Dog breeds that are cat, horse, dog friendly

[4horses]

We recently lost our shepherd and are starting the search for our next dog. I just don’t know what kind of dog I want, but I do want something on the smaller side (and hopefully with a longer lifespan then a large breed).

Someone has Aussie puppies for $500 (unregistered). There are lots of rescues in this area but they are mostly Pitt bull mixes and it’s difficult to have any idea of their size. We looked at mixed breed puppies today and spent an hour with the puppies… I just couldn’t bring myself to take one home because they looked like Labrador, Pitt, pointer mixed with something small. They were black with white feet with black spots on the feet. big jaws with sharp teeth. Sweet puppies and I was so tempted. Just not sure what they would turn into… maybe they would have been fine. I don’t know.

Our current dog is a quiet cocker Spaniel. I don’t think she will like getting mauled by a huge playful puppy. She’s a very sweet dog so I think she would be thrilled with the right puppy.

[Lusoluv]

I’m a first time Aussie owner. I’m able to take my very sweet and laid back girl to the barn with me everyday. I got her as an 18 mo old that lived in a kennel setting. She adjusted to living in a house with stairs, leash trained, potty trained all very quickly. She is great with dogs, cats and horses. She is off leash at the barn, but I did this in stages as our bond grew and knew I could trust her. My girl is 30lbs and 17" at the shoulder. I can pick her up if needed. Aussie’s are crazy smart!

[GraceLikeRain]

If you have a quiet smaller dog I would work through a rescue for an adult if at all possible. Going through a reputable breeder for a puppy dramatically increases your odds of meeting breed standard but there’s of course the natural variation and you’re 2 years off from really proving out that the dog is the right fit. Alternatively, you could get on a few lists with good breeders and wait for someone who has a youngish female retiring or they decided to not use a male they’ve retained. A good breeder should have done the socialization and showing/competing to really speak to disposition and fit with your lifestyle. A performance bred Aussie could be too much energy wise but a bench bred “Barbie” Aussie (my favorite) may be a great fit.

[luvmyhackney]

Almost any dog can be trained to be around cats, horses, etc… The breed you want depends on how much coat care, energy level, and many other factors.

I prefer Velcro dogs/breeds over breeds like Beagles (hounds) that tend to wander off due to their nose.

My heeler mix is fantastic on the farm, but she is not quiet at all. She is warp speed or laying down.

[jvanrens]

Aussies can be great, but if you end up with one with a really strong herding drive, they can be a right pain if you don’t take a lot of time to train them to not. The farm I managed ages ago owners had one, got kicked in the head for the first time at 6 months old thinking she needed to herd the horses. Eventually learned to stay out of the pastures, but barked at the horses from outside the fences and leaping at them when they looked out of their stalls. Otherwise she was a great dog, I just made sure she didn’t come out to the barn with me if I could avoid it.

[kaya842]

Yeah I’m in the no aussies for me group. Too high energy for me and the herding drive has been high in every single one I’ve met (all have been farm dogs).

Was going to suggest a Golden until I saw the desire for something smaller. Then I was thinking cocker and read that you have one Why not another cocker? They are super dogs.

[Texarkana]

I am very big on not “judging” people’s animal choices, but I find Aussies to be real wildcards around other animals. Some are phenomenal, but for others, that herding instinct is unbreakable. If you have one who becomes single-minded about chasing horses or cats, it can be nearly impossible to correct and usually ends with a vet emergency.

Same goes for other ultra-intelligent, high energy herding breeds. (Border collies, etc.). When they are good, they are the greatest. When you have one obsessed with herding, they can be insufferable.

[jvanrens]

After my dislike for Aussies based on a case study of 1, the canine love of my life is a border collie! LOL Her calling in life is fetching and going for car rides, preferably to the barn where she is happy to just sniff around and try to avoid the cats (one of which had her cornered today). She is the best thing around the horses. She sticks along the wall when going past them and doesn’t make a sound if there is one in the aisle.

