Which breed of dog should we get for our situation?

[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.

[TeriM]

IMO you should only have dogs if you want them to be an integrated part of your family not just a guard animal.

[erykah1310]

WEll im sorry but your not gonna get nice replies.

No dog should be an outdoor dog, they need to be a part of the family.
NO breed of dog is automatically safe with new people and children ( they need socialization to achieve that)
No dog should be loose and running free on property, there is tons of dangers in the country too ( coyotes, hunters, disease, getting lost, cars, angry farmers who your dog could harm their livestock)
No dog will just stay on your property. There is no breed characteristic that states the breed will do that. Again lots of training .

I think you are looking more for a security system than a dog. Dogs are pack members and if you do not allow it to be a tightly knit pack member then it will go off in search of a pack.
SOrry Im sure these are not the kind of responses you were looking for

[chernoff]

The acreage is fenced, and they will be an integral part of the family. They will just live outside, that's all. Unfortunately we have about $60,000 worth of new hardwood flooring that I suspect would not hold up to dog claws. I would love to have the dogs live inside if someone can tell me how to make the flooring last more than a year or two.

[erykah1310]

I Have hardwood flooring as well in my living room aka the dogs room and their claws dont damage the floors (especially not the new stuff) its a matter of keeping their nails short.

I think that no matter what breed you choose you may end up disappointed, dogs (especially puppies) destroy things its doggie nature. what about when the dog digs up the back yard? could happen.
Maybe an older rescue would be a better idea than a puppy? Calmer, you know their temperment, can try them out around kids and see if you are comfortable with that? So many benefits to a rescue.

[TeriM]

OK, but how are they going to live inside if they are out patrolling the property all night?

If you are serious about having the dogs as family members who live indoors with you then unfortunately you may have some damage to your floors. This is easily minimized by keeping their nails trimmed short and using carpet runners in very high traffic areas.

[chernoff]

I would install a doggie door so they could come and go as they please. I would really like them to be able to smell or hear the deer when they are on our property as they are destroying all our sapling trees and eating the fruit on the fruit trees.

I would also like to mention that my wife and I are fortunate enough to be home all day and are able to give our dogs plenty of attention.

Are there no breed suggestions out there?

[erykah1310]

Perhaps a shepherd or malamute( but they are not protective at all with strangers)

[chernoff]

I don't want them to be dangerous to anyone, I just want them to bark when someone approaches who they don't know. The reason we want this is because our property intersects a very popular walking path (old railway bed) and we have seen people on our property looking at our house, etc. It can be very unnerving for my wife, especially when she is alone.

[chernoff]

I saw an ad in the local paper offering shepherd / border collie cross puppies for sale. Would these dogs be happy in our situation?

[erykah1310]

well perhaps look up some breeders in your area and contact them and see what they say Im sorry im not really that experienced with Picking a breed. my dogs just kinda happened.

Would you consider a rescue?

[erykah1310]

Originally Posted by chernoff

I saw an ad in the local paper offering shepherd / border collie cross puppies for sale. Would these dogs be happy in our situation?

Do you have kids?

[chernoff]

Yes I would if they met our needs. The reason I'm looking for two dogs is so they can keep each other company if they were to live outdoors.

[chernoff]

We have a 15 year old and a 9 year old. Both boys.

[erykah1310]

Not many rescues or breeders will adopt their dogs as outdoor pets.
Many people on here are involved in rescue in some way and strongly feel thats the way to go. Sometimes there are dogs available who must remain together. Worth looking into.
I dont recommend a Border Collie or BC mix for first time dog owners, they need LOTS of attention stimulation and training to be happy well tempered family pets. They are a LOT of work. They are almost too smart for their own good and if they get bored... watch out!!!! They WILL amuse themselves in any way.

Maybe in the morning more people will have better help for you. Im not sure what to say, but i dont recommend getting those pups,

[erykah1310]

Also 2 puppies the same age is alot of HARD work. I wouldnt do it and I have had dogs my whole life.

[TeriM]

Originally Posted by chernoff

I saw an ad in the local paper offering shepherd / border collie cross puppies for sale. Would these dogs be happy in our situation?

Sounds like a possible choice but these would be very high energy dogs. This board is also very against back yard breeder (someone who keeps having puppies and selling them) and very pro spay/neuter so please make sure that this isn't that sort of a situation. Puppies require a lot of work including socialization and training. One problem with litter mates is they tend to bond more to each other then to the owners unless you specifically work hard to address that situation.

[chernoff]

Thank you for your helpful and honest response erykah1310

[erykah1310]

No problem.

[chernoff]

Originally Posted by TeriM

Sounds like a possible choice but these would be very high energy dogs. This board is also very against back yard breeder (someone who keeps having puppies and selling them) and very pro spay/neuter so please make sure that this isn't that sort of a situation. Puppies require a lot of work including socialization and training. One problem with litter mates is they tend to bond more to each other then to the owners unless you specifically work hard to address that situation.

<sigh> so much to learn!

[TeriM]

LOL, yes, it's a never ending process . We tend to be very passionate about our animals here and expect others to be the same .

[chernoff]

I think I need a "dog consultant". Is there anyone out there reputable who I could discuss my needs with in detail and they recommend the most suitable dogs for my situation without prejudice or judgement? I'm serious about this and apologize if this post sounds strange to anyone out there.

