Maremma Guard dog question!!

[ChickenMama1018]

Does anyone have a Maremma sheepdog for protecting its flock? Wondering if it’s possible to train them to guard the flock during the day when our hens free range but be willing to come inside with the family at night since the hens are locked up in a coop while they sleep.

wanting the best of both worlds!

 

[MountainWoman73]

I don't know about that breed at all, but I do have a herding mix dog (we think belgian groenendale with lab, maybe some border collie?) We haven't exactly trained her to watch the chickens, but we trained her not to chase/upset them, and she has a natural tendency to bark at predators. She seems to understand that the chickens are hers to protect. She will bark at and chase hawks, and has treed a bobcat at least twice. The other day, our neighbor's dog startled some of the 6 week old pullets we had out on the porch with us (he wasn't really chasing... just kind of running through them), and she immediately put him down on his back, barking and snarling.

So, my experience has been good.

 

[aart]

Does anyone have a Maremma sheepdog for protecting its flock? Wondering if it’s possible to train them to guard the flock during the day when our hens free range but be willing to come inside with the family at night since the hens are locked up in a coop while they sleep.

wanting the best of both worlds!

Depends if you know how to handle/train dogs at all.......it's not a automatic thing that an LGD will guard poultry. As to bringing them into the house, most LGD's would be too warm inside a house. Probably better to get a general 'farm dog', which could be most breeds, as @MountainWoman73 described.