We are probably going to be giving up our collie mix soon. He's . . . well, let's just say that he's probably going to go and be done with it, at least for now. It's a long story.

The problem is how to fill the void. Let me give you some facts:

We are gone from the house during the day, but the dogs have the run of the yard via a dog door.

We have a 12 yr old beagle mix. She's a well-behaved dog. She's smart, but like most Hillbillies, she likes to hide the fact.

My wife is feeling very bad about the impending loss. This was her dog.

The dog we are losing was a replacement for Barney, the Wonder Dog. He was a shepard-collie mix with incredible powers. He could work a dead bolt lock and the doorbell. He knew how to work a cable TV remote. The current dog was picked more for his looks. He is smart, but not quite in the right ways.

We tend to like smart dogs. We spend a lot of time with our dogs. Our dogs end up understanding complex sentences and complex commands. Barney and I used to watch Film Noir together. The Beagle prefers the Weather Channel.

I'm less than 8 years from retirement. KYHillChick is retiring this summer, and changing professions. Angus is due to graduate High School and move out. We're skeedadlin' to our farm and not looking back.

We spend weekends at our farm. I've spent the last 12 years making deer camp a year-round weekend lifestyle.

We have a coyote problem and a feral dog problem. The dog that is leaving us can eat a coyote. That is not a requirement, but suffice it to say that powder puff dogs need not apply.

I've got a 2 yr old grand child. More grand kids are expected over the next decade. The next dog must be able to dig kids.

Of course KYHillChick is saying "Never again." That will change with time. I'm figuring by fall we can start looking.

What breeds would y'all recommend?

I was going to say Jack Russel until you mentioned coyotes & feral dogs. Jack Russel's biggest drawback is that they have no fear , they will take on ANYTHING , to the point of getting themselves killed.


Mike

Yeah, there was a JR terrier that lived just up the road. It never came home. My personal preference has been large dogs with some size-- 70,80 lbs. However, that can change. Lily is large for a beagle @ 40 lbs. My main worry is that the dog should be large enough and smart enough to stay out of trouble.

Yappie dogs are a turn off. My dogs normally bark once and make someone with ill intentions void their bowels.

I recommend considering an Original Mountain Cur. They're fantastic dogs. The only downside I know of - and I don't consider it to be one - is their loud, sharp, ear-splitting bark. Well, that and, also, as treeing dogs they are a form of baying dog so they sometimes want to play by putting you at bay. It's just play, and you can call them off of it, but for those who aren't aware of what's going on it can be unsettling. But, each breed has it's characteristics.

If memory serves Field_Grade and Safari_Man both have one.

Lot's of info to be found here: sqdogcentral

(Fyi OMCBA = Original Mountain Cur Breeder's Association)

And, there should be a lot of them around in Kentucky

Hmmm, I just saw the coyote part as well. A coyote can kill a lone mountain cur. But I wouldn't bet on a coyote against two of them.

You may want to also consider a blackmouth cur (the original "Old Yeller") or one of those big Lousiana catahoula curs. A catahoula could probably shred a coyote.

Great Dane

Really

Snake

Danes are super great doggies !!!

Shelter

I say get a Scottish Terrier.

Boxer

I agree with all of the above.
Those Cat's are gritty as hell, smart too.
They're more dog than I like these days though. (That Beagle's more my size:)
Curious why you're worried about the new getting mixed up with Coyotes/Feral's but not the Beagle?

Anyways,,, I'm partial to Curs and Shorthairs but if your not a bird hunter I'd go with a OMC or Blackmouth and keep em home nights.
Luck

Edit to add self indulging pic.

I don't know if I would put my money on a Great Dane against a pack of coyotes. That requirement is kind of out there, I think.

Do you hunt birds?

Airedale

Get a Brittany spaniel pup. You'll be hooked for life. Females are more bidible.

Great picture. I hope to be half as successful with my dog as you've been with yours. Getting bobcats with them is the ultimate test of the breed, in my opinion.

Umm, that's a new requirement, I think. NO dog can stand up to a pack of coyotes.

I would look at an Anatolian Shepherd and or maybe a Russian Mountain Shepherd.

