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RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

Kay Spencer — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:25:37 GMT

Some comments on the topic . . .

1. Corgis are indeed a herding breed, they were bred to be all-purpose small-farm dogs--originally. The corgis available in the US are long-removed from selection for herding traits. That doesn't mean they can't do it, just that it is now very much of a crapshoot getting one that does. I had corgis for many years. Some worked some didn't. The disadvantage of the corgi is that the modern ones have legs so very short that they will have a hard time in an open field outrunning a sheep or a cow who isn't being with the program. Still excellent ratters though!

2. Animal shelters are a very mixed bag, politically. Many have been infiltrated by Animal Rights people, whose agenda is quite secretive actually. Not all of them though--the advice to do your homework before dealing with them is excellent. Some links about what they are really up to are here: http://www.workingaussiesource.com/links.html#8

3. Lots of unlikely dogs will herd. It is an innate set of behaviors. The dogs that went into the making of dobermans, for example, were mainly farm dogs--rottweilers for example. But if you need a useful farm dog, it is a lot more likely you will get one if you buy a pup from proven working parents.

4. Some good small-farm breeds of herding dogs include working-bred Aussies and English Shepherds. Both of these breeds should be shopped for carefully, to make sure their parents really work.

I recently started a yahoo group called agrariandog: the practical ranch and farm dog: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/agrariandog/ Title pretty much describes it. Besides the Aussie, English Shepherd, Kelpie, and Border Collie people you might expect, there are also people who use Shelties, Hangin Tree Cowdogs, Bearded Collies, Belgian Terverens, Welsh Sheepdogs, and even an Airedale on their farms and ranches.

Kay Spencer
http://www.workingaussiesource.com

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

blackhog — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:56:02 GMT

Mine, as ironicly as it seems is a 3 pound chihuahua. My chick is about as big and likes to chase her around. She is really good and would rather follow you around. She is afraid to even mess with the other chickens.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

TIFFLE — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:45:05 GMT

We've had a golden and two bassets. The bassets are the love of my life... next to my wife and kids of course. The golden was our first dog (we got it at our 40 year crises...much cheaper than a red ferari!) She really taught us how to love freely and be good with what is. We then went into Bassetts. A challenging dog health wise but just a pure joy personality wise.
Our first - "bob the dog" - was great while he was a pup but grew into a temperment disorder which caused him to want to attack and bite. Not good.
After he bit his way up through the family to me...I decided that was not a good life for dog nor man. We had to part. He's in a better place now.
Lesson learned for all...do not buy a dog unless you have met both the father and mother...DO NOT! Meeting the parents will tell you everything you need to know about the pup. That immediately excludes shopping mall pet stores and Amish puppy mills. Please do not buy unless you meet the parents of the pup!
We did meet the parents (and the grandfather, who as it turned out was a very often photographed golden for advertisments)) of our golden. They were the promise of everything that Sadie turned out to be. A beautiful, confident (until her last years), friendly being.

Haley, our second Basset was a rescue dog. We got her when she was 6. She was timid and had many health problems, but lived until 15. Despite her many issues, (we spent around $3000 on her health care), she was the most loving creature I have ever met (next to my wife). It was a sad day when we decided to put her down (she suffered so many ailments), but to this day I think of her as a mentor who simply taught me...whatever is..is okay!
YOIKES! That is a great lesson to be learned!

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

ValerieJean — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:01:40 GMT

DB - thanks for the tip on Corgi's. I didn't know much about them. When I get my sheep or goats I'll have to consider one or two.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

Drawbar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:00:03 GMT

I was walking my bassett hound one time and we came into a berry patch about this time of year (harvest). A black bear was eating some of the berries when my dog took off after it. He made it about halfway to the bear, then decided maybe that was not a good idea and came back. Me and him both took off out of there. Luckily the bear was too happy eating raspberries to be worried about chasing us.

It's just a guess, but I don't think my basset hound would fare very well against a black bear!

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

Farmermom — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:52:45 GMT

My farm dog is a pug that thinks she's a shepard LOL she'll take on a dog 3 times her size and think nothing of it if she thinks it's treatening one of us. We let her out in the chicken yard and she & they both could care less that she's there and unlike my sisters dogs she doesn't even try to chase any of the birds but Sis has 2 that kill (or attempt to kill) any that they have the slightest opportunity to get a hold of.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

wolf — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:55:42 GMT

I have to tell you...when I was growing up I had a pure blooded poodle that was a farm dog...she was a herder...every night she would heard the chickens back into the coop for us...we never trained her to do this...she would watch me do this and then one night she started doing it...after that it became her job...

