What kind of dog is best about not wandering from property?

[Wingshooter]

Sadly, hounds would not fit any of your requirements except that kids love em. That's my favorite breed(although broad).

My Redbone is awesome with the kids and super smart. However, he fails the other categories mentioned, lol. Barker and roamer if I let him. Great watchdog too but not mean. I hope he gets lazier when he grows out of the puppy stage though. Hounds are my favorite, too Edited September 3, 2013 by Batman

[Smith]

I have some 3/4 Lab 1/4 Pit puppies I'm trying to find homes for right now that would be perfect. The lab part is going to be a great pet and the pit part will do an excellent job herding and protecting the kids.  http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/69558-free-puppies-to-good-homes/

[Patton]

The Lab I have now I couldn't make leave if I wanted him to, I have had Labs though that would have ran for days.

[Guest confidence]

Thanks for the input everybody. I found out that the puppy is a Chihuahua and Feist mix. What do you think? No good?

 

I see what you mean about a fence. I guess I was thinking that since I live in the country it might work out without a fence, but maybe not...

[Peace]

     In my experience, a best-friend kind of dog, a dog that you are inseperable from - and one that is inseperable from you.... one who has lived a full life, loved well and been loved well, one that has come to the end of his/her life and earned a hallowed spot in on you property - that is the only kind of dog that won't run off.

 

     Even for that dog, any of the years before that are part of the wonderful game. After all, they are dogs.  Scent hounds (and most dogs) can smell a spicey chicken sandwich  12 miles away (and all of the other dogs in the "neighborhood"). Sight hounds will take off after any small game they see.... it's just what they do.  Dogs were mostly bred to cover ground and track/hunt/catch/find.  They are the designed to explore. 

 

     If our e-fence ever goes down, our fixed, 10yr old female weim will just as soon scoot across town to see all that she can see as stay in the yard.  Like a teenager, she'd think, "see ya at dinner time!" and be gone.

 

     That said, a Golden Retreiver or a Lab (pick your color) are easy choices.  There are a ton of great family breeds, but labs and retreivers are A-lister common family dogs.  A good underground or above-ground fence will take a lot of stress out of your lives.  If it helps sway you, our family lost a dog when I was a small kid - hit by a car.  That's especially rough on the kids (and the parents).

 

I've learned a lot from my pups over the years, so good luck, and congrats on whatever you get!  

[Peace]

Thanks for the input everybody. I found out that the puppy is a Chihuahua and Feist mix. What do you think? No good?

 

I see what you mean about a fence. I guess I was thinking that since I live in the country it might work out without a fence, but maybe not...

 

small pup huh?   What is it they call those things? ..... Coyote burrito?

 

Sometimes fences are good for keeping things in.....  sometimes fences are good for keeping things out.

[Guest nra37922]

IF your not willing to put in a fence or a fenced area for your dog PLEASE don't get one.  Going to have nothing but heartache, upset neighbors and eventually a lost, or dead, dog.

[Il Duce]

IF your not willing to put in a fence or a fenced area for your dog PLEASE don't get one. Going to have nothing but heartache, upset neighbors and eventually a lost, or dead, dog.

This.

Sent from my SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4

[Peace]

...and if you are going to get a retreiver or lab, get a pup from a reputable breeder, and a few weeks before you get it, purchase and read Richard Wolters' "Game Dog", twice (or "Gun Dog" - or any of the versions).  Keep it simple, positive, and absolutely consistent, and you will have one winner of a dog.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Peace

[Guest confidence]

Lots of great advice, here. Thanks!

 

Looks like we are leaning towards getting a Golden Retriever now. Will a Retriever get too hot in the Summer as an outside dog?

[Blitzen]

IF your not willing to put in a fence or a fenced area for your dog PLEASE don't get one.  Going to have nothing but heartache, upset neighbors and eventually a lost, or dead, dog.

Agree....Small house dog breeds may not last long continuously outside. Lost small breed dogs are on the local "pet patrol" everyday and I figure someone lets it out and forgets and checks on the pooch two hours later and it is gone. Coyote food.

[Guest Cazador]

The only dogs that I have owned that would not run off of my property were the ones that were abandoned on my property and I fed them. If they stayed two days or more I would feed them close to the house. End of story. Dog became part of the family till they died and they never ran off.

[Wingshooter]

Lots of great advice, here. Thanks!

Looks like we are leaning towards getting a Golden Retriever now. Will a Retriever get too hot in the Summer as an outside dog?

