Help me find my future dog breed?

[Amelise]

So low energy and low prey drive?

I’m ok with medium to higher energy, because ideally I want to live a more active lifestyle.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Wow. It seems like almost all the dogs ever have high prey drives and all the low prey drive ones have long hair and imo look ugly

Awww I’m sorry the good news is most hunting breeds have an extreme desire to please their people and are fairly easy to train so you MIGHT be able to teach them to leave the chickens alone. But of course it’s always a risk and I would never trust them alone together. It’s also A LOT of work and may never be possible for some dogs. But my bully breed lab mix has an EXTREMELY high prey drive but I taught him to leave my chickens, cat, and budgies alone. Granted the budgies were in a cage and he did occasionally still try to play with the cat but he never hurt any of them. I don’t have any of them any more because of other circumstances but yeah. And I can’t say what he would do to a stray cat because I don’t know. But I know he hates bunnies, squirrels, rats, chipmunks, even flies that get into the house. Prey drive is off the charts. But he would never hurt MY animals. So it is possible.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I’m ok with a higher energy dog. I just don’t want one that would snatch a chicken when I’m not there.

Ahh okay. Probably not a viszla then. They might be able to be trained to be okay with supervision but probably not alone together.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I’m ok with medium to higher energy, because ideally I want to live a more active lifestyle.

Also the size? Do you prefer small dogs?

 

[Amelise]

Awww I’m sorry the good news is most hunting breeds have an extreme desire to please their people and are fairly easy to train so you MIGHT be able to teach them to leave the chickens alone. But of course it’s always a risk and I would never trust them alone together. It’s also A LOT of work and may never be possible for some dogs. But my bully breed lab mix has an EXTREMELY high prey drive but I taught him to leave my chickens, cat, and budgies alone. Granted the budgies were in a cage and he did occasionally still try to play with the cat but he never hurt any of them. I don’t have any of them any more because of other circumstances but yeah. And I can’t say what he would do to a stray cat because I don’t know. But I know he hates bunnies, squirrels, rats, chipmunks, even flies that get into the house. Prey drive is off the charts. But he would never hurt MY animals. So it is possible.

Yea, something I’ve also figured out with dogs and chickens I think is that the chickens running triggers the dogs prey drive. If you can raise the chickens from a super young age with the dog, they’re less flighty around the dog so the dog is less inclined to chase them.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yea, something I’ve also figured out with dogs and chickens I think is that the chickens running triggers the dogs prey drive. If you can raise the chickens from a super young age with the dog, they’re less flighty around the dog so the dog is less inclined to chase them.

Yeah that’s definitely true too I think.

 

[fluffycrow]

I wouldn't recommend leaving any dog other than a fully trained LGD alone with chickens. That said, look into low prey drive dogs whose coats can be shaven down

 

[ShrekDawg]

I wouldn't recommend leaving any dog other than a fully trained LGD alone with chickens. That said, look into low prey drive dogs whose coats can be shaven down

Good call

 

[Folly's place]

Dogs I've raised from puppyhood weren't hard to train to be safe with our chickens. Rescues with difficult backstories have been HARD.
How big? How active? Do you plan to run with this dog? Raise as a puppy or get an adult?
ANY dog will need training to leave chickens alone! Puppies tend to be easier, but trusting a dog alone with the birds won't happen overnight.
Retrievers all have double coats, so there will be shedding. Is that an issue for you? They tend to be very trainable, and do differ in temperament depending on breed and as individuals. Pointers, short hair, VERY active, and trainable. Many terriers have short hair, are trainable, and might be another group to explore. Our rescue pit bull types had such awful back stories that we didn't try to make them 'chicken safe', although in my presence they will listen and not harm them. Short hair, nice dogs, raising a youngster might work out very well.
Mary

 

[Amelise]

Also the size? Do you prefer small dogs?

No size preference, as long as it is not drooly and short haired.