livestock quard dog? which breed?

[lutz123]

Quote:
This was the original question and info given:

if we should look into a livestock guarding breed?

We have 10 acres unfenced

I see no "disrespect" or nothing "off track" in giving honest answers based on realities and real world experience.

It takes a lot of work and even more luck to make any LGD breed into a "chicken guardian".

It's not what they were bred to do, and they don't behave like "normal" dogs​

I absolutely 100% agree. I was more or less referring to the "I'll shoot your dog if it comes on my property type of comment". Real risk, true, but it seemed to be getting a little confrontational. I'll just bow out of the conversation since it's not really my style.​

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Hmm if I used your mentality I would be shooting my neighbors cows everytime they break down my fence and come on my property...AND shooting my other neighbors chickens...everytime they come on MY property. Two can play that game

I don't care if you shoot your neighbors animals.

I only have to worry about MY animals, and they are confined

The topic here though is DOGS, not roaming cows or chickens, since they pose no threat to my animals​

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I was more or less referring to the "I'll shoot your dog if it comes on my property type of comment".

That was in response to the one who said this:

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

and was qualified with "and bothers my animals"

I have no problem with dogs that just pass through and don't act agressive​

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I restate, no breed of dog is bred to task of guarding poultry but probably all breeds have potential with good and bad individuals in all breeds. Being good with dogs will also effect outcome.

If you can not control dogs, then I advise against using them. Most folks in my experience that have diffuculty with dogs and chickens are not skilled in keeping of former and should keep birds in coops or covered runs unless they are willing to sit with firearm all day and night.

That's some of the best advice I've seen​

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

great Pyrennes is my vote they are wonderfull with birds we have one and she loves my ducks and would never hurt them.

 

[Bev in Nevada]

There is no breed of dog bred to protect poultry. There ARE however several breeds bred to protect live stock (four legged ones)
For a dog to "do its job and protect" whatever it has been trained, it needs to be with "whatever" 24/7.
IOW's, if the dog is not outside with the poultry, it cannot protect it. Which also means when the dog is in the house with the humans, it cannot be protecting "whatever".
So keep in mind, that if a dog is purchased to protect the chickens/ducks, then it really is NOT a house pet.(House pets are in the house or out with their humans, Livestock Guardians are out with the livestock 24/7)
with that said, Great Pyrennes are a good breed of dog to protect "whatever". As long as they are outside to do so.

 

[centrarchid]

Bev in Nevada,

Most of my poultry guarding dogs outside 24 / 7 and that is to be assumed of any livestock guarding dog, regardless of pedigree. I have to invest more in doghouse for short haired dog but less in feed. A nice thing with chickens is that they have tendency to seek cover when cold and dog's refuge from elements can be situated there.

 

[Smittenroade]

Quote:
x2w I hear great pyraneese are the BEST. I personally use my border collie she has caught 7 predators this year already. 4 opossums and 3 skunks. Sprayed twice lol

 

[Moochie]

I have a labrador pitbull mix who protects mah ladies just fine. And I didn't train him, the chickens did

At 5 weeks I had him sleeping with the chickens. From then on he learned not to bug broodies, and not bug chickens in general. He doesn't attack but is a good alarm system. If he's barking, it always means "predator". And I can come out with my handy-dandy Daisy BB pistol. Sigh~ My current predator can't be shot...

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
actually, I've seen it happen more than once. One of my grandparents neighbors had a problem with another neighbors cattle getting out of the pasture and into his hay field. After several calls and weeks of driving the cattle back home, he shot three of them. Everyone in the area (except the person who owned the cattle) was sit up with meat for a long time! The other neighbor only got a bill for the butchering and fence repair. After that, he made sure the fence STAYED fixed.
My mother had a neighbor whose guineas kept coming into our yard. After calling a few times, we just kept them.