Looking to adopt- Aussie and Great Dane Mix? Farm Dog

[Kaitlyn Finley]

Hi, my name is Kaitlyn and this is my first post! There is this super awesome program in my community that rescues dogs and uses the local prison to train and socialize them. I know it might sound a little sketchy, but the inmates that work with the dogs have been trained in dog handling and it's really impacting both dog and human lives. That being said, I'd love to adopt with them. Right now they have some Aussie and Great Dane mix puppies. My husband and I live on a wonderful farm and are trying to find a great farm dog. We would provide a big kennel outside along with great shelter to house at night and when we are off the property but would mostly let it out to keep us company while we work. We have some cattle and thought training it to work with them would be great, but we want a decent size dog to ward off criminals (we've had issues last summer with this). I'd also love it if it could scare coons and deer off from my garden. Any thoughts? The biggest thing is not wanting to spend an arm and a leg but also wanting a puppy to train around the livestock and teach it to not run away.

I'm including a pic because he's just so cute!!

 

[*blackrose]

I think with any mixed breed, really, you'll be taking a gamble on workability. For a large, imposing dog presence to keep critters away and to make people think twice about approaching your property, I'd say the dog will do just fine. Most dogs would.

But for actual livestock work (herding the cattle, for instance), that is much more doubtful. Even purebred Aussies don't all have that innate instinct and Great Danes certainly don't!

As for being able to live outdoors and thrive, I'd just be cautious about coat type and size. Due to their deep chest, Great Danes aren't the most heat tolerant of dogs and their smooth coat would be completely ineffective for keeping them warm in cooler weather. An Aussie would fair well, but with a mix, you never know what traits are going to come to head!

(That puppy is adorable, by the way!!)

 

[Kyllobernese]

Since you are getting it as a puppy I think it should work out for you. Of course, I love merle colored dogs and it is sure cute. I have a merle colored Aussie Doodle and I know she is really trainable. I will be interesting to see what she looks like full grown and whether she will have the Aussie coat or the shorter Dane coat. I don't know what the weather is like where you live but unless it is super cold in the winter, the dog should do fine outside. Are you planning on a male or female?