Do you have a love for dogs especially a dog breed that is not only a good companion, but also a working dog? The Amish are know different when looking for "Mans Best Friend" with all of their livestock and large homesteads the Amish need a good dog around their farms. The Amish look for a dog that is special in workability and also can be a loving family member. If you are interested in a new best friend, or looking for  a working dog to help around the farm, the Amish have a few ideas in dog breeds that might help you. The Crockett Cooner is here again at The Amish Of Ethridge doing a little blogging. I've looked into the Amish dog breeds of choice, and there's no bones about it, here is what I've dug up...

The Amish Have Great Dogs

For my readers that are not familiar with farm life, a good dog around the Amish farm or any farm for that matter, is useful in many ways. Take for instance the normal Amish farm, just about everyday the Amish do something with their livestock. That could be move cows from one field to another, or herd up sheep or goats. It could be that around a farm a predator shows up to make a meal of the family chickens!!! Then another farm problem that can be fixed by a dog, especially in the cold winter months are rats and mice. Its not uncommon in farm life to have rats come into the Barns or even try and move into your home when the weather drops to freezing temperatures.

 The Amish Love The Blue Heeler Dog

You have to look into the Blue Heeler dogs breeding to find out why the Amish love them so much. Coming from Australia the Blue Heeler was bred for its ability to move large herds of cattle quickly. Over the years the Blue Heeler was bred to "nip" at the heels of the lazy cows to get the herd on the move, so that farmers could round up their livestock when need be. Also, bred to have a since to chase small animals such as rats, rabbits, and snakes the Blue Heelers breeding is to be a very active type of dog. This active energy is also a plus on a farm where the work can start at daylight and not end until dark. Coming from Australia where the temperatures can get quiet hot in the summer months . The Amish found that the Blue Heeler made a great dog for their lifestyle because the Amish live with no electricity for air or heat and spend a great deal of time out in the elements. The Blue Heeler was breed to work and live in any condition, so it makes them a great dog for farm life. Lastly, when you have a large farm that does many side businesses such as tack shops, produce markets, and sawmills much as the Amish farms all do. The Amish needed a dog that would keep a watchful eye over their property and give a good bark when a stranger is about. The Amish found that a farm especially one that has many young children around heavy machinery needed a nanny type of dog. The Blue Heeler was found to be quiet useful in areas with children. The Heeler with its extremally good hearing and keen since of watchfulness is also great for keeping small children out of harms way!!! 

Looking into the appearance of the Blue Heeler the Amish found that the Heelers coat is perfect for their work with livestock. Because of the Blue Heelers coat with its double nature, and its ability to help the dog traverse rough terrain filled with briars and brambles. The Amish still use the Heeler as a working cattle dog in fields that in the summer months can be very hard to navigate due to harsh overgrowth of plants and weeds. Small in size the Blue Heeler is also not a dog that will eat you out of house and home. Much as on any farm the Amish are always concerned on what it cost to keep everything on their farms fed and full, and the Blue Heeler is no different. Only weighing 33-35  pounds for male heelers and 31-35 pounds for females, the Blue Heeler dog is not expensive to feed.  Small also in size the typical Blue Heeler stands between 17- 20 inches depending on the gender and breeding of the dog. Which makes the  Heeler ideal for a dog that comes inside the Amish home, or can be found laying around an Amish shop when not working.  

Is A Blue Heeler The Right Dog For Everyone, How About Feist

Even when it comes to the Amish a Blue Heeler might NOT be the right dog to fit their needs. The Amish also have a great love for many different breeds of dogs. 

"While doing some research for this blog I found that even for the Amish, the Blue Heeler might not be their dog of choice. Not all Amish farms have a large heard of cattle or sheep and many Amish people don't want or own a Blue Heeler because it does not fit their needs and wants. The Amish gentleman I spoke with, owned the Feist in the picture above and was quiet pleased with his Feist dogs ability to watch over the family farm and help put food on his table."                                                                                                            Crockett Cooner  

So you might be asking yourself since the Amish sale different breeds of puppies such as Blue Heeler and Feist, do you think you might be in the market for a new fur baby to add to your home? Remember that the Blue Heeler and the Feist are great dogs for people with a very outdoor type of lifestyle such as jogging, camping, and working outside. The Amish use their dogs many times as a daily working member of the family. So, if you have decided you might be interested in a working breed of dog. Keep in mind the working breeds have  lots of energy and needs a home with a large back yard to explore and to run out its energy for at least two hours daily. If you are an apartment dweller or work long hours away from home the working breeds may not be what you are after in a dog. When left alone the working breeds of dogs can become destructive because of their intelligence level and their high levels of separation anxiety!!! 

