Id have to say abrador. we hadd 4 all our life. 2 now a yellow-yeller and a black Tara,gret dogs very protective of their owners.

What was I drinking when I typed that above????????

I dunno, but I'd like a pint or 2 of it myself.... : )

I say germen shepard or a shepard cross. i have had 2 pure breds/2crosses.they protect,hunt and retrieve if taught,stayed with my kids wherever they went,would bark and scare the daylights out of stangers but never bite a one of them and they all lived to a ripe old age 15-16 years. i put a lot of time into teaching them as puppies and it always paid off. they were around baby calves,chicken,and kids-never hurt a one of them. they are the most intelligent dogs we have ever had. i have always liked the idea of a pyrennes but big dogs don't age well. how old do they get?

Its gotta be a smart dog...
{{gwi:886633}}

I had Newfoundlands on our farm, and they were great -- very good around animals and children, took a long walk each day around the farm, and I think from this kept predators away because we didn't see too many -- though we did have some problems with coyotes at certain times of the year.

Kbeitz....that is the funniest picture I've seen in years, the look on his face is PRIceless....I laughed right out loud...now everyone is looking at me as if I am strange!!!!!(Well.... they did that before, but now they are convinced!!)
PS: my vote for the best all 'round dog is Benjamin...he was 1/3 German Shepherd, and 1/3 red setter, and 1/3 golden retriever. A better dog never walked on 4 feet!!! Even in old age he could round up cattle better and faster, and have them less upset than any dog I've ever seen! He was excellent with kids, and when off duty as a guard dog, he thought he was a lap dog....all 100 pounds of him!!!!!!

The best all-around farm dog we ever had was a border collie. There wasn't much that dog couldn't do. Now adays we have the livestock guardian dogs. They are good at what they do too, but have much more limited 'chores'. They will walk right over a snake and never notice it.

Yesterday we acquired a 7 week old bc pup. Maybe she'll be as good.
j

I got a good laugh from that pic too, Kbeitz.

I have to vote for Blue Heeler. Great for hiking as well as other things. Always keeps me in sight.

Everyone has just about said something about big dogs, but there's alot to be said for small ones. We had some sort of corgi mix, she looked mostly corgi when I was growing up, and had we had not had her my little sister and I might not be here. We lived in a neighborhood with a chain link fenced back yard, and when we were small, a large (I believe part Great Dane) dog jumped the fence and took off after us, Penny (our dog), got hold of it before it got us. I remember seeing a blur across our yard, but my dad said that she had a hold of the dog's jugular and wouldn't let go. It jumped back out of our yard just about half dead, I don't think it wanted anymore of that little dog. He said she had torn it's neck open. It never had a chance to get near us. I've heard corgi's are also good for herding cattle, so seems like that might be an interesting choice.

God above, ANYTHING but a Beagle....trust me.

Shawnee, I have to agree with you on the Beagle thing. We have four great larger "farm" dogs, all mixed bread and then there is Mr. Barney, the spoiled "pleeeeeese let me sleep in your bed" beagle. OMG - what can you say about beagles that hasn't already been said? If it involves food or napping then thats for him - but the mere thought of work?? Barney's idea of work is getting himself up on the kitchen table (yes, I mean standing on it!) after one of my kids have didn't push their chair back in upon leaving the table. Big no-no with a beagle around. He is not one I can leave outside on his own, as he has more than once run down the country road into the farmers corn field - just follows his nose I suppose. Don't get me wrong - I love him to death. Even though they are not a good "farm" dogs, they truly are one of the most lovable, just happy-to-be alive dogs I have ever seen. He gets along with everyone and wouldn't hurt a fly. I just think that sometimes God blessed him with more heart than smarts!! :)

Great Pyrenees, keeps away strays, Coyotes and strangers.And you don't know there around.. I have two and would not trade them for a million.
MskeetPod

I have an English Mastiff and i have had them ever since i was little. They are huge, gentle, protective but friendly, smart but stubborn when they want to be. They are so gentle with children that most people will leave them with the children in like the yard by themselves because mastiffs will not take any crap from strangers and no one will mess with them bcz mastiffs can grow well over 200 lbs. They were bred to hunt lions and used in war by the Romans. They are beautiful gentle dogs. Males are very lovable and wont attack other dogs when out on walks( my 9 month old was attacked by a beagle the other day, mine just stood there like "what am i supposed to do?" luckily the beagle didnt leave a scratch on him) Big dogs usually have a bad rap but ive always been kinda scared by a small dog. My grandparents had a vicious poodle that they had to put up every time we came over. Everyone loves my dog and he is so obedient and smart. I just had to tell you all about my baby! he'll be 10 months old on the 24th.

