# All Around Farm Dog



## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

So it wil probably be a couple of years before I find a farm and need a farm dog. But is there an ideal multi purpose farm dog? Or would I be best off with a couple dogs? Ideally I could find a dog that would fit two main purposes and also be a family pet.
I don't plan on having too much land maybe five to ten acres, so even though I hope to have sheep I don't think a livestock guard dog would be necessary. Is there a breed of dog that can herd sheep and ducks on a small average, but also be a house pet?
I have this notion of having ducks for eggs and since they don't lay in nesting boxes like hens, is it possible to train a spaniel or retriever to scent out the eggs? Although I don't hunt I do not think it is out of my realm of possibilities, so I would like a dog that could hunt for sport maybe once a year or so but mostly use its retrieving instinct and gentle bite to retrieve eggs instead


----------



## Jreed (Dec 24, 2014)

I am going to go way out on a limb and say a an all american rat terrier


----------



## WannabeWaltons (Nov 18, 2016)

Ironically a small maple limb just snapped when I was reading this...


----------



## naturalfeddogs (Aug 23, 2016)

I have Australian Shepherds, and even though I don't use them for any herding, their instincts are there and they are very protective. But at the same time great family members. They live in the house, sleep in our beds etc....


----------



## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

It's quite possible to raise sheep on a small acreage and hardly ever need to herd them. Sheep, and ducks too, can often be tolled much more effectively than they can be herded. With some investments in infrastructure, fences, gates, corrals, etc., you can handle livestock very efficiently with a little practice. 

If you really want to do herding with dogs, you probably want a herding breed, and be prepared to drop some cash on training. If you want a dog that barks and pees, and marks your farm as occupied to the wild creatures, most anything will work. Chances are that if you acquire the dog in advance of livestock, it might not work out as well as you would expect.

If you are good at training, you might get a dog to retrieve duck eggs, hard to say how old they might be. Natural instinct inclines them to eat eggs that they find. Probably better to pen the ducks up somewhere that you can find the eggs, ducks and their eggs are are attractive wildlife snacks.

A dog used for hunting that is taken hunting once a year is not likely to add much to the endeavor, and could very well detract from the experience. Perhaps if you had a "gun dog" of some sort that you had professionally trained, and took it for regular tune ups with the trainer, it might be up for an annual hunting excursion, but short of that, your adventure might turn into looking for a dog that is gun-shy, likes to chase hoofed game, or is so darn happy to be out in a new place that it forgets who you are. Possibly some combination of the three. 

Dogs need to be introduced to the situations you want to employ them in, preferably at a young age, and often thereafter, with sound guidance and encouragement. They seldom, by virtue of their pedigree, assume the roll of a trained dog when introduced to these situations later in life. People think you can take a five year old rescued border collie and dump it in a herd of sheep and it will know what to do, just because it is a border collie. Or that a bird dog is going to just naturally point birds. He might point turtles instead. Or, he might decide that he is going to be a world class carrion locator. There are certain instincts present in breeds, but this is not exactly the way it works.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

You can train sheep to come when called. I used a whistle. Just whistle when you show up with food or water and they&#8217;ll get the picture. It&#8217;s not like they are grazing in wild mountains.

Ducks will lay in a nest. You want to get them to a coop of some sort (we used a little lean to) at night so raccoons don&#8217;t kill them. Have a nice pile of straw in a corner. They will do the rest.

So, if you don&#8217;t need a herding dog, what do you want? Just about any dog that does not wander will work for you. This leaves out most hunting dogs. Would you leave him outside when you are gone?

If you want a dog that will guard the property a Dobermann is good and will be a good companion dog. This is also true of a Beauvier. 

You really should acquaint yourself with different breeds and find a breed that you like as a house dog, then work from there to figure out if it would be suited to be a farm dog. Corgi comes to mind, some of the terriers.


----------



## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

The thing about these threads is you very often get a bunch of folks jumping in, touting their favorite breed, which is not helpful at all.
Obviously, _they_ like them, or they wouldn't own one.
Doesn't mean _you'll_ like one.

So; have you ever owned a dog before? What did you like/not like about it? How much time did you spend training it? Were you happy with the results?

The simple truth is, nearly any breed of dog can work out and nearly any breed of dog can be an epic disaster. Best thing is to get a dog YOU like, and then put the time into it.


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

You're getting good information here. With only about 10 acres, you're right about not needing an LGD. It is also true you don't need a "herding" dog. (I raise large Nubian goats as well as a diversified flock of fowl and have trained all to come when I call, even the guineas.)

A "all around farm dog" can be any breed. Some people think the larger the dog the better they guard; however, there are many small dogs that, also, make good guards. (A neighbor had a little 10 lb mut that nipped at the heels of a bull to get it to stop tossing his owner about. Then that little mutt ran that bull across a creek and stook on a log daring it to come back...true story!)

