Question on best dog breed

[northerngreeneye]

Hi everyone, I have a question to ask everyone on dog breeds. My husband and I are buying a farm in the summer and was thinking about getting a puppy for the farm. I have been checking out different breeds, but can't figure out what breed would be good with horses. Does anyone know what would be a good breed to get. I would like a dog that can protect the horses if god for bid, someone or an animal comes on the property.

Thanks

[amby]

There is a breed called the Anytolian (spelled wrongly I'm sure) that becomes very possesive of you and the things you own. I heard about a show dog who also runs his owners horse farm (warmblood show jumpers) in Ocala. They run around the farm and sleep in the stalls with the horses. Hope that helps a bit.

[mandyme2]

ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/ansc442/Semprojs/2002/predation/guard_dogs.htm heres a list of dogs that are used for guarding horses and other animals,But I have heard that these dogs are very possessive over there owners and there herd persay,Best of luck,My personal choice would be border collie though they do love too herd.MandyMe2

[tinypony]

i would suggest a german shepherd. we have one at our barn because the barn manager (who lives on the property) owns the dog. he is EXTREMELY sweet, great around the horses as far as giving them their space and not barking around them. also he is a rather large dog so he gives off the 'scary' effect.

[Steph @ Elements]

We have had German Shepherds, and several other types (I will always love the GSDs best) but have found that the absolute best dog for helping around the barn for us has been Australian Shepherds. They get along with the cats but are excellent mousers and also get other rodents (rabbits, ground squirrels, etc.) and will even chase the pigeons off. They leave the horses alone until I ask them to help me move them. Then they hop to it and bark and harry the horses, but I have never had one of my dogs actually BITE one of the horses - just bark, snap, feint at them, etc. If the horse doesn't move, then they kinda look at me and shrug. ;D LOL They are also smart enough and fast enough to get the heck outta the way if one of the horses goes after them. They are small enough to be house dogs if you want them to be, but sturdy enough to live outside in the barn or a kennel. They are incredibly friendly, but will raise a racket barking if strangers drive up, although I would never expect them to actually threaten anyone - they just SOUND that way. hehehehe All in all, I like everything about them for having around horses.

Steph

[imromeo]

i have a friend thas has a blue heeler ( if i could spell it right ) and it is a very smart animal on the farm it helps him get his big percheron horses up and also watchs the place.

[northerngreeneye]

Thanks everyone for your input, it will help alot when choosing a breed. Take care and thanks again.

Kimberly

[notadumbld]

One of the vets for whom I work has a dairy farm and also has horses. He swears by his Aussie shepards. Smart, not too big, and seem to have horse sense. Good luck!

[cheri]

Well they do have cow sense...I guess horse sense would just be a learned extension of that. Aussies are fantastic as farm helpers and family dogs. I've had one personally( a mini Aussie only 20 inches tall at the shoulder) that would herd in the goats for me when they didn't come in with the steer. The horse was a little too scary for her. (I can understand 5 feet high and over 1000 pounds vs 20 inches high and 75 pounds I'd be scared too.)

[twnpnds]

Aussies are great dogs around the farm. Just remember they are herding dogs and need a job to do. They can get bored fast. You will need to show them what they can and can't do. But since they love to please this isn't too hard. They love to work and they love to have fun with you which makes it easy to train them how to do tricks. And they can be good guard dogs. They will bark like crazy when something's wrong. I knew one that did bite someone who broke into the barn. The lock was cut on the tack room door and there was a blood trail all the way out to where their vehicle was. Never knew who it was but they didnt have any more trouble. He was also smart enough to know who handled what horse. One day the barn owners heard him making the awfullest racket. There was a man in a stall and Blue wouldn't let him out. He was the brother of the girl who owned the horse. She was out of town and he was taking care of the horse. Blue never seen him before with that horse. That man had been in that stall for over an hour. LOL. Blue was a friendly dog but he knew when someone was up to no good. He also knew when a horse was sick. He would lay by the stall and keep watch. He was also the same way with people. If you were down he'd try to cheer you up by getting a toy and getting you to play with him. There was no way you could resist. LOL.

[Steph @ Elements]

Very good point! Brekke, my Aussie, knows when someone is sick (horses) and will be extremely attentive! She also tries to mother the new babies, clean their umbilicus, keep their butts clean, etc. LOL ;D

[northerngreeneye]

Thanks again to everyone, this is very good information. I guess I have alot of reseach to do. I'll let you know what we decide to get.

Kim

[erikasbackyard]

Any good family dog of decent size is going to be a good prospect for looking out for your place and creatures. Border collies, Queensland Blue Heelers, Aussie shepherds, German Shepherds, etc, are working breeds and will require a lot more time, attention, and "projects" to do than, say, a lab, a golden retriever, a bulldog, etc. It's also important to consider who DOES have access/permission? Do you teach? Board? The dog has to be okay with all the acceptable people coming and going.

I gave up on the working breeds for any place of mine years ago when a Blue Heeler I had took to chasing the horses - she just couldn't resist. I've boarded where the next door neighbors had a German Shepherd (no leash law) who came over and would skulk along at the horses' heels being threatening - while they were being ridden. She snapped at the horse I was on a few times. She was a beautiful example of a smart dog with nothing to do. I've seen Jack Russells chase horses who were under saddle, as well as in the field. An American Bulldog I rescued was single-minded about chasing horses - bit a mare I was leading, even while I was yelling at him and we were all going in circles with me trying to grab him without letting go of her. (I put him down a few days later). If you have the time and energy to devote not just to initial training but to daily keep-busy, a working breed might be good. The benign example I can think of was a border collie who spent HOURS - no hyperbole - barking at a rock that had somehow ended up about a foot away from the main rockpile of rocks that had been gathered from the pasture. She danced around it, barked at it, even nipped at it, and the darn thing wouldn't get back with the rock herd! This same dog spent a lot of time hanging from branches. A branch about 5' off the ground was perfect. she would leap up, bite the branch, and be swinging from it, by her teeth. SHE needed something to do! Good luck!

[humhill]

We've had mixed experiences with the Heelers. We had a Blue Heeler when I was growing up that was AMAZING. He would keep the cows and horses in the pasture with an open gate. He would guard my mom and if anyone stopped by the house, he would stand between her and the stranger. He would even bite my dad's pants leg when he would hug my mom (and it was HIS dog). He did something bad one time and my dad told him to sit in the corner, and he did!!! He eventually passed away and several years later we got a Red Heeler for my dad. That was a bad experience. We didn't have time to train him and his instincts took over. We finally had to give him to a friend after he ran one of our weanlings and it had a heart attack.
I've also found with the Border Collies and Aussies that they tend to obsessive complusive. Especially as they get older.
I personally like Golden Retreivers. Or, a good ol rescue dog! They tend to be the most faithful. I figure they're happy you love them and want to give them a home, so they protect it!
All in all though, it's not about the breed, its about the dog. There are good and bad representatives of every breed. When it comes to farm dogs, they need training and discipline so they understand their job and the limitations.
Oh well, just my opnion.
~Lauren