Choosing A Rescue Dog

[vegaquarian]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I want to get a rescue dog very soon and would be really interested in people's opinions and advice on choosing a breed. I'm currently renting in a rural area (Kiama, NSW) and am surrounded by cows. So I need a dog that will be OK with that and not want to chase them or bark at them all day! I also need a dog that is OK to be on its own a bit and not always running around (not a working dog) as my partner and I do alot of computer-based work. We are more than happy to exercise it twice a day and let it sleep inside, train it and give it lots of attention and love. In return, we want an intelligent, obedient and responsive dog that is friendly and sociable, but also capable of protecting its owners from harm if called on to do so. What are your thoughts? Cheers.

[furballs]

I think you'll find that it is generally working breeds that are dumped and need rehoming. Having a responsive and obedient dog comes from putting in effort with training. Have you had a dog before?

[Earthdog]

Head over to the rescue section and have a look at what types of dogs need homes. They are not all working dogs, in fact I live rural and our pound is generally JRTs and other small dogs. You will be able to find links to rescue groups, just look in people's signatures.

Do you have a preference for a breed?

[Dogsfevr]

What sort of fencing do you have in relation to the cows??

[BJean]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I want to get a rescue dog very soon and would be really interested in people's opinions and advice on choosing a breed. I'm currently renting in a rural area (Kiama, NSW) and am surrounded by cows. So I need a dog that will be OK with that and not want to chase them or bark at them all day! I also need a dog that is OK to be on its own a bit and not always running around (not a working dog) as my partner and I do alot of computer-based work. We are more than happy to exercise it twice a day and let it sleep inside, train it and give it lots of attention and love. In return, we want an intelligent, obedient and responsive dog that is friendly and sociable, but also capable of protecting its owners from harm if called on to do so. What are your thoughts? Cheers.

Unless the rescue know the breeds or breed mixes

they rehome to a t

I think you'd be better buying from a breeder

or

a breed specific rescue - who knows the nuances of the breed(s) they rehome.

fwiw

some LGD breeds fulfill your requirements

but I would be sourcing such dogs from a reputable breeder or

a LGD specialised rescue -

L:)

Edited May 8, 2010 by lilli

[Fleuri]

Unless the rescue know the breeds or breed mixes

they rehome to a t

I think you'd be better buying from a breeder

or

a breed specific rescue - who knows the nuances of the breed(s) they rehome.

fwiw

some LGD breeds fulfill your requirements

but I would be sourcing such dogs from a reputable breeder or

a LGD specialised rescue -

L:)

I agree with lilli.

[tdierikx]

If you are looking for a rescue dog and want a reference for a really good rescue nearish to you (she's near Wollongong), I would recommend getting in touch with Cazstaff on this forum - she does an awesome job with her rescues, and will be able to help you with any questions you may have about getting a rescue dog - and she may even have one that will fit your needs...

Are you looking for any particular type of dog?

T.

[Scarlet]

What sort of fencing do you have in relation to the cows??

Most / many dogs will chase cows if not fenced, especially if they have not grown up with them.

There is no guarantee about barking with most dogs but if a rescue has been fostered in a rural, semi rural area that would be good.

Sounds like contacting Cazstaff is a good idea.

You need to have some sort of idea on a dog. Small, big, short or long hair. Will the dog spend most of it's time indoors?

IMO dogs allowed to stay indoors are less likely to bark and be a nuisance as dogs like to be near their owners.

[dianed]

When you do narrow down what breed you want you will have to investigate that particular dogs personality and traits. That's my opinion anyway, maybe others differ. It will not matter whether the dog is a small or large breed all sizes will chase or round up if its to their liking.

I have 2 female rescue gsd,s and I live on a rural property. One chased the cows when I got her and got the shock of her life when they turned and chased her. My other one showed no interest and goes the long way round the herd just to avoid them. Fortunately our cattle are very aware of dogs having had lots of experience with wild dogs and put my young dog back in her place. You will have to train it to accept farm animals if its had no contact with any, as you would if you had a pup.

