Well, I was thinking Border Collie until you got to the "doesn't shed" part. I don't know if a Standard Poodle would work. That's a tall order. Maybe someone else has a better suggestion. Good luck in your search.

Your post made me laugh. I love Yorkies but I know what you mean...they are not deer hunters LOL! I'm not so sure there really is an answer only because part of it will be proper training....chasing deer in the back and leaving joggers alone out front...hmmmmm...dogs can certainly be trained but I don't think just one breed would qualify necessarily. All dogs will shed to some degree...even the non-shedders...just not as much as many other breeds. Normally the ones that don't shed will need regular grooming. A smart mid-size rescue mutt might be the better choice....as long as you make sure it will be okay and vice versa with your Yorkie.

I also thought of a Labradoodle/Goldendoodle or an Australian Shepherd....but again training will be a big part of the 'job' you want the doggie to do aside from being a loving part of the family.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

Duane

Portuguese Water dog, Standard Poodle.

A dog that chases deer means muddy paws and how will you train them to stop chasing once the deer have left the property? Most dogs, if they get the deer on the run, continue the chase.
Also keep in mind that deer don't necessarily run from dogs. Even a single deer, if determined, will stand their ground and can easily kill a dog.

When we had a deer problem in a previous home, our Jack Russel mix would bark and run at them but the deer just looked at her and kept eating.

Lab

Not a Dachshund.

Ha, Carmen...I love Labs....my fave...but non-shedding? My yellow lab shed 24/7 365 days a year. And I agree that any dog that is going to chase away deer is going to get muddy feet!

Duane

The Portuguese Water dog is a very very active dog, they can be hyper if not given lots of work to do.
I suggest you get a more mellow type of dog like a greyhound. They are less likely to get pushed out of shape due to the temprament of a Yorkie, they are great around kids and can be big enough to thwart the deer...You can adopt greyhounds from most places in the country. I do suggest you put up a couple of strands of barbed wire as a better deer deterrent. I know they can jump the fence without much issue -- putting up a second top line a couple of feet from the fence line and hanging ribbon on the wire will help tremendously. I live in Northern California and know exactly what you are dealing with - good luck

Barbed wire Mazer? Good grief! That and a greyhound's thin skin and very short coat will have the poster at the vet at least once a day. Providing it doesn't get killed after it runs through the electric fence. No greyhound group in the country would adopt out a greyhound for the purposes the OP has listed (chasing deer!) and US adoption contracts for greys prohibit electric fences because they are not a safe way to contain a greyhound. At 45 miles per hour, the greyhound would be dead the first day when he ran through the fence and got lost or hit by a car. Although some greys are good with children, most groups will not adopt to familys with children under six because greys are not raised as puppys with children. Greyhounds are not Labs. A lab sounds like the best option here.

To the OP - a solid fence sounds like the best option here. No dog will keep all deer out of your gardens like a good fence will. Consider fencing just a section where the gardens are if you don't want to block your view.

I don't think it's an issue of a dog who can get along with a Yorkie as much as the Yorkie getting along with another breed. I love them, but they are often little tyrants. My DD took in a rescue pregnant beagle and kept her and two of her pups. She lives in the country too and her gardens were deer smorgasboards. The deer don't bother them anymore simply because of the dogs' presence. There appear to be greener pastures where there aren't a pack of hounds. I have another friend with three Rat terriers who does not have deer problems anymore with them around.

I don't think greyhound is a good choice. I have a lurcher (greyhound/terrier mix). They are sight hounds and are hard-wired to cut to a chase when spotting prey and they're gone like greased lightening. They need to be on a lead all the time they are outside or contained by very solid, very tall fences. When I have my dog out on a leash (and we live in the country where you might be tempted to let them off leash) the deer who are grazing just look at him going nuts in a distance. They do not run. I have found the only time dogs are a deterrent to deer is when they are allowed to run at large. That's not a good option. Deer are smart and know what can and cannot get to them eventually. I have a friend who has orchards and vineyards and purchased a sound cannon to stop the deer from grazing the grapes. It didn't come cheap and after a week or two, the deer were immune to the loud reports and ignored them. LOL.

I wish you luck in finding just the right pooch. You are wise to make a list of all the attributes you want in a dog, instead of just getting one out of impulse. That's what I did when I got our last doggie, who is an excellent fit to our family and lifestyle. However, you could well be forced to decide which attributes are most important, because if you have a long list........any dog may not be able to fill all of them.

If I were you I would focus on a service dog of some kind that has been trained for people with disabilities. You could attend a training session and watch how they "work" and then you could be matched with a dog just for your needs. It is hard to find dogs that don't shed; I know there are maybe a handful of breeds but then you may be sacrificing the temperament you want. I agree about the "chasing" deer by the other posters; deer will mostly flee if dogs are running in a "pack" but they can "charge" a single dog!
Good Luck!

IMHO training a dog to chase deer is asking for trouble. We also have a lot of deer (and two dogs that have learned NOT to chase the deer). If you are concerned about your flower gardens either find plants that deer do not like (there are many suggestions about this), spray the plants with repellents (works quite well, I do this), or simply accept that part of the price you pay for living close to nature is ... NATURE.

Training dogs to chase deer is cruel to the deer and it is setting up a situation that likely will end with the dogs injured or killed.