I would agree, Danes are out. The blood lines have been to heavily bred for confirmation showing.
The Irish Wolfhound is nearly as bad, though there are breeders focused on coursing strengths. Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) basically the same.
The Scottish Deerhound has a much stronger following of breeders in the field (coursing) dog bloodlines. Be aware their intense prey drive means that small animals like cats, toy poodles (any dust mop dog really) and barnyard fowl tend to be fare game for chase.

I used to course coyote with an IWH and know for fact one IWH can hold it's own with one coyote and three greyhounds.

That makes me think of an alternative.
If you have a dog track local look into adopting two or more of the retired race dogs. Greyhounds make great family dogs. But then again, their prey drive and small animals,,,

If you are keeping it outside, a Great Pyrenees. Love children, hate coyotes. Hate heat, love cold. All that I have ever had, blood trail deer on a leash with just a little encouragement. miles

I am biased, but I would look at a German Shorthaired Pointer (or two). Smart, great family dogs and they can take care of themselves around coyotes. They can and will hunt anything, including coyotes.

Let me address the coyote thing.

Coyotes have always been a problem at the farm. A neighbor was out on our property in 2002 and lost a full-grown lab. One minute he was there. . .

The coyote population has ebbed and flowed. Twice I've had to come to the rescue of my dogs. Lately they've been getting bolder. One took a run at a neighbor of mine and tried to clip him while he was walking between two sheds near the house. I've increased the DefCon as a result. We now go about armed.

The beagle has been mostly able to take care of herself. She grew up on this farm. We rescued her from a neighbor. She's your quintessential trailer slut, and like The Gambler, she knows when to hold up, knows when to fold up, etc. She's also had the collie to protect her for the past 8 years. She's getting up there too-- 12, give or take.

Coyotes, at least around this part of the world, hunt as a mated pair. They alternate making passes at the prey in order to get them disoriented. My son (16) has had some recent experience with them. He got caught out in the woods after dark and was pursued for a half-mile. He said the net effect was that it felt like he was hemmed in on all sides and didn't know which way to go. They've tried it with me, and I go at them with whatever I have at hand and bluster. The collie seems to wait until one makes a pass at the beagle and then pounces. The ferocity of the attack usually makes them break and run. I've seen the results of his handiwork. For a 15 second encounter the yote ended up with both front legs in bad shape--one useless-- and profuse bleeding at his neck. The collie came back with a small cut on his ear.

I don't mean for y'all to think I want to go hunt coyotes with my house pets, but I do know whatever dog I get will probably have to deal with a yote. I'd prefer they could survive.

Dang that last idea-- German Shorthair. Wow! That brings back fond memories of a dog we used to take pheasant hunting. Duke was a better than a human guide. I'd just never thought of them as a house pet.

Great ideas, all! Keep them coming.

I have alot of the same needs in a new dog as you do & my next one will be a pure Texas Blue Lacey.

Why ONE dog?

If you will be out on a farm a triplet of 'Danes would fun as all hell, less so for the 'yotes

I had 2 of them and I can tell you they would not stand a chance with a coyote. Great dogs and I love them to death.

I guess I missed the part about being able to stand up to a coyote. I would think a coyote would high tail it out of Dodge if a dog started barking, notwithstanding my last male (Spud) would have tore a new azzhole in a coyote. He was the Rocky Marciano of Brittany Spaniels.


This was Spud (on the right). Lost him to cancer a couple of years ago.









Here's a couple of puppies in which you might be interested.

+1 or a Catahoula.

They tore up a lab pretty badly about 1 mile from my house. I don't know how the dog made it back home but the surgery required to put him back together had to be in the thousands . I am packing when I walk my 2 Parson Russells anymore.

Airedale if he comes from hunting stock could be one formidable MOFo with a coyote but I would feel more comfortable with 2.

A Kurdish Kangal, Anatolian Shepherd or a good American Bulldog would destroy a coyote very quickly. How about a good, well bred Doberman?

Black mouth cur, catahoula, Airedale.

Though I prolly would just go to the pound and pick one out that looked good enough.

Smart and can handle himself?

