Choosing a suitable breed of dog

DaNiEl1994

Mod note: this thread has been split away from another thread where the OP was looking for a suitable type of dog for different reasons. To prevent complete confusion between the two, the threads have been split.

sorry to hijack thread but was wondering could anyone help me,

i need help choosing a breed of dog aswell

situation- live in countryside, have a 35 acre farm with sheep so this dog cant be chasing them or scaring them it has to be a pet not a working dog so if it sees sheep preferably we need it to not go mad chasing or barking, medium-large sized, and not too exensive

any other info needed ask thanks in advance

was thinking of a border collie but would they be just a working dog not good pets?

boomerang

If the dog will have access to the farm and the sheep and you don't intend to train them for work, then a BC is exactly what you don't need. An untrained BC with access to livestock is a recipe for disaster. I'd say steer clear of the working/pastoral breeds, in your situation. How about a nice, mellow gundog?

DaNiEl1994

boomerang wrote: »

If the dog will have access to the farm and the sheep and you don't intend to train them for work, then a BC is exactly what you don't need. An untrained BC with access to livestock is a recipe for disaster. I'd say steer clear of the working/pastoral breeds, in your situation.

fair enough thanks but im right in thinking a working dog cant be a pet at the same time? any idea on what breed would suit

boomerang

Oh don't get me wrong, they absolutely can - Border Collies are great pets, in the right home. But they need a lot of attention, a lot of heavy exercise and they don't tolerate boredom - they need something to do. If they are just mooching around the yard all day, they will find ways of getting themselves into trouble, be it chasing cars/bikes/livestock. And tying them up isn't fair.

DaNiEl1994

i wouldnt dream of ever tieing an animal up,we wouldnt have enough for for a working collie so he is out of the question i suppose any other ideas people?

boomerang

What about a nice Springer Spaniel? Lovely temperaments, love country life, very outdoorsy and robust but don't have the chase/stalk instinct that would get a collie into trouble?

DaNiEl1994

not too gone on them, would your average labrador be good in my situation

aonb

Labrador
Retriever
Pointer
Beagle
Boxer
Dalmation
Setter
would all be ideal for your setting since u want a med/large dog. But depends on how much you are willing to spend - would you consider a rescue dog? If you get a puppy, you can train them from day one to keep away from sheep.

sotisme

DaNiEl1994 wrote: »

Mod note: this thread has been split away from another thread where the OP was looking for a suitable type of dog for different reasons. To prevent complete confusion between the two, the threads have been split.

sorry to hijack thread but was wondering could anyone help me,

i need help choosing a breed of dog aswell

situation- live in countryside, have a 35 acre farm with sheep so this dog cant be chasing them or scaring them it has to be a pet not a working dog so if it sees sheep preferably we need it to not go mad chasing or barking, medium-large sized, and not too exensive

any other info needed ask thanks in advance

was thinking of a border collie but would they be just a working dog not good pets?

I really really recommend that you visit your local rescue, tell them about yourself and hopefully they'll match you up with some lovely dog that you'll fall in love with. Or even just browse around.

Its a huge myth that all rescue dogs are adults/mongrels/troublesome/agressive. Trust me, you can find the perfect rescue dog.

Plus, you're saving a life

If you have any questions or need any help regarding the rescue nearest to you just ask

DaNiEl1994

thanks lads, will look into the rescue idea

Soodle

A Border collie actually would be ideal, originally bred as a working dog but nowadays people have them as pets. I highly recommend one, may find one in your local shelter as I really recommend this. They do make great pets, very quiet and affectionate.

DaNiEl1994

Soodle wrote: »

A Border collie actually would be ideal, originally bred as a working dog but nowadays people have them as pets. I highly recommend one, may find one in your local shelter as I really recommend this. They do make great pets, very quiet and affectionate.

i do like them alot but would a pet one run after and or scare sheep?

andreac

DaNiEl1994 wrote: »

i do like them alot but would a pet one run after and or scare sheep?

Any dog, pet or working has the ability to run after any livestock.

Just because its a herding breed and not used to work the herd, doesnt mean it wont chase so you need to be very aware of that.

sillysmiles

DaNiEl1994 wrote: »

i do like them alot but would a pet one run after and or scare sheep?

Not if you train it and ensure it has the necessary level of stimulation.

Soodle

No, even working collies don't "chase sheep" they just "work" them. You could also have him trained.