Reccomendations for good guard dog type that won't kill chickens...

[ewesfullchicks]

Get a dog who is from proven livestock guardian lines - such as a Great Pyr, Anatolian, etc.

Remember that dogs are predators, so don't have unrealistic expectations of them. They have hard-wiring to chase and kill anything that runs. Many breeds were developed for hunting and killing prey - so don't expect your sporting or terrier dog to protect your livestock!

For the herding breeds too, like my own Border Collies, they are great when I'm there, they'll herd the chickens to me, and leave them when told, but if I'm not, they will simply become a "chew toy".


However, my Great Prys WERE selectively bred to protect their own, and they are amazing. Although they can be untrustworthy when young, when mature, they're fantastic.

I've seen my Pyrs on numerous occasions run off hawks, and on one rare occasion, when I had either a coyote, or dark dog (I couldn't tell), my smallest Grt Pr. came through a fence and ran it off. I've also seen them run off an attack of 3 Pit Bulls.

What I love about the Great Pyrs is that they're really good with people, UNLESS they're seen as a threat to their chickens. Recently, a six year old child who was in awe of the sheer size of my male dog Ranger, asked him, "Can I have a hug". When we gave him permission, he wrapped himself around this totally unsocialized dog, but we knew that he would be gentle with the child.

Yes...many people have great dogs of many different breeds and mixes who are wonderful with their livestock but the majority of dogs will NOT be! Therefore, for your sake, the dog's sake, and your livestock's sake - choose wisely.

Rachel, Tx

 

[Renee]

I met my first Anatolian Shepherd dog the other day, a puppy of eight months that already weighed over a hundred pounds.

Vet bills are just as large, and feed bills even larger.

Beautiful animal. Very expensive. I believe they have a short lifespan.

 

[LizFM]

As a general rule, the bigger the breed, the shorter the lifespan, the smaller the breed, the longer the lifespan (there are exceptions of course and individual variation).

A 7 year old Great Dane is an old dog (their lifespan is 6-8 years), but many toys live far into their teens.

Pyrs I think average around 10-12. Anatolians, if wiki can be believed, have a pretty long lifespan for a dog their size, (12-15 years!).

I'm not sure, however, of the working lifespan...at a certain point a geriatric dog isn't able to do everything they could when they were in the prime of life. And of course there's the wear and tear of what can be a fairly rough life of guarding (especially for the dogs who live out with their flocks far from human habitation (fighting off wolves and bears probably reduces the lifespan!). Of course, you might have a hard time convincing and elderly, arthritic LGD to stay in and take it easy...