Farm Dogs

[baymule]

I think they just hate intruders of all types. My female goes nuts over hawks even when the chickens are in the coop.

 

[CrealCritter]

This is our 100% outdoor free range guard dog. He sleeps most of the day under the workbench in my wood shop. He patrols the perimeter of the property at night, even has a path worn down. Anyone or anything comes up on the property he lets us know instantly he'll wake from a dead sleep during the day to bark and let us know. We got him from the animal shelter full grown, he's some kind of Shepard mix and takes his job seriously, very seriously. He even goes up to the nieghbor at night to check the horses and make sure their ok. On top of high protein dog chow, he gets atleast one raw fresh egg a day, he waits for me to come out of the coop - so he can get his egg and eats the shell and all.

And if anyone would ever try and come into the house un-greeted. They would have to contend with my wife's indoor 8 month old (already 70 lbs) Rottweiler pup - who my wife has named "Baby Bear".

We view farm dogs, first as guard dogs, second as family pets.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Love them! I love Rotties. That is one gorgeous dog!

 

[CrealCritter]

Love them! I love Rotties. That is one gorgeous dog!

I think our Rottweiler is the best. He's very smart, loyal & protective of his pack (my wife and I) - and he loves our grandkids. Baby bear is still pretty young even though he's a dog big, he's really just a huge pup.

My youngest daughter also has a female Rottweiler named Mrs V. She has the same personality as baby bear to the point where it's almost Scarry. When Baby Bear gets old enough hopefully this fall my daughter wants to mate Baby Bear and Mrs V with any luck she'll have pups.

Here's Mrs V as you can see she's full grown and a good 150lbs. Good thing Mrs V loves me. No way I would want to tangle with her :yikes

Rottweiler puppies are very hard to find. My wife searched 3 months to find baby bear, drove over 100 miles one way to pick him up and paid $550.00 for him. Rottweilers have such a bad rap... Any dog will be mean if you don't train it right and abuse it.

I guess people are just afraid of Rottweilers because their huge and are always the vicious dog in movies... The UPS and FEDEX guys leave stuff down at the end of the driveway and won't even come up to the house.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Wow they are not hard to find here but well bred ones are more like $1,500. I love them. They are amazing protectors and love their humans. I will own one someday.

I have delivery guys that are scared of my dogs. Mostly the Spanish Alano. They think she's a pitbull. Little do they know she's friendlier than my mutt!

 

[Hinotori]

Everyone is scared of my german shepherd, but unless you threaten me I don't think she'd go after anyone. It's the aussie/heeler cross that's half her size that views everyone with suspicion and has threatening body language to strangers on the property.

 

[baymule]

Farm dog #2. Parker. Our beloved old black Labrador died the week of Christmas, we were broken hearted. My husband was hit hard and he grieved. Our DD, her husband and their daughter came home for Christmas and told me they were going to get him another dog. The day after Christmas on 12-26-2011, they went to the shelter and adopted what they were told was a 6 month old black Lab. My husband was off that day, laid back in his PJ's and relaxing. DD called me, I left work and we surprised him. He was delighted.

We named him Parker. He was a perfect fit for us. Parker was very smart and wanted to please. He wound around our hearts in a short time. He adored our grand daughter and let her do whatever she wanted to him. This picture was taken 2-11-2012

Parker was house broken with the very first scolding. He hiked his leg, I fussed at him and hustled him outside. He never did that again. He was a big playful puppy, he got along with Polly, our inside Australian Shepherd and he got along with Paris, our back yard GP. Parker was such a joyful dog.

In March of 2012, my 88 year old Mom had a stroke. She had to learn to walk again, but she dug in and did her therapy so she could go home. She wasn't home long before she fell and fractured her pelvis. Back to rehab, then she came to stay with us awhile. Parker was so worried about her, he knew something was wrong and wanted to help. I had to get her up, into her wheelchair, take her to the bathroom, leave the wheelchair at the door and help her to the toilet. It just killed Parker that he couldn't be in the bathroom too! This picture taken 5-31-2012. Look at that worried face! What love in his eyes! Our bathroom doors were only 24" wide. What a dumb way to build a house. Later, Parked figured out how to squeeze his big self under the wheelchair and proudly joined us, licking Mom's knees. THAT didn't make her very happy!

Parker was growing into a handsome dog. He grew and grew some more, passing Labrador size. We researched black Lab crosses on the internet, looked at pictures and finally settled on what he might be. When we looked up black Lab-Great Dane crosses, there he was! We looked at picture after picture that looked just like Parker.

It was evident that Mom wasn't going to be able to live by herself any more. At my husband's urging, she sold her house and moved in with us. We gutted the master bedroom, had the bathroom remodeled and had a BIGGER door installed. Mom was happy. She quickly learned not to sleep on the edge of her bed anymore. Parker pushed her door open and enthusiastically licked her face!

8-25-2012

 

[baymule]

Parker is a big dog, but nothing made him happier than to be a lap dog. At my invitation, he climbed in my lap, snuggled down and went to sleep. Most of the time, his back legs hung off the end of my recliner.

Since I was home caring for my Mom, I decided to get more chickens. I added a hoop run onto the coop. A friend was incubating eggs and I reserved 20 chicks. It was close to Christmas. Parker is a remarkably good sport about things.

Our grand daughter came to visit and we got the dog kennel ready for the chicks. We wired cardboard around the sides so the chicks couldn't slip through. Cohen got on the inside, I was on the outside. Parker helped. Pictures taken 12-28-2012

They both put in a hard day, helping Mamaw get ready for baby chicks. Nap time.

Finally we could go get the chicks!

Parker was enchanted with the chicks.

 

[Beekissed]

Labs My all time favorite breed of dog. Not enough good to be said about their good traits. Parker is just beautiful!

 

[baymule]

We got Parker a bathtub to play in.
6-1-2013

I was staking tomatoes and my string disappeared! 6-3-2013

DH came out to help.

Time rocked along and on 9-23-2014, we closed on a doublewide on 8 acres-just 8 miles from our daughter, son in law and grand daughter! Over the next few months, I went back and forth, painting and putting down new floors. A fence had to go up for the horses and a neighbor came to our rescue and got it done. He also fenced a yard for Paris.

One night when I was home, I scrolled through pages of Great Pyrenees on rescue sites. DH asked why and I told him we would need another GP soon for the new farm. The very next day, a man came in DH's place of work with a GP puppy for sale. He and Parker quickly became friends.

Finally moving day came on February 14, 2015--our 19th anniversary. Parker was on his way to the farm! Just 11 days later, it snowed!

Parker embraced farm life, going bonkers over a possum in the horse lot. 4-25-2015

He made friends with the horses.

Mom passed away on Father's Day 2015. She was 92.

Parker claimed the tractor as his own and followed it everywhere. He was always in the middle of whatever we were doing. Here he's helping build the Hawg Hut. 10-28-2015

The day we closed on our old house 2-11-2015, and sold it, we hurried to the hospital 2 1/2 hours away. We got there 45 minutes before grand daughter #2 was born.

11-21-2015 Parker is on the job, watching over the baby.