Lost 2 teenagers RIRs/Need suggestions for a dog!!!

[The Chicken People]

I have raised my 8 chicks with my dogs! They know that they are also our pets but I dont leave them unattended either. I have a White German Shephard and a Maltese Poodle / Pom miz. My neighbors dog is German Shephard and he just told Stray to leave the chickens alone and he did! So I recommend German Shephards but get a puppy and train it around the chickens since they came first!! Good Luck!!

 

[CityFarm]

We have a pitbull/lab mix and she loves the chickens.
Seems to me that is is more the disposition of the dog, and its relationship with you that makes the difference. When we brought home our chickens I carried them around and had the dog walk by my side. Over a period of about a week or so we introduced them on the ground......A golden retriever sounds like a good suggestion, and if the hair is an issue you can shave them. Good Luck!

 

[countrygirlatheart]

Aren't those big dogs???

 

[okieroy]

You definately do not want a border collie. I love mine very much, but I have 3 dead barred rocks that would say different. We now have a series of 3 fences through our garden that seperates border collie from birds.

 

[countrygirlatheart]

see...that's what I thought. I called my dh & was telling him what everyone was recommending and he said when he was a child, they had one that killed a couple of the neighbors chickens so he the neighbor shot it. They had a hard time keeping it in the fenced yard, it was always climbing the fence. Thank you.

 

[danischi24]

If you will be keeping the chickens locked up when you aren't there, any breed of dog will be fine as long as you get it from a puppy & make very sure that you train it that birds are OFF LIMITS!
I would stay away from little terrier types & herding dogs for ease of anti bird training but other than that, get something you like. In fact, do yourself a favor & go to the local shelter for a dog from there. There are so many that are dying & many of them are great dogs. Also the staff can help you make sure that your choice is good with birds.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
I am looking for a bird dog too, done lot's of research.

The surest bet is Great Pyrenee dog, but unfortunately they are huge and have long hair, but I will probably go for one.

Some of the suggestions here are downright ridiculous.
Beagel to protect the chicks? Or any of the hunting dogs bred to chase and retrieve birds?

Give me a break people.


I read more than enough threads on this board sounding like this:



"MY DOG KEEPS EATING MY CHICKEN WHAT SHOULD I DO ? "



I got the correct answer for that but most likely mods will kick my butt if I spell it out here.

 

[countrygirlatheart]

 

[lovelychicken]

I had a border collie/australian sheperd, it did kill quite a few chickens and was alwas trying to herd the horses/goats. Hard to stop him from it too. They are so active, you have to keep them busy. Shetland sheepdogs are pretty gentle, won't do much good for guarding against a coyote though. But will help with birds. They are too gentle for the big animal prey...help with birds and maybe foxes though. A lot of dogs would make good guarding dogs but you just can't throw them out there and expect to know not to eat them. They have to gently be trained how to protect. I used to show my dog in obedience trials.

 

[The Chicken Man]

I would agree with pascopol that the Great Pyrenees is the best. Even if you don't want a large dog, I believe the Pyrenees is different from other large breeds. Pyrs were breed to aid shepherds, not like a Border Collie, but like a guard dog for livestock (they're classified as LGDs - Livestock Guardian Dogs). They are extremely calm, and form strong bonds with their flock - be that goats, cattle, poultry, or its own family). Our Pyrenees is a small puppy at the moment, but already is extremely calm. He just lies down next to you and watches or sleeps (our beagle at this age would be running circles around the room). I have bad allergies to dogs, and while my beagle sometimes aggravates them, my Pyrenees hasn't bothered me a bit. They do shed heavily twice a year (depending on climate), but I would just keep them out during that time.

I would not recommend a collie or any hunting breed like a beagle. Collies were bred to herd larger ungulates, etc. They would likely attack or accidentally hurt a chicken. Collies and shepherds instinctively nip at the heels of turning cattle and sheep, or use reminders such as this during herding that are virtually painless to something like a cow, but possibly fatal to poultry. Some of these innocent traits could come through and be dangerous for your chickens. Pyrenees are not herding dogs (although they will herd if trained) but LGDs, bred to protect their flock from wolves and bears in the Pyrenees Mountains.

I have seen Pyrenees with chickens and geese before. I believe they would be your best bet. Look at them here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyrenees

Research them on the internet and take your time choosing the breed that is right for you. I imagine you could get a collie if you really wanted to, but it would take a lot of training to get it used to your chickens. Whatever works for you is best!

Good luck on keeping your flock safe!