LSG that herds as well?

[Kyonarai]

I'm hoping the only time he'll have to do any work is at niggt, when those awful coyote hybrids come out. These things are 80lbs and run in a pack, but yip and howl like coyotes. At this point I'm not sure if they are coy dogs or red wolves someone has introduced, as I know there was a campaign to re introduce them a few years back, but I never heard of what became of it.

And of course many people own straight up timber wolf mixes too, so there's no telling what they actually are. All I know is there's lots of them and they like chicken.

My saints are smooth coated and actively patrol during the day, but I needed a more nocturnal dog to cover at night, as I was getting a few coons coming up to poke around. Bo losses so far, and I'm sure the saints would come running at any comotion, but Dax will be better to keep a direct eye on things st night.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I'm hoping the only time he'll have to do any work is at niggt, when those awful coyote hybrids come out. These things are 80lbs and run in a pack, but yip and howl like coyotes. At this point I'm not sure if they are coy dogs or red wolves someone has introduced, as I know there was a campaign to re introduce them a few years back, but I never heard of what became of it.

And of course many people own straight up timber wolf mixes too, so there's no telling what they actually are. All I know is there's lots of them and they like chicken.

My saints are smooth coated and actively patrol during the day, but I needed a more nocturnal dog to cover at night, as I was getting a few coons coming up to poke around. Bo losses so far, and I'm sure the saints would come running at any comotion, but Dax will be better to keep a direct eye on things st night.

I would have to say coy wolves. They've been rising in numbers and apparently becoming problematic here as well. As for timber wolf crosses, never had a problem myself. I don't know why, but domestic dog-wise I've only had problems with huskies and their crosses, even back when we had chickens growing up. The post mistress had a shepherd/wolf who left our chickens alone when she visited. Friends of ours with a hobby farm accidentally wound up with shepherd/coyote crosses when their shepherd got mated in the woods one day; the pup they kept guarded the flocks from its paternal family!

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I have to say that there are some dogs that will guard chickens with their lives. My last dog chased off dozens of hawks (never lost a single chicken to hawks when I had him) and fought off a great horn owl. He even was hurt by the owl. That was the only chicken we ever lost to a predator of ANY kind when we had him. We never taught him anything. It was something he did on his own. When he first showed interest in the chicks when we first got them we were afraid that he was interested in the wrong way. Nope, he loved them babies like they were his own. His mother was a dachshund and his father was a labrador (Don't ask me how that happened!) and he was the best LGD that we could have ever asked for.

The flock became his pack and there were a couple that slept with him and the cat everynight on the front porch. VERY CUTE. I only wish I still had that dog. He gave his life protecting his babies!!

 

[capayvalleychick]

How are they with foxes? I'm trying to figure out the right breed for my home. Moveable fencing just isn't practical with my landscape (forest, wetland, rocky earth, plus i can't exactly block off my neighbour's driveway to let the birds in their favourite patch while also leaving them a way home) and costs the same as an adoption fee. While I haven't had an issue with predators for my first two years, except for one coon incident that was promptly cured with a hockey stick, this year has been a doozy. First neighbourhood husky crosses - 2 of them on 3 seperate occasions, twice while I was home - came for joy killings, then I had birds mysteriously vanishing overnight without a trace! Needless to say, they go on full lockdown at nights now (normally doggy-door stays open). I have one acre, plus the birds have use of the neighbour's wetland across from my back yard. I want a herding dog just to mind them when my back is turned to keep them going too far but also want one that will stand up to mid-size canine predators in addition to whatever else might turn up one day (coons, mink).

My English Shepherds chase off foxes. You might need a pair if you are having more than one roaming dog coming around. They would also need to be mature and confident before being able to take on multiple dogs or coons. Many times, just the presence of my dogs is enough of a deterrent to predators and stray dogs.
Even with the dogs, I have to lock my chickens up at night.

 

[capayvalleychick]

That's what I thought after reading up on their history. I just looked up the english sheepdog; if keeping pieces of trees out of my hair is a pain, keeping forest out of that breed's coat will be a NIGHTMARE!!!

Not English Sheepdog. English Shepherd. They have a teflon type coat that sheds dirt and most debris.

 

[Phoenixxx]

Not English Sheepdog. English Shepherd. They have a teflon type coat that sheds dirt and most debris.

