I need a farm dog.

I thought the correct way to get a farm dog was to get them from the teary-eyed kids selling mutt puppies in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Reading back through the thread, a thought comes to mind. Many breeds can fit your situation, but many individual dogs may not. Consider going to your local shelter or Humane Society and meeting a few dogs in person. Given your history, how you feel in the presence of the dog will probably be important to the success or failure. Bring your girls, but understand that it may be hard to say "no" once they meet one. A one to three year old dog may be a better choice than a new puppy. Puppies can be a LOT of work.

My recommendation, start here: https://www.petfinder.com/ and enter your preferences and local area.

In reply to bigeyedfish :

I came to say GSP is what the OP wants. My border collie/coyote hybrid would as well, but that took A LOT of direct training on my part, I wouldn't recommend a coy-mix to someone who hasn't trained a stubborn, smart dog before. A GSP would be a perfect fit. 

Keith Tanner said:

I thought the correct way to get a farm dog was to get them from the teary-eyed kids selling mutt puppies in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Or it just randomly shows up one day.  That's how one of my folk's Red Heeler's (Amigo) joined the family some years back.  Weird that the other 3 dogs so readily accepted him, they usually run other dogs and critters off.

My family has a tendency for taking in strays.  Dad recently had a stray mule.  Random mule walking down the 2 lane blacktop, stopped to visit with the neighbors across the road's horses.  Neighbors opened the gate, and put him in my folk's hay meadow just to get him off the road.  Put flyers up at the post office, library, gas station, etc., made a facebook ad that got a lot of shares, spread the word community wide, no one claimed the mule.

Most folks have stray dogs and cats, we have stray livestock...

captdownshift said:

In reply to bigeyedfish :

I came to say GSP is what the OP wants. My border collie/coyote hybrid would as well, but that took A LOT of direct training on my part, I wouldn't recommend a coy-mix to someone who hasn't trained a stubborn, smart dog before. A GSP would be a perfect fit. 

A lady that used to work with me rescues GSPs,  She has had a few.  They are perfect farm dogs.     

Always had a mutt growing up. Dad thought they were the smartest, best dogs. Found that mostly true. Best dog I've had around kids was a lab mix, supposedly lab/Brittany Spaniel. That dog adored kids and would tolerate anything from kids but would get protective around unknown adults, not violent but still protective. Smart also, would only take one time to teach her tricks and she had it mastered. Also, a pretty good hunter. Would bring me her catch, mostly possums. One time she got a possum almost as big as she was, too big for her to carry to me. She ran back and forth between me and her catch to show me her catch.

Both my daughters have pit mixes and they are very sweet, wouldn't intentionally hurt anything. Oldest daughter had one that was a pit/Boxer mix, the meanest looking dog I've seen and wouldn't hurt anything. When she had a son, the dog became his by proxy. The dog would only sleep under the crib and let my daughter know when the baby was up. That one got a stomach cancer and isn't around anymore but they have another pit/boxer mix that is just as sweet. A big muscular & friendly 60 lb lap dog. Youngest daughter and fiance have 3 pit mixes and a dachshund mix. That little dachshund mix is a real instigator and will get the pits riled up. The pits are sweet but when they get riled up they don't know how to stop.

As Curtis said, find a non-alpha dog and you shouldn't have any problems. One that is kinda shy and meek. I once attempted a rescue of a German Shepard/Australian Shepard mix but that dog was an alpha and it became literally a one man dog. I was the only one that could get close to it as I was bigger and meaner than it was. Couldn't have a dog that my wife and daughter couldn't get near so it went away. To the pound and I did tell them about the dog.

Suggest a rescue, they seem to be thankful that they got a home and usually show it.

Both of my dogs are rescue dogs so I I'm kind of ashamed I didn't recomend that. Some dogs temperaments are better then others even of the same breed. Storms my 75lb lab mix and my kids hug and occasionally use her as a pillow with no issues. Her sister went to a friend of mine and she nips at kids. 

I've got a couple of muts, half basenji half some other bad idea.  They're small, both right at 30lbs but when someone broke into my workshop they wouldn't let up at making noise until I came out to investigate. 

They chase off Coyotes, possums and raccoons that try to get into my neighbors chicken pen (although I've had to buy an I'm sorry my dogs ate your chickens card for the neighbor once when my dogs got out and his chickens had gotten out at the same time). 

They dig out moles and gophers (and bring them to me in the house unfortunately).   I also wouldn't recommend them to anyone else because they're a royal pain in the rear. 

I say go to a few shelters check out different dogs, see if one clicks with you.  I've fostered and adopted quite a few dogs over the years and I've known the ones which were going to stick with me and I also knew which ones I was going to get healthy, trained and sent on their way.  I don't think you can find the right dog asking on the Internet, just get ideas of where to look.

Our dog Holly (or Holley, depending on who you ask) is a rescued Pit/Shepherd mix, and she rules. 

We've had her since 2014, and she's been great! She (mostly) gets along with other dogs and LOVES kids. All she wants to do is derp it up, eat, and/or "do a heckin' relax".  That said, any random non-dog animal that comes into the yard when she is out with us gets borked at big time until they leave. She is NOT A FAN of the woodchucks and squirrels that live around our area. She has even chased off deer before. 

I will say this: when we got her, she was a bit on the wild side. It took a good amount of training, but we were able to get her AKC Canine Good Citizen and therapy dog certs, and even did well in a local dog show with her. 

Hate it...my brother just adopted last of these pit mixes from his clinic. Sweet mama dog.  Would have been easy drive down to S Georgia.

