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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/5/2009 8:32:40 AM
Posts: 20,
Visits: 21
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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!
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Senior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/21/2009 3:50:17 PM
Posts: 1,087,
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| 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
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Average Member
Group: Banned Members
Last Login: 6/14/2009 6:27:31 PM
Posts: 593,
Visits: 561
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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.
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/15/2009 7:10:45 AM
Posts: 91,
Visits: 192
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| 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?
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Average Member
Group: Banned Members
Last Login: 6/14/2009 6:27:31 PM
Posts: 593,
Visits: 561
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| 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.
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 6:10:58 AM
Posts: 478,
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| 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!
Karen
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/5/2009 8:32:40 AM
Posts: 20,
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| 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.
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/15/2009 7:10:45 AM
Posts: 91,
Visits: 192
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| 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.
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/5/2009 8:32:40 AM
Posts: 20,
Visits: 21
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| 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.
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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/5/2009 8:32:40 AM
Posts: 20,
Visits: 21
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| 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!
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