Story Time Thursday

Two weeks ago, we sadly had to put down one of our dogs. He was a loveable Australian Shepherd with a big personality. He was incredibly smart when it came to learning new commands and what certain phrases meant and yet so goofy and unaware in other aspects. As our family has grieved his loss, we’ve also started talking about what kind of dog we’d like to get once we start homesteading.

As amazing as our Aussie was, he definitely would not have been a working dog. I don’t think he would have known what to do on a farm. He was really just happy spending time with us.

One thing we’ve been discussing is having a dog to help guard any animals we get from predators, so being good around ducks, chickens, and goats is a must. This is one reason we’re looking at getting a puppy that could be raised and trained around those animals. We’d also like a dog that can warn us of any unwelcome human visitors, while still being a good companion dog.

With our last dog being an Aussie and fostering several prior to adopting him, I would love to get another one with the typical affectionate and driven personality. Their natural herding instinct is a perk as well. However, I think it might be difficult to get and train one that would have a good balance of independent, working spirit and the typical “velcro” tendencies of the breed. The same goes for other herding breeds like Shelties.

German Shepherds are another breed we’ve been considering. Known for being relatively easy to train and bred working dogs, they also tend to have a higher protective instinct than most Aussies or Shelties. I have very little doubt we could find and train a German Shepherd to stay alert and deal with threats appropriately (alerting us or chasing off wild predators).

The top recommended dog I’ve seen for homesteading is a Great Pyrenees. Originally bred to protect sheep from wolves, they have great protective instincts against wild animals and are unlikely to develop a prey drive for your farm animals. They’re also usually very relaxed and social with humans. The main downside of this breed is their large size (think lots of dog food) and their thick fur coat can make warmer climates like the southwest desert uncomfortable for them.

Tips for Having Dogs on a Homestead:

• Herding dogs such as Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, or Shelties can be a great choice

• Guardian dogs such as German Shepherds, Anatolian Shepherds, or Great Pyrenees are also good choices

• When choosing a breed, it’s good to keep in mind the main purpose or job you want your dog to have

• While the dog breeds listed have genetics on their side, every dog is individual and training is just as important