What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens?

I know not to get a herding dog because they will harass the hens until they don't lay. It will need to be large enough to deter medium predators and I know we have a cougar in the area. People have been seeing her around for the past few years. She has…

    What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens?

    I know not to get a herding dog because they will harass the hens until they don't lay. It will need to be large enough to deter medium predators and I know we have a cougar in the area. People have been seeing her around for the past few years. She has…...
    Dog Breed Discussions : What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens?...

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    • What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens?

      What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens? Dog Breed Discussions
      I know not to get a herding dog because they will harass the hens until they don't lay. It will need to be large enough to deter medium predators and I know we have a cougar in the area. People have been seeing her around for the past few years. She has never gone after live stock but we have found deer and feral pigs that she has gotten.I just need a dog that can guard, but be trained not to go after the chickens or cats.I'm not getting a puppy. I'm getting an older one that is at least 2 years old and already trained.The cougar has never gone after live stock. I just want a dog that can handle being threatened just in case. I'm more worried about raccoons and coyotes.

      What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens?

      What breed of dog should I get to guard chickens? Dog Breed Discussions
    • you can't get a dog who could chase off a cougar- that thing get eaten.better to string up a hot wire- we connected ours to the welding machine. fried the feet right off a coyote!

    • Well.. I had a lab/border collie who did that job incredibly well. She took out two weasles, and saved 35 chickens. Possibly, go to your local shelter, tell them what you are looking for, and perhaps they will have something.Everyone here is right, nothing is going to beable to face off against a cougar and win. However a big enough bark might scare it off for a while.

    • I would build a stronger chicken coop before subjecting a dog to guard against a cougar.. My chickens are housed in a coop with concrete footings and a double wire enclosure. I have both coyote and fox in the area and my dogs have never had to protect the hens.

    • Maremma is an excellent choice as a livestock and chicken guardian.ALso, great pyrennese, kuvasz.Also, Anatolian shepherd and Caucasian ovcharka would be excellent choices.Oh, if you want a dog capable of taking down a cougar, you'd absolutely want to go with the south african boerboel.

    • I would say a GSD or Rott, my g/f has 2 livestock protection dogs, a Maremma/Pyr and a Pyr/GSD and both killed the chickens and ducks she has. But no dog can go it with a cougar..Many breeds will scare off coyotes by barking such as a Mastiff or Great Dane. They won't protect the fowl per se but will protect their territory..Both my GSDs and Rottweiler were fine around the chickens and ducks at the farms and never tried to herd them although the sheep and cattle that got loose got herded.