Chicken Dog

Well I've been doing lots of research on what type of Dog to get to protect my chickens...We have many predators here in Kamloops...from Rattle snakes to Bears and even Cougars...so it needs to be a large Dog...One breed of dog I've given serious thought to is a Maremma, A Guardian dog...Generally the are for protecting goats, sheeps etc..but have been told they will work well with chickens if started at a young age...BUT, who better to ask then people with chickens!(and dogs)

We have a Maremma/Rottie croos. She did recover a lost rooster for us once, but has played quite a few to death when we were away for a day. If you want a well trained guard dog, Aveley Heritage Sheep Ranch at Vavenby occasionally sell some that are raised with chickens and sheep.

Are they Maremma's?

I have a great pyrenese/st bernard cross which is awesome at protecting. He is still a puppy so has mauled a few, but not killed them. He wants them to sleep in his dog house so will bring them to his house if he finds them loose in the yard. He will take the ducks out of their pen and bring them to his house, and is very partial to the muscovies. He leaves the blue swedish alone. I have given him heck and he has not tried to touch the chickens in over 2 weeks even when they get out. He will just sit and watch them. He also hasn't touched a duck in over a week, so hopefully he hs figured out that it is not acceptable. I would definitely get another just like him if we ever needed/wanted another one!!

Are they Maremma's?

I believe they are Kuvasz. Just for information our neighbour has some Kuvasz pups on Kijiji at present. I cannot recommend them or not as I have not had any contact with the neighbour or their dogs.

smokyriver wrote:I have a great pyrenese/st bernard cross which is awesome at protecting. He is still a puppy so has mauled a few, but not killed them. He wants them to sleep in his dog house so will bring them to his house if he finds them loose in the yard. He will take the ducks out of their pen and bring them to his house, and is very partial to the muscovies. He leaves the blue swedish alone. I have given him heck and he has not tried to touch the chickens in over 2 weeks even when they get out. He will just sit and watch them. He also hasn't touched a duck in over a week, so hopefully he hs figured out that it is not acceptable. I would definitely get another just like him if we ever needed/wanted another one!!

Sounds like he's on the right track...how old is he? Got any pics??

rosewood wrote:

Are they Maremma's?

I believe they are Kuvasz. Just for information our neighbour has some Kuvasz pups on Kijiji at present. I cannot recommend them or not as I have not had any contact with the neighbour or their dogs.

Never heard of this breed before...I'll check it out! Sounds like your neighbours aren't very friendly....We have neighbours like that on both sides....I thought when you moved to the country...you looked out for one another...not so apparently...Sorry...got off topic!

These are not next door neighbour types, but live at the busy end of the road. They could be friends that I haven't met yet. I don't get out much accept to volunteer at school where the gkids attend and the farmer's market at Sun Peaks. We do have some good neighbours here, but I haven't met the people selling the dogs yet.

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He is around 6 months now I guess, boy does time fly, I had at first typed in 4 but then recalculated. I will take pics of him tomorrow. He is definitely going to be a big boy, and we get alot of phone calls from people sitting in their vehicles to ask if our dog is mean. Depending on the person will depend on what we say!! He will lick most people to death, but the odd person he has taken a severe dislike to so we have to be careful. He absolutely hates the fellow I get my grain from, so we have to really watch when he comes over for a visit, and yet this fellow would give the shirt off his back. There has been many times he has just given us a bunch of grain, and asked for nothing in return. We love this boy!! He was definitely worth way more than the $80 we paid for him as a puppy

smokyriver wrote:He is around 6 months now I guess, boy does time fly, I had at first typed in 4 but then recalculated. I will take pics of him tomorrow. He is definitely going to be a big boy, and we get alot of phone calls from people sitting in their vehicles to ask if our dog is mean. Depending on the person will depend on what we say!! He will lick most people to death, but the odd person he has taken a severe dislike to so we have to be careful. He absolutely hates the fellow I get my grain from, so we have to really watch when he comes over for a visit, and yet this fellow would give the shirt off his back. There has been many times he has just given us a bunch of grain, and asked for nothing in return. We love this boy!! He was definitely worth way more than the $80 we paid for him as a puppy

Where is Tangent? I lived in AB many years and I don't recall that place!

We are a little spit on the map about halfway between Peace River and Grand Prairie. Even alot of people who live in GP have no clue where we are! LOL

We have a Maremma/Pyranees here and he does a good job. He did go through the puppy stage like all guards do, but has only played with the chickens as well, we always caught him in time and he has learned that it is unacceptable to play or touch the birds, sheep or cows. He will charge at the horses if they get too close to the fence but has never chased them.
He does a great job of keeping most predators away, we are having an issue with skunks this year, and not sure if he just cannot get them before they get into the buildings or if he is not sure he is supposed to kill them? But coyotes and foxes do not come close to our place with him around, and he will also bark and give chase to overhead predators.

Kuvaz are along the same lines, guard dog. My in laws have an Akbash and love him, he looks and has the speed like a greyhound, very tall and thin, with medium white fur. But he does a great job protecting their animals and birds from predators as well.

There are lots of options, but check out the roaming of the breed you want and how much room you have for them to roam. Some breeds will be content to roam 5 acres, while others like to roam 160 acres...

Something I came across as I was looking for information on Kuvasz dogs is that Dominion Creek Ranch has Austrailian Shepherds. The ranch is on the road to Sun Peaks. Again I know nothing about the dogs or owners.

Australian Shepherds like the herding type of dogs? I have those. They herd almost like a Border Collie. I would not consider them suitable as a flock guardian, but my Jackson is awesome at helping me put the chickens away in summer if I am ready before they are!

I just picked up a 2 1/2 y.o. Maremma who has limited flock guarding experience but has totally embraced the property protection role. He patrols and barks all night. Sometimes too much barking for the area he's fenced into (about 7 acres), but the alternative was not having anyone keeping coyotes away as they slip under the page wire, so I'm making due with a little excess noise. He is indifferent to the birds, though they have not met face-to-face yet. That will come when the days are much longer and the snow is gone, and I'm home to facilitate the meeting.

Kim from Kamloops wrote:Well I've been doing lots of research on what type of Dog to get to protect my chickens...We have many predators here in Kamloops...from Rattle snakes to Bears and even Cougars...so it needs to be a large Dog...One breed of dog I've given serious thought to is a Maremma, A Guardian dog...Generally the are for protecting goats, sheeps etc..but have been told they will work well with chickens if started at a young age...BUT, who better to ask then people with chickens!(and dogs)

My new Avatar is one of my dogs TESS....She was born March 17, 2006. My St.Paddy Puppy!

Kim from Kamloops wrote:

Kim from Kamloops wrote:Well I've been doing lots of research on what type of Dog to get to protect my chickens...We have many predators here in Kamloops...from Rattle snakes to Bears and even Cougars...so it needs to be a large Dog...One breed of dog I've given serious thought to is a Maremma, A Guardian dog...Generally the are for protecting goats, sheeps etc..but have been told they will work well with chickens if started at a young age...BUT, who better to ask then people with chickens!(and dogs)

My new Avatar is one of my dogs TESS....She was born March 17, 2006. My St.Paddy Puppy!

She's not to impressed with the hat! Wee bit spoiled I'd say!