guard animals help me decide please!!!

[peeps7]

A Great Pyranese (I don't know if I spelled it right) is a AWESOME guard dog. Pretty much you just stick it out with the animals you want it to keep protected as a puppy and he'll do his thing. They aren't really good family dogs because they really don't have time for it(they love their livestock).

 

[chickensforever]

Like most animals, it depends on how they were raised. Somebody I knew said that the larger donkeys were much friendlier and even tempered than the smaller breeds, which caused more trouble than anything else.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

In my experience:
If you go with a llama or a donkey, you have to get ones that "hate" dogs. Otherwise they will not chase off any strays that come onto your property. They will only go after ones that harrass them and not be concerned about it if they chase something else.
Same goes for emus.

Of course I am going to recommend the Great Pyrenees breed of livestock guardian dog. I think they are awesome dogs.

Jean

 

[EggCentric]

Try a mini donkey. They are also great protectors. However, you should test them first, sometimes they see your livestock as predators. Find one that has already been exposed to other farm animals.

Word of warning: Mini donkeys are just as loud as a regular size donkey, especially at 4 am!

 

[Pinsprings]

I just got a Great Pyr puppy for my fox problem, she is only 10 wks. old and since she was raised with goats and I have goats, she stays right in my goat/chicken pen.

Some things to consider with a Great Pyr:
They eat alot.
They make big piles.
You have to resist the temptation of cuddling them too much.
(if you do they will want to be at the house with you and not with the flock or herd, where they belong)
They might chase chickens for awhile and may even kill a few.
Did I say that they eat alot?

My pup was just wanting a playmate and since the goats weren't really filling that need, she found out that if she ran towards a chicken that it would run, so while she wasn't really trying to catch them, she was spending alot of time in pursuit.

My big, aggressive rooster was running from her too, so I didn't know what to do but yell are her. Finally the roo got tired of the game and flogged her good, she hasn't chased a chicken since and I hope she won't start back up again.

 

[newchickowner]

Yep! I'm having the same problem with my Pyrneese pups! They found out one day that the chickens will run from them. My roo is too sweet I guess and he hasn't flogged the dogs yet, so I have to try another method.

I agree that the guard dogs work great for larger stock like goats, sheep and even larger, my donkey works great too, however, she could care less if a neighbor's cat, a skunk, or opossom came onto our property wanting to hunt the chickens. That's where the dogs huge bark comes in handy. Right now I have the dogs and the donkey together and away from the chickens. All I need is there bark and so far I haven't had any predetor problems at all including the winged variety.

oh, and they do eat a lot!!! I spend about $60 a month just on their feed!

 

[DoctorGoose]

Ninny--we got our geese to be guard animals. They're quite loud, and when they were babies they would attack our poor old doggie in his butt...

The chickens don't like them too much, but they stay with them, and they are the "enforcers of the coop"--basically which means if my roo tries to mate, the geese go after him for making too much noise

They are quite talkative when you come out to visit, but they do well guarding against predators (they bite the barn cat if we won't get after them) and two-legged predators.

 

[ChickieDee]

If your looking for an outdoor dog do not get a Doberman ! Because of their short hair they are always cold. My Dobe needs to snuggle under blankets even in the summer. Their reputation is not so accurate, at least not for my Dobe. She is a terrible watch dog, a fraidy cat (dog), and chases the chickens.She is, however, a great family pet and loves people and always needs love and affection. Get some kind of long haired herding dog!

 

[tiffanyh]

I second the NO DOBE.

She is a great guard dog barking wise, but a bit wimpy about everything else!

Also, 3.5 acres is not a tiny farm! I am not .5 acres with 15 chickens, 4 outdoor rabbits and 4 goats! Not that is a tiny farm!

My .5 acre is split level so the goat are up on a hill overlooking our house!

Good luck with your farm!

 

[ChickieDee]

Great Dobe pic. Looks like mine on a typical day. Mine gives a good bark too when a car comes but will give kisses to a perfect stranger. So much for my protection dog. Good thing strangers are afraid of the site of her not knowing her true nature. Your cope looks so nice tiffanyh!