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What would you pick for a family dog?

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David W

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I like border collies and healers. We have a lab that stays outside and a old mutt that stays inside, like 15 yrs old. We have 4 kids ages 4, 2, 2 and 1. My wife wants to get a dog for the kids in the future, we haven't set any timeframe for this. I would like something that is going to be good with the kids and good around the farm. I can't let the lab loose at our friends farm or he would kill all the chickens! I don't know if we will do another house dog or not. We say no a lot of times but I like having them around. So what are your opinions and advice? Feel free to throw other breeds at me.
 
When it comes to kid's dogs, you can't beat a good Scotch Collie, especially if it's going to be an outside dog. My brother's Collie used to "herd" my niece back to the house if she got too close to the street. We had two Collie crosses over the years. The one we had when our kids were little used to pull a wagon, let them dress him up, climb all over them, and never left their sides when they were outside playing.

When we'd have kids visiting us, our second dog used to stand in front of them so they couldn't leave when it was time to go home. Considering he very seldom saw little kids, it was amazing how he just loved them instantly.
 
I agree with Kato, even for an indoor/outdoor dog a scotch collie is a great companion.
I have been blessed to have had 2 ,both rescues . Tibidoe was 4 months old and purebred and Bo was 2 and a half years old and had a bit of retriever in him . Both were very loyal ,but protective of me. They loved kids, especially Bo ,my niece used to ride him around when she was little .
They were great around cattle, Tibidoe we have when still dairying and Bo was with the dairy herd and the beef. They walked amongst the cows and horses ,but never bothered any of them. Excpet the one time I was cornered by a Holstein bull , Bo probably saved my life . :D
 
Myself, I'm partial to Corgis. We now have 3 dogs, Patty the three legged purebred Aussie Shepherd who is 15 and can't get around too well anymore; Lady, an Aussie/Black Lab cross who is almost 7 months old and is extremely sweet, loving, and protective; and Pac-Man, a Corgi/Red Heeler cross who is 5 months old and is 10 feet tall and bulletproof. Even though our 2 youngest are 17 and 14, the 3 Amigos watch out for them, and if Dolly & Miles begin to argue, they begin to raise hell to get them to stop the argument.

Next Sunday we pick up Jinkee, an 8 week old purebred Corgi female to round out the hounds. Can't wait! :D

Your mileage may vary.
 
The Scotch Collie, is that the same as a regular old collie, like Lassie? I did a little research but there isn't much info on them. I did see a picture in my search of a dog that was similar in size to a border collie and a similar nose/face shape. Most of the other pics looked like Lassie. It got me wondering as my father in law has a pound dog that looked just like this picture. She is similar in size to a border collie and and similar in the face also. She is colored more like a collie and has a long fluffy/feathery coat. Just made me wonder what she is. She is a great dog. A little timid but being a rescue who knows what kind of past she had.
 
I used to raise Scotch Collies and they can be a bit timid.
They certainly make good family dogs tho.
I also raised Shelties (Shetland Sheepdogs), you might look into them.
The are just like a Scotch Collie, only much smaller...
I always called them a 'big little dog' because they
act more like a big dog than a little one...as far
as being yappy goes. I really enjoyed both breeds.

Golden Retrievers are known for being good family/kids
dogs, but I don't know how they'd do with chickens. :D
 
I've had several golden retrievers and they make a darn good family dog. When I went looking for one I couldn't find one. I will not pay for a dog, I have a couple times in the past and ended up with money tied up in the most worthless dogs imaginable. It seems the dogs I just stumble across make the best dogs. Like buddy, my 3? year old black lab who's outside barking at some intruder as we speak. I have goats and totally free range chickens with lots of coyotes around and have never had a loss from a coyote. Birds of prey and a bobcat and a stray wiener dog that found a new home yes i've lost some chickens.

The dogs with the sad stories tend to work out best for me. Thats why I let the wiener dog stay. If it's only got 3 legs and one of them is 1/2 lame, blind in the left eye and deaf in the right ear, it'll probably find me and get fed:)
 
I am partial to border collies myself, although none of mine are partial to our kids. They like the kids but don't really play with them. We also have a standard poodle, she is awesome with the kids and does not seem to bother much other than she is onary to the cats. We have alson had a boxer who was an awesome dog around kids, she was hard on cats or anything she could get a hold of. She was not a down right killer she just liked to play, whatever she played with came out on the short end of the stick, except for our daugter. A big dog makes my wife feel secure so that's what we have. Although she would tell you that my old border collie would be hell on anyone who tried to hurt her or the kids, but we keep her kenneled so she is not working all the time.
 
I had a collie-german shepard when I was growing up...........guess that was my one good dog in yer life.........cud take her hunting coon,duck ,pheasant,didn't matter what when I walked out of the house with a gun she would start looking for something.......anything for me to shoot
that same dog would herd cattle sheep and hogs
wasn't real fond of Al Larson or the ups man.......... :)
 
The best kids dog I have ever had was a Catahula. He was about the most worthless dog for anything other then a buddy, I have ever had, but he loved kids, and me.
 
As a child, my family always had German Shepherds, a Beagle, & a Cairn Terrier. When I got married, my husband had a Shepherd/Beagle mix. He was a great dog. Personally, I was always a cat person, but everyone in our household is allergic to cats, except me. So I have barn cats that I spoil. When my friend gave me an American Eskimo I became a dog person, through & through. She was a stray, my friend found her, but her large dogs would not accept her so she came to me. That was one smart, protective, lovey dovey dog. In the middle of the night, if my small child woke up with asthma, that dog would alert me. My American Eskimo died, recently. She had a blockage & she died at the vet.

About 3 weeks ago, we got our first English Shepherd. She's 9 months old. If I did not kbow better, I would think she was a Border Collie. She's really smart & energetic. I've been doing some training with her & she is very intelligent. She is a great family dog. I didn't have to pay a dime for her. I got her from an ad on the internet. I'm hoping to get another English Shepherd some day. We are getting cows this year, & I'm excited to see how she does with them.

Did you ever get your dog? I'm interested in knowing what you chose.
 
Have a heeler, smart as can be, she tolerates the grandkids, but partial to the 2 yr old. Her running mate been gone for 5 years would watch the kids and if they strayed too far from the porch would herd them back. If you have good neighbors and the space, a beagle will be a kids dog till forever but they sure like to chase a rabbit. Their temperament is great every minute, the heeler needs to be brought up with the kid and will be as loyal as any.
 

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