# Breeds of your farm dogs.



## newbierider

I am considering an anatolian shepherd, a livestock guardian dog, to patrol the perimeter of my lot and protect my horses..(mostly from 2 legged predators)I do not live on the property and have heard about horses being stolen or let loose or whatever.

Anyone have an anatolian or pyrenees? 

Tell me about your farm dogs..pics too


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## BarrelracingArabian

My friends used to breed pyrenees dogs and they were the biggest sweethearts if the knew you if not you best watch out especially their big male. One problem is they havr such thick fur that if you are in a warmer climate they can easily be hit with heatstroke, this was not a problem with my friends as they had a large pond the dogs would go soak in if they got too hot. They were great guard dogs though they covered over 200 goats 100 head of sheep a few llamas and horses as well.
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## BarrelracingArabian

One story of their bravery one of the males took on one of the neighbors cattle dogs trying to attack the goats he died protecting them it was a sad day but he was an awesome protector.
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## antonella

we have a pyrenees mastiff (male), who is huge, but very friendly and not the kind who enjoys being on his own. we also shave a spanish mastiff *****, who is more alert and reserved, but not very quick moving. I've heard anatolian can be difficult to manage. in the past we had some pastori maremmani abruzzesi (which is an ancient breed of shepherd dogs in italy) and they were great guard dogs, very intelligent and independent, very strong, and beautiful as well. but some of them (the son, in our case) can be real devils. if you get the right personality though, I think they are fantastic.


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## AQHA13

We have an English mastiff named Daisy. . Shes small for her breed, aboutM 140 lbs. great with the chickens, cats, kids, and horses. But she is very loud and scrary looking to anyone that comes on the property, she is protective of her family but if you tell her to leave someone alone, like the mail lady, she instantly listens. She alsO stays within the property boundaries when the gate is open. No pics right now, I can post late though 
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## Tennessee

We have an 8 week old Australian Shepherd named Roscoe.

He's terrified of the horses right now, but that's not necessarily a bad thing at his age because I don't have to worry about him getting kicked or stomped.


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## antonella

*dogs*

forgot the pictures...


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## newbierider

I am trying to learn about the breeds, want to be very sure as I will have family, including children going to the property, so I need to strike a balance between protection and safety.


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## antonella

for family, be very careful with the dogs. some are no good at all with children. very often maremmani are not. our last 2 are just fine and I may also suggest a breed called land seer, sort of smaller, less hairy, vivacious newfoundlands.
I have a friend who is a breeder, and they are great.


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## InStyle

Landseer is a colour, its still a newfoundland. Same size/coat. Not a guard dog. 

We have 3 german shepherds as our yard guards. They do a wonderful job, people are always intimidated by them, and they are fantastic with the livestock. Friendly when they are told people are ok.
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## redpony

I have an Australian Sheppard/Border Collie mix and he is the BEST! He is very protective of our horses, to the point that if he hears any noise from them or near them he is right there! He is also protective when we are gone from home. But if we are there he is never agressive and he always loves kids.


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## TheMadHatter

InStyle said:


> Landseer is a colour, its still a newfoundland. Same size/coat. Not a guard dog.
> 
> We have 3 german shepherds as our yard guards. They do a wonderful job, people are always intimidated by them, and they are fantastic with the livestock. Friendly when they are told people are ok.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 
A GSD may not be the best option, since the OP doesn't live on the property where the dog will be staying. GSDs really love their people and mentally do better with lots of interaction from their human handlers. I know my 3 do! 

A Great Pyrenees has my vote. When raised with any type of stock, they take their pleasure in being with their "family". If you had 2, very large GP roaming the fields with your horses, then I think they'd be pretty safe from both 2 and 4 legged predators, but dog's are just a deterant. Someone very motivated in stealing your horses will simply shoot the dogs. Other precautions should be taken to ward off people, such as posted signs that the property is monitored by a security camera, a game camera hidden in the woods, pointed toward the front gate, chains on all the gates and even electrified fences. My father was having a problem with people coming on to his hunting property and doing drugs. Being a family who lives paycheck to paycheck, we really couldn't afford the real thing, but my father built a small grey box and put a lens in it and bolted it high in a tree, but still in eyesight and it looked just like a video camera. The druggies stopped hanging around immediately!! Just something to think about.