We also had a pure blooded dob that would head the cows...again we never trained her...we were training another dog...and after watching she just started doing it...and to tell the truth she was better...

you just never know which dog will be the farm dog and which will not be...but more power to any animals that helps on the farm...

Wolf

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

jarcoo0153 — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:35:51 GMT

My dog is a mix of pekeneese/cocker spaniel/border collie/ australlian shephard, and he loves to stir the hens up in the coop. We also have his niece, and she is all that plus chow chow, and all she does is chase the tennis ball. They are not much help at all but I love them anyway!

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

hotrodryder — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:58:05 GMT

Beware about giving money to shelters though, there was a documentary on them a short time ago and less than 4% of the money they get goes to help the animals...the majority goes to lobbists and administration. Some states have also found out that they are death on guardian dogs and dislike the fact that some livestock owners actually use their dogs for their intended purpose like herding, protection and hunting. I am not saying don't give your hard earned money to these places, but in todays world one should research where the money is really going before handing them a check.

Better to give donations of dog food, wormer, old towels and sheets, etc than cash. Then you know it will go where it is intended.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

Drawbar — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:54:45 GMT

We use Corgi's on the farm for herding dogs and everyone is in shock regarding that. The truth is a Welsh Pembrooke Corgi is a true herding dog and always has been. Its amazing these little things can chase a cow right into a stall and hold them there. These are 1200 pound holsteins so its no small feat.

We have problems with deer taking out fences so last year we did not even bother with certain ones. The farm is on the end of a dirt road and not visited very often. The dogs would see that the heifers were out, then they would run out, round them back up and then go back into the house. This happened multiple times a day for the entire summer. They loved their "role".

Beware about giving money to shelters though, there was a documentary on them a short time ago and less than 4% of the money they get goes to help the animals...the majority goes to lobbists and administration. Some states have also found out that they are death on guardian dogs and dislike the fact that some livestock owners actually use their dogs for their intended purpose like herding, protection and hunting. I am not saying don't give your hard earned money to these places, but in todays world one should research where the money is really going before handing them a check.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

cweick — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:27:50 GMT

I know what you mean. I had to find a home for my Reg Catahoula Cur, for she was 75 lbs and went for the heads of our reg cattle. Nothing to take lightly around the Homestead. Then she began to follow the school bus and knew the community better than I did. When the security light came on she was at the back door wanting to be let in and then out at 5 am to follow the school bus again. She got relocated to another family with kids. Of course P2 wasn't around at that time. I had a family selling rat terrier puppies mixed with something smaller (best $5.00 purchase I ever made) and on a wet day La-La is about 4 pounds. She can keep up with anyone and works the cattle like a pro (a little hard head sometimes). On days she best the cat on killing mice and voles. She's working on 4 now. My mom said if she was any bigger, I would have to put her down. She'd caught her fair share of bicycle tires on the weekend. I love it when new people come to the house and ask "will she bite." I said "Yelp and it's not will but when she'll bite." Very protective of the yard and the fields around the house and look out don't touch P2.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

hotrodryder — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:39:21 GMT

I have a little short Doxie/Beagle/Lab mix who is a great herd dog and she taught my Border Collie how to herd. She is still a much better herd dog than the Border. She cries if I go out and leave her in. She likes to garden, swim in the creek (or duck pond) and helps me with the cows. She also is a very concerned customer when it comes to a sick or orphaned animal. And she has her own chair around the fire pit. I really don't think she knows she is a dog. I don't think so either LOL

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

SpareChange — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:57:55 GMT

Just a fun note. My peke met my pigs this weekend! Did phase either one of them a bit. They aren't much bigger then she right now and she has appointed herself as their boss. If the squabble over food she breaks it up and if they make to much noise out rooting around she RUNS across the pen to see if they are okay! She is just to funny sometimes!

