What is a good breed of dog?

[SevenChix4Me]

DO NOT get a Siberian Husky if it will have any access at all to whatever part of your yard the chickens are in. I raise Siberians. Some can be acclimated very well with cats or parrots if they are taught it is a member of their family but there are also those that live peacably with a cat or bird for years and then suddenly kill it. Parrots are also able to defend themselves better than a chicken. Your chickens would end up on the menu and it isn't the dogs fault. That is what they do. The breed is highly impulsive with a strong prey drive. Small animals that flap or flee are at risk.

I am currently taking tons of flack from breeder friends for trying to raise my own chickens with Siberians in my yard. I have two acres though and the ability to keep the dog enclosure far away from the chicken enclosure. I am smart enough to know that BOTH enclosures have to be Siberian proof. Raccoons and foxes are the least of my concern. Siberians have opposable thumbs and a genius mind for problem solving.

Melissa
Taja Siberians

 

[Peck Johnson]

I would be very wary about huskies or labs. Strong prey drive - hard to overcome.


Maremma Sheepdog has my vote for best bird watcher.

 

[mamabahre]

Hmm I will just add to the chorus of NO HUSKY...That would just be asking for disaster based on my own experience of owning them and wanting to pull my hair out on a daily basis with them.
They are wonderful dogs but they are bred for a very specific purpose, to run...A LOT...They have a high prey drive generally and there are so many people that like them because they are "wolfy" without realizing wth they are getting into..

If you have years and years of experience training dogs I might say it would be ok but if not forget about it. You are going to end up giving that poor dog away when it becomes too much for you to handle or train to be around chickens..

 

[tinydancer87]

Border Collie. Extremely smart and has herding instinct.

I second NOT getting a Husky. I work as a veterinary assistant, and I can tell you that "impulsive" doesn't even begin to describe them. More like "unpredictable and borderline crazy". They are VERY strong-willed and will kill anything that moves. One of our clients has a husky, he is fine with the family, fine when we took him out of the kennel, fine with the leash, fine gettin into the tub for a bath, when the muzzle went on, he went NUTS. Tried to rip the groomer and doctors faces off. Did I mention he can only be taken for a walk on a rabies pole?

I don't recommend them to anyone.

 

[Velvet Hairpiece]

I recently read an article in Mother Earth News about how Great Pyrenees make wonderful homestead guardians. Once we start to expand a little more, I think I would like to get one. They are beautiful, stoic dogs as well. And who doesn't love a big dog anyway? (We've got a 130 lbs St. Bernard mix now, once our birds get bigger I'm curious to see how protective of them he'll be!)

Here's a link to the article. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Happy-Homesteader/Livestock-Guardian-Dogs-Great-Pyrenees.aspx


Good luck!

 

[dutchhollow]

One word on the lgd breeds, I did a lot of research on them when I ran 50 goats. They require a good fence or a lot of land don't expect them to stay on your 5 or 10 acer lot. I have 40 + surrounded by 100's with no neighbors. But, they were developed to patrol very large areas and will do that, they don't know property lines, they see other dogs as predators (rightly so) and don't know they are on your neighbors property when they decide that fluffy needs to go.
Locally some sheep/goat breeders to have them and I do see them on the road, and know of many that are shot for chasing deer, or other peoples animals off their own property.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

DO NOT GO WITH THE HUSKY!!!!!

 

[SevenChix4Me]

Quote:
Impulsive and strong-willed is dead on, but I have to put my two cents in on the rest of your post. Everything else you described about your client's dog is NOT typical of a husky. Well bred/raised Siberians are friendly and accepting with everyone including strangers which is why they make lousy watchdogs. I have no idea what exactly would cause your client's dog to go postal when you put a muzzle on him or why he would need a rabies pole for a walk but that is a shortcoming of that particular dog's personality and not at all something that is common in the breed. I can't say if your client's dog's issue has genetic (poor breeding) or environmental (poor or no training) causes but it definitely isn't a breed issue.

Regardless, the Siberian is a poor choice for the typical family with livestock.

 

[finallyME]

I have a malamute. Their prey drive is similar to huskies. She has snatched and eaten a chicken right out of my daughters hand. She snatched one out of my hands, and I had to pry her mouth open to keep her from getting a reward. She is a great dog and loves to run and pull stuff. She is also great around kids, and seems to be very protective of them. But, if it is small and moves, and she can get it in her mouth, it is dinner. That reminds me, I need to add her picture for my avatar.

 

[captainmoose]

Border collie or australian cattle dog. Both are herding dogs get along good with chickens and will protect their flock or herd and they are loyal to their owners.