Which breed of dog should we get for our situation?

[Angie J]

I think that an australian is a great choice!
I have known a few and they do realy enjoy the outdoors!

A caution though; They are very high energy and super smart, if you don't socialize and train them they can become bored and just become a high energy nusiance (like any working dog). Whatever your choice, don't pass on early training classes and keep your dogs mind sharp! Especially so, if you want it to be as versatile as it appears you desire it to be.

Angie J

[Kristin7]

I agree, Angie J. They are great all around dogs, I researched them because my boyfriends wants one. The high energy part was the only thing that would be a caution really (for him). The OP sort of seemed to not want a high energy dog, but not sure, as they have acreage for running around, etc. My neighbor has an Aussie mix and she's great for her. No worries about people breaking in while the dog is there, as she has a bark that would make anyone pause, and would back it up if necessary. They need a job to do and guarding the property is a job.

[twisten]

To the original poster, I noticed in one of your posts that you said you would like a dog that doesn't shed or shed much. Those types of dogs CANNOT live outside as they would freeze to death quickly. I believe the majority of dogs that don't shed are all toy breeds? Does anyone know of a larger breed that doesn't shed? Another thing if you are hanging a sign to warn people about your dog don't hang one that says "beware of dog". Hang one that says "guard dog on duty". We had an animal enforcement officer tell us that hanging the beware of dog sign is admitting your dog has a problem and won't protect you if the dog happens to bite someone. When I was a kid growing up we had a Norwegian Elkhound that refused to come in the house ever. It could be 40 below and he wouldn't come in. A few times we carried him in and he went nuts so we had to let him back out. He slept in the straw in our barn with the cats and loved it. Good luck with your search. The right dog is out there for you somewhere.

[Bearsmom]

Originally Posted by Prin

Mine too. IMO, if your life barely has room for a dog and the dog has to fit so many conditions, maybe now isn't the right time.

My GOD, Prin, that was BEAUTIFULLY said.

I'm sorry, I don't agree with getting an outdoor dog. Dogs are pack animals and need their pack.

I'm going to bite my tongue very hard now and not say anything else.

[x.l.r.8]

I was following this topic with interest (more to see where I went wrong ) and to remind myself how much I didn't know. I wouldn'y have any other dog than Riley but I can see how it could have gone so very wrong. Firstly, from what little information I have gained from asking owners and farmers (most around here are very picky about the breed they have due to livestock) and the forst thing I though of was australian shepherd. From what I have heard they are very loyal and also very trainable. Next would be a wolfhound shepherd mix (OK I'm biased there). I'm not sure if this theory holds water but I would think it would be best to get 1 dog and train that and see what kind of temprement he/she has and then make a decission about the second, that way you can concentrate on the training and when/if you get a second you will be able to transfer the knowledge and only have one pup learning at a time. Some times the teaching thing can be very frustrating and going through it twice holds less fear then if I had to go through it once with 2 dogs.
As a side note, we have hardwood floors and so far the only damage is from me and not the dog, I am lucky enough to have a dog who does not mind having is nails clipped. At some point you will have to put your trust in the dog and your training if you want him/her to roam off leash. I'm terrified as I know the wolfhound in him has him running off at the faintest scent. However weree 1 class away for graduating to advanced where it becomes off leash so I'm going to have to be brave at some point . If seems like you are warming to the idea of having the dog in the house at night, a dog flap is a good idea but you need to think if the dogs can get out, other wildlife can get in. We have cat flaps with magnetic collars so the cats can come and go but the flaps are locked at night and the cats stay in. I know they have many better designs than ours as ours are 12 years old and the replacement key collar is VERY expensive so look at replacement costs and think about getting quite a few extra's if you go this route. Please don't be detered with the overwhelming opinions on this board and let us know what you decide (and of course you will have to post pics
). I kinda wished I had done what you have, and asked questions before but I found this site after we had decided on Riley, but on hte other hand riley is sooo the perfect dog for us. I really hope you find the same.

[Purpledomino]

Okay, this suggestion is going to sound weird, but have you considered a donkey? They are very territorial, and are wonderful for predator control. If you have 8 acres and a place for him, you may want to consider it. Anyone know of a good donkey forum??

[happycats]

Originally Posted by Purpledomino

Okay, this suggestion is going to sound weird, but have you considered a donkey? They are very territorial, and are wonderful for predator control. If you have 8 acres and a place for him, you may want to consider it. Anyone know of a good donkey forum??

Great suggestion!

Now that you have mentioned it, I heard Ostriches are also great guard birds and are also very territorial.

