50lb neurotic cattle dog lol.
What kind of predators are you concerned about. Any dog under 10lbs is just as likely to get picked up by a hawk as your chickens.
What's a small dog to you?

 

[Willowspirit]

This would be helpful. If you have a big operation, cattle dogs *might* work. But if they don't have enough work they will quickly become bored and destructive.
I'd rather a 100lb Pyr with their laid back temperament than a 50lb neurotic cattle dog lol.
What kind of predators are you concerned about. Any dog under 10lbs is just as likely to get picked up by a hawk as your chickens.
What's a small dog to you?

I used to board my horses in Norco, a horse community with small acreage horse properties. Everybody, it seemed, had cattle dogs. I never saw the problem. Go to LGD rescue sites and see the dogs needing to be rehomed. Then ACD rescue. Similar numbers and reasons. I don't have either, just a bunch of toy foxies and a useless doberman.

 

[5hens&aroo]

If you were to go for a herding dog or cattle dog or some sort I’d recommend pairs as well. Females are usually high strung and males more laid back but males are also harder to trainer vs a female(in my experience) we have three border collies and they do great with our chickens and keep everything and I mean everything out of our yard. My female border collie protects our baby chicks best won’t even let the males get to close to them. But the males keep our big flock all together and out of trouble.

 

[Ribh]

Australian Cattle Dogs, Now called heelers are relatively small, bred for herdng sheep and cattle. They can be pretty ferocious guarding their charges. They are very common on farms. I think they'd be most effective in pairs.

DON'T get an Australian Cattle Dog ~ unless it's not the Australian Cattle Dog we have here in Oz. They have been bred to nip @ the heels of cattle during round up & have a reputation for being biters. Not aggressive, just bitey. As a working dog they also need huge amounts of exercise. They can run forever. I wouldn't use any sort of bird dog either, so that's labs out.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

SHELTIE!
AKA, Shetland Sheepdog, "miniature Collie," "little Lassie," etc. Clean, good in the house, highly trainable, loyal, clownish, playful, energetic, alert, devoted, usually good with kids, cats, other pets. Can be noisy, especially the females. Territorial, not apt to roam. Good traveling companion. About knee-high. Herd instincts. Requires grooming (brushing, DO NOT SHAVE!).

Note: my Gracie keeps coyotes away from the property. She barks more than I would prefer but I love her. She is 9 years old and will probably live to at least 15-16 years in good health. I have had many Shelties over the years, they and Golden retrievers are among my favorite breeds. Labs and Goldens are not guard dogs, though they make great companion and hunting dogs.

I was a professional trainer of basic obedience for over 20 years in NW NM through a local community college and trained hundreds of dogs of many breeds. Although Shelties are one of my personal favorite breeds, I would not recommend them simply out of personal preference for what you are asking. You want a small protective dog. If you are willing to put up with a bit of barking and the grooming requirements, this could be your breed. I highly recommend enrolling in obedience classes not affiliated with a pet store whose main purpose is to sell treats, and to spay/neuter at an early age.

Good luck!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry, meant to post pic. This is a show dog, not my Gracie, who is mildly hearing impaired because she carries one ear up and one ear down. As for courage, I have seen her chase off three coyotes at once. But in all fairness, what we have around here that passes for coyotes are scrawny, rangy things not much bigger than a poorly-fed German shepherd - NOT those gigantic grey-wolf-sized things I've seen around Tuscon that could carry off a Rottweiler with one paw tied behind its back!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Forgive me, I have to brag on Gracie just a little more. Occasionally one or more of the hens will "lay out," by which I mean they find a hidden place to lay their eggs during their free-ranging time instead of laying in their nests. When they do that, this sweet girl brings those eggs up to the house and delivers them to me. I didn't teach her that.

 

[Halfpasthen]

I used to board my horses in Norco, a horse community with small acreage horse properties. Everybody, it seemed, had cattle dogs. I never saw the problem. Go to LGD rescue sites and see the dogs needing to be rehomed. Then ACD rescue. Similar numbers and reasons. I don't have either, just a bunch of toy foxies and a useless doberman.

Any rescue will have dozens of dogs given up for that reason. In my experience cattle dogs are MUCH higher strung than the LGD I've known. But I live in a very rural area where both are common. Breeding/how they are worked makes a huge difference though. We may just have more ornery cattle dogs bred in my area lol.

My useless Doberman passed this in October

 

[Halfpasthen]

SHELTIE!
AKA, Shetland Sheepdog, "miniature Collie," "little Lassie," etc. Clean, good in the house, highly trainable, loyal, clownish, playful, energetic, alert, devoted, usually good with kids, cats, other pets. Can be noisy, especially the females. Territorial, not apt to roam. Good traveling companion. About knee-high. Herd instincts. Requires grooming (brushing, DO NOT SHAVE!).

Note: my Gracie keeps coyotes away from the property. She barks more than I would prefer but I love her. She is 9 years old and will probably live to at least 15-16 years in good health. I have had many Shelties over the years, they and Golden retrievers are among my favorite breeds. Labs and Goldens are not guard dogs, though they make great companion and hunting dogs.

I was a professional trainer of basic obedience for over 20 years in NW NM through a local community college and trained hundreds of dogs of many breeds. Although Shelties are one of my personal favorite breeds, I would not recommend them simply out of personal preference for what you are asking. You want a small protective dog. If you are willing to put up with a bit of barking and the grooming requirements, this could be your breed. I highly recommend enrolling in obedience classes not affiliated with a pet store whose main purpose is to sell treats, and to spay/neuter at an early age.

Good luck!

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