Which Breed To Choose

[Jed]

Equerry

Just my opinion - cavaliers and pugs are not "horse savvy" enough to be out with horses.

Consider a spitz - Finnish etc - I don't think they chase, and they may suit you and your daughter.

Or a samoyd

Cocker spaniel - needs to be from a "good" kennel - good with cats and horses, easy to train, need grooming.

Spot the dog - I have eradicated feral cats on two properties and no more moved in. My dogs do discourage them, whilst not chasing the house cats. Maybe just lucky?

[Bjelkier]

Seeing as both Samoyed's and Finnish Spitz are herding breeds you have a good chance of them chasing.

And if you don't like grooming I would not suggest a Samoyed at all.

[poodlefan]

Seeing as both Samoyed's and Finnish Spitz are herding breeds you have a good chance of them chasing.

And if you don't like grooming I would not suggest a Samoyed at all.

Finnish Spitz is a hunting breed.

Judging by the one I've met, they certainly have a prediliction for roaming.

[Bjelkier]

Seeing as both Samoyed's and Finnish Spitz are herding breeds you have a good chance of them chasing.

And if you don't like grooming I would not suggest a Samoyed at all.

Finnish Spitz is a hunting breed.

Judging by the one I've met, they certainly have a prediliction for roaming.

oops I mean Finnish Lapphund

Don't know what I was doing there

[Gayle.]

Nooooooooo!!!!!! Feral cats should never be neutered and released, cats do not belong outdoors in Australia unless they are confined to an area where they can't kill our beautiful wildlife. An enclosure, a cat-proof backyard or indoors.

Feral cats should be euthanased.

I know where you're coming from, but until Australia seriousy gets its act together in terms of neutering and control of cats, euthanising a feral colony buys you about six months before another feral colony moves into your attractive cat-habitat. If the OP's own barn cats aren't enough to ward off visiting ferals, then euthanising what's on her property just opens the way for more cats to move onto her property.

Arguably, having her property support a small colony of non-breeding ferals prevents intact ferals moving in and successfully breeding because the habitat supports them for long enough to have litters - or worse again the habitat has enough food and water to allow them to have larger litters (e.g. four kittens instead of two).

So her choices are:

Do nothing, and harbour feralpalooza

Euthanise the ferals... and euthanise the ferals again in six months (which may be a problem after a while if the OP is a cat-lover)

TNR the adults and rehome the kittens, hopefully establishing a small colony of neutered ferals and that's it for her property for two to three years (the average lifespan of a feral cat with someone looking out for it).

But yes, in a perfect world, I agree that there would be no roaming cats impacting on Australian wildlife.

Keep euthanasing. Feral cats are not more important than the family dog, they're just not.

Edited November 18, 2010 by GayleK

[halfthewords]

To the OP, have you considered a Schnauzer (of any size) or a Staffy? Schnauzers don't have the typical 'terrier' temperament, and if socialised early on, make fantastic kids pets and coexist well with other small animals. They aren't so brazen as to attack a snake, and they aren't big barkers, diggers or havoc-creators! They are also easy to train, loyal, nonshedding and from what I have seen, adaptable to your energy levels.

Staffies are similar when raised correctly. I've never met a staffy who didn't live with at least one other dog or cat. Plus they are bombproof when it comes to kids. There might be an issue with the snake thing, though - they're ballsy enough to take one on!

[poodlefan]

Hanna Gibbs:

They aren't so brazen as to attack a snake,

They can be. Someone I know lost two to a brown snake.

[megan_]

Hanna Gibbs:

They aren't so brazen as to attack a snake,

They can be. Someone I know lost two to a brown snake.

yip - my mini schnauzer girl has a very high prey drive. I wouldn't trust her around a snake at all.

They are smart so they are easy to train, but they need a lot of training and boundaries because they are smart (if you know what I mean). Smart dogs outsmart owners pretty quickly. I love my dogs but they can be very bossy (in a subtle way) and manipulative because they are smart and feisty.