This thread made me laugh! The beagle/terrier mix that looks like a pig! The Pappy's viscious poodle! Oh, thanks!

I had a border collie/black lab mix. She had the BC look, but was bigger and not as wired, so made a great farm and house dog. Extremely smart (understatement), good around all animals except chickens, great with kids, no health problems, stuck around the house, great watchdog but not a bark-at-everything kind of dog, and was big enough to scare strangers. The ONLY complaint I ever had about her was that she shed constantly.

If I ever get another dog, it will be a BC/BL mix. I think the black lab blood is the mellowing factor while retaining the border collie intelligence. I had to put her down at 14 1/2 years of age. I miss the old girl. :-/

Wow... so many opinions on this one...

Really depends on what you need/desire in a dog. I've had several different breeds over the years and each one has its on special appeal and benefits.

Some brief thoughts...

Collies... wonderful, bright, hard-working, intelligent dogs. (Shades of Lassie!). Owned one as I was growing up in "small town Alabama". Found him to be protective, ever-present, and very good with us kids. He did not like motorcycles or strangers.

Beagles... loveable, playful little dogs that make good home pets as well as excellent hunting dogs. Kept the cottontails and deer out of our garden.

Eskimo Spitz... (our current dogs) Bright, beautiful, intelligent dogs. Good watch dogs. Have also found them (contrary to some writings) to be very good with children. They DO SHED a lot, but that is a small price to pay for their love and devotion. They are devoted to the family and like to be in the middle of everything that is going on!

Larry
in Alabama's Fountain City

Well, I'd vote for a border collie. There's enough work to do on a homestead to keep one busy enough and they do like to work! They will do just about anything you ask them to, if you can get them to understand what it is you want. Since most of what makes a "good dog" is training, get a dog that's easy to train.

Without a doubt I'd say Great Pyrenees. I have 2 of them and wouldn't trade them for anything.

They are extremely protective of their people and property, and they are so gentle that my grandkids love them and play with them.

They don't dig in the gardens or do any damage to the place.

I could write a book praising these dogs, but I'll try to control myself and exit gracefully now... LOL

Any of the flock guardian breeds .Hey it's thier job to look after things and they are not usually attack oriented ,they are mostly extra big though.

posted the previous without reading all priors now seems sort of redundant . Mine is a Tibetan masiff ,very quiet always observing, likes to stay out doors the colder the better(it's warm here though)never gets rattled stays clean without bathing and has a sort of spicy /herby smell instead of usual dog smell is not aggresive toward strangers except on property around house, non - destructive and believe it or not is pretty good in the water ocean or fresh ,real bonus- on hikes can carry a heavy load and keep up a slow pace for a long time. For vermin a Rat Terrior none of the previous Qualities but great rodent control, entertainment and phenominal hearing/early warning device.

Let me say a word for the Boxer. Very joyful, quite smart, fearless, incredible energy, and will babysit children for hours. Once she or he understands that chickens and smaller farm animals are not toys, will completly ignore them. Always up for a rabbit or coyote chase.

For vermin, I'd recommend a rat terrier or a jack russell terrier. My jrt can chase rats in spaces the rottwieller can't reach. He lives to kill and devour rats, mice, crows, gophers, etc. He did have to be taught which small animals were mine. He will chase deer out of the veggies. Rotts get a lot of bad press, but aside from being stubborn, mine is great. She's joyful, smart, devoted, and has raised homeless kittens. I can use her for a pillow all night long. She will carry packs like a donkey. she loves to work. I may teach her to pull a small cart. There are webpages devoted to this. Purebreed dogs are perfectly healthy as long as they are not inbred to the point that their family tree doesn't have any branches.