But, if you live a lifestyle that is always on the go and you find yourself being outdoors more than in and are in need of a good dog,  the working breeds might be something to check into. Usually the Amish do sale puppies and if your in the market for a great dog for work or play the Amish usually can sale you a puppy, or start you on the right path to find a puppy. Another  point to remember about owning a working dog such as Blue Heeler, Feist, and well all working dogs. Is that the Amish deal with livestock and livestock working dogs daily. That lifestyle is somewhat hard and rough in nature and does not leaned to a lot of time for error, especially in dog training. The working dog is rewarded by a person that can establish themselves as the Alpha of the pack. If you are into training a dog that is super intelligent and it is rewarded by figuring out problems that where given to them by a strong assertive person, then the working breeds of dogs would be a perfect fit for you. 

Points To Remember About Amish  Puppies When Buying One

• The Amish usually charge a reasonable price for their puppies, but they only except cash
• The puppies may or may NOT have papers
• The puppies from the Amish may need their vaccinations, so a vet visit is in order after buying
• Depending on the breeding of the puppy if  you intend on using your dog for (working/herding) etc. spend time with the Amish to make sure your pup comes form a working line of dogs

Other Dog Breeds The Amish Sale And Own

If you have checked out this post and decided that the working breeds are great dogs, but not the dogs for you. You might be asking yourself what other dog breeds do the Amish prefer and why? Now just like us "English" folks the Amish have many different types and breeds of dogs ranging for pure breeds to just plain old mutts. A few other breeds of dogs from the Amish that you might want to check out are the bulldog breeds. I've seen so many signs for English Bull Dogs for sale at the Amish community, I'm still amazed by that! Not to mention if you in the market for a Great Pyrenees or any type of livestock dog, just a drive through our Amish community could yield some good results.  But what has impressed the old  Crockett Cooner here the most is the signs at the Amish community that just says" puppies for sale" usually meaning that there is a mixed litter of puppies the Amish are needing to find homes for, which I have to say can make a great pets. 

A Check List For Readers Interested In Getting A Dog From The Amish

1. Understand the dog breed you are planning on buying from the Amish, do research online on what to expect with your new breed of dog.
2. Ask the Amish questions before buying your new four legged friend such as, can you see the mother (Dam) and father (Sire) of the new puppies? 
3. Make sure to take a good look around Amish country, in our area before choosing the first puppy you see. Remember the only advertisements the Amish use are signs, bulletin boards, and word of mouth. There are many different Amish families in our community with different breeds of dogs. 
4. Ask the Amish owners what type of food they have been feeding your new puppy, has the puppy been fed dog food or table scraps.

Where To Take Your Four Legged Friends

Now if you have decided you are in the market for a new dog, and you want to come to Amish county in my area to look for a new pet. I have a few suggestions for you on where to stay that is pet friendly, and places for active pets. If you have decided to come to our area and are need of a nights lodging. The Richland, Villa Inn is pet friendly and usually has no problem with finding a room to fit your needs. Also, if camping and RV's are right down your alley I would suggest David Crockett State Park, Located in Lawrenceburg Tennessee. Near by the Crockett Park restaurant located in the park there is an area sat aside just for dogs, but be sure to bring a leash. Lastly, if your like the ol' Cooner here and have four legged friends that have lost of energy and like to explore. Make sure to check out Mitzi L. Sweet Memorial Dog Park Located at 830 Gaither Ave, Lawrenceburg Tennessee. 

Thank you all for taking time to check out this post, I hope you all have a little more information on dogs found at the Amish community. Make sure and leave us a comment down below, we would love to hear everyone's ideas. Also, if you would like to see more great post and keep up with everything going on here at The Amish Of Ethridge please feel free to subscribe to our news letter, we don't sale information. Make sure to check out the rest of our site here and check out our other websites. Don't forget to check out The Amish Of Ethridge at our Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.  Thank you all again for reading and have a great day and a pleasant tomorrow. 

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