Keep its coat trimmed and groomed, and provide good shade with a kiddie pool or something. I had a Siberian Husky for a few years. That dog could not stand to be inside. He made me hot looking at him in the summer heat, but he seemed fine with it.

The redbone coonhound I have now is spoiled. I built a big fence in the back yard so he had lots of room to run, but he just sits at the back door and cries to get in. And he does Edited September 4, 2013 by Batman

[Murgatroy]

I researched breeds for two years before we got a pup. Border Collie and Lab are the two pretty much do it all breeds.

 

I am fond of fixed females. They are calmer in my experience.

[Hozzie]

Lots of great advice, here. Thanks!

 

Looks like we are leaning towards getting a Golden Retriever now. Will a Retriever get too hot in the Summer as an outside dog?

 

Great choice if you get one.  My Golden was and will forever be the dog that all other dogs are judged against.  They will get hot in the summer, but you can shave them down and they will be quite comfortable.  My mom was a dog groomer so it wasn't a big deal, but plan on some maintenance.  Dogs with thick, long hair can have issues with hotspots with the humidity so keeping them groomed and not letting the bacteria get out of control is important.

 

I don't want to be too out of line, but like everyone else has said, there are some musts that anyone considering a dog should have.  This is no reflection on you as I don't know you, but you must have either a fence (or e-fence), good shelter, and be willing to keep the dog groomed.  A long haired dog like a Golden will collect everything including burs, dirt, mud, etc.  They do require upkeep, lots of exercise, and probably most important for a Golden, companionship.  If you are going to just put them outside and only be out a couple of hours a day, please don't get one.  I realize not everyone is an inside dog person, but sociable dogs like Golden's really need that interaction.  

 

Don't expect it to be a great guard dog.  It will definitely protect it's people, and it may bark, but it may just as easily invite people into your yard to play and get attention.  For me, there is no better dog than a Golden, but they do take quite a bit of attention. 

 

Mine loved to ride the SeaDoo and had her own raft.  She would jump in, get on the raft and hang out for the afternoon in the lake.  

Edited September 4, 2013 by Hozzie

[Luke E.]

I was against Pit Bulls most of my life up until I finally let a stray call my place home. She was absolutely the best dog that I have ever been around and went to work with me everyday. She would ride on everything from Atv's to truck's to trackhoes and bulldozers and couldn't stand to be left behind at home (abandonment issues huh). She never met a stranger whether it be human, dog or cat and was this way to a fault because I let her out one Saturday morning to play with the neighbor's dog and went inside long enough to fix a glass of water... that was long enough for someone to snatch her. I have not owned any other breed since her and have been extremely happy as they have been the most loving and eager to please dogs i've ever dealt with. While i've never had even the slightest issue, i've always raised them to be okay with kids pulling ears, tails, lips ect...but like any dog, they need to be well socialized. My wife and I have a 1 1/2 year old blue and white that loves kids to no end and anytime friends have their kids over they almost always end up asleep in the kennel with her arm wrapped around them. They are much more the "nanny dog" than they are the mean guard dog people make them out to be out of ignorance. Anyways... they are not for everyone and they definitely want to be inside with their owners. No matter what you settle on, training/acclimating them to be okay with anything kids or adults could possibly throw their was is very important. Good luck whatever way you decide to go.  

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yep some dogs might be "natural outdoor dogs" but IMO it is cruel to have a dog that can"t come inside and be with its people any time it wants. Cruel to subject it to an isolated outdoor only life.

Now if one had a farm full of animals and a dog that sleeps in the barn it would be differnt because it would be able to socialize all day with its people working on the property or sitting on the porch in the evening, and have lots of things to get into and have a full life. But not just locked up alone most of the day in a yard.

[Guest The Itis]

I feel the same way that keeping a dog outdoors without much interaction is like abuse by neglect. I have been told by someone who had hunting dogs, though, that they keep them outside because there are too many chemical smells inside the house that could throw off the dog's abilities.

 

Idk if there's any truth to that, but people typically follow such old wives' tales because it 'makes sense' enough. This was up in Wisconsin and I just hate to imagine what it's like in the winter, the person told me they only let the dog inside if it gets below 0 degrees :ugh:

[tnhawk]

I love my bluetick hounds.  They've been good at alerting everyone in the neighborhood if there's a stranger, a cat or squirrel in the area.  My dalmation attempts to howl with them but it doesn't sound the same!