I've lived with Blue Healers, Red healers, Labs, a German Shepherd(sp), and a Boxer...didn't live with them all at once though. LOL
Anyway, I loved them all and they each had their good and bad points. Personally, I think the Blue Healers are much more intelligent than the Red ones. Labs are wonderful, loving, dogs but they're hell on flower beds. I never spent much time around the German S. Just didn't bond well, but the best of all was our Boxer.
I found her in a shelter. She'd had a rough life. This will sound crazy to anyone who hasn't had the experience, but she actually acted grateful to us from day 1. She was a perfect housemate. Never had one accident in the house the two years we owned her. She never tore up anything and loved every child she met. She was quiet around them and very patient.

The downside was as karinz mentioned, Boxers will chase after game. Our dog was killed chasing a deer. You can see our house from the road, but we are not close to the road. She wasn't a roamer and had never done anything like that before, but it only took her chasing a deer once, and we lost her.

Sorry, didn't mean to pour my heart out LOL, but I miss that dog.

One you raise yourself -- so you can teach it not to chase/bark at your animals/family/friends. Almost any mutt pup will work. Although, you may want to stay away from the hound or hunting groups if you have birds or small animals, unless you are sure you can train it.

I've had many dogs and my favorites were: doberman pinscher, english springer spaniel, and a mutt (little yellow dog).

-C

Granted, there are some great mixed breed dogs out there but if you are looking for particular traits- go for a purebred. I raised and trained purebred labs and love the breed, they are fantastic dogs. All the labs I had were intelligent,of great temperment and tractable dogs easy to train,easy keepers and very well mannered. When you get a purebred lab pup, you pretty much know what you have. When you get a mixed breed, you are gambling.

Have to put in a good word for austrailian shepherds. I had a jewel, that was a joy to watch when it came to herding cattle. Now I have a husky, a great dog but not for the homestead, they see all small animals as prey, have to be contained or will end up in the next county and are terrible watch dogs. That said they are super intelligent and have great personalitys, but homestead friendly they are not.He is getting so he leaves the cats alone,finally.

First time I've been here and what do I find? This thread. My Dad has a Sheltie and I've got to tell you that was the best darned cow dog I have ever seen but she is getting pretty old. His blue heeler was too excitable and couldn't be taught.

His favorite dog? My current boy, Wonderweiner. Yup, a full-blooded long haired dachshund, LOL. He's instant death to mice and gophers, barks like a devil to announce company, keeps the deer and rabbits out of the garden and is great with the kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Although he is a purebred, he's five now and has had no health problems. He is great buddies with my Morgan gelding and any jobs like protecting the calves from the coyotes is taken on by the horse, who herds and is extremely protective. Plus, everyone gets their daily laugh when they see a 1200 pound black horse playing with a 20 pound black and tan weinerdog. They even lay together and sleep.

Annie

Got to add my admiration for Catahoulas with an advisory. I had one for years and she was gentle with people, great companionship, and very protective of property and family. She absolutely would not tolerate other dogs or predators to come into her yard and was protective of those in her pack (the other family members and animals). She was very bright, wary of strangers but only had to be introduced to friends once and she would remember them and welcome them (single them out from a crowd of strangers). The advisory is that catahoulas are very headstrong and independent and require firmness and lots of attention and exercise or they get into trouble.

My current dog is a Carolina Dog - similar to catahoulas in that they is closer to feral lines than most other domesticated dogs and exibit other unusual behaviors and physical traits. But they are more mellow dogs than catahoulas. The Carolina dogs are more shy of strangers (rarely barking), rarely aggressive, and are more accepting of other dogs. They are very smart and independent minded (which I like), but can also find trouble if spoiled and bored.

You can always tell a purebred dog... you just can't tell them very much. ;-)!

The owner makes the dog, nomatter what the breed or mix.

The more time you spend with them, and the more people and other animals they meet the better (especially as a puppy). Obedience training and dominance over the dog are musts.

I have a red heeler/husky cross. She weighs 30 lbs (she was the runt) and is too smart and too fast for her own good. She has caught doves out of the air, and rabbits and squirrels while tied up. She killed a coyote bigger than she was once. She has killed skunks without getting sprayed but that porcupine's tail way a little bit faster than she was.

I've herded sheep and cattle with her, taken her squirrel and rabbit hunting. I even take her icefishing. She watches the bobbers better than I do and lets me know when I get a bite!

