# LGD mix question



## Buckhuntr (Oct 4, 2012)

DW found a CL ad for Anatolian/Great Pyrenees/Kangal mix, 4 1/2months old, for $50, neutered and shots utd. I'm skeptical that the dog would be a good LGD around goats, sheep and poultry at that age and that price.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

But he should grow into one if you do your part to teach him boundaries.


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## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

Pops2 said:


> But he should grow into one if you do your part to teach him boundaries.


Aint saying it cant be done, however your questioning and being skeptical would be the direction I would follow.
Could be the best mongrel $50 can buy, or a waste of time and feed. 
Why would a dog that can guard livestock & livelihood be $50_,_*did theyband his sack and do the shots themselves* _(otherwise there are a few bucks involved in that)_ Just seems like a ridiculously low price, which always throws up a red flag for me. _(If something seems to good to be true, it usually is)_


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## DaniR1968 (May 24, 2008)

That cross should be a good LGD with proper trainer. It could very well be someone that got a puppy thinking they could throw it out with their stock or poultry and have it just know what to do. Or it has turned out to be more dog than they could handle. 

I would be VERY tempted to give it a chance. In fact, if it were closer, I would be looking for that ad!


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

Rock said:


> Aint saying it cant be done, however your questioning and being skeptical would be the direction I would follow.
> Could be the best mongrel $50 can buy, or a waste of time and feed.
> Why would a dog that can guard livestock & livelihood be $50_,_*did theyband his sack and do the shots themselves* _(otherwise there are a few bucks involved in that)_ Just seems like a ridiculously low price, which always throws up a red flag for me. _(If something seems to good to be true, it usually is)_


He's a mixed bred pup, he ain't worth squat until he grows up and proves it. Same way your pups are only worth what people feel the pedigree is worth. Also different working communities are priced different. The PP & PPS community generally pays A LOT more even for mediocre pups than the farming, ranching & hounding community does for well bred pups. 
One the best hog & bear dogs I've ever had was a $50 F1 catahoulaXAmerican bulldog. No pedigree to speak of, and the nimrod "breeder" had no idea his AB would throw 10 pups. So not only did he not have enough takers for the 8 he wasn't planning on keeping but some of those fell through. He resorted to an add in the thrifty nickel. Since he was a junk bred $50 pup I had low expectations but he turned out stellar. By the time he died he was easily a $3000 hog & bear dog and that is a lot of money for a dog whose job tends give them a short life.


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## Whisperwindkat (May 28, 2009)

It depends on his background. Has he been around livestock? What kind? Did he come from working parents? There is definitely potential there for a good LGD, but there is also potential that this was a pet bred dog and he is a potential train wreck. If it were me I would ask the questions above and then I might take the chance.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

The mix is great. The only thing that would concern me is that someone altered him too young. He will have hip issues.


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## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

Pops2 said:


> He's a mixed bred pup, he ain't worth squat until he grows up and proves it. Same way your pups are only worth what people feel the pedigree is worth. Also different working communities are priced different. The PP & PPS community generally pays A LOT more even for mediocre pups than the farming, ranching & hounding community does for well bred pups.
> One the best hog & bear dogs I've ever had was a $50 F1 catahoulaXAmerican bulldog. No pedigree to speak of, and the nimrod "breeder" had no idea his AB would throw 10 pups. So not only did he not have enough takers for the 8 he wasn't planning on keeping but some of those fell through. He resorted to an add in the thrifty nickel. Since he was a junk bred $50 pup I had low expectations but he turned out stellar. By the time he died he was easily a $3000 hog & bear dog and that is a lot of money for a dog whose job tends give them a short life.


You know I'm on board with you there, every pup no matter the paper behind it is only a potential prospect. *If you take the time,* you can train the dog to do the task, whatever it might be. The key to that being the time. My grandpa used to tell me "The dog already knows how to do everything you want it to do. YOU have to learn how to communicate what you want to the dog. If they aren't doing it your not asking them correctly"
The difference comes in /or in spite of, the hands of the trainer, where a dog with low abilities can be worker or a great pup can be ruined. 
That is why I judge my dogs and ones outside that I am thinking of possibly using on the P.C.P. evaluation
Which stands for pedigree, conformation, performance, the ped tells me what it should be, the conformation gives me the view s of people that have been in the dog game their whole lives _(eliminates or exposes kennel blindness)_Performance the dog can do the job it was bred to do.
I do wish them the best whatever they choose, I think they should follow their gut feelings.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

The more you put in the mix the less you can depend on the outcome.


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## Buckhuntr (Oct 4, 2012)

DW pointed out this morning that at 4 1/2 months, the dog also could have bad habits already, or not. We may call and talk to the seller, if the dog is still available.


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## earthkitty (Mar 3, 2011)

Without seeing the parents, and even if you did, it would be difficult to be sure of the declared breed mix. Kangals are not common, and they are very expensive, so unless there was an accidental breeding somewhere along the line, I don't know that I would count on the Kangal part of the equation. Anatolian/GP crosses are much more common, and as a matter of fact I have one right now.

Also, like mekasmom said, being neutered at that age is a bad deal.

If I were in need of an LGD and also needed one to be cheap, I might give this dog a look. His current environment matters a lot; if he at this age is already in and around sheep/goats, then it might be okay. If he is not with any livestock, there is no way I would bring him home.

Any listing on craigslist should be approached with caution, IMO. It is a great way to buy and sell, but there are a lot of schiesters too.


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## Pops2 (Jan 27, 2003)

pancho said:


> The more you put in the mix the less you can depend on the outcome.


True
But in this case it would be like a catahoula/goodman/leopard cur mix, it might not have the combination of speed, grit, nose & mouth you want but it will almost certainly hunt.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

The mix is a good one for the job you want, and at 18 weeks old, that pup hasn't been on Earth long enough to have any irredeemably bad habits - or really, any habits at all.
Habits, by definition, take time to form.

Dogs can be cheap or free for lots of reasons. The #1 reason I've seen is owner ignorance. Especially with big dogs. Odds are good that, as another poster said, someone tossed that pup into a chicken yard and expected miracles.
Go look. 
The best dog I ever owned cost $55. Dogs are mostly what you make them.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I would not be concerned about the mix as I believe it to be good. I would be more concerned about that pup's health genetics; and at that price I doubt you get any health guarantee. Still, for $50 you could take the pup to a vet and care for him, training/socializing/etc and it could turn out to be a really good LGD. In fact it just may be the party selling that dog simply did not know how to train such a dog and thought, at 4-1/2 months of age, it should be more mature than it was. That party's ignorance could be your gold! [A caution, though. In a few years you might regret getting him for "emotional" reasons should you have to put it down due to health problems inherent in the breed(s).] So it all depends on what yo think you can handle.


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## terradura (Mar 19, 2012)

There is another issue with getting a dog, even a 4-month-old pup, without knowing its background. Sometimes these dogs can be traumatized by abuse or severe teasing. That leads to some behavioral issues. We had one who was terrified if you picked up a towel or blanket or even paper sack and shook it out. Another was scared to get even near a car.

Others here I'm sure know more about this than I do, but pups go through fear periods in their development and during those times can be traumatized if not dealt with carefully.


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