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## Saddlebag

Mine is a Chesapeake male. Stubborn dogs. Best guard dog I've ever owned. Two legged or 4 legged should fear him. Once his brain locks on, there's no stopping him. He will accept another animal only if I take the time to introduce him to it, otherwise he puts the run on it. With his retrieving abilities I can tell him fetch, point him in the right direction and he'll figure it out and bring it back.


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## HorsesAreMyPassion

I have a border collie, he just turned 1 year old a few weeks ago. This picture was taken last October.


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## antonella

*landseer*

sorry to be punctilious, but landseer in europe is indeed a breed and NOT simply a color of newfoundlander. you can look up Landseer Newfoundland Information and Pictures, Landseers, Landseer Newfoundlands
they are definitely not dangerous, but intimidating and my friend who breeds them must be careful with the male, as he is very protective of his people and property.
I guess there are plenty of dogs to choose from. if I may suggest something, do not go for the very ferocious strictly guard dogs. they are quite a handful, especially if you have children. and even with other people you need to be very well insured; we spent a fortune with our mean maremmano!
sometime a slower, more reflective dog, with a big size is enough to keep away undesirable strangers.
best luck with your choice!


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## antonella

found this for you, you may have a look at spanish and pyrenean mastiffs...
don't know where you live...
SPANISH MASTIFFS & PYRENEAN MASTIFFS - RANCH RAISED - ALL IMPORTED BROOD STOCK
Contact: Cinco Deseos Ranch LGD's
Brenda M. Negri
Winnemucca, NV 89445
UNITED STATES
Phone: 775-623-6292

Web Site: Home Page


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## cowboy bowhunter

I have a black lab X golden retreiver. She is trained to not let horses off the property if they get out and not to let other animals on. And She wont let my neighbor on my property she is a very good dog.


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## PaintHorseMares

We have the fairly common 'mutt from the shelter' breed ;-) She's become very good at recognizing the difference in sound between the mail/UPS trucks and strangers that happen to wander up our private road.


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## redpony

PaintHorseMares said:


> We have the fairly common 'mutt from the shelter' breed ;-) She's become very good at recognizing the difference in sound between the mail/UPS trucks and strangers that happen to wander up our private road.


I believe those are refered to as designer dogs these days,, Lol!
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## DutchFeather

I have a pitbull. While she stays in the house with me at night, she's outside during the day.The barn is behind the house and to get to it you have to go past the house and about 6 hound dogs that stay outside. My pit, while friendly and loving, adores the other animals and is protective of the barn, including the pigs and chickens, not just the horses. Many people don't mess with our property knowing there's a pitbull on it anyway.
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## flytobecat

We have Malinois. They are great protection dogs, but I wouldn't recommend them. They need a lot of socialization.







I don't think they would do well if left at the property unattended.
I would imagine herding breeds like collies would do fine since that is what they are bred for.


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## Lins

I have a Shih Tzu X Cocker Spaniel named Texass-Mickey, as well as an Australian Sheperd X German Sheperd named Boogaloo AKA Looie. Both are perfect in every way  lol they are my perfect companions at the barn. Texass is very respectful of horses, as he learned to watch their feet the hard way. And my little Looie is 6 months old and a perfect angel. She respects the horses naturally and quietly prances around the yard, making sure every animal is behaving well.
Nothing better then having a good dog by your side.

My barn has an Australian Sheperd (the mother of my Looie) and she tells us when anything is wrong. Like if coyotes are around, an animal is sick or injured, and protects all the animals. She also keeps the horses from fighting and if they get out (the mini stallion ducks under fences and one of the geldings always jumps out) she will make sure they stay safe in the yard. She is a great farm dog, and my dogs have learned some of her good traits.
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## midnighthighway

we've got a german shepard and a border collie/heeler


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## CarmenL

I have an Italian Sheepdog, a Mareema, called Bear. He looks after all the livestock, including us!! He is big and white and friendly,but if we needed protection, he'd be it! Loves hanging out and playing with other animals, especially baby animals.