I know my parents outdoor semiferal cat "Earl" loves to chase the deer away!
It's very funny to watch.
Picture 3-4 adult deer, and this little grey and white cat all puffed up walking towards them. At first the deer stomp on the spot, then as the cat gets closer they all take off, fast as lightening!! sorry for going

[Prin]

Ooo how about a goat!? There are so many on petfinder too... Like this cutie: http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=7191069 ooo this one has a beard! http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/...?petid=7444490

[MIA]

You are better off spending the money on a banger, I think that's what they are called. Anyhow we have them in our feilds and they keep out the birds and deer. Cheaper than a dog, more realiable and easier to maintain!!!!! They sound like a potatoe gun, the nice part is they stop when needed, not like a bored dog who could bark for hours on end and drive you nuts!!!!!

[DiNKy]

hi, i dont know the best place to look on the web, but i think since you have a list of prefences for the dogs you should go to your local humane society or animal shelter and talk to them. just tell them exactly what you posted on this site. they'll recommend what kind of breed is best for you, and if you're lucky they may have two available to adopt. most of the rescue centers i know have no problem letting you adopt a dog as long as the yard is fenced. and i think 8 acres is wonderful for an animal to have (i only have 1.5 acres). i personally would recommend a pit bull. they are a good working dog. i had one that was trained (he was very smart). excellent guard dog, but also good with people (not cats). however, if you do decide on a pit, check the breeders out thoroughly. make sure there is absolutely no animal abuse. i personally wouldnt buy a pit bull from a shelter (i have kids too) and you really dont know how the last owner treated them.

[jesse's mommy]

Dinky, just because you had one bad experience doesn't mean everyone will so please stop bashing pitbulls all over this forum. I have a pitbull that I rescued from the humane society. They found her in a field with a leash on -- abandoned. We have no history at all on her and she is the best dog in the world. For all we know, she could have been thrown from a moving car. The point is, once she chose us, we opened our home, welcomed her into our family, and gave her lots of love.

By the way, my dog had a bad experience with a Jack Russel Terrier, do you see me bashing them everywhere? The attitude with dogs is all in how you raise them. Maybe you just weren't the right match for the dog.

[PetFriendly]

Originally Posted by DiNKy

i had one that was trained (he was very smart). excellent guard dog, but also good with people (not cats).

continued, anyone else see the irony of this statement? How does a dog who likes people make it as a guard dog?

[DiNKy]

all i did was suggest a possible breed, and i'm pretty sure thats what this topic is about. and giving my personal experience with a breed also wasn't off topic. many other people gave their own experiences and suggestions too. atleast i didnt bash the fact that they wanted an outdoor dog, which by the way, to everyone that whined about that, it is not a big deal. especially when the dog has 8 acres to roam on. and as for the other comment made, it is not hard at all to have a dog trained to bark at strangers but at the same time, be a good dog to the family that it belongs to.

[Prin]

Um... Usually we use this bugger when we go off topic. It's not you. Like this post should have a before it.

[DiNKy]

oops, my bad. thanks for clearing that up for me

[pitgrrl]

Originally Posted by DiNKy

i personally would recommend a pit bull. they are a good working dog. i had one that was trained (he was very smart). excellent guard dog, but also good with people (not cats). however, if you do decide on a pit, check the breeders out thoroughly. make sure there is absolutely no animal abuse. i personally wouldnt buy a pit bull from a shelter (i have kids too) and you really dont know how the last owner treated them.

I have to totally agree with Jesse's Mommy and add that pit bulls are not guard dogs. A pit bull of proper, stable temperment should have no problem letting whomever onto your property. I would be highly suspicious of anyone selling the breed as guard dogs as would I of a pit bull that showed guarding behavior.

The other obvious problem would be living outside. They're super people oriented dogs with very little fur, a combo not too well suited to living outside all the time.

[DiNKy]

Originally Posted by pitgrrl

The other obvious problem would be living outside. They're super people oriented dogs with very little fur.

they are planning on getting 2 dogs to keep eachother company. they have kids; the dogs will surely play with them. and their fur isnt an issue--the dog houses are heated (not even my pit got a heated dog house, and he was fine outside.) and btw, Ceaser wasnt sold as a 'guard dog' he was bought from a good breeder as a puppy and proffesionally trained to bark when strangers entered our yard.

[Prin]

Pits are NOT fine as outside dogs.

And the OP wants a farm dog, which a pit isn't.

[DiNKy]

Originally Posted by chernoff

Hello Everyone,

My wife and I just moved into a large house on 8 acres of land. We are looking for a couple of dogs that fit the following criteria:

- outdoor dogs (they will live in a nice heated dog house)
- will bark when strangers come onto the property
- are safe with children and people that haven't met before
- will mercilessly chase away the geese and deer that cause problems on the property. If they can get rid of moles, that would be an added benefit.
- will patrol the property at night as well as the day
- will stay on our property

We are new to owning dogs, but are willing to put in the time and effort to train the right dogs for us.