Cynthia is right. Never should a greyhound be near barbed wire. They have very thin and delicate skin. Electric fences are a big no no with them too. They are so fast , they'd be a mile away before they felt the shock. Besides, I think it's cruel to have a dog who chases deer. Plant vegetation they don't like or build a fence.

It seems to me you would be money and aggrivation ahead to install some kind of motion detector system that initiated lights and sounds deer can hear and humans cannot to scare them away. Bucks can be terribly aggrerssive during the rut season and can easily kill a dog.

I don't know if you can find a single dog to fill all of your desires.

The major problem with the noise would be the fact dogs could hear the same noise. That might be a problem, especially during evening/early night when the deer are most active, depending on the dog.

A male Labradoodle, neutered when he's 6 mos, but get a puppy. The deer have stayed out of the immediate yard since we've had Buckley. The Gordon Setter ignored deer, the German Wire Haired chased them, the female Labradoodle doesn't stay in the yard.

We think the deer don't like this breed. Maybe because they smell so good (BTW they don't shed either). Maybe because they're big. Buckley is 102 lbs. When he does see a deer, he barks and chases to the edge of our clearing. Same with passers-by. He doesn't jump on cars or people, ever. He never wanders. Maybe if he wasn't neutered, he would...can't say.

We don't have a fence except for the veggie garden.

Oh, and these are F1b Labradoodles, not the 50-50 mix. Were probably just incredibly lucky, but frankly, we wouldn't consider having any other breed, given a choice...

Of course, most dogs are wonderful--no offense meant to anyone with another breed of dog!

A smart dog can be trained to chase deer and not people, but as others have said, an angry deer can kill a dog by rearing up and smashing with it's front hooves. My lab chases after the deer in our back field but they trot away long before he gets to them. I never let him out if there are fawns with them.

There is no standard for labradoodles, which are not a "breed" at all but, like yorkie-poos, cocka-poos, & chiweenies are a mix with uncertain results. F1-B's are 3 parts poodle, 1 part lab. While elvis' dog is big and non-shedding and sweet and wonderful, the littermates could be smaller, snappy and sheddy. Don't pay thousands of dollars for one.

Here game wardens will shoot a dog chasing deer. You really do not want a dog that will chase deer, because a dog that will chase deer out of your yard is unlikely to abandon the chase at your property boundary.

I strongly suggest a fence. Deer are great jumpers and it is hard to find a fence that will keep them out. However if you have a fence that will contain your dog, the presence of a dog prone to chasing deer will keep the deer from entering.

totally agree with spedigrees. We fenced an acre of our backyard and allowed the dogs out to bark at the deer and squirrels. Haven't had a deer set foot inside the fence since day one -- although deer could easily jump it, it's just easier for them to avoid the hassle and go through the next yard over. Most of the fence is 4' welded wire and metal stakes, which blends into the woods very well.

Our dogs are lab mixes from the local pound. The pound encourages people to bring their existing dog(s) to "meet" the new dog right there at the pound -- that way, you can get a good idea if the new dog is going to be accepted or not before bringing it home.

Good luck -- I hope you find a way to enjoy your river view, your native plants, and companionship for your family.

I agree with lily316 - Not a Dachshund. As soon as I read your post those words popped into my mind. I would also like to add "not an American Eskimo". Actually, I think you are going to find it very difficult to find a dog that meets all of your requirements. Even if you find the closest breed type, temperament often varies within the same breed - as in say a Dachshund. My favourites were our 2 super Alpha, brilliant (but benevolent with Mommy) 10 lb. Mini Dachshunds. Our other 3 Dachshunds were more even tempered. Best of luck.

I am finding that Dachshunds are a strange breed. My rescue is a Black/tan 20 pound standard. Never had an accident in the house, loves, loves his walks, never chewed anything and is friendly to all people and kids. He doesn't like big dogs but his worse bad thing is he escapes. We have a big yard w/ a picket fence reinforced with wire. He has escaped many times most recently today. The first times were out the back but the last few he was near the very busy street in front. He is making us a nervous wreck. There was a period of months when he didn't get out. I was thinking of getting a big piece of Styrofoam, cut a hole in it and slipping it over his head when he's in the yard which would prevent him from squeezing out. He is very long and lean.

If, you find a pooch at the pound/animal shelter your heart will never stop thanking you.

I have the most incredible dog, not the breed for everyone, but she is perfect for us. She is a bouvier des flandres, she is the kindest, gentle soul but an excellent watch dog. The bouviers are not wanderers and learn your property boundaries, are great with kids and very loyal. They are in the herding group so want to be with and love their people. She puts up with our 2 corgis trying to herd her, jumping up and grabbing her coat and hanging on. People are just amazed with her. They do have alot of coat but can keep them clipped down to a couple of inches, they are a large dog though. Someone also mentioned a standard poodle, they are lovely, smart dogs. Good luck with your hunt to find the perfect dog for you.

We do not have "dogs". We have Pembroke Welsh Corgis. These are fur persons. One even says words such as "hello" and "yeh or no". They eaisly understand 100 or so words and spelling doesn't help.

Yes, we also have 2 Pembroke Welsh Corgis, what characters......Have you been on the sight mycorgi.com.....