She is the best guard dog I've ever seen. She is colored like a dark brown/black wolf, very intimidating. She is very alert and doesn't miss any motion. She is very quiet so when she barks we know something is really wrong.

I'll never have a purebred again.

Huh, I just put in a shameless plug for English shepherds in the deer/fencing thread, but here goes:

One person mentioned farm collies, and that's what an English shepherd is (not all farm collies are ES, all ES are potentially farm collies). They are all-purpose farm dogs: not stock dogs, not hunting dogs, not guard dogs, but all three. They are the dogs that everybody's great-grandfather had, before Rin-tin-tin and Lassie and the AKC convinced people that they should have 'imports' and 'pedigree dogs.' They are 'Old Shep.'

They aren't some new, made-up breed or new import -- they are an American farm dog. We've found advertisements for them dating back a century, and they've been registered since the 30's -- currently three different privately-owned registries, but the ES Club is starting a nonprofit member-owned registry this year.

With some reasonable care in selection and upbringing, an ES will work your livestock when YOU need it done or when the dog sees a real need, and leave them alone otherwise, and leave your neighbor's stock alone (unless they get into your pasture). He'll guard the place but use some discernment, not use his teeth on the oil man and leave you to freeze. Great varmint control, great chicken guards. Devoted to your kids. They don't do well as either yard dogs or fuzzy little child substitutes, they need to be part of your life and know they are your partners and have duties that you define for them.

They are hardy, healthy, wash & wear medium-sized dogs who haven't had the good sense bred out of them by being kept in kennels and trotted around a show ring hanging from a string. (But watch out for people who are now showing them for 'championships'.) Believe it or not, they barely shed at all. (I also have two German shedders ... er, shepherds, so believe me, I know.) The people who kept the breed alive through the 20th century were mostly farmers, and experienced at good livestock breeding practices.

My own ES are my search and rescue partners, as well as having garden guard duties and being my 'work dogs' in my life as a professional dog trainer. We bred our first litter of them last year, with over half the pups going to farm homes where they are excelling already, two of them in search and rescue.

These dogs are not for everybody, but they are literally *designed* to do the work of a small diversified farm or homestead. They can be happy if their job is to watch a few chickens and kill the odd possum and tell you when someone is at the end of the lane, or they can help run a farm with six species of livestock to manage. You don't need a guardian dog AND a herding dog, a good ES can do both jobs very nicely, and be your best buddy. And there are still folks out there who take their ES to hunt. Mine hunt lost people, but I've heard of them used as bear dogs, coon dogs (no 'hound music,' of course) and frequently squirrel dogs.

If you have a LOT of stock of one kind, like hundreds of sheep or hundreds of beef cattle, you may do better with a border collie or heeler, and two guard dogs if you pasture far from the house. But English shepherds are capable: the sire of our last year's litter is responsible for 400+ Holsteins (heifers on pasture and milking cows), and he guards the place, and he keeps the weasels out of the chickens and the chickens out of the flower beds, and he keeps a close eye on his owners' young kids. There do seem to be a lot of dairy farmers who like ES, because they are quieter and less likely to stress or hurt a milk cow, but also powerful enough to get those big ol' stubborn cows to move.

Of course I'm biased. But I always tell my clients, if you want a dog to do something in particular, get a dog who was *bred* to do that thing, don't take a dog who was bred to do something different and then badger him to do the job you want.

Here is a link that might be useful: The English Shepherd Club

I'm not sure right now if there is a perfect homestead dog! Some people mentioned the Great Pyrenees (6 mths old), we have 2 puppies that are mixed though with German Shepherd, then we have a full blood German Shepherd (18 mths old), then we have a Aussie Shepherd/Collie mix that is 6 yrs old. Well we started our chickens, had them fenced with their coop. After a few weeks we found a dead chicken, within the fenced area, and a caught the German Shepherd with it. The next day 2 dead chickens, this time it was the Great Pyrenees puppies. The next day it was 21 dead chickens, and with all the dead chickens were the Geman Shepherd, and the Great Pyrenees puppies (yes they killed all my chickens, but one). I think what was hard is we had fenced (will go taller next time!), I had tried to work with them as trainers suggest, etc. You can talk about the Pyrenees but they are still dogs, and dogs like birds! The funny thing is the only dog that didn't kill my chickens & never even tried was our Aussie Shepherd/Collie mix, I will say he did love to sniff & lick the chicks, but never harmed one. So no matter what kind of dog remember a dog is a dog and is a predators to many animals, so special work and attention is needed.