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

SpareChange — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:09:45 GMT

Well instead of a shelter you could always look into breed rescue. New England has an amazing border collie rescue. They do tons of work with the animals as far as rehab and training.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

prettypalfrey — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:32:42 GMT

I understand they need to make money. I donate 0nce every 6months. Whether it is old towels food litter and usually pennies. I have always wanted a border collie but I coudn't see myself leaving an animal in a shelter. When I picked up my last dog it cost me 300 dollars, plus he was wild and hyper no manners. Unfortunately my husband told me no more shelter at those costs.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

SpareChange — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:38:29 GMT

Unfortunatly the shelters are in a tough situation. The price of vet care has gone WAY up the past few years, a dog from the shelter comes neutered fully vaccinated and dewormed. In the clinic I work at that cost the average person almost 500 dollars! Really if you think about it they have to make money too. There always has to be money there for the next pet that gets dropped off. Many shelters here in Maine are now not charging anything for cats over 4 or 5 years old because they are all so overloaded they just have to get rid of them. It's a tough business.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

MrsKK — Sun, 10 May 2009 07:31:50 GMT

All of our canines have to hang out in a fenced in yard or they will chase and kill my chickens...dachshunds and a beagle cross, they have a lot of hunting instinct in them.

However, our pygmy wether, Lemon, has been called the "farm dog" - he loves to be petted, wags his tail, pushes chickens around like he is herding them, and doesn't leave our yard when he does get out of the pasture.

Can't get a much more unlikely farm dog than that!

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

medowbrook — Sat, 09 May 2009 20:37:24 GMT

yes, it got so bad here they just shot the thing down. Folks here could not afford to get shelter dogs to start with before, I mean for what you paid, it made sence to get a working dog with a skill. They have priced them selves out of a job.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

prettypalfrey — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:16:32 GMT

I have three dogs all from the shelter, two border collie crosses and one pitbull cross. Turns out the pitbull loves to heard the goats. She helps me all the time. My other border collie is too old the new one however keeps chasing my livestock. They don't make great guard dogs however. Speaking of shelters has anyone noticed the price jump in adoption fees?

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

medowbrook — Sat, 09 May 2009 06:11:18 GMT

the poodle isn't a shock at all. They were breed for hunting log ago. I don't know when the were branded F00-Foo.. bu tit happens

I had a Bluetick/Basset cross from the time was around 6 years old until the year I turned 21. Growing up burning wood, Taken'n out the ashes was a regular event.. so, based on his ticking... we called him HOT ASHES..

"Hot" for short. he didn't do much "farm work" but he was a good dog.

RE: Unlikey Farm Dog

Sue Weaver — Sat, 09 May 2009 05:57:57 GMT

Folks we used to know who farmed had a toy Poodle named Winston. Winston did not suffer from toy dog syndrome, he thought he was a Lab or some such. He wasn't obnoxious about it, he simply considered himself a farm dog and behaved accordingly.

Now we have a mixed breed named Steve who thinks he's an LGD--or did until he finally moved into the house full time. He was a very good guardian (especially loves guarding the sheep) and is still trustworthy enough to roam the farm by day, not needing to be kept in the dog yard to keep him from wandering.

Steve came down the road as a skinny adolescent and stayed. We later learned he was the product of a large litter produced by a distant neighbor's registered black Chow by another distant neighbor's registered Rottweiler. He's colored like a Rottie and has a Rottie's nice, sleek coat but he's broad with a slightly smooshed face; has small, thick Chow ears that tip over; and a spotted black and pink tongue.

If that's not an unlikely working farm dog, I don't know what is! Which just goes to show you can't judge a book (er, dog) by its cover.

Sue

Unlikey Farm Dog

SpareChange — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:28:58 GMT

Just to prove that farmers come in all shapes and sizes... my farm dog is a 10 pound pekingese!

I adopted her 8 years ago from the local shelter when I still lived with my Mom who was willing to let me have a dog but didn't really want a big one in the house. I adopted her totally thinking she would be a little house princess but to my surprise she got right up at 5:30 in the morning and marched out to the barn to feed the horses with me!

I have 2 other big dogs now but she's still the one that follows me out to do chores or work out in the fields and garden. The horses hate the big dogs and will chase them away but she sits right under their feet and eats all the grain that they drop! If they act like they don't want her there she just tells them who's the boss and they leave her alone! She LOVES to ride the tractor while my boyfriend is working!

So don't think those little dogs are good for nothing! Some of them are quite at home on the farm!