Jeepers, just re-googled and it is a different dog entirely! Thanks

 

[MrsBachbach]

How big is your property? Does she keep the chickens inside the boundary you trained her to? I was considering a pyr when I saw some pups for sale but was concerned about the wandering bit since I, too, have no fence but only one acre.

I have three acres but I would say the chickens only use the front and back yard and a small portion of the wooded area just behind their pens (which is neighbors property), so they really don't use more than an acre.. No, she does not keep the chickens in a certain area, but she is always nearby. Even when she appears to be snoozing, she is aware of any disturbance. She has her lookout spots she tends to frequent. My chickens don't all stay together but if one raises a ruckus, my dog comes running. She, unlike me, knows the difference between an alarm call and the "I laid an egg" call. Anymore, if I hear a commotion from the chickens I tend to look to my dog to see if its anything to worry about.

Your climate would likely be ideal for a Pyrennes. I would imagine Nova Scotia does not get terribly warm. One other thing to consider would be the proximity of your neighbors. Some of these dogs tend to bark at night (mine on occasion) so if the neighbors are very close they may not like it. The way I look at it is if she is barking, then something is out there and she is keeping it at bay. My neighbors are about a hundred yards at the closest and I haven't heard any complaints.

 

[Phoenixxx]

I have three acres but I would say the chickens only use the front and back yard and a small portion of the wooded area just behind their pens (which is neighbors property), so they really don't use more than an acre.. No, she does not keep the chickens in a certain area, but she is always nearby. Even when she appears to be snoozing, she is aware of any disturbance. She has her lookout spots she tends to frequent. My chickens don't all stay together but if one raises a ruckus, my dog comes running. She, unlike me, knows the difference between an alarm call and the "I laid an egg" call. Anymore, if I hear a commotion from the chickens I tend to look to my dog to see if its anything to worry about.

Your climate would likely be ideal for a Pyrennes. I would imagine Nova Scotia does not get terribly warm. One other thing to consider would be the proximity of your neighbors. Some of these dogs tend to bark at night (mine on occasion) so if the neighbors are very close they may not like it. The way I look at it is if she is barking, then something is out there and she is keeping it at bay. My neighbors are about a hundred yards at the closest and I haven't heard any complaints.

Thanks for the info

My property is a weird shape. The one side is fenced because that neighbour has a veggie farm but occasionally a chicken will accidentally wind up there desperately trying to find its way back (It's fenced for deer but I've run extra wire along the bottom in most places but they sometimes find the gaps I haven't done yet.) Rarely do they go to the neighbour in front. Behind me across my other next-door neighbour's driveway is a designated wetland that they love and are allowed to use. They also love the garden area that the property line runs through. And, because "the grass is always greener", they prefer her yard to mine! She doesn't mind at all, but I don't want them thinking her yard is their turf. I had them trained to come back when called last year but they forgot over the winter

As for proximity and dogs, my immediate 3 neighbours are fairly close and we're the only people in our 'hood without a dog!

As for nova scotia climate, yes I'm still in winter clothes! But last year this time, I was in minimal clothing with a full-on tan and swimming in the ocean! Normal winter cold is around -10 celsius, summers are high 20's/low 30's, occasionally getting into the 40's (heatwave). I think that's high 90's/low 100's in fahrenheidt? We have super high humidity, so anything below freezing is bone-chilling and anything over room temperature is sweltering.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Yes, 40c would be miserable to dangerous for any dog with a double coat. I have taken to shaving my dogs underbelly up to her front legs when it starts getting into the 80's over here. It helps cool her down and gives me more time to work on the rest of her with the shedding comb. They have a ton of fur and it does resist dirt. I have seen her very muddy before but as soon as she dries off the dirt disappears. In the winter, I have seen her covered in ice balls and it does not seem to bother her. They have a very weather resistant coat. She has her dog house and on occassion she does get in it but usually at night when temps or wind chills have dropped into single digits or below 0. The kitties love cuddling with her.

You may benefit from having a dog on your property. I think the fact that you don't have one is an invitation for the neighbor dogs to call your place theirs. If you get a dog that will claim it's territory as it's own, the others may not wander in so much. My dog does not visit the neighbor dogs. I think it is the guarding instinct that makes her stay close to home and I think they just know that area belongs to another dog.