I havn't had many dogs, but I just love my Black Lab mix.

I think something should be said about enviroment. We got him mostly because when we went to see him at his prior home there were chickens and cats and dogs and children everywhere underfoot! There were cows and horses nearby! It was right on the road and all the dogs knew not to go up on it.And as a fairly young (older puppy) he was relatively calm and playful and let my toddler daughter love him. That was it for us! We took him right home.

Now here at our home he has been really good in all but a couple of areas. He stays on the property pretty well, and comes when called easily. He lets our toddler stand on him, pull ears and tails, and sit on him (before we rescue him of course!). He even lets her feed him from his dish piece by piece! And you know how some dogs are about food!

He only took a week or so to potty train in the house where he sleeps at night, and never has accidents. He keeps away coyotes and garden eaters. He is friendly to strangers, which is important if we want our packages delivered! He knows to stay out of my garden, and out of our shop. He knows not to chase cars or go to out to the road. He leaves my sheep and llama alone and can go in the field with them (though it is hard to get him in the gate!)He doesn't bark too much... and when he does he is quiet when you tell him.

His flaws are that he chews and digs everything... and that he chases birds. He wants to be a lap dog and won't take no for an answer. Oh, and he thinks it is great to swim in stinking stagnant water, or roll in dead stinking salmon! He also failed as a ride in the car or truck dog! He gets car sick, and really doesn't want to be in the back of a truck. You have to lift him in and out of the bed, and he looks terrified the whole time! He's not very brave about some things.

But we love him anyway.

The best farm dog I ever had was purported to be a Lab/Golden mix. She was kind of small, tho, only 20 inches tall, and could jump like a thoroughbred, so I always suspected there was something else mixed in, as well. Tina's passion was to keep the farm clear of interlopers. Possum, rabbits, racoons, and skunks steered a wide path around our 10 acres. She was very serious about her job. No barking about the business; in the morning, I generally tripped over the carcasses while walking my usual route. Twice, a rabid skunk wandered onto the premises. Those I found on the front lawn, where I am convinced Tina penned them until they died. Brain necropsies confirmed the diagnosis.

When she was a pup, she killed a chicken. Once informed this was unsatisfactory, she never touched another. Years later, I watched from my deck while several hens ate beside her from her dog dish. She rumbled low, gave me an exasperated look, and kept eating. We had lots of cats. Tina loved to roust them on occasion, but she never hurt them. It was her private joke, and she just looked really amused to see them run. Once I heard her growl viciously and ran out of the house in time to see her break a stray cat's back by shaking him in her mouth. I had to shoot the cat, and I really yelled at Tina. She was so ashamed, she ran under a juniper. I later found out that the stray cat, a Tom, had killed all the kittens in a litter we had so, according to my vet, he could make the female come back into heat. My husband maintained that Tina never barked unnecessarily. One day, she started barking like mad. I looked around. There was nothing there. So, I teased him about the dog barking at nothing. Just then, a shadow went over. It was a hot-air balloon.

She was SUCH a great dog! She was 12 when I had to sell the farm and move to the city. I considered putting her down. She'd always been a farm dog, living outside and taking care of business. My vet maintained that a dog like Tina would be happy as long as she was with me, so I took her with me. She didn't even have to be housebroken, for crying out loud! Just seemed to know she shouldn't make messes in the house.

I put her down at 15 in 2000 and still miss her like mad. I've now got two city boys, shelter babies, one I'm told is a Catahoula mix and another a Bull dog/Heeler mix. If I had to decide which would make the best farm dog, I'd go with the Catahoula mix. He's very serious, likes to spend his every waking hour outside, no matter the weather, and I actually had to teach him to bark. His hearing is extraordinary, and he's got more important things to do (like patroling the perimeter of my small yard) than chew or get into things.

