We live in the country and want a dog that will be a good outdoor dog.
We aren't looking for a house dog. We have horses and chickens so we
want something compatible. We have an English Setter that has been a
good dog but is getting old. In deciding on another dog we want to
consider several things:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our chickens even
during the day. We want a dog that will protect our animals.

*We want a temperment that is compatible with kids. We have grandkids
next door and a number of kids who come for horse training.

*I have enjoyed the Setter temperment so I would like a likeable
friendly dog. I also like the look of the Setter so we might just
get another one. I don't hunt so he isn't used for that.

Any suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

(Jack) said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our
chickens even during the day. We want a dog that will
protect our animals.

I'd be looking at one of the livestock guardian breeds, dogs
which have been bred to protect livestock.

http://www.lgd.org/

There's lots of good reading on the library page.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:49:42 GMT, (Jack)
wrote:

We live in the country and want a dog that will be a good outdoor dog.
We aren't looking for a house dog. We have horses and chickens so we
want something compatible. We have an English Setter that has been a
good dog but is getting old. In deciding on another dog we want to
consider several things:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our chickens even
during the day. We want a dog that will protect our animals.

*We want a temperment that is compatible with kids. We have grandkids
next door and a number of kids who come for horse training.

*I have enjoyed the Setter temperment so I would like a likeable
friendly dog. I also like the look of the Setter so we might just
get another one. I don't hunt so he isn't used for that.

Any suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

Get a big, scary-looking dog statue.

"Jack" wrote in message
...
We live in the country and want a dog that will be a good outdoor dog.
We aren't looking for a house dog. We have horses and chickens so we
want something compatible. We have an English Setter that has been a
good dog but is getting old. In deciding on another dog we want to
consider several things:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our chickens even
during the day. We want a dog that will protect our animals.

*We want a temperment that is compatible with kids. We have grandkids
next door and a number of kids who come for horse training.

*I have enjoyed the Setter temperment so I would like a likeable
friendly dog. I also like the look of the Setter so we might just
get another one. I don't hunt so he isn't used for that.

Any suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

I am partial to the Anatolian Shepherd, or ASD. They are often used to
protect livestock from predators such as coyotes and wolves, and are also
generally very good with children. My own dog Muttley looks much like an
ASD and has some of the protective temperament, but at 80 lb he is about
half the size of most ASDs. We met some people who had two ASDs and a
Kuvasz (also a good choice), and I found the ASD (Max) to be well-mannered,
gentle, and aloof. They have a young girl and their dogs get along with her
quite well. There is a very active rescue group for the breed:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/NASRNownersupport/
http://www.nasrn.com/

There are pictures of me, Muttley, the Kuvasz, and Max in Muttley's
website.

Here are some helpful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuvasz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatolian_Shepherd_Dog

Paul and Muttley
www.MuttleyDog.com

sighthounds & siberians said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Get a big, scary-looking dog statue.

FWIW, I've met a few livestock guardian dogs doing what they
were bred to do: staying outside at night and watching the herd.
Those also had a great deal of human contact, though.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

Rocky wrote:
sighthounds & siberians said in
rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Get a big, scary-looking dog statue.

FWIW, I've met a few livestock guardian dogs doing what they
were bred to do: staying outside at night and watching the herd.
Those also had a great deal of human contact, though.

Last night on an Animal Planet dog show, there was a segment
about Anatolian Shepherds. The comment was made that if you try
to make one into a house dog, they will be clawing at the door to
get back to their "flock." (I don't know if it's true, just
repeating what I heard.)

FurPaw

--
Don't believe everything that you think.

To reply, unleash the dog.

FurPaw wrote:
Rocky wrote:
sighthounds & siberians said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

Get a big, scary-looking dog statue.

FWIW, I've met a few livestock guardian dogs doing what they were bred
to do: staying outside at night and watching the herd. Those also had
a great deal of human contact, though.

Last night on an Animal Planet dog show, there was a segment about
Anatolian Shepherds. The comment was made that if you try to make one
into a house dog, they will be clawing at the door to get back to their
"flock." (I don't know if it's true, just repeating what I heard.)

Nope. I've met several here in the city and
they're fine. One lives in the highrise
across the street from me...."Little Rose".
She's a doll.

Jack wrote:
We live in the country and want a dog that will be a good outdoor dog.
We aren't looking for a house dog. We have horses and chickens so we
want something compatible. We have an English Setter that has been a
good dog but is getting old. In deciding on another dog we want to
consider several things:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our chickens even
during the day. We want a dog that will protect our animals.

*We want a temperment that is compatible with kids. We have grandkids
next door and a number of kids who come for horse training.

*I have enjoyed the Setter temperment so I would like a likeable
friendly dog. I also like the look of the Setter so we might just
get another one. I don't hunt so he isn't used for that.

Any suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.

I think you may run into problems in that
what you're looking for is a bit at
cross-purposes.

The dogs that would be friendly to your
neighbors and their children aren't going to
be the dogs that are prone to protecting
property and livestock on their own with no
"pack" to share the load with.

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:13:59 -0600, FurPaw
wrote:

Last night on an Animal Planet dog show, there was a segment
about Anatolian Shepherds. The comment was made that if you try
to make one into a house dog, they will be clawing at the door to
get back to their "flock." (I don't know if it's true, just
repeating what I heard.)

OTOH if the "flock"* lives mainly inside the house (as is the case
with us), it can be difficult to keep an ASD *out* of the house... ;-)

I'm partial to Anatolians myself and would recommend the OP consider
one. They're excellent with children and family members and are highly
protective of their territory and everything in it. However they can
also be a handful because they're very independent and have minds of
their own.


--
Bob
http://www.kanyak.com

"Jack" wrote in message
...
We live in the country and want a dog that will be a good outdoor dog.
We aren't looking for a house dog. We have horses and chickens so we
want something compatible. We have an English Setter that has been a
good dog but is getting old. In deciding on another dog we want to
consider several things:

*We have coyotes that occassionally sneak up on our chickens even
during the day. We want a dog that will protect our animals.

*We want a temperment that is compatible with kids. We have grandkids
next door and a number of kids who come for horse training.

*I have enjoyed the Setter temperment so I would like a likeable
friendly dog. I also like the look of the Setter so we might just
get another one. I don't hunt so he isn't used for that.

Any suggestions and ideas will be appreciated.


A boxer!
But don't get that horrible thing done to its ears. They are great guard
dogs, but also good with kids and other animals as long as they are
socialised at an early age.