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## RisingGlory

cowboy bowhunter - "I have a black lab X golden retreiver. She is trained to not let horses off the property if they get out and not to let other animals on. And She wont let my neighbor on my property she is a very good dog." 

SAME!!!! Our black lab X Golden retreiver is a very good dog and is almost too protective of horses!!! we have cyotes around our place and she's chased so many off I probably couldn't even count them...


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## Corporal

You want an intelligent dog with a work ethic, and bigger is better. Herding breeds that also guard are the best choice. Watch out for purebreds bc the genetics are producing scads of dogs with genetic physical problems, and you want a healthy specimin.
My dog, "Xena" (1998-2008, RIP), a GS/Collie cross was a very good choice.
After owning a BC cross ("Rose," b. 2007, Husky/GSxBC) I like this, too. Rose is TOO brave for her average height but 60 lb frame. She runs a minimum of 2 miles/day--we know bc we put a pedometer on her--but it's mostly playtime with her friend, "Pygma", and scouting the property for rabbits. She barked for 45 minutes at the coyotes one night when she and I were sleeping in the tent by ourselves (and the horses) and there was a large company of coyotes in the park (at a CW event.) When we ride our north 3 acres, the dogs come along with us, and I like that, too.
Here are the dogs:
Xena, 1998-2008, RIP









Rose, 5yo Husky/GSxBC









Pygma, 4 1/2yo Lab/GSxPitbull (good watchdog, poor guarding dog, but GREAT Velcro dog)









Rose and Pyg "Wolfing"









Rose & Pyg Tandem Chicken work


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## DraftyAiresMum

My australian shepherd/st bernard mix is probably the best guard dog I have ever had. He is VERY protective of his property and anything that goes with the property, including people and other animals. He's not a great dog to have around horses, but that's because he hasn't really been around them (I took him to meet my old gelding once and he nipped my gelding's nose...funny thing was, my gelding nipped back lol). If he had been raised around horses, he'd be wonderful with them. He does love cows, though, and has a good herding instinct/high prey drive.

He's not huge (about 60lbs), but he's big enough to be intimidating. A couple of Jehovah's Witness missionaries tried to come through the gate at my old house when I wasn't home one day and learned that the big red and white dog with the wagging tail was NOT to be taken lightly. My mom was walking her little dog down the road by my house when it happened and saw the whole thing. She said they petted Cash over the fence (it was a little 4ft chainlink fence that he could have cleared without touching had he wanted to), then one of them grabbed the latch on the gate to lift it so they could go in. Cash went from friendly to Kujo in a split second and nearly caught the guy's hand. Funny thing is, if I'm there (unless he feels I'm threatened directly), he's a big lover with just about everybody. 

First time he'd ever seen snow and he LOVED it








First time he'd ever seen a cow









He's not necessarily a "farm dog" right now, but whenever I get the chance to move and can have my own place where I can have Aires on my property and some other livestock, he will become one.


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## Vidaloco

If you need a dog to protect property with no people there, you're going have a hard time. Mabe you should stick with breeds that are bred for just guarding. Dobermans come to mind. Have you thought of just getting an alarm system? It might be cheaper in the long run than a dog that may or may not stick around a place with no people. 
I have a Rotwieller mix that a neighbor got to protect property with no people. She kept coming over here every time they left for the day. Finally they just told us to keep her. Even if they had chained her, what good would that do for protection?
She's a good watch dog but loves her people. I also have 3 Scottish terriers that are great watch dogs and rodent killers. They could care less if I was here so not big people dogs but I also wouldn't trust them around small children. I think an alarm system is your best bet.


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## Vidaloco

@ DraftyAiresMum. We had a Shephard/St. Bernard mix that looked exactly like your Cash. She was the smartest bestest dog we ever had. We lost Izzabelle many years ago and I still miss her so much. Best dog ever.


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## BarrelBunny

I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.  He is amazing with kids, small animals, and my horses! (and the neighbor's cows...  ) Ridgebacks are very protective over their families, and will jump between you and anything if they think that they are in danger... My boy jumped in between me and the neighbor's stallion when I was out riding and the stud got loose... but, unless he feels like I'm in danger, he wouldn't hurt a fly. When there's have an 80 pound dog sitting on the porch staring at you, I guarantee you won't want to get any closer! lol I don't have pictures of him right now, but I'll post pictures later!!