If I had to get another farm dog, tho, I'd go with a Lab/Golden!

german shepards. just make sure they are from ofa approved lines so they dont carry the hip dysplasia. As for the long haired dogs people suggest becareful. they get all full of burdocks and other sticker type plants.
maria

just be a little leary of mixes. i have a shepard spaniel mix, i wouldn't trade him for the world, but he does have his quirks that are not best for all situations.
we have previously left him outside a lot, and he has become rather territorial of the back yard, anything that goes by (we have an alley, unfortunately) he barks and barks at. he can also be agressive when he wants to be. very very smart though, and i have to really work to have a lot of patience with him. he's a wonderful dog though, just definately has his quirks...
so do your homework if you are thinking of getting a mixed breed or mutt. the shepard fiercness combined with the bit of spaniel attitude and agression has its drawbacks.
~naughty wildcat

Rhodesian Ridgeback aka African Lion Hound. They are really amazing dogs:

Great temperment

very loyal

brave (you would have to be to hold lions at bay)

alert and protective but not overly agressive

big enough to dissuade would be hooligans of the two or four legged variety but 'athletic' looking rather than 'muscle bound and menacing' so they don't scare the relatives away, maybe a bad thing!:)

can run all day

short, clean, easy to keep coat

If you read their history, they were kind of bred to be a balance of 'Worker/Hunter/Protector/Family' dog. Based on my experience, I think they(South African settlers from the African colonial period) got it right.

IMO the perfect farm/estate/homestead dog.

The only caveat I can think of is that they are large sight hounds. While not border collies, they are happiest when they have room to spread out. So if you are looking for a dog to patrol your 3/4 acre lot in the development look elsewhere.

My current Catahoula mix--love her to death. She's a pound puppy, so don't know what the other half of her is. She's still young, but I've never met a Cur I didn't like :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Maggie

Bernese Mountain dog if you live in a cold climate.

Won't leave the homestead, won't chase wildlife, will let you know if anything or one comes near, has a commanding bark, tolerates cold weather, loves children, and is smart as can be. On her own, my dear dog will go get a drink and take a pee if we are going somewhere in the car. Even my kids never learned that after many lessons.

coriander

Well, Buster the American Bulldog is a choice for all-around homestead dog, but it's not so much American Bulldogs as it is the combination of Buster and Me.

The dog and owner have to work well together. Both dog and owner have to be properly trained. The owner has to provide more than just food and shelter -- s/he must provide leadership with consistency and clear expectations. (Not unlike raising kids, but dogs seem to get the idear a lot quicker...)

Granted, there are some breeds better suited to country life than others. I much prefer a guardian dog for farm work than, say, my MIL's horrible beagle -- who is just fine for a pet, but is gun shy, hides at any loud noise, and barks at all the wrong stuff. And a mixed breed can have a lot to offer, especially if the mix includes some good parent stock.

But really, when you get right down to it, it's teamwork that makes a good farm dog what it is.

Definitly depends on what you want the dog for.We have had labs and lab mixes, both got into our neighbors and our goats,rabbits and chickens, although I love Labs I'll not have another one here. Currently have two Bassetts, a Husky and a Border Collie mix. All are great for keeping the "critters" away,,,Bassetts sometimes don't know when to stop barking..but we have learned to live with that..Our Husky is out in the woods alot,,which is scarey during hunting season,,,Border Collie mix is a wonderful dog if you have enough to keep him busy, which we don't, therefore he is VERY demanding about getting attention,,goes so far as to push the other dogs out of the way so he can get all of the "lovin"..so I'm not sure if there is a "best",,you just have to find what suits you and which "aggravating" traits you can live with.:)

I'm in the process of building an off-the-grid homestead/wildlife sanctuary in a 100 acre forest deep in the Catskill Mountains.

I'd like to get a dog that can be kept as an all-around homestead dog but I really love observing at close range all the different creatures that live in the area --squirels, raccoons, skunks, foxes, cayotees, and black bears -- which come by fairly often, so I don't want a dog that will chase away every critter it sees.

I suppose I have very contradicting needs since a good working dog will always tend to chase away anything it sees as an intruder, but perhaps there's a dog outthere that can be taught what and when to chase away.

I've heard that great pyrenees are smart and capable of learning what presents an inmediate threat and what doesn't but I've also heard they tend to bark excessively at night. Any sugestions...?