I cant see that as a problem if you are prepared to put the time in. A few rolls of chook wire around the yard or boundary fence would give you peace of mind and it would let the dog know its "yard" You can take the rolls with you if you move house.

All we have is a 4 strand barb and its quite funny but my dogs don't go outside that unless I am with them even though we are slap bang in the middle of 650 acres!

If its allowed to come and go inside I am sure it will stay close by as mine do with me, all dogs love human contact. Good luck in your search. And if you are interested in a shepherd try "Save a Shepherd" at Goulburn.

[Adnil444]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I want to get a rescue dog very soon and would be really interested in people's opinions and advice on choosing a breed. I'm currently renting in a rural area (Kiama, NSW) and am surrounded by cows. So I need a dog that will be OK with that and not want to chase them or bark at them all day! I also need a dog that is OK to be on its own a bit and not always running around (not a working dog) as my partner and I do alot of computer-based work. We are more than happy to exercise it twice a day and let it sleep inside, train it and give it lots of attention and love. In return, we want an intelligent, obedient and responsive dog that is friendly and sociable, but also capable of protecting its owners from harm if called on to do so. What are your thoughts? Cheers.

Hi, I have 2 rescue dogs and they are wonderful and a joy to have. If you check out petrescue.com.au you will see that there are pages and pages of worthy dogs - mine were rescued from pounds and put into foster homes - there they were assessed and were living in a normal family situation with other dogs, kids etc. The foster homes had them for about 4-5 weeks before I purchased them.

You will find a lot of working breeds, however, every breed is found on these pages - stacks of staffies and staffy crosses, german shepherds, labs, golden retrievers etc. If you are after a small breed, you will also be spoilt for choice. Another poster said it was mainly working breeds, I disagree, every breed is pretty much represented and sometimes in very large numbers. The petrescue site has been targetting sharpeis lately and again if that is the breed you are after, you will find many to choose from.

Ensure that you have adequate fencing, that is an absolute must for any dog owner.

My family has a farm, which we visit 4-5 times a year, and one of my rescues is perfectly fine with stock, even though he was not brought up around them. My other one is not, and I doubt ever will and I have to keep her on lead when we go for walks outside of the fully fenced hourse yard.

My suggestion is to speak to the foster carers of these dogs - they will give you a very good description of their temperaments etc. Many will also let you trial a dog as well.

Good luck.

[Kaz]

What do you think of a staffy or staffyx?

Some of the sweetest dogs imaginable in my opinion.

You could check out Staffy Rescue's website and contact Mina directly to let her know your requirements so she can recommend specific dogs of the right temperements. Having an actual kennels, there are many dogs to meet and choose from.

Any breed can be good around livestock - it depends on the individual dog.

Having just moved from Western Sydney to a rural area, my dogs are encountering horses and cattle for the first time. Two are rescues, a rottyx and a staffyx and one is a great dane.

They are all totally unconcerned with these strange new species and seem to treat them as if they were very large dogs that warrant no more than a sniff or two.

[Clyde]

A staffy type would be the last breed I had on a rural property with livestock.

If choosing a rescue I would opt for one who has been in a home foster environment for at least 4 weeks in order to gauge their temperament. I would also ensure that you can take the dog on a trial period.

[Trisven13]

A staffy type would be the last breed I had on a rural property with livestock.

If choosing a rescue I would opt for one who has been in a home foster environment for at least 4 weeks in order to gauge their temperament. I would also ensure that you can take the dog on a trial period.

One of our committee members is a staffy fan and regularly has staffy's and staffy mixes at her place. She is rural on 30 acres with horses, cows and kangaroos and the staffy's aren't any worse than any other breed to be honest. I think that it is vital that the OP find a rescue group who has dogs that live in a similar situation to the one in which they're proposing to put the dog.

Being rural we get lots of enquiries from people looking for dogs to satisfy similar requirements. We always point them towards our carers who are on acreage to find them the right dog. Provided they're happy to wait we find that this is the most successful way of rehoming rescue dogs onto acreage.

