# Looking for a dog



## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

You guys are probably tired of guys like me but I'm looking into different dog breeds. I live in Kansas which means 0 degree winters and 100 degree summers. I don't have anything specific the dog needs to guard 24/7 besides me and my family but it would be my ride a long partner for checking fences so would need to be good with cattle and sheep but it's main purpose would be protection of the home place. We have A LOT of coyotes in my area and the stray wild dog so would have to take care of itself. I love the Rhodesian Ridgebacks from past experience but does anyone have any breeds they might recomend?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm partial to shepherds (German/Anatolian); however, I know someone who has a tiny terrier who literally fought off a bull when it was throwing its owner (grown man) around like a rag doll. It nipped at the heels of that bull and ran it across a river, standing on a log in middle river daring that bull to come back.

In the country facing large predators, I would prefer a large animal; and I believe most any of the larger breeds can do what you want. As I say, my preference is shepherds.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

I know German Shepherds have a little thicker coats so how do they hold up to hot summers?


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## Jupiter (Dec 30, 2012)

We have a GP that would die defending us or our animals, but we also have a GS that is great too. Both dogs do well in the heat & cold.


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## CageFreeFamily (Jul 19, 2012)

Honestly, I would recommend taking a look at the Giant Schnauzer. Unlike the smaller breed schnauzers, the Giant is a working dog all the way. They truly excel in property and family protection and are one of the few breeds who can consistently achieve a Schutzhund III title across the breed. 

They are highly trainable, intelligent beyond measure, and naturally guard their home and family. They are also not roamers. They are the kind of dog who, when let off leash, is not going to take off. They have a naturally defined limit to how far they will get from their owner. 

They are an old farm dog that was bred to handle chores from driving stock to guarding assets. They have long been favored for police and military work, not just for their intelligence and natural instincts, but for the powerful build, strong sense of loyalty, and practical coat. Their coat is dense, wiry and weather resistant. They can be left rough in the winter and clipped in the more standard coat for the summer. They would work very well for your environment and needs. This is also a breed where it would be suitable to adopt a rescue instead of having to purchase a puppy or trained dog from a breeder, as you would have to with many LGD breeds.

Here is a video about the Giant: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x5rRRxNM5U[/ame]

All this said, if I could have only ONE breed on my farm to do _everything,_ I would choose one of the LGD breeds with an eye toward the mastiff breeds. If you don't expect to need a full time livestock guardian, then I would urge you to take a look at the Giant Schnauzer.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Joe, I comb/brush my dogs every day to help her shed that winter coat. Then in the fall she starts putting it on again.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

A good breed to look into is a Bouvier Des Flanders. They are amazing, smart dogs! I had one years ago. Their coats are VERY heavy, but I shaved mine down in the spring and it grew in well enough to be dense protection in the winter. Bouviers, Giant Schnauzers and Black Russian Terriers all look sort of similar, with Bouviers being the "softest" of the three and BRTs being the hardest (most aggressive, etc).


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## CageFreeFamily (Jul 19, 2012)

BarbadosSheep said:


> A good breed to look into is a Bouvier Des Flanders. They are amazing, smart dogs! I had one years ago. Their coats are VERY heavy, but I shaved mine down in the spring and it grew in well enough to be dense protection in the winter. Bouviers, Giant Schnauzers and Black Russian Terriers all look sort of similar, with Bouviers being the "softest" of the three and BRTs being the hardest (most aggressive, etc).


Bouviers are an amazing breed. We had one about a decade ago that was a beautiful dog, though too intelligent for his own good. He could open the fridge and the upper level kitchen cabinets. I'm not sure they are 'softer' than the Giant though, unless you mean that they are not as intensely protective. The Giant is a very family oriented, affectionate dog that should not show any aggressive tendencies outside of a situation where it is warranted/desired by the handler.

They do have some differences though. The Giant has a denser, shorter, more wiry coat, but sheds more than the Bouvier. While both breeds work the same tasks, the Bouvier is considered a herding dog, while the Giant is a working/driving dog. The giant is a little more social, but the Bouvier is a little more inclined to rapid response to their human. 