Be hard to beat a Heeler.

american bulldog / thread. More solid tempertment (overall) than my personal favorite pits. will absolutley destroy a coyote, or a couple of coyotes. Only problem may be disciplining your grand children. My buddys American bulldog pinned him in the corner when he started to whoopin' on his son lol.

big male decker

A short hair can be a good house dog, but they are a little light for coyote duty. A typical European versatile breed with some sharpness in them should do well. Most will do well as house dogs, especially in a farm setting.

This guy was about 70 lbs, and put the fear into more than a few coyotes. The breed is expected to take out foxes when the opportunity arises. His cousin is close to 100 lbs, and a pack of coyotes chewed his tail off this winter on a walk in the hills....

^^^This^^^

Smart Dogs, too. And you won't have to worry about your Grandkids or the coyotes.

+1
Heeler's an excellent choice.
Especially if you like med sized dogs like I do.

Those Blue Lacy's are an interesting breed too.

Working or hunting dogs can usually handle themselves around predators and seldom disappoint in the companionship dept.
Just depends on what you want/need.
No point in having anything else unless you just like cleaning up dog chit.

I lean to the Red Heeler's myself.

Red or Blue, doesn't matter to me, I like em both.
One of the best breeds ever IMO

I got a 50/50 Airedale/Afghan Hound cross at the shelter. He is 27 inches at the shoulder, 80 lbs, and fast. A good personality and laid back. He's a great dog.

Expat

German Shepherd.....on another note I have been very impressed with the Shepadors (Half Black Lab half German Shepherd) we had in the last two litters. The one my daughter talked me into keeping was one of the smaller one's, 53 pounds at 6 months. But they are very playful, love water, but have enough Shepherd in them to be protective, alert, and want to be with you all the time.

He weighs about the same as his mother now, with Dad (avatar pic) being just over a 100 pounds.

YMMV

Sounds like you need a wolf.... they are hard on coyotes...

There's a lot of good breeds that would fit the criteria I'd think. For me it would be a toss up between Healers and Danes. Maybe both?

The Dane we have now is from German parents and they seem to have bigger, blockier heads than most of the American lines I've seen. May be a pretty standard difference or a fluke, can't say. Generally great with kids and at least ours have been the right amount of protective.

Don't have any coyote combat experience I can relate as they don't seem to hang around long after he answers they're yips with his horse sized woof.

Airedale

If it wasn't for the coyote thing, I'd recomend a Golden Retriver.

Great companions, loyal, smart, and LOVE kids.

Am thinking my two Goldens might handle a single coyote OK, but not a pack.

Virgil B.

This.

I had female airedale pup for a while. Smart little chit that learned to open doors with lever style handles by the time she was a few months old. Not gun shy or afraid of thunder. Basically a smart, steady dog with decent size.

That'd be my vote too�.

+ 2

What Steelhead said: "Shelter, Shelter, Shelter!!!"

Isn't that the truth. The popular saying is that they think they weigh 150 pounds.

I have four Jack Russells and the combination might possibly stand off coyotes, but I'm not sure. They are fun company.

I do know that they intimidate the local wild boar (inoshishi) here on our extinct volcano in Japan, but then our boar are so laid back that they are not much threat. A few miles down the road in Kobe, the boar do attack people, so go figure.

Incidentally, our JRTs come from Australian stock, which is claimed to be more pure to the originals bred by John Russell (since exported early on and well maintained ) than are today's US JRTs, now largely known as Parson Russells, I believe. But then, JRTs are bred to specific features and size, regardless of heritage.

I would stay away from anything purebred, but maybe that's just me. Many of them seem to have accentuated issues of health problems, hyper-activity, and temperament. Maybe a Lab with something else in the woodpile might be good...

JRT's in the US are not known as Parson Russells, they are a separate breed, Parsons exemplify the original Russell breedings and are a completely different animal. In your defense most breeders have them lumped in together which I have to SMH. I have 2 of them and have talked to breeders ad nauseam.

As always don't buy from just any breeder. Your experiences do not match those of mine, I buy purebred dogs and I go to a lot of trouble finding the right one, it is not easy.