What SMALL breed of dog will protect my chickens?

[Blue Capuchine]

I have raised and kept several differnt Rat terrier's with my birds over the last 21 years. They need to be worked with alot around the chickens. But once broken off the birds I have had several that I could trust with my birds all the time. Rat terriers range from 10 to 40 pounds most of mine are 14 to 18 pounds. They are the best dogs that I have ever had around my chickens. They are tuff and not afraid of much.

 

[OHWoosterChick]

I've heard good things about Icelandic Sheepdogs but my personal choice is a Black Mouth Cur. They will protect you, your children, and your animals with their life. They are also easily trainable to many tasks but please give them something to do as they are not coach potatoes

 

[bigoledude]

What do you think is the average weight of the Blackmouth Cur. There are many of them for sale down here due to the abundance of wild hogs and the folks who are catching them.

 

[bobbi-j]

I just googled Blackmouth Cur (mainly because I've never heard of them, and wanted to see what they looked like) and it says this about the size: adult males should be a minimum height of 18" at the shoulder blade and a minimum weight of forty pounds, females start at 16" and thirty-five pounds We have a lab who gets along very well with the chickens and is protective of them. If you want something that will actually kill a full-grown coon, you're going to need a bigger dog. Raccoons are very fierce fighters and can and will easily kill a dog their size or larger.
BTW, how's that garden coming? We've had a few warm, 40-degree days here and our snowpiles are shrinking very fast. The hip-deep snow in my yard is now only knee-deep.

 

[A1 Steak Sauce]

I have a li'l dog that nobody ever sees... Germs, Germs, my invisible dog...

 

[mboreham1]

agreed, Beagle all the way, fantastic pack animals, noses that smell ANYTHING, need a good owner that is consistent, i was just watching the Westminster Kennel Show tonight, their website has excellent bios on all types of dogs. My beagle spends a lot of time with a pointer, so has learned to point as well as scent, he herds the chickens back into their coop when i tell him bed time, i have taught him to chase the neighborhood cats away. Takes time with a hound like a beagle but well worth all the effort

 

[Chickenaddict]

Quote:
Whatcha need is a cat like my old one! He would take down a coon in a heart beat, not only would he kill his coon he'd eat most of it and drag a little present home for you to see what he had for dinner. heelers are pretty small and great with chickens, at least my girl was, my lhasa was also great but wouldn't kill a predator like the heeler would. Terriers are definately out! Neighbors boston got ahold of my hens foot one day while I was holding her, ripped it up pretty good!

 

[Ivywoods]

I'm a great fan of Great Pyrenees, but obviously they are not small dogs and they need LOTS of room. They prefer cooler weather, too.

Ask Ruth on BYC about her German Shepherd.

Have you considered a border collie? Some of them do not get Too big.

Sheltie, maybe?

 

[Warfrost]

Don't get a Jack Russell...I found out the hard way they tend to maniacally murder chickens lol...I have a Queensland Heeler, but I am having to re-home him because he has gotten a taste for my chickens(thanks to a temporary neighbors 6 dogs with a pack mentality). I think an Aussie Shepherd might work well...it will just require training. I have an Aussie Shep/Border Collie mix and she DID like to herd them pin them down and lick them( a couple were stressed to death). I put her on a leash and held up my rooster Dragon to her face and let him peck her a bit, and then I had her lay down, and held her down with Dragon her head for a minute, and finally I grabbed the scruff of her neck(she thought it was Dragon) and held that for a minute. She hasn't touched a single chicken since. In fact, they follow her around all the time. She was adopted from our local SPCA (best dog I have ever owned hands down).

**Be sure to out-and-out ask if the dog has ever attacked a bird or chicken. Remember...ANY type of hunting or birding dog is more likely to want to kill or eat your flock. Good luck to you!

 

[Warfrost]

Quote:
My brother-in-law had a rat terrier...the problem was that they tend to be one-owner dogs. That dog bit everyone it met at least once that got too close to Chris. Just something to consider if there will be kids around=)