Guardian dogs ok in cold?

[LuvinMyPeeps]

I hope this is the right spot to post this...

I've been reading a lot of posts about Guardian dogs. I'm considering getting one. We live in VA (I'd say mostly 20s in winter at night). Is it safe to leave the guard dogs outside when it's that cold?

We have 2 dogs (blonde lab & shi-tsu mutt), but they're pampered indoor dogs. I thought if we got one for strictly outside it might be nice. Our neighbors have a Great Pyranese (not sure if I spelled that right) but he barks allllllll the time and I find that really annoying. I would LOVE to have a herder border collie. What do you suggest? Is there a good breed that would not bark at people, only predators?

As always, thanks for your wonderful advice!

 

[barnold]

The cold doesn't seem to bother Pasha, my Anatolian Shepherd at all. In fact, she won't even use the dog house I built for her - she prefers to sleep out in the open so she can "guard" the property and chickens, ducks, etc. If it's very cold & wet, she will get out of the rain and our weather here is very similar to yours.
I wouldn't get a Border Collie though, if you free range. They are very work oriented and would wear your birds out "herding" them all day. What you need is a dog breed specifically bred to protect the animals (livestock guardian) and not herd them, such as Gr Pyrenees, Anatolians, Kuvasz.
Oh, and a good guardian will bark at anything & anyone they don't know.
Good Luck!

 

[firefighter9208]

I have two Great Pyrenese. Both were placed in the pasture with goats at 8 weeks old. Neither have ever had a dog house. They just sleep in the pasture. They do bark a lot, but you have to train them to not bark at everything.

My male and female (he's two and she's three) no longer bark at everything. When they do bark I get up to see what's the problem. They are very juvenile animals up until about two years old.

My mom has a 14 month old Great Pyrenese female that is driving me crazy.

She starts barking at dark and barks all night. I think she barks at herself sometimes. My two adults just lay there and look at her through the fence like she's crazy.

I've finally talked my mother into putting a shock collar on her and training her to not bark at everything in the world. They can be trained to bark "only" when there is a threat.

They are very loving animals and very good with children.

Chris

 

[ams3651]

when i was a kid all our dogs were outside. They slept in a small building that used to be the milk house on straw and old blankets. We had an Irish Setter, a couple basset hounds, a beagle mix, a mutt, they were fine. Now gram has one of those plastic dog houses up against the house with straw inside and a couple bales propped up against the outside.

 

[kingbee]

I have a mixed Great Pry. and she's a year old now and has just begun to bark,mostly at deer but she will bark at other things as well. I love these breeds,so gentle but very devoted to protection. I wish I had a purebreed puppy.

I was at a chicken auction a few weeks back and one came up for auction and only brung $35.00 purebred.Raised with goats but no papers. With papers it would cost over $100.00.

Mines an indoor dog but loves to run outside.

 

[Jenski]

DO NOT get a Border Collie. Oy vey! I have one, and great gawdalmighty she wears me out. Seriously, these dogs are ADHD + super-intelligent, which makes for one heck of a lovable, infuriating pest that can tear a mattress to shreds while laying all your dirty socks in a straight line AND reprogramming your computer. If mine had opposable thumbs, I'd send her to the office and I'd stay at home lounging around the backyard, barking at the neighbors.

They are completely different than any other dog breed. They are working dogs who MUST work. All the time. Every minute. *sigh*

Great Pyrs are much more laid back (when grown), but if they are outside all night they can tend to bark, as that's when all the sneaky little night critters are out. Provide some shelter for him/her, or even better, a companion to snuggle with when it's cold outside.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[LuvinMyPeeps]

Thank you for all the great advice. I think I may reconsider my original thought now - perhaps a great pyr is okay after all. I guess I'd rather the chickens be guarded with a laid back dog that barks when strangers come by, but isn't so hyper like an ADHD collie LOL. My lab is 1/2 collie and you can tell she loves to herd. The only problem is she does it backwards. She will herd the things away from me...grrrr. Silly girl.

But she's never been trained to herd and she's such a lazy indoor dog that the girlz got no skills....hee hee.