Pyr or Texas Heeler

[LaFleche]

Beautiful dog. Looks like a good match for what I'm looking for, but I'll have to look if they'd be available anywhere close

It is well worth traveling for the right dog.

As the dog you choose should be a well-balanced and trusted member of your family for about 10-14 years, it would be best to visit several breeders, and not only those who can be found close or breed for show purposes.

 

[centrarchid]

Heelers are VERY smart dogs and can be trained not to but it takes work. If you will give the time to teach him/her an off/leave it command it should be alright since it will be raised seeing them. A good recall is a must so practicing coming to you from further distances would help too. Takes time but I believe if you put the effort in and go in knowing what you want to teach and a realistic timeline to master the training than do what would make you happiest. At the end of the day you know which one you want to spend your time and energy on.

They make up for in size with sheer energy.

Most of the time it is a numbers game in border skirmishes like shown. Team with most wins. Even a single PYR would be on defensive with two or more coyotes. When coyote pack come here, I must have at least as many dogs to decidedly run them off. A pack of my dogs act just the same as the coyotes when my dogs dealing with a larger foe. The constantly harass from from while another tries to get behind foe to cut off retreat. If retreat cut off then foe can get hurt real quick.

 

[NatJ]

Hi everyone, I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are on pyr vs Texas heeler for protection. I understand heelers are herders and pyrs are LGDs, which are very different. I'm just looking for opinions on which you trust more for running off predators.

I have a personal bias in favor of short furred dogs, and long lived dogs.

Knowing that big dogs (Great Pyrenees) tend to have shorter lives, and pyrs also have long hair, I might opt for the heeler.

(Many other traits are more important, so I would only use this to decide if all of the more important points are evenly balanced between the two breeds.)

 

[VaultGirl27]

I have a personal bias in favor of short furred dogs, and long lived dogs.

Knowing that big dogs (Great Pyrenees) tend to have shorter lives, and pyrs also have long hair, I might opt for the heeler.

(Many other traits are more important, so I would only use this to decide if all of the more important points are evenly balanced between the two breeds.)

Size and grooming needs have definitely entered into my mind as well, but as you said, are secondary factors. We also have hot hot summers and I'm worried about getting a dog with such a thick long coat

 

[LaFleche]

We also have hot hot summers and I'm worried about getting a dog with such a thick long coat

For hot climate take a look at Rhodesian Ridgebacks. They are fierce protectors of everything they consider( extended) family and ours never harmed any of our other animals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback

 

[VaultGirl27]

For hot climate take a look at Rhodesian Ridgebacks. They are fierce protectors of everything they consider( extended) family and ours never harmed any of our other animals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesian_Ridgeback

Aww OK. My in laws used to have one and she was the very best girl. They don't have livestock though, so I didn't know they were great for protection!

 

[allenw]

How much coyote problems do you have? Have you lost animals to coyotes or have them trying to get to your animals?

A Black Mouth Cur, an Airedale, an English Shepard, Catahoula and probably a dozen other dogs would make a good farm yard dog. Of course any prey driven dog can be hard on any invader into their territory,

 

[VaultGirl27]

How much coyote problems do you have? Have you lost animals to coyotes or have them trying to get to your animals?

A Black Mouth Cur, an Airedale, an English Shepard, Catahoula and probably a dozen other dogs would make a good farm yard dog. Of course any prey driven dog can be hard on any invader into their territory,

We just moved a month ago, so no losses yet, but there is at least one pack that lives close. They have come into the yard and into the neighbor's yard. The neighbor takes care of the ones on his property, but I'm not into shooting them. I just want to keep them out of our fences.

 

[allenw]

Different areas have different problems with coyotes so it is hard to make a blanket statement about them. They can be a problem at times especially when their numbers are high or they've learned bad habits. I would make sure my fences were tight and backed up with a good hot wire system to minimize the chances of the coyotes developing any bad habits.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have had a heeler before. She never went after my chickens. But I imagine an untrained bored heeler might. I knew of one man who bought young chickens, and his austrailian shep when he was not keeping an eye on it, would run circles around the coop until the chicks dropped dead from being afraid.