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## trvlingheart

My mom has Karakachans, which are a Bulgarian Livestock dog. They live at the barn with free access to all the fields the animals that they protect are in. They have never seen the inside of a house and are fully and completely content, but it is important that they have a companion or two with them. Since having them they haven't had one animal incident on the farm with predators, unfortunately though they live inside a 50 acre farm away from the road so I can't tell you how they do with strangers coming on the property. Because they just don't have access to that part of the farm, however I don't doubt they'd be protective of anything coming on the property that doesn't belong, and these are some big dogs! 

With that all said I don't have any issue with my kids being around them, they are very friendly to family except are untrained in the social aspect so they tend to play rough, pushing the kids and such out of nothing but pure happiness! lol


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## mysticalhorse

My best protector dog is my big mutt mix Basil. He went from city life to the farm & no live stock to gobbs of live stock. He has never offered to hurt any of my goats, horses or chickens. He even plays with my horses & lets the goats sleep with him. Then I have a boarder collie Whinny who wants to protect & herd but was taught to stay away from live stock her 1st 9 years of life so she is figuring it out right now. She stays glued to either the goats or horses, watches them & will go after the neighbors dogs id they come too close. My last dog is a dashund Jackson. He is spunky and helps keep other animals off our property. Then there is our cat that thinks she is one of the dogs, Ms. Kitty. She is our hunter & protector. She shares her kills with the dogs & now we no longer have a gofer or mole problem! Sadly we also have no squirrels but my horses won't break their legs falling into a deep hole so its acceptable. 
I love all our animals and each one has their own job....lol.
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## JanetsPaintedRayne

I have a Pyrenees who is only 5 months old and is one of the best protectors I have ever seen. He was weary of the horses at first but now he has no problem being around them and he has no problem chasing ANYTHING out of their pastures that do not belong there. I agree with what others have posted, they are very loving dogs IF they know you. If they don't know you be prepared for lots of barking and growling. My boy is not fond of people coming onto our property which to me is a good thing but can also be bad if we have company coming over. He eventually warms up to the people but is very guarded until we let him know they are okay. I will have to post some pictures in a minute as I do not have any on this computer at this time.


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## JanetsPaintedRayne

This is my Pyrenees, Dakota


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## TexanFreedom

Subscribing!


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## DutchFeather

They breed dogs specifically for the purpose of living with the livestock and guarding the livestock. Some of these breeds include the Pyrenese (sp) and the Bernese Mountain Dog... If they are left in the pen and raised with the animals they are meant to protect, they will bond with those animals and protect them. Obviously good socialization is also a must, so they are respectful of their people as well.


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## Captain Evil

We have Newfoundlands but they are rotten farm dogs: they just love everyone and eat poop. The one in the snow is a boy and the tongue-kisser is a girl. Half-brother & sister.


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## JanetsPaintedRayne

aww! We have a newfie/st bernard mix. Massive giants I tell you.
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## smrobs

Well, I would not advise a herding type dog if you expect them to behave when left there alone. We breed and raise border collies and if one of them is left untied, they will spend every waking moment trying to herd the horses. If the neighbor happens to have cattle, these dogs will run them through the fence to herd them into our yard.


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## newbierider

I have so enjoyed reading about everyone's farm dogs.. I am leaning towards a livestock guardian dog, either an anatolian or pyrennees. If I can not find a "working dog" then I will probably get a german shepherd as that is my daughter's choice.
I am sending my request out to the universe, lets see which breed shows up.


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## BubblesBlue

I have a sable Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Harley and a brown Australian Shepherd called Bandit.


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## Island Horselover

Border Collie x black lab, propably not a good guard dog but freaking cute and adorable and super good with the horses :0)


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## JanetsPaintedRayne

^^how cute!! He/she is adorable!!!
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## mct97

We used to have a great Pyrenees and he killed several of our chickens and a kitten. We gave him away after that. As long as you don't have small pets, a Pyrenees should be fine. But then again, not all are the same...


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