[happycats]

I don't know where you are located, but i know our local Humane Society has a "country companions" for adoption, mature dogs they feel would be best suited in a rural area. Here's the site. http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/...tiononline.asp
I am sure they would be more then happy to speak with you, to ensure you get a dog/s best suited to your situation.

I do however believe in order for a dog to be everything you want it to be (non-aggressive, but bark, good with kids) They NEED to be a big part of your family, and being an outside only dog, will make that very difficult if not impossible.

Dogs thrive on pleasing, and being with their human family, and even if you have the best dog kennel out there with everything, that means nothing to them if they can't be with you.

[muckypup]

I would say German Shepherds would be the best breed for your situation but are defiantly not dogs for inexperienced dog handlers and can in fact can be quiet dangerous in the wrong hands.
However if you were going to go this route I would suggest trying a working dog kennel where the dogs are accustomed to living in kennels and go for a trained adult dog so you know exactly what your getting.

[Kristin7]

I had a herding dog mix in the past and she was not super high energy. Could depend on the mix or just the dog itself, but you may not be able to tell with a puppy. I think mine was a Border Collie mix as she played like the ones I've seen in the dog park. She also looked like an Australian Cattle dog. She was moderate energy, great with strangers/kids and would give a warning bark. Also was great off-leash and tended to stay near me. Based on what you've said, I do think a herding dog type would be good for your situation, or possibly a flock guardian. I agree with other posters about not having your dogs outside all the time. If they aren't, they might not feel like they are part of the family pack. And two pups would be a handful! Although not a substitute for advice from dog experts, I like this website to research breeds.

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/a-z.htm

[~michelle~]

the property is fenced but your still getting deer? maybe a taller fence would be easier. also if the property is fenced why are you worried about a dog staying on the grounds? all dogs if bored will run and find something to do. i think they should be monitored while outside. i would not recommend a malimute, they love to run and will dig out or jump fences if they want to run.
a secuirty system would keep away intruders.
for a first time dog owner you are really asking to train your dog to do alot, it can be difficult esp. when you dont know too much about dog behaviour and training.
your dog will need to be a part of of the family and well socialized to get along well with children. most dogs that are not socialized well with children dont understand them and can be intimidated by them, or short tempered with them.(not true for all dogs as i do have a dog that didnt like children at first because of the unknown but he loves them now, but it can be true for many)
i am not meaning to sound rude but an honest question, do you want a dog for companionship as well as these other traits? because you can really find other ways of accomplishing what you would like without a dog. i am just trying to look out for the future dog, and your family.
training a dog to do all of this will take alot of time and effort and some professional help.
i do wish you the best of luck and if you feel a dog is right for you i wish you the best of luck!

[jessi76]

instead of asking us (strangers) to guess a breed for your family, why not have a family meeting on the issue? have each person write down 3 breeds they like. As a family, research EACH breed. their characterists, food/health /grooming requirements, living condition requirements, training & exercise requirements, etc... this should help you narrow it down. once narrowed down, then we could provide info based on experience, and/or point you in a direction (shelter/rescue/breeder).

don't forget, this time of year is VERY hectic. you should consider waiting until after the holidays to introduce a new dog.

[chernoff]

[QUOTE=~michelle~;333946]the property is fenced but your still getting deer? maybe a taller fence would be easier. also if the property is fenced why are you worried about a dog staying on the grounds?


I'm not worried about the dog staying on the grounds and a deer fence doesn't work, especially when you have a formal gate that is lower than the deer fence.


i am not meaning to sound rude but an honest question, do you want a dog for companionship as well as these other traits?


yes I do.


training a dog to do all of this will take alot of time and effort and some professional help.



We're prpared for that.

[phoenix]

Dogs don't really hurt hardwood if you trim their nails.

I do think that there are some dogs that like to live outside. The caveat? You have to 'live outside' too. I have one that would far prefer to be outside all of the time, he would like to live on a farm and he never wants to be in. (he does live inside, despite his preferences, but twice a week he goes to a farm and LOVES it). That said, when he goes there, his people (my parents) are always outside too. He stays on the property, never wanders, etc because he has lots of jobs to do (check out the property, play ball, carry sticks, etc) with my dad as he does farm chores. The dogs do come in at night if it is cold, otherwise they stay in the garage in a big bed of straw. He has made it clear that he would rather live there than here!! (haha). He is a lab/boxer cross. My parents have a lab/shep cross and he has lived outside his whole life and adapted well to it.

I looked into the kuvasz once, for my parents. Definitely an outdoor breed. However, bred to work with the farmer day in and day out. You say you are home, are you outside most of the time, doing things? If so, that kind of dog might be great for you, they are very protective but also like kids. You might have to get a little sheep herd for him to have something to do!

It's hard to say, because if you are a first time owner, you would do better with an adult dog that is already trained (ie. a rescue) but most won't allow outdoor adoptions (which I don't agree with if it is going to be a working dog, because dogs with jobs are very happy in my experience). If a dog is going to live out but have lots of human companionship and have a purpose in life, seems to me that's far better than staying 12 h in a crate during the day. (I don't think crating is cruel, just that each life has its ups and downs).

[chernoff]

Can some one direct me to the best web site or source for researching breeds?