ETA: The different schnauzer sizes are VERY different dogs. Just because someone would be ideal for a mini, doesn't mean that they'd be ideal for a std schnauzer. The standard schnauzers that I know are very beautiful dogs - but with very different temperaments to minis.

Edited November 18, 2010 by megan_

[Greytmate]

I wouldn't imagine a schnauzer would be any better with feral cats than the last dogs were.

[halfthewords]

I wouldn't imagine a schnauzer would be any better with feral cats than the last dogs were.

My aunt has four mini schnauzers who live on acreage in Richmond. The property is almost overrun with feral cats, the dogs don't even blink.

[halfthewords]

Hanna Gibbs:

They aren't so brazen as to attack a snake,

They can be. Someone I know lost two to a brown snake.

yip - my mini schnauzer girl has a very high prey drive. I wouldn't trust her around a snake at all.

They are smart so they are easy to train, but they need a lot of training and boundaries because they are smart (if you know what I mean). Smart dogs outsmart owners pretty quickly. I love my dogs but they can be very bossy (in a subtle way) and manipulative because they are smart and feisty.

ETA: The different schnauzer sizes are VERY different dogs. Just because someone would be ideal for a mini, doesn't mean that they'd be ideal for a std schnauzer. The standard schnauzers that I know are very beautiful dogs - but with very different temperaments to minis.

I agree with all that! My aunt has a bunch of schnauzers who are very well-socialised, live with ferrets (who have supervised 'free time' inside the house every day') and there are feral cats everywhere on their property, the dogs take no notice of them. The cats have no fear, they strut right across the yard while the dogs are on the porch.

[Kavik]

Tend to agree with not getting more dogs if you are still having feral cat problems.

Many dogs live with pet cats with no problems, but not many dogs wouldn't go after a feral kitten if they saw one in their yard. You could get a new dog and have the same problem happen again in a few months time.

I can understand being upset about the dead cat, but it isn't the dog's fault it is living in an environment that is heightening its prey or defence drive by the random animals coming on to your property.

Some people make a choice between keeping dogs and certain wildlife safe on their property, because the two cannot coexist in harmony. In your case you may have to choose between keeping dogs or providing a sanctuary for ferals.

Get a dog when you live in an environment that doesn't have feral or stray cats, if it is important to you that your dog gets along well with cats.

I agree with Greytmate on this one. While it is certainly possible to get most dogs to get along with the family cat, feral cats roaming onto your property are likely to make just about any dog chase. I think you may have to choose between having the feral cats and having dogs.

[equerry]

Just a short note to say thankyou to the lovely people on this forum, Dudley has settled well into his new home and I feel in my heart we did the right thing,(even if I did burst into tears when they told me all was good), it was never a choice between Dudley and the ferals, we have 5 domestic cats to be concerned about as well,one who was killed and two who were badly roughed up needing a vet, our 5 remaining cats get on fabulously with our other Aussie, it was never Dudleys fault, it was ours I fully take the blame.

Anyway thankyou again for the suggestions of dog breeds, once we move to NZ which may be sooner than we think as we have had an offer on the property, I will be guided by some of the suggestions here as there have been breeds suggested I never even considered.

As to pugs and Cav's not being suitable around horses, I would have thought so to, but my riding coach has Cav's who lie around in the arena when you are having a lesson, and one of pug breeders in our area, breeds ASH's and they all get on famously.

However I understand completely where you are coming from and I do have one horse who dislikes dogs in his paddock and yes he is coming to NZ, but my dogs are not allowed in the paddocks with the horses anyway, and when I am doing anything with them, like riding etc.... the dogs are locked in the back yard.

I love schnauzers, there were two mini ones where I used to agist my horse years ago, lovely lovely dogs, but the OH is not so keen. I love the look of the Border Terriers and the Cairn Terriers as well, but anyway plenty of time for that.

Our remaining Aussie is actually getting quite used to being an only dog, my daughter plays with her more than she used to and she is enjoying being fussed over, she is also enjoying the attention of the cats who actually like to lie around with her inside at night watching telly and one of the cats who was roughed up badly by Dudley actually runs up to her for cuddles, so she is holding no grudges :-)

The animal welfare group has been so helpful in guiding us when dealing with the ferals and the best way to eradicate them (need to eradicate the dam neighbours first who refuse to desex their cats and are now in plague proportions), the remaining 5 kittens are getting desexed next week and will go to their new homes once the stitches are all out.