We have a fishercat (and family) around that warranted getting a dog and a bigger one at that.  Nasty nasty creatures that have little fear of much of anything.  We got Abby a yellow lab Australian Sheppard mix.  at 80-85 lbs she has been very effective at keeping the rif raf away.  She will chase anything no matter how big and is very protective of the kids.  This is almost a problem. While I want her to run things off a cornered fishercat would probably not end well for her.

Fishercat

Abby

Go to the pound. Find the one dog that fits your criteria that can't wait to get out of the cage and lick your face. Get that dog. The breed is irrelevant. 

Toyman01 said:

Go to the pound. Find the one dog that fits your criteria that can't wait to get out of the cage and lick your face. Get that dog. The breed is irrelevant. 

This---- so many unwanted dogs at shelters.  Purebreds have a much better chance of getting adopted through "rescue" sites.   I'm a fan of mixed-breed dogs--- with hunting dog genes.  They tend to be smarter, and healthier long-term than pure breeds. 

Also---keep in mind that if you get a boy dog, bitch Coyotes in heat will lure your dog off property.   Your dog will think he's getting some tail, but what he'll get instead are 3 or 4 other male Coyotes who want to kill him.   Having a dog around to scare off critters is a good idea, but keep in mind that Coyotes will likely be smarter and tougher than your dog.  Keep an eye out for your pooch, and be sure he can't escape your compound.   

You want a loving sweet female GS/pit?  Forgot that my brother rescued this old girl.  Her front leg was severely injured and had to be amputed but she gets around just fine.  Older girl needs to retire to a farm.  All shots up to date.  Spayed.  Now healthy.  Free to good home and if she doesnt work out hell take her back and pay for your gas.  Currently living at his clinic past year.  Smelling flowers in Rosalynn Carter butterfly garden.

Seriously...drive down to Plains and take her home and foster her for a week to see if you like the breed demeanor.  Bring her back to clinic when you get tired of her.

Dang. Lots to take in, guys & gals. Thanks very much for all the responses!

Ovid_and_Flem said:

Hate it...my brother just adopted last of these pit mixes from his clinic. Sweet mama dog.  Would have been easy drive down to S Georgia.

I'm just quoting this picture so that we all see it again and the world becomes a better place.

Since you are seeking a dog for a specific task you would be best trying to get one from a rescue, particularly a foster situation where someone can speak directly about a particular dog's personality. Breed matters little.

We have a Border Collie/cattle dog mix. On paper that would seem perfect for you. But he is a barker. And not particularly brave.

I've had a couple Aussie Shepherds and mixes. They've all been stubborn PITA's.

I've currently got an English Shepherd male. These are not a AKC recognized breed but are a derivative of the classic 'farm collie'. Breeders say they are a "Border Collie with an off switch". Friendly, smart, very loving, fast runners, biddable. Again, your individual personality will vary but I'm sold on this breed. They don't look threatening to humans like bully breeds but most will protect you and your family from intruders.

poopshovel again said:

Dr. Hess said:

Rhodesian Ridgeback.  That's what they were bred for.

Funny. Was just reading about them, and have always liked them. Exceeds gross weight though, yeah? Any smaller “mixes?”

A female will be around 60, 65 lbs fully grown.  The females were the killers in the wild.  Anyway, only bark at stuff that needs barking at, fearless, great with kids/family.  Known to eat couches in half if you leave them in the house.

Interesting fact about amputee dogs.  They adapt to amputation very quickly...literally up and active in a matter of days.  And their body "adapts" to loss of limb in a unique way.  Their torso actually rotates so that the end missing a limb centers where the remaining limb becomes centered on their frame so they are more stable. Loss of rear leg is much easier on them because about 70-75% of their body weight is carried on front legs.

One of my brother's best bird dogs is a 3 legged german shorthair.  Runs just as fast before he lost back leg.

The first dog we ever got was a baby puppy. The second is an adolescent rescue who already had a decent amount of training. In hindsight I’d have done it the other way around.

Puppies are cute but also a pain in the butt sometimes.

Dogo Argentino they'll fight a hog too!

Following. May be moving to some acreage soon. 

Whats the thought on keeping dogs on the property in a rural area? Doing parcel delivery back in the day it seemed like it wasn't unusual to see dogs running free but typically on their property. 

In reply to P3PPY :

no restrictions on your property, in town must be leashed even up here in the country.

 hey POOP, I have the Tri- fecta,  Chewy, A  sheit tzu, that thinks he's a hundred pounds,   Belle, a blue Heeler female, that my Wife swears is an x girlfriend come back ( damn needy) and my big dog,  Luke, maybe a shepard coon hound like mix, sleeps at nite where he can see front and back doors at once, good dog, all rescues

Joe Gearin said:

Toyman01 said:

Go to the pound. Find the one dog that fits your criteria that can't wait to get out of the cage and lick your face. Get that dog. The breed is irrelevant. 

This---- so many unwanted dogs at shelters.  Purebreds have a much better chance of getting adopted through "rescue" sites.   I'm a fan of mixed-breed dogs--- with hunting dog genes.  They tend to be smarter, and healthier long-term than pure breeds. 

 

Also---keep in mind that if you get a boy dog, bitch Coyotes in heat will lure your dog off property.   Your dog will think he's getting some tail, but what he'll get instead are 3 or 4 other male Coyotes who want to kill him.   Having a dog around to scare off critters is a good idea, but keep in mind that Coyotes will likely be smarter and tougher than your dog.  Keep an eye out for your pooch, and be sure he can't escape your compound.   

THIS .....THIS.... THIS...doesn't matter what you end up with.......when the CRAP(lost numerous felines) hits the fan get the shotgun an SHOOT!!! ...at least here in Texas   

I am probably wrong but am not a rescue guy with little kids.  I want to see both of the parents. my sister has a rescue irish setter that is very volitile.  not common with breed but hers has it.