livestock quard dog? which breed?

[chickenbythesea]

once a dog starts marking its territory most predators will stay away: that being said, if their natural food supply is depressed they will still try and get your livestock even with a dog. Sheep dogs are great but as with any herding/ livestock dog, invest in regular consistent training or your dog will be worse than your predators.

 

[spunky]

Oh my...that's such a sweet story! Is your dog fenced in or does she roam free?

 

[lutz123]

Your answer could depend on tons of factors. Can you be more specific about what's okay, and what's not? What kind of "dog" person are you (and the other members of the family)? Big/little, barking, high energy or lazy, will it be in the house alot? Many breeds of dogs bred for working around livestock don't necessarily make good "pets". They have a job. What climate do you live in? Great Pyranees is not going to thrive in hot weather, and it takes a special kind of owner to appreciate having a dog that size and furriness in the house (plus it defeats the purpose) - though they are great dogs. Also, if your new dog ends up being a nuisance rather than a help with the birds, are you willing to rehome it or contain it? You might also look into an adult dog (or a "teen") to have a better idea of what you're getting.

If there are other kids coming around, it sounds like you would appreciate a good kid dog over protectiveness, right? So maybe big enough to deter a predator without being aggressive (like a golden retriever...not sure how those are with actual pet birds - they are bird dogs), or a loud dog. Perhaps "foster" a dog and see if it's a good fit? Even so, it's a crap shoot. No guarantees. The best dog we ever had, hands down, for a job like this was a chow/aussie mix...but it's not something I would have known before owning her (and we just happened to get all of the good traits). Good luck, and take your time. Plus, ask all of the family members.

My recommendation no matter what, would be to keep the birds in a covered, predator-proof run when no one is home. Free-ranging when no one is supervising will always have risks.

 

[carolinagirl58]

In my honest opinion, allowing a dog to free range is never a good idea for any breed. It's also unfair to neighbors who don't appreciate your dog in their yard. And what happens when your beloved LGD is chasing off a predator and runs into the street and is hit by a car? It's just too much of a risk. Don't let the dog free.

 

[ragerkid2]

Quote:
But if you live in a rural area there is no reason to keep your dog cooped up.

 

[Peck Johnson]

Quote:
But if you live in a rural area there is no reason to keep your dog cooped up.

With almost any LGD good fencing is a must unless you are on a thousand acres.

 

[carolinagirl58]

Quote:
But if you live in a rural area there is no reason to keep your dog cooped up.

With almost any LGD good fencing is a must unless you are on a thousand acres.

I live in a rural area and so do my neighbors. ALL dogs should stay fenced and never allowed to roam. If allowed to roam, they will. And then what good are they as guardian dogs? LGDs do bond to sheep, cattle and goats and will protect chickens, but they never really bond to poultry, so he will never feel required to stay with them 24/7. 10 acres is a very small piece of land, which means there ARE roads close by. That dog will end up leaving your property. That's just what dogs do.

 

[VelvettFog]

When your dog wanders onto my property, what happens next is my decision.

Just sayin ...

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
3 words - Shoot, shovel, and shut up.

ok, that's more than 3 but.... that is the quickest route to a dead dog. rural areas still have cars. They have hunters who won't appreciate a dog following their deer trails. They have other farmers who won't want your dog on THEIR property. There are other dogs. There are poisons/traps put out for other predators.

 

[lutz123]

Can we be respectful to the OP and stick to her original question about suitable breeds? I know there are strong feelings out there and it's easy to get off track... Perhaps opening a new thread about how or whether to pen guard dogs is a good idea.