[OverandOnward]

My only advice for a barn / farm dog – Learn how to teach a “Rock Solid Come”. No matter what the dog is doing, to stop and come instantly. No matter how excited they are about whatever they are into – harrassing other animals, found a carcass to roll in, carrying something they shouldn’t be, chasing something they shouldn’t be, etc.

I had a trainer teach me with a scatty, high energy, high prey drive lab mix. Got a lot of follow-up tips from the internet. It worked. With some refresh from time to time.

I’d be looking for advice on dogs that are the most likely to learn a Rock Solid Come fairly expeditiously. It might take some of the risk out of whatever your choice is.

[OverandOnward]

Having followed the mixed-breed dog stats in the U.S. for a few years now – and having been a lifelong believer that a mix is a fine dog, and a shelter or other source of mixes is a great spot to find one – I no longer think so.

Currently, the majority of mixed breeds in the U.S. are likely to have a 30%+ (even +++) percentage of pit. And pit + staffie, and other guard-type dogs. High prey drive dogs. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, pits and pit mixes can make great pets. But if you know that’s not what you want, it will be hard to find a dog from a shelter or other random source that doesn’t have that DNA enough to matter.

Aussie and BC are also widely prevalent. Both breeds have spread widely in areas allowing indiscriminate breeding. GSD’s, huskies, and other high drive breeds have become more widely found in the mixed breed populations, likely due to BYB.

Also, just because a randomly-sourced dog is a mix of well-made, good-minded breeds does not mean that this one will be. A lot of low-quality breeding is going on, in huge numbers.

Also, you cannot tell what is in a mixed breed dog by looking. No one can, no matter how much of an expert they consider themselves to be. Generally speaking, genetic traits can hide. Traits with particular genetics can alter other traits. For reasons of genetics, mixed dogs can look nothing like some of their large % contributors.

Mixed breed dogs today are nothing like they were decades ago. The good natured mixes of beagle, spaniel, terrier, etc., from decent purebred stock, are vanishingly scarce these days. There is no way to tell those that do exist from the randoms with all of the undesirables on board.

For that reason my next dog will probably be my first ever purebred. That won’t guarantee anything, of course. But it will mean that it won’t be carrying something I’ve already decided that I don’t want in my next dog.

Otherwise bringing a mixed breed into the home is like any other inclusion of any animal whose background isn’t fully known – you get what you get.

[Dr_Doolittle]

This.

Times a hundred.

[Dr_Doolittle]

One of my close friends has had two BC’s in a row, both incredible dogs! She does live on a small farm, but these dogs were exceptionally smart and sensitive – and knew pretty much how to please from the get-go; neither were particularly drivey - she just got lucky

[Texarkana]

@OverandOnward

Mixed breed dogs today are nothing like they were decades ago. The good natured mixes of beagle, spaniel, terrier, etc., from decent purebred stock, are vanishingly scarce these days. There is no way to tell those that do exist from the randoms with all of the undesirables on board.

You make an interesting point. While I wouldn’t necessarily say I agree that mixed breeds are no longer “fine,” you are definitely right that the mixes have shifted. It’s been many decades and generations since true working and hunting breeds dominated. Much of that has been bred out of the mixed population, replaced by what I fondly like to think of as “overcompensation” macho dog breeds. The pits, boxers, GSDs, rotties, huskies, etc. Cane corsos have skyrocketed in popularity of the past 10 years. These are the modern “man’s best friend” running around unneutered and reproducing indiscriminately instead of a bunch of gun and bird dogs.

(For the record, I have nothing against the dog breeds listed above. I really like them. But instead of Bubba’s bird dog breeding every female in the county, now you have Bubba’s machismo guard dog doing it)

[luvmyhackney]

@Texarkana

Aussies to be real wildcards around other animals. Some are phenomenal, but for others, that herding instinct is unbreakable. If you have one who becomes single-minded about chasing horses or cats, it can be nearly impossible to correct and usually ends with a vet emergency.