I know I shouldn't feel the need to justify myself but seeing as this thread which I wish I had never started has had me in tears for the week, I just wanted to let the caring people know how its all ending.

[poodlemum]

Glad Dudley has settled in well - it's a wrench when you have to rehome a loved dog and didn't need to be made harder by some of the d*ckheads on this forum!

Hope you will stay on DOL when you move to NZ and post some pictures of your property & new dog. Do you have any particular area in mind? I used to live in Ahipara, which is on the 90 mile beach at the top of the North Island - beautiful spot!

[Tralee]

.. once we move to NZ which may be sooner than we think as we have had an offer on the property, I will be guided by some of the suggestions here as there have been breeds suggested I never even considered.

A small Maremma, definately a small Maremma.

[Steve]

.. once we move to NZ which may be sooner than we think as we have had an offer on the property, I will be guided by some of the suggestions here as there have been breeds suggested I never even considered.

A small Maremma, definately a small Maremma.

Hey P withers lets you and I have a go at breeding some mini maremmas Id love one of them

[poodlemum]

.. once we move to NZ which may be sooner than we think as we have had an offer on the property, I will be guided by some of the suggestions here as there have been breeds suggested I never even considered.

A small Maremma, definately a small Maremma.

Hey P withers lets you and I have a go at breeding some mini maremmas Id love one of them

Steve - reckon you could have them ready for Christmas - give Deshonko a run for their money

[Jed]

Equerry

As to pugs and Cav's not being suitable around horses, I would have thought so to, but my riding coach has Cav's who lie around in the arena when you are having a lesson, and one of pug breeders in our area, breeds ASH's and they all get on famously.

I have been told pugs aren't. I have had Cavs, Cockers and boxers on a horse stud, with usual stud things happening, shows, breakng and training. All the cockers and boxers were ok, most of the Cavs were, but some never seemed to get that those big fast things might stand on them and kill them. Some believe they are bullet proof, and a lot are not very obedient. If your riding coach's name begins with P, the Cav there is one I bred - who is far too switched on to by stood on by a horse. The exception

"Did you call me? ME? Goodness, I'll have to think about that" which is not the response you want when they are about to be stood on by a horse.

Quite a few are killed by horses.

Cockers seem to get it, and boxers are good too.

[equerry]

Yes Jed, coaches name begins with P, have moved a long way away now so have moved on to another coach, P's dogs are a hoot, though seeing my OH's big wb geldings face as he cantered down the long side of the arena to find a Cav lying in his way was priceless, it was like, OMG what is it, do I jump it, avoid it, stomp on it???? They all seem to survive ok, luck I guess.

I am always worried about little dogs around the horses, especially the pups, our first JRT was not allowed out of the back yard for ages until he was a bit older and was coming when called etc... and they are not allowed into the paddocks anyway, but years ago my GSD got kicked by a horse, not badly thankfully but she did keep out of their way for the rest of her life, could have been much worse.

My rough collie had his leg broken by a horse once, wasn't his fault, I was leading my tb gelding down the drive to his paddock, my boxer was jumping up at my horses nose (he had just come back from a spell), I told the boxer of, and so did the collie, unfortunately it was at that moment my horse had had enough and struck out getting the collie instead, neighbour was watching who hated boxers and called out, pity wrong dog, but apart from being pinned together for a while, he lived to a ripe old age of 17, it was the one and only time my boxer behaved like that, and I had two of them, must have been co's she thought it was a strange horse returning.

I agree that boxers are good with horses, mine always were, same with my GSD once she got past the terrible twos, bestest dog ever, would love another one, maybe one day.

[nikitaken]

I think the cat-chasing has more to do with training the dog was given. When dogs don't get enough exercise or have no job to do they'd look for things to do themselves, which will be all sorts of things that human dont like. start training from day one, and be more sensitive about what your dog needs in terms of training.