keeping neighbors dogs off the property, what kind of dog can i get?

[rjackh]

I second the pyranese/anatolians. We have 3 at our ranch living with herds of sheep and goats, and 3 more as house pets. Our family likes them a lot for what they are bred for. What about contacting your neighbor and asking to keep their dogs off your place? To be honest, if you get one or two livestock guard dogs (LGD's - they perform best in pairs) and some neighborhood dog(s) come messin around your LGD's pack, they will kill the enemy. Trust me. Of course maybe the neighborhood dog comes over and is very submissive and a simple growl from your LGD gets him on his way. However, I have seen two LGD's grab each end of a stray dog and pull him apart with very little warning to protect their flock of goats. Maybe add a fence to keep out an honest stray dog, and if one climbs/digs in and your LGD kills it you won't feel so bad? It's sad to think about but thats what these LGD's are bred for and its what will ultimately happen. Good luck and if you decide to go with an LGD, do your homework on how to best socialize them and raise them for what their ultimate job will be, and don't just make them a house pet (easy to do since they are so cute as pups!)

 

[aart]

Quote: Very Good Point!

 

[unclejohn]

Very Good Point!

well a fence would only keep these dogs out if it went all the way around my yard, which i would think is pretty expensive. where a dog would cost me what? a few bucks in dog food per month?

these dogs are maybe a year old, and still quite hyper and like to explore. there are rabbits in my yard and i find fresh tracks in the snow every morning. the dogs seem to get on the trail of the rabbits and sniff that trail all through my property.
I did shoot one of the dogs with a pellet gun and since then they haven't been back, or at least i haven't seen them, during the day. they are never tracks around my coop anymore.

i think either i will get a dog, or i will give those dogs one more chance, if any more chickens get killed, i will go to the neighbor and nicely ask them to do something about it, and if those dogs come back on my property bam. im gonna shoot em with the 22.

 

[zazouse]

well a fence would only keep these dogs out if it went all the way around my yard, which i would think is pretty expensive. where a dog would cost me what? a few bucks in dog food per month?

Have you ever owned a dog? a few dollars a month won't buy a chew toy much less feed, vaccinate,flea and heart-worm meds , altering and unforeseen accidents that may require a vets care.

Your question was how to keep other dogs off your place, you can not do that without a fence in your current settings, if a dog can get to your birds wild things can and have an even better chance of getting them, that is what they do for a living they hunt,stalk and kill to eat.
If you think you have no problem with wild critters it may be cause them loose dogs are keeping them away.

Once again if you get a dog that will protect your birds and run off other dogs and critters how are you going to stop it from leaving the property in hot pursuit, and what if your said dog hurts or kills someones dog that made it back to their own property? It will not matter if it was chasing your animals ,if an animal gets injured or killed by your dog on it's own property you can be held liable for the damages.

I am just trying to get you to see the entire picture here not just what you think it should be, i have been there and done that more than most folks on here living my entire 58 years on a farm and keeping my animals safe from all kinds of predators and pest with the use of dogs.

PS never ever ever confront a neighbor about their dog unless you know them well, if the loose dogs are causing someone else problems and the SSS you will most likely get the blame for it's disappearance and your life could become a living HECK... with no place to go if you own your own place. LEAVE A NOTE IN THE MAIL BOX

 

[aart]

Quote: Very Good Point!

Quote: I should have highlighted the part in red too.

and ditto on more than "few bucks in dog food per month"

 

[enola]

The first time your dog tackles a coon, a bob cat or another large dog, you could end up with a thousand dollar vet bill for surgery to put your dog back together. So much for a couple of bucks a month.....

 

[zazouse]

The first time your dog tackles a coon, a bob cat or another large dog, you could end up with a thousand dollar vet bill for surgery to put your dog back together. So much for a couple of bucks a month.....

For sure,
Heck it cost 400 dollars to have a cyst removed from my weiner dogs hip , wasn't expecting that and he is a house dog .

 

[CrazyTalk]

Honestly if ya can't afford a fence i would not get a dog just yet cause they do cost money to maintain

Dogs are way more expensive than fences. A single guardian dog will cost more to feed in 6 months then it would take to fence the entire 3 acres with a couple lines of electric.

 

[unclejohn]

Well maybe I wont get a dog :/

Where i live there really is nothing that harms or threatens my chickens. Even before the neighbors got their dogs. Once in a while at night there might be a skunk, very rarely,, ,but i lock my girls
up at night anyways. I really don't like dogs all that much anyways..maybe I'll just buy a paintball gun and give the dogs a nice rainbow design the next time i catch them over here. They are somewhat wussy dogs, I can chase them off just by yelling at them.

 

[aart]

Well maybe I wont get a dog :/

Where i live there really is nothing that harms or threatens my chickens. Even before the neighbors got their dogs. Once in a while at night there might be a skunk, very rarely,, ,but i lock my girls
up at night anyways. I really don't like dogs all that much anyways..maybe I'll just buy a paintball gun and give the dogs a nice rainbow design the next time i catch them over here. They are somewhat wussy dogs, I can chase them off just by yelling at them.

Then definitely don't get a dog.