What about a collie? They're good with animals.

What kind of collie? Like Lassie?

kcchiefsfan,

Not this one. Thats why I lock my ducks up at night.
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Seahawks on Saturday!
Eric

Here is a website that will link you to more information about "farm collies", they are trained working dogs that will protect your farm. Unlike the show collies, these dogs do not require the same level of grooming. A friend of mine raises them and she has her dog bring all the chickens into the barn at night on command.

I have a regular rough collie who is great with our 4 and 7 year old kids but she's a couch potato and has a Farah Faucet hair doo that requires high maintainance.
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We love her just the same and adopted her long before we had chickens, but I do long for a dog who could watch the girls when they free range.

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It's not her fault she's a Diva, she comes from champion parents but was a flunky herself for the show ring, that's why she ended up with us :) and that's ok she'd probably fall asleep during judging anyway!

-Sheila

Here is a link that might be useful: farm collie website

Border Collie and Australian Shephard purebreads are both high-maintenance dogs that need lots of attention and something to keep them busy. We have a Border Collie/lab mix who is a great dog with the chickens and has pretty much stayed on the property from day one. He also loves children and other dogs. Probably the best dog I've ever owned.

Sullicorbitt, the farmcollie sounds very interesting! Looked up the website and it does sound like what we need. Never heard of one! Checked the KCStar for this breed but found nothing. Does your neighbor have any pix or info on her dogs? We will be looking to get a female pup probably around May or June. Thanks for your help. Your little diva is beautiful!

Thanks KC, below is a link with some pictures of my friend's dogs. If you'd like to contact my friend directly e-mail me privately and I can give you her e-mail. Or if you go to the old farm collie site www.geocities.com/farmcollie, I believe they have a list of breeders where I'm sure you could get more information.

-Sheila

Here is a link that might be useful: more farm collies

Yeah, I was talking about a collie like "Lassie." They are great dogs. I use to have one. She was my best friend for 10 wonderful years. She passed away last August 2005. I miss her so much. I think my next dog will be a shetland sheepdog. I just couldn't have another collie because they'll never be one like "Monzaya" but shelties remind me of collies a pretty good bit! Go to this link and you can see a pic. of her! GennyM..............

http://tinypic.com/k3rol4.jpg

I have a pitbull that was fantastic w/ the chickens, as way my Bernese Mountain dog. I had the pitbull before the chicks arrived, and just taught her that they were off limits by letting her observe them in the brooder but never get too close.
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I think anydog can do it (with maybe the expection of bird hunting dogs such as retrievers, pointers, etc). Just takes quite a bit of training!
Erin

Hi Everyone,
I gave my buddy Jacob a bad posting. He's a great dog and companion. When it comes to my ducks he's indifferent. When I'm not home he stays out side the fence. When I'm around he's allowed inside the fence. In the photos you can see the ducks keep an eye on him. The one photo he's drinking from the pond.YUM!! So I'm thinking any dog with training can be a duck campanion. Eric

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As has been pointed out, many different breeds of dogs can learn to co-habit with poultry. My dog, Cord, The Wonder Chow, saw my birds raised inside in their brooder. I would take out a chick, hold it, and let him sniff it. By the time the birds went outside, he knew they were part of the pack. In the photo below, you can see Cord sacked out, which is what Chows do best, with birds free-ranging around him. He ignores the birds, but if he sees a squirrel or a chipmunk or a deer or whatever, he will bolt right after the intruder. If the flock happen to be between it and him, then birds go flying into the air in all directions like a cartoon, as he runs right through the group. So, I think he would certainly defend them from things like foxes.

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Below is a shot of Cord guarding the ducklings and goslings, before the permanent enclosure went up.

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narcnh