[Smith]

While I have perfect pups for your home, in response to your original question a Great Pyrenees would be perfect. Get them young and when they identify with your family, nothing without your permission will come on your property or around your kids. You will never have coyote problems and once they locate, they will never leave their perimeter. They have heavy coats but it works to keep them cool in the summer and they love being outdoors in the coldest weather we could possibly get in middle Tennessee. Absolutely great dog for your situation.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I love my bluetick hounds.  They've been good at alerting everyone in the neighborhood if there's a stranger, a cat or squirrel in the area.  My dalmation attempts to howl with them but it doesn't sound the same!

 

Yep, the neighborhood will never be caught unawares by a sneak-attack of small furry critters.

 

I feel the same way that keeping a dog outdoors without much interaction is like abuse by neglect. I have been told by someone who had hunting dogs, though, that they keep them outside because there are too many chemical smells inside the house that could throw off the dog's abilities.

 

I'm ignorant in general about dawgs, but many hunting breeds were raised in packs for hundreds of years, well adapted. Of course descended from wolves, also pack social animals. If they get left alone with other dogs, that is as good company as people. They just don't do well left alone with neither dogs nor people for company, and not much of anything to do.

 

Old ancient Dad and stepmom like shelties, and have had a sheltie for decades. They are currently working on number four.

 

When number three died a few years ago and they were looking for number four, well actually sis found em a sheltie because they are too feeble to go out much. She found a couple of year old sheltie on a farm where the folks raise em as a hobby, and will grudgingly sell one if you seem to "measure up" but they raise shelties because they like em rather than as a biz. Anyway, the setup there, was a half dozen or so shelties on lots of acres, with horses and pastures to run in the daytime, and kids to play with and adult humans to follow around, but then the shelties got rounded up and locked in their own sheltie pen every night. So in that case they were outside dogs but had lots to keep their little walnut-sized brains occupied.

 

That little sheltie, when adopted, was so accustomed to living outside and with other shelties, she adapted easily to being an inside dog with a dog door, acre of fenced yard and two people to pet on her, and two cats to herd. But it took her about a year to learn to be truly "sociable" with people, so that she truly enjoyed getting petted and such.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Lester Weevils

[bersaguy]

I saw where some folks don't agree with chains. I am not a chain person either and where I live is a high traffic two street with a 30mph speed limit that people think means go as fast as you can so when I adopted Kasey or should I say she adopted me I couldn't allow her to run when she was a young dog so I put up a run cable 90 feet long in back yard and had a 20 foot cable coming off it and a coaster wheel system on it so she could run all over the back yard and she would go in carport and sleep under my bass boat. When I was at home she would come in the house. She has been able to go out side now for the last 5 years with no cable. She knows her territory she is allow to go and never leaves the back yard area except when she is in the back seat of the jeep and we are riding around. This is Kasey now. I call her my Pot Bellied Dog.....[/URL]

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Edited September 4, 2013 by bersaguy

[Guest tdoccrossvilletn]

Yep some dogs might be "natural outdoor dogs" but IMO it is cruel to have a dog that can"t come inside and be with its people any time it wants. Cruel to subject it to an isolated outdoor only life.

Now if one had a farm full of animals and a dog that sleeps in the barn it would be differnt because it would be able to socialize all day with its people working on the property or sitting on the porch in the evening, and have lots of things to get into and have a full life. But not just locked up alone most of the day in a yard.

Lol are you serious? Dogs have lived outdoors for thousands of years. Heck its where they got their start.

Sent from my mind using ninja telepathy.

[Spots]

While I have perfect pups for your home, in response to your original question a Great Pyrenees would be perfect. Get them young and when they identify with your family, nothing without your permission will come on your property or around your kids. You will never have coyote problems and once they locate, they will never leave their perimeter. They have heavy coats but it works to keep them cool in the summer and they love being outdoors in the coldest weather we could possibly get in middle Tennessee. Absolutely great dog for your situation.

I have one of these, and if you can afford to feed them, they are great. Ours lives outside along with a small maltipoo who comes in, eats and immediately starts begging to go back out. He bonded instantly with our small dogs and protects the whole place, nothing strange comes or goes with his big ass laying in the yard. We live on several acres and he is free to roam where he wants, but he doesn't leave our land.

Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[enfield]

If you have the best interests of the dog and your neighbors at heart, you'll keep it in a fenced-in area.  A dog is like a 4-year old kid - you wouldn't let a 4-year old kid run around unsupervised, would you?