We look forward to your responses.

Chernoff, if you're still looking for a dog, go to http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/danishswedishfarmdog.htm

i read the description and i think its close to what you're looking for.
but its sounds like a $$$ dog.

[Prin]

Short hair, can't live outside.

[DiNKy]

did you even go to the link. it said the dog loves being outside. and although it didnt mention whether or not they could live outside, the owners will have heated dog houses for them at nght. and any good owner when the whether gets cold will bring their dog in.

[Prin]

I did go to the link and I saw a short haired dog. "Loves being outside" doesn't mean it can live outside, and yes, any good owner would bring a cold dog in, but this person specifically asked for an outside only dog.

IMO, there's just no point in looking, because the OP wants a dog who lives outside but doesn't shed, and that just does not exist. All the newfies and pyranees of the world have lonnnnnng fur that needs a lot of care and they shed. A lot. You can search long and hard and you won't find a dog that fits all these criteria (which is why we started to suggest livestock ).

[DiNKy]

i know the dog didnt meet all of their criteria, and i'm sure by now they've realized that no dog will. all i did was simply suggest a dog that imo would be a good choice for what they're looking for.

Originally Posted by Prin

maybe now isn't the right time.

which you obviously dont agree with, because from the start you said they dont need a dog at this time. but at the same time it is their choice (and they asked about dogs), and i hope they go to the link i provided and decide for themselves and learn about this dog

[Prin]

What don't I agree with? I said it's not the right time for them to get a dog because the dog has to meet so many conditions and no dog can do that. I've never waivered from that stance.

I would rather people realize there isn't room in their lives for a dog than to look at dogs that fit a little bit only to end up dumped a few days later because they didn't fit exactly. And I wouldn't want a short haired dog outside freezing all winter because I suggested it, either.

[DayaXaron]

Well yes sorry only new here and saw your question, more then a month afther it was posted.

But i do agree with most of the remarks, dogs are family members. And they will protect, and take their jobs seriously, but they are also a member of the family. The only way you can assure yourself of a dog being faithfull and get attached to you, if by appreciating him, and making him a full part of the household, not by putting him in, even a luxuary outdoor house. He has to feel part of it all, to do his job properly. If your dog feels he belongs, even a chihuahua can be a fiercefull watchdog to protect his family. Do not get me wrong, in the end i go for the bigger ones also, I have some gentle giants. But think about this, not even for the dog's sake but for your own... what good is a guard dog when locked up in his house in the back of the garden while you get assaulted in your bed ?? My giants sleep with me.

And do not take this wrong, but if you payed $60,000 worth of new hardwood flooring, it better be decent enough in quality for a dog to walk over it.

Just little old me giving you my thoughts

[Peepmouse]

When I was growing up my Dad brought home a pure bred German Shorthaired Pointer that he was originally planning to breed, but it never worked out. Patch was a beautiful dog with short hair, but he never wanted to be an inside dog. He lasted one night in our basement (too hot!), and the rest of his 12 years were spent outside in a large dog house my dad built for him. It was filled with straw and had a heavy carpet over the door to keep the wind out, and my dad said it was always toasty warm when he would open the top to change the straw. I guess because he was a water dog was the reason he was so comfortable in being outside, he had the double coat (short outer/fine downy inner). This was in a rural southern Manitoba town, where it's not unusual to get temps down to -40. He had the run of our huge back yard, and no one except kids (which he loved!) ever dared set foot inside it! He was a great guard dog! As far as keeping the deer away, I have to agree with some of the other members in that after a while the dogs and the deer will probably get used to each other and go about their own separate ways, possibly through your land.

It is possible to have an outside dog and still have them be part of the family. We played with Patch every day, and he was always following my dad around when he worked the back yard. It was very hard having him put to sleep (only after he started going blind & deaf, & ended up biting my grandfather, which he felt terrible about when he realized who he had bitten!), but I think he lived a very full and content life.

[heidiho]

Is this person whom everyone is having debates about dogs over even still here..??

[Prin]

lol I doubt it. They're probably happily settled with their non-shedding, guarding, nice to strangers, no nailed, outdoor doggy.

[heidiho]

your funny,no s*** huh!!

[wolfsoul]

A client of our's currently has CKC registered kuvasz for sale, here in Kelowna. Parents are health certified show stock. $900.

Kuvasz are a large guardian breed, bred to guard sheep from predators. I imagine they might keep the deer out though I am not sure.

If you are interested, let me know and I will pass on her contact info to you.