That being said if you want a Bouvier as a true working dog that actually has the drive, toughness, and instinct that they had in their history, you might have to import, as the American Bouviers are lacking these days, which is why so few of them are used for protection work now.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

CageFreeFamily said:


> Bouviers are an amazing breed. We had one about a decade ago that was a beautiful dog, though too intelligent for his own good. He could open the fridge and the upper level kitchen cabinets. I'm not sure they are 'softer' than the Giant though, unless you mean that they are not as intensely protective.


yes, that's exactly what I meant. They are very protective but maybe not as quick to act as a Giant would be. Mine was very, very smart and so wonderful with the kids. She'd usually position herself between the kids and the gate to make sure none of them tried to escape. And she'd position herself between kids and their parents too, until she knew it was ok for them to take the kids. She was very smart and very intuitive.


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## Hexe (Mar 8, 2007)

I hate to part with this info, but check into a Black Mouth Cur. There are different kinds of cur, but the BMC is the dog described in "Old Yeller". 
Originally, the word "cur" was used as a description of the dog's function, not so much of what he looked like, it was like saying "dairy cow", "draft horse", etc. Now it points out the dogs looks and function.

We live in a cold climate as well, have some livestock and are getting a bit of predator pressure. I was looking into LGD's, but the fencing was a huge issue in an area that consists of a lot of bedrock. Among my research I ran across BMC's and checked them out. 

I got a pup from down south in July '12, he was eight weeks old. At four months old he helped me pen a calf, at five months old he started barking back at the coyotes and other dogs, as well as strangers, at six months old he treed a stray cat that had been tearing the heck out of my cats and last month he helped my Cattle Dog to subdue our bull, who needed a bit of "putting in his place". 

He's shorthaired, but holds up well with a doghouse and appr. food. He's a great buddy, does not run off, loves my cats and will not touch the poultry. I've had many different breeds for years, but can say that he's the most promising working dog I've had in twenty years. 

Most cur's are being used to hunt hogs down south or work hard-core, sometimes feral, livestock, but they are actually an old-fashioned homestead dog. 

Type in "Black Mouth Cur" into your search engine and you'll get some info, same in Wikepidia. 

The website below offers dogs/pups from different people for sale. While the dogs advertised are mostly from hunting backgrounds, they'll still make good homestead dogs if you get them young. I don't mean to sound cruel, but since they are an active working breed, the people using them don't keep/breed them if they don't "work". Dogs not doing what they are supposed to get "removed" from the gene pool... Your chances of getting what you're looking for are good. 
http://www.baydog.com/purebreds.htm

Good Luck.


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## kalmara (Aug 21, 2011)

no reason why a Rhodesian Ridgeback wouldn't fit - they were bred to herd and be people guardians. Correctly raised/trained they will respect all other livestock, even the cat  
They tend to have an affinity with horses.
Their short coat is a bonus.
Ensure you tell the breeder what you require and if the litter is temperament/aptitude tested (around 6 weeks old) you should be able to find a excellent match


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## Whisperwindkat (May 28, 2009)

I agree with the Ridgeback, they are natural all around farm dogs. Fierce when needed and gentle when needed. No stray animals ever made it far within our fence with our Ridgebacks. Even when he was dying of cancer our last Ridgeback was desperately trying to get and kill the armadillo that had decided to dig a den by the backyard fence. Yet, this same dog would lay in the yard and let the flock of guineas climb all over him to "groom" him. Strange cars were greeted at the gate and escorted up the driveway, at which point he would bark to let me know they were there and stand by their car door until I came out front. Once I told him it was ok, he would leave the car door to sit by my side. He went everywhere I went on the farm. He was our third ridgeback and all were equally great. We will be looking for another one this year.


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## joejeep92 (Oct 11, 2010)

I like what I'm hearing about the Rhodesian and from my personal past experience. Thanks for the replies! It is important that they get along with other animals since we have a rat terrier and farm cats as well as small kids.


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