What small dog breed is good with chickens?

[Zahboo]

With small dogs, I'd avoid terriers. They were trained to hunt chase small game. You could train them out of it, but ever truly trust? Pugs are not cold tolerant or heat tolerant. Small dogs don't really do well outside full time.

 

[lorieMN]

any dog,,even a big dog will get cold outside if its in the house most of the day.when they are inside most of the time they wont grow the winter coat they need if you want to leave them outside..I would suggest crate training and letting them stay inside..shih tzu might be a good choice..they arent the brightest but they are generally very happy and people lovers and pretty easy to get along with..

 

[ducks4you]

Why put a size requirement on your new dog? How about a Collie? They are gentle and trainable.

DEFINITELY, keep whatever you get inside. BOTH of my INSIDE dogs can handle a lot of time in the cold weather outside. They are both mixed but one has a Lab coat and the other has a Husky coat. (My late dog, GS/Collie, also had not trouble handling the outside weather.)

Your dogs, cats, (goats, chickens, horses) ALL adapt to the cold weather, even if you don't notice it. Many dogs, for instance, will grow a "down coat" close to their skin during the fall. In the spring, the down coat sheds off to keep them cooler.

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

a woman i knew had a barn with 27 chickens, and a corgi watched over them day and night. the funny thing was , she had three HUGE roosters, ( Brown Leghorn , Jersey Giant, White Leghorn ), but her white pekin (DUCK!) thought he was in charge of the flock, and so did the chickens!

 

[Andora]

My parents have a Corgi (but no chickens!) and she loves to be outside in the winter. She will just go lay in the snow and watch the world go by. She's also very friendly and funny.

 

[lorieMN]

Quote:
I guess depends on where you live,,if they are inside all the time or most of the time,,they grow a coat that is adapted to the temp in your house..if its 75 degrees in my house and they are inside 22 hours a day,,that is what they will coat for..if its only 10 degrees difference from inside to outside they would be fine..but if it is 50 degrees difference (which happens here) they probably would live outside,(your husky,collie types) but they would get cold..

 

[Akane]

Very few dogs adapt to how cold of winters we have. Short of mid to large size dogs bred to survive the cold I can't think of any. A sheltie would be my only guess but even then I doubt they'd survive overnight in our winters. I suppose the question becomes exactly how cold is cold where you are? Also why would the dog have to be outside while you are gone? Mine all go in crates in the diningroom while no one is home but then I don't think dogs should be alone for large parts of the day. Especially if you only have one. If mine were left alone more than 4hrs on a regular basis I'd be paying someone to puppy sit.

 

[artsyrobin]

what about a shelty? i have been thinking one would be good to have around the chickens

 

[lilchick]

Jack Russell! They are smart and fearless. My dog Bodhi can kill full grown coons and picks of possums like nothing... He sleeps in the chicken barn during the day if it is storming and out front at night.
They are loyal and will fight till the end......
10 years and I have not had one problem with him bothering the birds..

 

[ChooksChick]

Well, it's no good with winter, because it has to wear clothes because of the half-naked thing...but I'd definitely vouch for the Crested Norhuahua.

Daisy is fabulous and would nurse the chicks if she could! She'll take on anything that thinks it's going to touch her big chickens...even if they're bigger than her!!