Everybody has their own opinion and personal experience. I work with dogs each and everyday. Dogs of all breeds and mixtures. Every breed has a purpose it was designed for. Without training any dog can be your homestead nightmare.
For me and our operation we find the Border collie to be the best all round help and devoted partner.Let me emphasize that I spend time and training on these dogs to perfect their abilities.They do not run loose at liberty and once trained they are excellant using dogs . They make good children pets and farm guardians against strangers. They can accomplish any task involving moving ,capturing,herding ,penning,loading livestock,pigs and yes even fowl. We have border collies and also Great Pyrenes which by the way also do great at protecting the livestock in their care but are limited. They too require training to get the most out of them. No matter what breed or mixes of dogs you have for your operation ,training is an important part of any dogs relationship with it's owner and it job/purpose it was designed to do !Remember that and it will make your life and your neighbors so much nicer.
Dogtrainer

I have two australian shepherds. They are ready to go when you go. Hang out with you when you're done. Wary of strangers (well my male is. My female loves everyone) The farm where my friend keeps her horse has 5 Aussies and they'll protect you from the horses if the horses are fiesty. Great dogs, smart as all get out and small to medium sized (if you don't get a large one)

Cherri

I have a white shepherd named Baron (Bear for short) that is absolutely the love of my life and my 'white knight'. He is so smart and has such an expressive face that sometimes I could swear that he is human.

Very loving but also very protective (don't even try to get between him and my son until he has decided that you are no threat!) but also the most gentle dog I have ever seen. He will lay on his side and let my 2 year old nephew just roll all over him (tail beating the floor the whole time). He loves to play with my son and his friends.

We live on 80 acres in a rural area. Bear will start barking and it will be 5 minutes before we can even see whoever is driving up the road.

People ask how can I not be afraid to be home alone and I crack up. Whoever wanted to get to me would have to go through Bear first and there is no doubt in my mind that he would die to protect me, my husband or my son.

The link is my husbands photography website with some pictures of Baron.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Bear

My neighbors down the street have a Jack Russell that is excellent at going in and getting Groundhogs. Their Border Collies are amazing, but behave badly sometimes.

The best house dog, bar none, would be a miniature Schnauzer. Gottlob never causes any trouble, and he doesn't shed.

Well, since everybody has thrown in their 2cents, I reckon I will too. I've had just about every kind of dog there is including a Wolf, trying to find the right ONE for my farm and I've come to the conclusion that there isn't ONE. But you can get close to it. The best ones I've ever had were a female Aussie/Border Collie mix, a female Border Collie/Blue Healer mix, and Great Pyenesse male and female.
The Aussie/Border Collie was a great dog so far as being a judge of character of anyone that came on the property. If she growled or stood between them and you, there was something wrong, and you could bet on it. She was good with the stock and would work them well. She loved the grandkids after they got beyond infantcy. When they were babies she didn't know what to do with them. But after they became toddlers, she was as protective as she could be of them. If she thought somebody was being too rough with the kids, she would get between the adult and the child to stop the action. And if the adult started to reach for the child, she would come up on her hind feet and snap her jaws to warn the adult to leave "HER" child alone. She was quite the motherly type. But someone liked her too much and stole her. It really suprised me that she would go with anyone in a vehicle other than us, but she did, and we never saw her again. Which brings me to my second choice.
The Border Collie/Blue Healer mix was a VERY active dog. She loved to play and herd the goats and cattle. She loved to play with the grandkids and was very much a family orentated dog. Unfortunitly, she like to chase our car when we went to town. No matter what we did, short of tieing her up, we couldn't break her of that habit, and she followed us one too many times and the truck behind us put a permenant end to the problem.
The Great Pyrenesse's were great guard dogs for the stock. They kept an eye on the comings and goings of everything on the farm and didn't let strangers out of their car if they didn't know them until we came into to call them off. The female loved the grandchildren and would walk everywhere with them. And if they started to go somewhere that she thought they might be in danger, she would herd them away from that area. The male was too rambunchis to play with the kids. He had a habit of knocking them down and try to keep them knocked down. He was a good dog, just not for the kids, so I'd have to put him in his pen whenever they came over so that they could spend their visit on their feet instead of their butts.
If I had to choose just one, it would be the Aussie/Border Collie mix. She was medium size, quick to learn, protective of the property, and all of the family and animals on the farm, and she had a great personality. If you can find one like THAT, get it.
Best of luck, Gray Bear

For us, hands down it is the Australian Shepherd. We have 2 right now and for working right beside you with the livestock there is no better than our Jake and Patti. Hard working drivers.

