# question about my possible LGD



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

I came upon an amazing deal, to good to pass up. I will be getting a very nice lgd pup for a ridiculous price. My question is, how do your lgd's react with your "house" dog? If they play will it affect the pup instinct, will my older dog "bully" it to where it won't perform when needed? We are not quite ready as far as we do not have a "ton" of space yet but the pup will be young and be exercised regularly and given chicks and rabbits to guard in the meantime. Any insight would be great. Ps. The pup is a 8 week old purebred papered anatolian from working lines.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

A puppy needs to be exposed to the type of livestock it will protect by the age of sixteen weeks. If your Anatolian is going to be protecting sheep or goats, introducing him to poultry and rabbits isn't going to help. It would be wise to teach him to leave these small critters alone, but he isn't going to switch from bonding with them to bonding with goats. Sometimes a deal that is too good to be true, isn't. Wait until you have the livestock.

If you decide to get the puppy anyway, I'd leave him with his mamma for another two weeks or more. It will be much easier for him to adapt to your place if he has this extra time with his mom and siblings. It will also be easier for your house dog to become friends if he is older than 8 weeks. I expect the house dog will sniff the puppy a lot, might snap at it, might hide from it. I think this has something to do with an instinct to send it back to it's mother. Anyway, the house dog will most likely adopt the puppy and help it to learn doggie manners. Unless your current dog normally has issues with puppies, they should get along well.


----------



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

right now the puppy is with goats, so I am hoping this will help. I am assuming there are steps to "introduce" new livestock to your lgd, you will have to bring in new goats or what if you decide to get a sheep later, you wouldn't get a new dog. I am willing to put in the time and effort, I just need to know if my time and effort is futile or will it pay off, I have done the research on this breeders dogs and I would be an idiot to pass it up, unless it was totally unworkable. thanks for your response maura.


----------



## Tiili (Apr 17, 2013)

Chicks might not be best critters to teach a LGD puppy to guard.

If you don't mind me asking, why do you want a LGD if there's no livestock for it to bond with and protect?

As for issues regarding the "house dog", since I'm not familiar with the dog I cannot give much advice, if it has issues with bullying then there will be issues as this is a puppy no matter the breed.
Also taking into account the LGDs generally liking to be top dog can sometimes bring issues on its own.
Either way its up you to handle your "pack", if you have concerns I would say trust your guts and don't introduce a puppy.

A good deal can turn very sour if you can't facilitate for the needs of a LGD.


----------



## Tiili (Apr 17, 2013)

Sorry, double post, please disregard.


----------



## Tiili (Apr 17, 2013)

"Introducing new livestock" is generally in regard to a LGD taught to be a LGD.
Without livestock to guard it cannot learn.
Also, not all puppies born a LGD turn out successful LGDs, same as with BCs, good working lines or not, they're not all equally successful.

If you bring the pup up as a pet, its a pet, with a barking issue.

A dog working with livestock works best if brought up working livestock,I'm sure there will be some arguing their rescued former pet Pyr is the best goat guardian ever, but as a general rule, working dogs needs early introduction. 
Although I agree with Maura in that leaving the pup a bit longer if there's livestock and its introduced, I do believe it's more than two weeks work, it often takes until maturity to know the quality of the dog.
If you do not intend to keep livestock in the very near future, do hold off or perhaps work together with a friend owning livestock.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

The LGD will love and protect whatever it considers its flock. You, your dogs, your cats, your goats.....


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Well, I certainly understand your desire to grab that deal while you can. A quality Anatolian is quite expensive! I am concerned about its age. I'm learning from my LGD that a pup you want to bond mostly with livestock is better off staying with its parents awhile longer than 8 weeks. The reasoning behind this (in my nooby opinion) is that the pup is still too young to bond with large animals that could hurt it accidentally. Protecting such a young pup that has a propensity to think for itself is quite difficult at that age without it forming an alliance with its protector. If I were in your shoes with only chickens/rabbits for an LGD to bond with, I would think twice about getting an Anatolian....but I, too, am just learning!


