What Kind of dogs to you all Keep

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October 5, 2008 at 4:17 am #39802
TaylorJohnson
Participant
What Kind of dogs do you all Keep and what do you do with them? Just thought I would ask. Interested if you have specialty dogs or versatile dogs. examples hunting, herding, protection, draft/ sled ,,,, what ever you do with them I am interested. Thanks in advance. Taylor Johnson
October 5, 2008 at 11:21 am #47438
Rod
Participant
We have an Austrailan Shepard about 7 years old. He was given to us as a young dog and we sort of trained him to work sheep and cattle which he is very eager to to do. But after he got kicked a couple of times we stopped using him on the cows who now come when called anyway. Dusty is now a retired cow dog, family companion and pet. He still has strong urges to herd and chase which we have to keep an eye on especailly with the Donkeys and Horses neither of whom are afraid of him. An kick from either would likely do him in.
October 5, 2008 at 7:59 pm #47439
simon lenihan
Participant
whippets, bull terriers, lurchers all used for hunting, however hunting with dogs is now banned in the uk, what a shower of a– h—- we have running this country.
simon lenihan
October 5, 2008 at 10:40 pm #47440
Does’ Leap
Participant
Our farm depends heavily on border collies. We had two, lost one this summer at age 14 and getting another bc puppy tomorrow. They work goats (main job), sheep, cattle, and pigs. We also have a Jack Russell Terrier for rodents who does an excellent job and a Great Pyrenese for gaurding livestock.
George
October 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm #47443
TaylorJohnson
Participant
Simon ,
I have a friend that has some fell terriers from over your way , great little dogs. I have Airedales for my main dogs, I use them to hunt just about every thing under the sun. They are some of the most useful animals I have ever seen. I train them all to a mega whistle ( reaches about 1.5 miles) so they will come back to me if I need them to. I tree coon, bear,cats , every thing plus I have even tracked wounded animals with them. I also pull fire wood to the house with them in a sled . They are a protective dog that is good with the kids. Airedales are a very versatile dog. We also have some Jack Russell’s that will get after about every thing to . My family has raised a line of English tick hounds for about 30 years now and my Dad is a full time dog trainer and handler, he raises a line of walker hounds . I use to have at least 20 hound but they are a specialty dog and I prefer the jack of all trades type dogs. Up until about a month ago I also had Mountain Curs , also very versatile. It always interest me what people are using in different parts of the world. I for the most part hunt my dogs but I love to watch a good cow dog work. Taylor Johnson
October 6, 2008 at 1:05 am #47441
dominiquer60
Moderator
I have a coming 3 year old Australian Shepherd, he is not the most ideal looker, but he will work until he drops. He works hens and hogs, guards poultry, and is great for personal protection on the road. Today at the poultry swap two customers let hens get away from them, such a look of panic on there faces as the bird runs and the untied dog leaps into action. With in a minute the hen is in their box and the dog settles back onto the tail gate. The other vendors love the entertainment, and a little piece of mind if their birds get loose too.
The farm I lived on for a while has an Aussie Shepherd/Blue Heeler mix, this dog taught mine to catch chickens. He also guards and catches poultry, he is timid with the hogs, but will out hunt my dog any day. His list includes song birds, rats, mice, chipmunks, snakes, woodchucks (will dig until he is out of sight and lame), rabbits, opossum, muskrats, turkeys, fawns, over ripe cucumbers and some solid attempts to kill a beaver, but never a cat or chicken. The worst part about this dog is he doesn’t know when to quit, he has run himself crazy and into serious arthritis at the age of seven.
October 7, 2008 at 9:33 am #47437
Carl Russell
Moderator
We have an pure bred American Canardly (Can ‘ardly tell exactly what breed it is). Mostly Black Lab. He does keep the predators away. Excellent companion, and he loves the Dominiquer’s dog.
Unfortunately, I never have many tasks to ask of a dog, so I usually just end up with good natured predator control. I often considered hunting dogs, but I like to hunt quite and alone, and I like to work livestock in ways that the dog, to this point, has not been required. They usually last so long that I don’t work that hard at finding the perfect animal, and having a working dog seems to require a fair amount of effort to keep them busy, so we have Jake the Protector.
