Dog "shopping" is hard...

There is some bad news on the home front. Our beautiful 1.5 year old blue heeler, Gus, disappeared. He was last seen (with I'd name-plated collar) on April 20th. We've exhausted all resources of finding him. It's heartbreaking to lose a dog, especially one you've had for a couple years and raised from a puppy. Especially when you just got him out of the puppy stage. Especially when he's the dog who entertains your kids and "vacuums" under the high chair after every meal. And especially when he's the protector of your chickens.

Since Gus's disappearance from the wide open country, two of my chickens have been eaten and we've trapped or shot two raccoons in/near the chicken pen. Jolie is a great dog, but just isn't quite the aggressive protector that Gus was.

So, we're in the market for a dog. Our favorite dog ever was Jade, a small short-haired border collie/blue heeler we got from my best friend a few years ago. She died from a spider bite before we got Gus.

Since blue heeler/border collie crosses are not exactly a popular breed, we've been scouring petfinder for options. And I've run into a few problems.

First, apparently in south Louisiana, labs and pit bulls are by far the superior breed to have, because that's all I can find at the pound. Or, maybe the border collies & heelers all stay at home while the labs & pits wander off. Regardless, there are not too many of the herding breeds to choose from at this time at the local pounds. There are, however, a few in Oklahoma...

2. The more I think about what breed we need or want, the more confused I get. Do we need a hound to protect the chickens? A large guard dog? A smaller herding dog? High energy? Laid back?

My dream dog is a border collie. I'd personally like a border collie mix because they're so smart, but they can also be timid, which may not be best for my toddlers. I've always enjoyed working with smart herding dogs, but do I really have time to train one now? Would they chase the horses to no end? Would one from the pound be very trainable?

I love coon hounds for their loud bark, but they may frustrate me because they're a little dull.

Another problem (3.)- The more pounds I visit, the more my heart breaks for the dogs there. I know that's uncharacteristically sentimental of me, but I just wish they could all have a loving home.

Problem number 4:
It's so hard to know how a dog is going to do at our house. Will they stick around the yard? Will it refrain from killing my chickens? Will it be nice to Jolie? Will it be patient with my kids?

And problem number 5:
The more I look, the more I wish we just had Gus back. :(

Tara