Well, this is the longest conversation yet!! I'm going to plug for my pyrenees mix and black lab husky mix dogs as good representatives of potential homestead dogs. The lab mix can't take the cold as well as the pyrenees, but both are dem good dogs. Smart, mellow, good pets, chase off the moose (didn't even think it was possible, but they are 180 #s of 'I kinda want to see if I can eat that thing' and must've resembled a very small wolfpack??) and act like cats towards local nibblers. I regularly find dead mice and rabbit offerings. Not gaurd dogs, but we've never asked that of them. A little worried about how they'll respond to the addition of chickens, but since they each were housetrained in a single day, i'm not TOO worried... my vote is always to go 'pound' or 'stray' adn raise it with the animals you want it to NOT eat. Also, pay attention to disposition. mellow is almost always better, as long as it isn't downright lazy. and if you can find a mutt with a resemblance to the working breed you most like... it worked for DH and I. my father in law tried to get a dog like our black-lab/husky mix, forgot about disposition, wound up with a crazy long-hair holy terror that could jump 6 feet in furious need of attention at ALL times, and so high energy he couldonly be trained after running him next to the car for miles and miles... :)

Newfoundland is probaly the best single breed . They have the following abilities : draft animal for heavey weights ( one held the world record pound for pound worlds strongest dog), swimming , retreiving , tracking,have rescued people from drowning, some say they can understand sentences not just word commands, they have size 28"tall 160 pounds size intimidation , cold resistant .
Or you could start your own breed !
Anyone doing experimental dog breeding? Or does anyone have pictures of F1 and F2 CROSSBREEDS BETWEEN PUREBREDS ?
These would interest me as well as statistics and facts .
New breeds will continue to develop like it or not . The dog I want does not exist yet so I may have to develop it some day . I am interested particularly in people who are trying to develop a super breed , better than the Doberman pincher. superdogs
A superdog is a a dog that holds a world record such as worlds: tallest , fastest ,bravest, smartest, best tracking , greatest endurance, best swimmer, toughest , best grip, strongest . dogs that make the Guinness book of world records .
OR a dog that would make all others obsolete such as the Doberman Pinscher was supposed to be with greyhound for speed and quick reflexes and red color , mastiff for faun color or Rottweiler for size an strength , Manchester terrier for intelligence and the black and tan markings, Weimariner for tracking ability and the blue color . (in trace amounts German shepherd for the partial shape of the skull and dachshund for the lower jaw .)
By the way the Guinness book of world records puts the 3 greatest weights pulled by a dog attributed to ST. BERNARD, NEWFOUNDLAND, AND A PIT BULL TERRIER.
THE LARGES LITTER: SAINT BERNARD
THE HEAVIEST DOG:SAINT BERNARD
THE TALLEST ( NOW DECEASED) DOG: GREAT DANE 44 INCHES AT SHOULDER
FASTEST DOG: GREYHOUND
Highest jumper (5 foot vault) : greyhound (also lowest hip diplasia of any large dog)
saluki and greyhound are sight hounds which means they have good eye sight except some greyhounds have glaucoma
THE REST COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES
FASTEST LAND ANIMAL IN A 3 MILE RACE: SALUKI,
best swimmer of dogs is as yet undetermined by me : Otterhound 19 hours continuous swimming , Chesapeak bay retriever 200 ducks a day retrieved, Newfoundland able to rescue people .
best tracker : bloodhound ,but the world record for the longest tracking of a criminal is held by a Doberman Pinscher (which is part bloodhound )
smartest dog :some say Vizla some say Newfoundland .
bravest dog: English Bulldog also used for gripping and strong neck muscles.Contact me at farmfreedom@hotmail.com

Best dog I had was a border collie named Gus. Knew his jod from day one. Was exhalent around live stock very protective. He was fearless. He could kill a coon with one snap of its neck. There was not a coyote how would come anywhere near the place. He died three years ago and I'm still grieving and looking for something to take his place.