Carl
November 8, 2008 at 9:25 pm #47444
TBigLug
Participant
We’ve got an 11 y/o Jack Russell who mainly keeps us company now. Back in his younger years he was a great varminter though. I had a 2 y/o Saint Bernard who was my baby girl. Her job was to just do-de-do around the farm and keep me company. Best dog I ever had. Sadly we had to put her down a couple months ago. One noght I went to untie her from her leash, lost my balance, fell on her and broke her leg. When we took her in for the surgery they found she had a massive heartworm infection. We didn’t have the money to do the surgery and the heartworm treatment (which the vet said would possibly kill her and she’d be in alot of pain) so after much soul searching and tears we decided it would be best for her if we put her down. I still think about the what-if’s everyday but I know we did the right thing. Now she has a gravesight on the highest point of the farm so she can keep an eye on us every day.
This is Bart and Maggie playing in the living room.
I miss you baby girl. Rest in peace.
October 30, 2009 at 1:50 pm #47442
Joshua Kingsley
Participant
My dad has a 1 1/2 year old Sheltie, 12 pounds of terror for the cows. The little girl can turn a big cow on a dime.
I have a Red Heeler, she is a great cow dog that will work till she drops, doesnt know the word quit and has almost worked herself into the ground. She was hit by a car at the age of 2 and is now 3 legged, she still works but the arthritis is bothering her more and more. At the age of 6 she is the farm elder and has earned her retirement if that is what she wants.
The other dog that is here once in a while is the Red Bone coon hound that my Son’s mother thought I needed to hunt with. She is protective of the baby and will hunt rabbits, and other critters. I still havent made it out to try her on coon.
Josh
November 1, 2009 at 3:34 pm #47447
Nat(wasIxy)
Participant
I grew up with airedales – ours was just a pet but he had lots of stamina! You couldn’t wear him out! Mega dogs.
However, german shepherds are the breed for me. Stunningly good looking, intelligent, strong, loyal…
I don’t have mine anymore as my ex kept him when we split up, but I’m yearning for another. I used mine to pull me along on a bike – before I had a car it was a really useful form of transport; he could gallop 8 miles pulling me before slowing to a trot!
December 27, 2009 at 6:22 pm #47450
DraftDriver
Participant
I use to rescue Northern Breeds. I had a female Siberian Husky, Cheyenne, of strong racing lines we brought back from Germany, she was trained to the hilt and a much loved pet. Unfortunately, some SOB in TX decided they wanted her and stole her out of our backyard…never found my girl and she was 7 and a half years old at the time…
Her side kick is my, soon to be 14 year old, Malamute/GSD Rocky. Deaf, going blind, my velcro dog, he has been the best companion I could ever want and he too was taken when the SOB’s took our Husky Cheyenne. Rocky showed up about 10 hrs later and has never been the same. Loyal to a fault, he went after our neighbor who threatened me one afternoon, protective, and has to be near me, if not he paces till I return. It’s going to be very hard when I have to make that decision to release him from this earth. He was one of my last rescues, abused, starved, and beaten, he bonded to me when I began to retrain and show him that not every human raised a hand to harm, but instead to heal.
My other last rescue, Dakota, is a now 11 year old red and white Siberian Husky female. She is the clown and whirling dervish of the family, loves nothing more than to lay on the bed at night when were all settling in to sleep, and has been a true joy to have. She too has had a hard life, beaten, half starved most of the time, shuffled from home to home, we were her 6th and last home. She is smart as a whip but with the typical Husky mentality.
Here are a few photo’s….

December 31, 2009 at 10:45 am #47448
Scyther
Participant
We have three dogs at this time. Two Springer spaniels that do get some use hunting birds and double as what my wife calls the top farm hands. They don’t really do anything, just follow me around every place I go. Also a jack russel terrier, he’s a young guy, just over a year but does go after mice. He thinks a lot of himself, very brassy.
January 1, 2010 at 12:53 am #47449
Robernson
Participant
I had 2 german shepherds. My oldest passed this summer. I also have mixed hound “creature” that is dumb as a box of rocks (sorry but it is the truth:o)
~R
February 15, 2010 at 2:00 am #47453
Anonymous
Inactive
they can take a direct kick to the head from a ZEBRA and live over it, go in a trailer full of BIG BULLS and come out alive moving bull the whole time, and do not mind dieing for the team (you), grit of a pit bull mind of an Aussie dog almost as smart as a boarder collie !!!!ill shoot some video of blue when i can he handles pretty good and has saved my bacon more than once with the ruf stock http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00OhxJyo1vQ
February 15, 2010 at 9:32 am #47452
jac
Participant
We have 3 “Jacko’s”. No particular reason or purpose. great vermin hunters though and handy for giving hens flying lessons on occasion:) loyal to the end with a mind of their own
John
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