Dogs with low prey instinct - advice please!

[Newkitchen101]

Can anyone advise on dogs with a low prey instinct?
We live rurally with the possibility of sheep grazing nearby so want to try to reduce the risk of any sheep chasing. We had the most fabulous labrador who had to be PTS at 15 last year and I'm only really ready now to think about another dog. Ideally I would love another lab, but know our last was a complete exception in that he didn't seem to notice sheep.

I've heard golden retrievers might be an option?

Any advice welcome!

I think it’s a bit less about breed and more about exposure when young! (Although saying that a greyhound probably isn’t the best choice) As long as you expose a puppy to as many animals as possible, with training to ignore. If they realise when they are young that sheep are boring and to be ignored I think you would be fine. We have a lab who is fine with all animals because we took him round to next doors farm when he was a puppy. He now doesn’t care for anything other then his ball

My black lab also isn't interested in sheep.

Around livestock your dog regardless of breed is suppose to be on a lead. I walk my dog on a lead through sheep and lambs , goats etc with no issue. If he was off lead that would be a different matter.

I’ve always had fairly high prey drive dogs and as pp said early exposure is key. A couple of stout bollickings when they’re pups coupled with their own observation that sheep are deeply dull and I’ve never had a problem.

I would go for another Lab and train, train, train. Our previous Lab didn’t have much exposure to livestock so was a bit antsy around sheep (and hated horses with riders on!).
So with our latest Lab we observed horses, cows, sheep etc from a distance, treated plentifully while saying “Sheeep! Ahh, sheeeep!” etc. Did lots of walks where there were steady sheep and horses/ponies. Herdwicks are particularly good for just standing there giving out Yeah, don’t make a fuss vibes
She has had compliments from horse riders for sitting nicely while they go by and doing nothing that would spook the horse. We’ve even walked through a group of hill ponies that like to hang around the gate to the moors and wait hopefully for treats from walkers (not that they get any from us!).
We recently spent a week in an old farmhouse surrounded by sheep and she just ignored them.

Make livestock frequent and boring, always have your dog on a lead around them and train a rock solid recall just in case. But mainly, dog on lead.

Ha, golden retrievers are a lottery, some will have prey drive others won't.

I have had both types and my current one would hunt and chase a flea if he were able, he's working bred though so he's like a Ferrari. Having said that though, I won't give him a 'stout bollocking' as I don't want him frightened of me, he's a sensitive soul and would do our relationship more harm than good.

His prey drive is refocused on toys instead and it has been work but we're getting there.

Oh you absolutely have to have your dog on a lead where there are sheep or other livestock! My friend is a farmer and every year shares photos on facebook of sheep that have been savaged by dogs who are "normally fine".

Thanks all, appreciate your responses. The dog would absolutely be kept on lead for walks and when around sheep/livestock, was thinking more in case of an accidental escape from garden with dog then going on a sheep hunt. Having heard so many stories of sheep worrying and the consequences I was trying to preempt any risks by thinking low prey.

Makes sense though that early training and temperament are key. I assumed with my last boy that it was temperament as he had such a lazy laid back personality (nothing stressed him, didn't notice fireworks or thunder, amazing with noisy, feral kids). He did have a lot of early exposure to sheep (on lead) and quick recall so obviously more training than I gave credit for.

Ah that makes sense then :) you sound like a lovely responsible dog owner

We have a 1 year old working breed Goldie who has recently developed a huge prey drive and chases everything, bikes, trains, now moved on to cars. He used to have very good recall but now it’s as if something short-circuits in his brain when he sees something moving fast.
Last week when he chased the car (first time) I lost it with him as he nearly went out onto a busy main road.
After that he was frightened of me for a day or two and wouldn’t come to me at all. I still feel terrible about it as he is a lovely dog in all other respects. It did affect our relationship - hopefully temporarily.
But walks are becoming a problem now as previously safe places to let him off-lead (parks etc) are more difficult now as if he sees a car through the gate he’s liable to take off after it.

Neighbour's Romanian street dog is brilliant. Ignores cats, deer, livestock and only really chases rabbits or rats. He also puts up with any boisterous behaviour from random puppies. Such a mellow fellow.

My miniature poodle has a very low prey drive he doesn't seem to even see them when he's out on a walk and they are for example the other side of a gate. Obviously I always have him on a lead when walkig though a field of livestock but Im pretty sure I could walk him through a field with cows in and he wouldn't even look at them let alone chase them in fact he's scared stiff of them and I dont think he's overly interested in sheep; a large ewe came marching over to him the other week much to his horror and started stamping her foot he looked like he was going to die to be honest. He occasionally half heartedly chases rabbits. but without any real skill he just sort of skips around where he last saw them before they ran off. We used to own gun dogs that was a totally different ball game.

Sounds like you are ideally based to make sheep really really boring, OP.

Sheep are boring.

There, I said it.

(Except for Shaun, obviously)

Dogs with low prey-drives tend to be more smaller, companion type breeds. So breeds like Cavaliers, Bichons or Shih-Tzus, for example, or the "toy" versions of other breeds like poodles.

Of all the dogs I walk, the ones with the lowest prey drives are a Bedlington terrier, a Shih-tzu and, weirdly, a border collie lol.

Working lurchers/sighthounds have high prey drive but are usually stock trained so can deal with rabbits on farmland safely, they may also need to work alongside ferrets.

So would think it would be best to seek training early on whatever breed. I didn't end up going on the course to see how it was done properly for this purpose unfortunately, but the chap did say that if on walks they are being dicks seeing sheep etc you can give dog impression sheep are scary creatures to run away from them😆

I have labs - he chases nothing always had labs - train your dog simple

I'd have put a Border Collie as a definite top of the high prey drive list!

My heart totally lies with labs, I was making my peace with a change of breed but thank you all for the reassurance and feedback. We all miss our boy so much though that I think a switch to either a golden or chocolate girl might be best to avoid any comparisons.

So...... If anyone has views on golden or chocolate I'd love to hear them?!

A working Lab may be more likely to chase than a show Lab (as with retrievers).

I'd have put a Border Collie as a definite top of the high prey drive list!

I know right?! 😂

All the other collies I walk have super high prey drives, but this one just doesn't seem to notice anything except his ball!

Working Chocolate - immensely hard work but so, so rewarding! That was our old girl. She certainly kept us on our toes! I’d always go for working labs though, show types are a bit docile and ploddy for me.
‘Fox Red’ are getting more popular now, but they’re just a dark version of Yellow, so you’d be ok if you looked for a decent breeder rather than one just breeding for the colour.
Choc lab hair blended well with everything

I’ll stick up for working labs here and say they are fine if they have a Job. If they see that Job as being a pain in the arse trying to round up sheep then that’s what they’ll do. Their Job needs to be redirected to sticking with you, retrieving stuff, carrying a Precious Thing from here to there…..

Great advice thank you! Have to say I'd be happy with any colour 😍😍

I’d go for a show line retriever. You can also get specialist sheep proof your dog training that you can do from about 9 months.
id say lots of exposure early, maybe do some of your training in an adjacent field so they learn you are more interesting and sheep are boring, then do a sheep proofing course.