----------



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

I talked to the mrs, tonight. She believes we can get at 3 goats within the next 6 months.
we are gonna talk it over some more and think about it. Pretty much this ladies dogs are usually $2500 and I can pick one up for $500.


----------



## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Pup needs to live with what it will protect and not live/hang out often with your 'house' dogs. House dogs should never be allowed to bully or pin down the lgd, lgd needs to be top dog and have the courage to pin down your dogs if they ever go after it's livestock!
Pups will kill and play with the rabbits and birds, so keep them locked away other than supervised time. 

My pup lived with my pigs, ducks, rabbits and chickens, locked away and later freely with them. Then she started going out with the sheep more and eventually left out with them and the horses. She still prefers being with the small critters, but she has also bonded with the sheep and horses. She lays out with the flock, eats with them and does protect them. She's only a year and a month old so far. 
So it's possible for a lgd to later accept new animals, but mine was introduced to the sheep and horses from time to time, short supervised visits, so both got used to the other.
You can get poop from the animals you plan on keeping and tossing it in the pups yard, it will get used to the smell of those animals and is something over no contact at all.


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Just so you know, I bought almost all my GP at 5-6wks. I like bringing them home young to bond with us. Of course, they all lived in the house or in the shed for a few weeks after that, not out with the goats. Our youngest LGD was about 7-8wks old when we went and got her, but most were younger. They grow up fine.


----------



## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

jolly rabbit said:


> Pretty much this ladies dogs are usually $2500 and I can pick one up for $500.


First thing I would have to ask? Why is it $500? if the dog is worth $2500. 
Dont get me wrong, I've givin pups away for free or deeply discounted, but there was always reason/story for it, that had to do with where the dog was going, not because there was anything not correct about the pup.


----------



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

its nothing bad and is a legititimate reason why, I am always skeptical as well. Pup seems healthy, she said she would give us the vet/shot record as well. And because there isn't much "need" for lgd's in this part of california, when it told her we were moving to oregon to buy land and actually use and work the dog, she said she would be very willing to drop the price for the pup to go to a good home.


----------



## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

good deal good luck with it!


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

In your situation, I would see how long the lady is willing to hold onto the puppy. Being exposed to goats right now is a good thing, but not the same as bonding. If she will keep the puppy and treat him as if she wanted him to guard goats until he is say, 4 months old, you have a better shot at creating a good guardian dog. Offer to give her another hundred to cover food, and/or trade something. This extra time with mamma and goats would be incredibly valuable. The puppy will also be more confident and physically larger, so better able to deal with your housedog, should there be a problem.


----------



## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

If it sounds too good to be true and all that....


----------



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

I wish that were possible, she will hold it for 2 more weeks, but we are moving to oregon in 30 days! And again the too good to be true stuff, I highly doubt it with this lady and I am a pretty good judge of character. Her reason (it is kinda personal so I don't want to post) makes total sense to me.


----------



## Rock (Jan 5, 2009)

I had a guy worked at a tire place, wife didn't work, they had 2 boys 6-8 at the time.
He was also a trained, smoke jumper, so sometimes would be away from home for weeks at a time. 
He wanted a dog to watch over the family and house at the times he was away. There was no way he would be able to get the cost of a pup even if I took payments it would be well over a year on their budget.
I gave them a dog at no cost, with the agreement that If I needed to use him as stud in the future, that would be done. I filed the paperwork in my name, taught them how to vaccinate & worm the dog in the least costly manner, and told them about $5 dollar rabies clinics. 
I could see the care in the family and I figured that would extend out to the dog. Boys are 14&16 now, he has a way better job still jumps, & the dog is momma's baby.
So I guess my point is some breeders can & will make things happen, like I said there is a reason story on the receiving end.
Good for you:thumb:


----------



## jolly rabbit (Apr 30, 2012)

thanks now I just got to get my wife on my side of the fence & if she doesn't want to go I will jump over and throw her over to my side LOL.


----------



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

ROFL grab the dog and run.........I've found trusting one's own senses is usually good!


----------

