Permaculture dog breed - Carolina Dog (Native to America)

I could not find a post on this breed of dog so I started this thread.

After some research on dog breeds I am beginning to settle on a Carolina Dog. Wow, what a fascinating story regarding this breeds history! Rediscovered in the 1950s along the Savannah river, this breed is believed to be domesticated by native Americans. It is a semi autonomous breed in which nature has selectively produced a hardy species with incredible hunting capabilities. It is incredibly adapt at hunting snakes, small rodents and apparently an effective natural predator of moles and voles! I found some video evidence of this on youtube below (second video below). With regards to this tendency, this is believed to be a behavioral trait exclusive to Carolina dogs so if underground rodents pose a continuous problem I see this as a viable solution to introducing natural predators. Because other characteristic information of this breed is sometimes anecdotal I prefer to summarize selectively on their characteristics to avoid sensationalism so feel free to discern for yourselves.


Lifespan: 12-14 yrs
Disposition: Friendly, very intelligent, sociable and somewhat independent. Moderately active they are known for strong foraging and hunting instincts. Observed to be hygienic in that this breed has shown tendencies to be easily housebroken. Also noted tendencies of mothers to cover feces of pups in dens.
Size: 17 - 20 inches
Weight: 40 - 60 lbs
Characteristics: Pointed ears, short hair, ridged body frame with strong neck development, very little genetic complications such as hip dysplasia.

I have a Treeing Walker Coonhound so know about that independent spirit. Walkers are very difficult to train because of their more catlike minds. They won't wait at the train station for you for ten years like that dog in China. They'll go with anybody who has the food. We're in love with her all the same. She's a goofball. They are extraordinary trackers and this one is very food oriented in addition. I was preparing her for S&R work but she got electrocuted (not bad!) in some slush and became a little spook-able so I let it go; the training. She's not a come when you call kind of dog unless you are by the refrigerator. If Carolinas are like this I do not know. If you are searching for a dog for work only they may be fine.

I once met a guy with a rat terrier which he brought back from his home in Sarajevo. This thing *lived* for finding rats. Just mad for them. And killed them too.

That second/bottom video is a time-waster. (Oops--I see I missed the top one.) In summary it shows that the owner doesn't know why her Carolinas dig holes--just that they dig holes.

Wait. Don't cats do this kind of thing?

The strong hunting instincts coupled with independence may pose a problem if you want to keep poultry. A 60lb dog may even try taking on a calf and could certainly kill a goat kid or lamb. The native Americans mostly didn't keep domestic livestock, they hunted them, so they may have never bred the dogs to be livestock-safe.

Renate Haeckler wrote:The strong hunting instincts coupled with independence may pose a problem if you want to keep poultry. A 60lb dog may even try taking on a calf and could certainly kill a goat kid or lamb. The native Americans mostly didn't keep domestic livestock, they hunted them, so they may have never bred the dogs to be livestock-safe.

From my experience this risk is a bit exaggerated and is easily mediated. If the pups are raised with chickens then they wont attack the chickens. The same is true when dealing with cats, cats have very strong hunting instincts but I have never seen my cats attack my chickens.

I've dealt with carolina dogs before, really georgia dogs I guess lol. At least the ones I have dealt with were very calm and wise. They are like the mutt of all mutts, out-bred instead of inbred. One has to remember that the natives did a bit of selection of their own for around 10,000 years: if you bark, soup pot. Bite the kids, jump, scratch, soup pot. So they don't bark ever, ever. They also supposedly dig dens when they are pregnant, and I have watched them bury their poop as a habit, maybe that's why they "dig holes", although I think they dig snout pits anyway.

Bob Dobbs wrote:I've dealt with carolina dogs before, really georgia dogs I guess lol. At least the ones I have dealt with were very calm and wise. They are like the mutt of all mutts, out-bred instead of inbred. One has to remember that the natives did a bit of selection of their own for around 10,000 years: if you bark, soup pot. Bite the kids, jump, scratch, soup pot. So they don't bark ever, ever. They also supposedly dig dens when they are pregnant, and I have watched them bury their poop as a habit, maybe that's why they "dig holes", although I think they dig snout pits anyway.

Wow, thanks for that information! I guess you just further solidified my choice in selecting a dog for the future. Its nice to hear information from credible source since you have personal experience and its good to have this confirm what I have heard.