# Dog breeds that are good with goats?



## MrsCowher (Oct 24, 2012)

I'm wondering which dog breeds are good with goats. We would prefer the dog to be a small-medium, medium, or medium large.

Would a 6 month old girl German Shepherd/Border Collie mix be horrible?


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## Southern by choice (Oct 24, 2012)

> Would a 6 month old girl German Shepherd/Border Collie mix be horrible?


Not if you are using them for herding the goats.

For staying with the goats for protection or companionship.... ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Yes there are exceptions I know. My old GSD girl watched over the goats and NEVER chased the goats and if she needed to move them she was very easygoing and gentle, but that was when she was older and she was a well trained GSD. There are lots of dogs that are good with goats as far as companionship. It all really depends on your purpose for the dog.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 24, 2012)

Generally, unless they are a livestock guardian dog, dogs don't do well with goats. So if you get a pet dog, don't plan on letting it in with the goats.


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## Roll farms (Oct 24, 2012)

http://lgd.org/

This site has tons of good info.  There are breeds that have been bred specifically to guard / bond to / live with livestock.  

IMHO, unless you have a huge property and can closely monitor it, I wouldn't put ANY herding breed (Border collies are great herders)  in full-time.  They could run them to death, or at least stress the herd out by constantly trying to move them.

"Pet" dog breeds can have strong prey drives and hurt / kill.

ANY dog under 2 yrs of age, even LGD, can be too rough / hurt goats, esp. smaller breeds....they're puppies and puppies chase and play and romp.

Putting a dog in w/ your livestock needs to be seriously researched / thought out.


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## lilhill (Oct 25, 2012)




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## Alice Acres (Oct 25, 2012)

Mrs Cowher - can we get more details about what you want?  A dog that hangs out with the goats, or one for moving/herding them? It would really vary.
Several different issues have been brought up. My sheepdogs wouldn't hurt goats, but they would be compelled to keep herding and moving them if they were kept out by them.... It would be highly annoying at the very least.


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## Marianne (Oct 25, 2012)

Though dogs within the same breed exhibit differing personalities, trust is the primary issue.  I would always worry about what might be "bred-in".  As house dogs we have terriers...the can be fiesty so don't leave the fenced dog yard and are never allowed in the pastures.  I am sure there are lots of great dogs for goat keeping.  We happen to have Great Pyrenees -- not exactly small or medium in size but great temperment, bond well with other animals (especially the young kids), and work nights keeping the pasture safe.  They are well over 100#.  Recently got a pup that is half Pyrenees and half Anatolian Shepherd.  Another BIG dog that may be the best of both worlds; herd dog mixed with guard dog.  Guess we'll see.


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## Roll farms (Oct 25, 2012)

Anatolians are also Livestock Guardians, not herders, and tend to be a bit more aloof / standoffish than pyrs.  We have an ASDxPyr and we love him.

So what you've got is a guard dog mixed w/ guard dog, not a herder mixed w/ guard dog.

(Our LGD will 'herd' the goats when they feel they need to chase them into the barn if there's a threat, but don't 'herd' them 99.9% of the time, they just hang out in the pasture w/ them or sleep w/ them in winter.


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