[Clyde]

Oh I'm sure it can be done - but in a rental surrounded by cows why risk it with a dog such as the staffy mixes. I'm sure with good fencing and management it's doable - but staffs are notorious for getting out of fencing and doing serious damage to livestock, rather than just chasing. The OP hasn't mentioned any sort of fencing.

[BJean]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post. I want to get a rescue dog very soon and would be really interested in people's opinions and advice on choosing a breed. I'm currently renting in a rural area (Kiama, NSW) and am surrounded by cows. So I need a dog that will be OK with that and not want to chase them or bark at them all day! I also need a dog that is OK to be on its own a bit and not always running around (not a working dog) as my partner and I do alot of computer-based work. We are more than happy to exercise it twice a day and let it sleep inside, train it and give it lots of attention and love. In return, we want an intelligent, obedient and responsive dog that is friendly and sociable, but also capable of protecting its owners from harm if called on to do so. What are your thoughts? Cheers.

OP looking for one dog that is NOT high energy, content to be left on its own for a bit, tractable, friendly and protective if needed.

Not a staffy

Edited May 9, 2010 by lilli

[rastus_froggy]

Ask LOTS of questions - EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY ARE REDICULOUS. Straight out ask them if the dog has ever seen/been around or even attacked stock before. Believe me these types of questions WILL be on my list of things to ask next time I get a rescue dog, as they may not tell you these things and believe me you are better off knowing up front. Yes you would think a resuce would tell you, but not always. Even if they are well known and recommended STILL ask these questions.

You are far better off knowing these types of thing up front rather than it all ending badly.

[kimzy]

Both of ours are rescues from the AWLQLD. We needed dogs that were cat and chook friendly and we looked for a while but found the perfect match. We spent several hours with them and asked tons of questions to the keepers, im sure we were a pain but we couldnt be happier with the results. We have a kelpie/ cattle and were looking for another when we found our Bubba who is a ridgie x lab. It wasnt what we planned on but his personality was perfect and to top it off he was even crate trained .

Anyway good luck I hope you find the perfect match

[vegaquarian]

Thanks so much everyone for your thoughts. It's great to able to tap into a forum full of interested and helpful people - awesome! In answer to your questions, yes, we are currently sorting out fencing - we are fencing off a corner of our yard with a 5 ft wire fence so that if we are both out, we have somewhere to put the dog that it will be secure and we know it can't get out. And yes, I have had a dog before - 2 german shepherds, which were great, but my living situation was quite different then.

As far as which breed goes, that is a tough one. I was thinking medium sized and we both love border collies, but figure they are working dogs and really need to be kept active all day, which we just can't do (ditto for kelpies). My partner likes JRTs, but I'm not sure if being terriers they are prone to being a bit yappy ... any JRT owners out there who can comment?

I think it is very good advice for us to find a local rescuer, then ask them to advise us based on our situation and needs (can anyone tell me how to find 'Cazstaff'?) Thanks again for your help

[Aphra]

Rather than a specific breed you're better off looking for a personality type which will work for you. And although I hate to disagree with lilli (hi lilli, Boo is goind very well), you can find a dog to suit you in rescue if you're prepared to take the time to identify the reputable rescues; be patient when looking for the right dog and be willing to put in the appropriate management strategies with any dog you adopt.

The suggestion that you look for a rescue which fosters in a rural situation is a good one. I test my fosters on cats, cows and horses, so I can tell people whether or not my fosters are likely to chase stock. I've had working dogs who were terrific with stock and some who couldn't be trusted, but it didn't take very long to work that out.

[ILK]

If you really want a rescue why not try fostering a dog first. If all works out then adopt it.

The lifestyle that you say you want to provide e.g. exercise twice a day. lots of love, spending time inside with you. Just about any breed could cope with that loving lifestyle, especially a rescue, because many will never have known such.

You would have to be prepared to train on obedience because that doesn't come naturally and you cant rely on a companion dog to be protective because a loving cared for pooch won't necessarily attack, but alot will bark at an intruder and give you warning. Remember that a companion dog is not a guard dog. It sounds like you want a dog you can love and if you choose correctly you will get exactly that and tenfold in return.

Goodluck!