You could start with whatever type dog you "enjoy"; yet you need to know it is the "owner" who will make the difference! All breeds have their specific instinctual skills and most (if not all) have to be taught not to kill chickens and/or eat eggs. The way an owner treats the dog can either help that dog develop its propensities or actual ruin them. So you really need to have a good understanding of the dog you choose. Then you will know how to train it.

Were I you, I would not get a herding dog, an LGD or a hunting dog. And I would not only get one. Two is always best as they will learn from each other and have each other to pal around with. (I've discovered an older dog can teach a younger one much better than any human can teach it.)


----------



## LazyGardner (Jun 25, 2015)

As Ottor said your want to start with breeds of dogs you and your family likes. You originally mentioned two different jobs most breeds were developed for a particular task or job but there are always exceptions of people who train their dogs to perform additional jobs. You might start looking at dog breeeds originally bred to be general purpose farm dogs. Off the top of my head corgi, australian Shepherd, Collie, German Shepherd, border collie, the list goes on and if you prefer to focus on your hunting trip consider retrievers or spaniels, my pointer was wound a little tight and probably would have stressed livestock. Start with a trip to the library many of the all breed books describe what work the dogs were originally developed for. You can start looking at breeeds or mixes of breeds you like. I used rottweilers to herd my goats and pig, protect the poultry, Although 20 years ago on the east coast their guarding was only against opossums, raccoons, and the neighbors loose pets. One of them did find and bring me eggs or chicks on a regular basis but I did not train that. They also pulled carts, and whatever other odd job needed doing. I never hunted with them, unless you want to count hunting lost humans I had no trouble training them for search and rescue work. If you don't have livestock yet make sure if you get a puppy first; that it grows up visiting livestock animals often, and learns to respect them. Herding lessons will help with that and give you a head start when you get your farm. Lessons with a dog trainer that hunts will get your pup started there. I usually recommend one pup at a time so you have the time to dedicate to developing that pup into the dog you want. Then consider a second pup to learn from the first and be a dog companion. Although I have broken that rule many times with fine results. The most important variable is how much time you invest into raising your pup to be the dog you want starting with a particular breed will usually jump start that process. Also when you are looking at breeders keep in mind that many dogs these days have not performed their task in many generations. Good luck!


----------



## wiscto (Nov 24, 2014)

Well, just because you said retrieving instincts and hunting, I'll just say that I think a lab could do great if you're like me and you love a good labrador. Mine had a nose that would have made a bloodhound jealous. I may be a little biased... She flushed her first pheasant before we ever introduced her to the scent. She just smelled them, veered off the trail, bee-lined right into some brush, and off they flew. 

So yea I think you could train one to do the hunting you're interested in, as well as find those eggs. I would start working with them using grocery store eggs, boil them if you're paranoid about bacteria. If you do it that way, you can train them not to break the eggs before you start sending them off looking for duck eggs. Personally I would have them learn to just find and signal, no touching the eggs. You may get one with a soft enough mouth that they won't break them, but I would give that some time before you try having them actually retrieve. You'll have a good idea as you watch them learn to retrieve all their other toys.

As for the rest of farm duties... My lab was a dope, but she wouldn't have hurt a goat, and she wouldn't have let a goat hurt me either. I'm not sure that many retrievers (any breed) will ever find a use for herding, but some of them may move a goat that isn't listening to you just because it thinks the goat should listen to you. For any of the hunting breeds, you will have to spend some time teaching them that your ducks are not their ducks. 

Definitely doable though, I think. If you look into labs, you want to look for breeders who have multiple colors in their program. Anyone exclusively selling yellow labs, or "fox red" labs, or black labs, or chocolate labs, or "silver" labs are probably doing too much inbreeding.


----------



## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Aussies here. Mine roundup the horses and herd the cattle that come off the forest back off the property. They are loving and intelligent and the perfect pet.


----------



## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

In my life I have had fifteen dogs. Some with pedigrees that would make royalty envious and others that were truly multi breed mutts. They all had their own personalities and I loved them all. The breed is not as important as the relationship you are willing to develop with the animal. Many people put their noses in the air when they think of mutts but if they are animal people they understand the nature of hybrid vigor. I've had Labs, English Setters, and Springer Spaniels, but the best Grouse dog I ever owned was a mixed breed Fox Terrier. I've also owned mutts that were so smart that if they grew opposable thumbs I'd fire my accountant. One is sleeping on the futon right behind me as I type. It's not about how good the dog is as much as how good a human are you? If you can't train a dog, develop a relationship, and establish that almost psychic link between you, breed does not matter. If the dog decided who it's owner would be how many would chose you?


----------