My neighbor has an Aussie, most neurotic dog ever. He’s always roaming and not super friendly, very skittish and always trying to mess with my goats.

My heeler mix is great now that I have a solid recall and good place command. If I don’t have her in a place or she thinks I’m not paying attention she will try to herd the cats which goes about as well as one can expect. She doesn’t bother my goats or horses.

If you are ok with smaller, my daughters mini Dachshunds are great little farm dogs. They dig occasionally but if you are consistent, they are very trainable. Potty training is hell.

[OverandOnward]

The breeder matters. A dog can be papered, but not a good example of the breed.

I don’t know if the U.S. will ever face up to the ‘dog crisis’ that the puppy mills and BYBs are creating.

[Jenerationx]

Something like a Springer Spaniel, Portugese Water Dog, maybe a Brittany? A family friend years ago had all 3 that were retired from either show or breeding programs and were well socialized, but not seeking attention from strangers, and lacked any kind of prey drive other than stalking birds and balls. A good breeder will retire them often at 2-4 years old after 1-2 pairings so as not to have too much of a single dog in the lines, so you could skip the puppy stage and have a better idea of personality than you would with a puppy too.

[Kemosabe]

I have been in Aussies for 20 years: small breeder, shown rally and confirmation. Aussies’ skyrocketing popularity is problematic because of backyard breeders, puppy mills…and marketing. Aussies are not for everyone.

That being said, there are breeders who uphold the standard, who breed for temperament and health. A good Aussie breeder knows her lines, and can identify the pups who are high drive, or more laid back.

ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) is a better source of responsible breeders than someone who just breeds for AKC. And I would absolutely run away from someone selling unregistered pups…because in all likelihood the parents haven’t been health tested, had a DNA panel or been OFA’d.

In Aussies, the dogs that are titled in confirmation, tend to be more laid back.

I currently live with five Aussies (one is out with the handler to work on his versatility title. He is already a GCH in confirmation). One of the keys to a happy partnership with an Aussie is the dog must be very clear on what the rules are. Which means the human has to be very consistent. Aussies thrive on routine.

None of my dogs chase horses or harass them. They know to leave the chickens alone. Cats are not prey.

I tell my puppy owners: you must teach the pup self control. And that takes time…like 2 years

A well bred Aussie will be a comedian, an Einstein, a velcro dog and one of the most intuitive dogs on the planet. But a poorly bred Aussie can be so high strung they need meds, have terrible health issues, bite, snap, nip at people and children and ultimately be a very unhappy dog.

For the OP: with your female cocker if you do get an Aussie get a male. Aussie girls can be spicy with other females.

[Larksmom]

my last two dogs, current one included I got from rescues 100 miles from here. The pound was full of pitts. The main criteria for me is cat friendly. The current one is the best ever with the cats. He is supposed to be an Aussie shepherd, but I can’t see it.

[Cat_Tap]

Why is there no mention of Labradors. I grew up with two black Labs who were very laid back obedient dogs. However they didn`t have any farm experience.

I am currently fostering a two year old yellow lab. There is no history on him available or how he ended up in a wildlife shelter.

So far he is potty trained and really well behaved and obedient in the house. He obviously had a caring home as he is used to having his feet cleaned when we come back inside. Leash walking is work in process. Is fine with the horses and cats providing they don`t move. We have done a little off leash work in the arena and there his recall is great. Because I am just his foster I do not dare let him off leash in the open,

He has only been with me for a week and at this point I am not sure i will apply to adopt. I had hoped to rescue an adult Bouvier however they are seldom available. I had 6 Bouviers who were cat, horse and dog friendly.

[sunkistbey]

I’ve had Labs for 40+ years and they make excellent farm dogs. I think the OP was looking for a smaller breed than that.