Had a schnauzer once that would babysit anything you put it with. I'm sure that plenty of folks will disagree, but the training you provide is probably more important than the breed. Getting a rabbit hound isn't as simple as buying a beagle. You're in a good place to find a good dog. I'd just ride around or ask around at feed stores for someone that has a good stock dog or dogs and talk them out of a puppy.

Good Luck.

Dave

Also, try googling for Farm Collie or English Shepherd. It's/they're some of the old style collies - sort of like what Lassie was supposed to be. I think some of them, like some of the Border Collies - are smooth coated, or have shorter coats. And just as a suggestion, try NOT to fall in love with a black dog - from what I can see, they do suffer a bit more in the heat than lighter colored ones.

A Catahoula may be a bit too sharp/agressive for poultry, as I think they were bred for large livestock work, including pigs, but dogs come in "softer" as well as "harder" versions..., so you might get lucky on one that won't do for cattle. And I may be misremembering, and the breed may not be suitable at all.

Dave is right, asking around may well get the perfect stock dog, and you can train it as you want. Ask at sales barns as well as at feed stores, wherever ranchers might gather - the local coffee shop, for instance.

Australian Sheperds would be an idea also. Not much, if any difference between them and the English Sheperd if you look at the way and reasons they were bred. No matter what you get, try to get it from a farmer that has the dogs laying around the place. They usually train themselves. It's hard to beat a Rottweiler if you find one from family raised parents. We've got Australian Sheperds and had 2 Rottweilers until one had to be put down and we found a family that had one that needed company on a big place. All were constantly busy watching something 24/7.

Terry,
You might look at a Maremma. They are supposed to be the Italian offshoot of the Great Pyrenees. I have only seen one and it definitely had shorter hair than a Pyrenees and slightly longer legs with a lighter body build. The one I know is a marvelous dog, but I don't know if that is typical of the breed, or just a great individual. The one my friend has herds poultry and goats now, but originally worked with cattle and sheep.

I agree w/the farm collie suggestion, my friend raises them and they make terrific farm dogs. We have a rough collie who is terrific w/our poultry, they do come in a smooth coat as well, they are very easy to train and great w/kids.

-Sheila

Terry,
A good "stock" dog is trained, and isn't specific to any breed. Around here herding and guard dogs are raised with whatever stock they will be working with. Please don't let anyone tell you that clipping a Great Pyrenees is a good idea--they develop skin problems and it doesn't help with their tolerance to heat. Who in the world would take a mountain dog, bred to tolerate snow and high altitudes, and put it in a hot, humid area? Good luck with your puppy. It will have a long, happy and useful life with just a little advance care and training from you.

A little further reading shows that the Akbash dog is available in both a short and long haired variety.

The link below has photographs.

Here is a link that might be useful: Akbash

Terry is right, read those breed characteristics carefully ... if you have spent time with a pure livestock guardian dog from working lines, you'll see quickly that those traits are pure instinct. Our female Great Pyr was just 10 weeks old when she starting showing her guardian instincts. Our male Pyr was raised in an apartment in the city until the age of 1 1/2, yet adapted to farm life within days ... pure instinct. Both are excellent LGD. We've had other fine farm dogs but they were definitely not livestock guardians. Herding dogs are bred to chase animals, not protect them.

Pyr coats are are said to insulate from the heat as well as from the cold; however, my dogs really really love the snow and the cold. My dogs "blow coat" each May and have quite short coats in the summer (long hair, but little of the undercoat). It's true that you are not supposed to shave them. When I lived in the South, I also questioned the suitability of having a Pyr in that climate ... but there sure are a lot of them down there!

Of the breeds listed, I think Anatolian Shepherds have very short hair. I often see Pyr/Anatolian crosses on the various LGD lists.

Here's a little from an article on the Maremma:

"The Maremma has a solid, muscular build, thick white coat, large head, black nose, and typically weighing between 65 to 110 pounds....

Recently in Warrnambool, Australia, the world's first trial utilized a Maremma to guard the dwindling penguin population of Middle Island. While using Maremma to guard an endangered species is rare, Maremma along with other breeds of livestock guarding dogs are appreciated by environmentalists because they make it possible for livestock to coexist with endangered predators such as wolves and coyotes reducing their predation by 70% to 80% or more. National park authorities in Italy, the United States and Canada have promoted use of the Maremma Sheepdog, as well as other types of LGDs, to minimize conflict between endangered predator species and ranchers."

I just need to find a short hair Anatolian, Akbash or Maremma.

Here is a link that might be useful: Maremma