Guard Dogs

[tarajane]

My goodness, can't we all just get along ! I started this this post and I want no hard feelings here. We all have our preferences on dogs. Kiss and make up !

 

[MrsBachbach]

My goodness, can't we all just get along !  I started this this post and I want no hard feelings here. We all have our preferences on dogs. Kiss and make up !

Extremely sorry your thread has turned into a pissing match. That seems to be a trend with the topic of guard dogs when it comes to some peoples opinions and experience. Best wishes with your mini farm.

 

[iokra]

Anatolian shepherds are great livestock working dogs. they will protect the territory extremely well. Very intelligent, alert and devoted

 

[iokra]

I could not agree more with what you just said. I have two Anatolian shepherds, very similar to the great Pyrenees and everything you just said is true for the Anatolians as well.

 

[MrsBachbach]

I could not agree more with what you just said. I have two Anatolian shepherds, very similar to the great Pyrenees and everything you just said is true for the Anatolians as well.

I hate to even think about it, but when I have to replace my baby I am thinking of an Anatolian/Pyrenees mix.

 

[GAchickennewbie]

I'm gonna be coming out of left field here, but both my Giant Schnauzer and my lab mix protect my flock.

Giant came from the shelter and the lab mix was an adoption from a rescue due to aggression.

For me, their pack mentality to protect extends to every animal we have, including both of our cats and chickens in addition to the humans. I probably train differently than others, but I work hard to use their natural canine loyalty to the pack and show them every animal here is under my protection, therefore theirs.

Can't say it would work for everyone, but I've worked with dogs of several different breeds for 30 + years and it works for us.

Mad props for choosing a dobie, btw! Watch that dominance struggle when they hit their teen years. Once you've established alpha status following that, you'll have a loyalty that is incredible!!!!!

 

[okiemamachick]

We have a pit bull that wandered up she's the biggest sweet heart I'm not sure if she " guards" them but she doesn't bother the chickens and I think her presence scares critters away.

 

[okiemamachick]

And for what it's worth we had two great pyrenees (sp?) At different times raised them from puppies around our chickens and both were chicken killers one even just liked to hold the chicken down and pluck the feathers so they could lick the blood.

 

[tarajane]

We have a pit bull that wandered up she's the biggest sweet heart I'm not sure if she " guards" them but she doesn't bother the chickens and I think her presence scares critters away.

Really, ANY dog can be a guard dog from a Chihuahua
to a giant Irish Wolf Hound. The Westminister Dog show is on tonight I think so watch that and pick one out. Don't forget shelter dogs either. It is all in how they are raised just like kids. But shelter dogs can be retrained. Good luck.

 

[TalkALittle]

Really, ANY dog can be a guard dog from a Chihuahua
to a giant Irish Wolf Hound.

But it is far easier to start with a breed of dog that already has innate, instinctive tendencies toward protectiveness. I have a Rat Terrier. I'm a pretty good dog trainer. I can honestly say it would not be worth my while to try and train my Rat Terrier to do the kind of work that would come (generally) very naturally for many Great Pyrenees or other LGDs. That is not to say that he couldn't do it, but I would have a tough row to hoe trying to overcome his instinctive natural tendencies to sniff out and hunt vermin. I could spend long hours training him to perform the behaviors and go through the motions, but you can't train in that instinctive need/desire/drive to do them. With all the training in the world I still expect that if I put my RT out with the flock with no supervision or guided direction from me, every one of my birds could be taken by a predator while he was busy ridding the woodpile of mice. That is far less likely to occur with a LGD who received the same amount of training. Likewise, I expect it would be very difficult to try and train that GP to completely ignore a flock of sheep and instead focus on hunting and killing rats. Different breeds are more capable than others of doing different work. Humans have spent centuries making sure that this is so. It's the whole reason we even have different breeds.

One also can't ignore that fact that even the most protective Chihuahua is still no match for a coyote. There are other considerations beyond temperament and instinctive drives that make certain breeds more appropriate for certain jobs.