# LGD's and Feed



## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

I have tried to search this topic without any luck. I hope I am not repeating this topic. I have a 2 year old LGD (Pyr, Commodor mix) that has been with my pigs, and chickens. He has done great with them. He has protected new born piglets that came early in the barnyard. I recently brought in a Anatolian, Pyr mix female that is 1 year old. They have done great together. My plan is to bring sheep to the farm, and train them to be with the sheep, and a lot of chickens. They would all be rotationally grazed together around the property. The 1 year old is having a little trouble with chasing chickens, which I am sure I can train out of her. I had the same problem with the older male until I trained him. The biggest problem I have is food aggressiveness. I currently feed the dogs at the same time as the pigs. I have a routine that I give the pigs their food first, then the dogs theirs in the same area, but several feet apart. They have both learned to keep the pigs away as they eat without too much problems. They do have to show the pigs they mean business at times, but in general nothing more than a growl. The two of them I don't understand at all. One day the older male will let the younger eat out of his bowl with him, without even a growl. Twice though they have broke out into a fight, that looks really fierce, but then they are best buddies immediately after. I guess my biggest question is how do you think they would react with a lamb, or sheep walking up to their food as they eat? I do know, at least the older male treats different animals differently. He gives a fierce growl and bark to the pigs, but will tolerate piglets getting into his food until they get older. He only lunges at chickens usually without a bark or growl. How do you feed your LGD's with your other animals? Do you have any ideas, or suggestions for me? By the may, I can walk up and stick my hand in both of their food bowls while they are eating without any reaction. I wouldn't sneak up on them and try it though. LGD's are one of the most amazing animals to watch their reactions to different situations. Very smart animals.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Why I my post not showing up under new post?


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

It's still not showing up???


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm seeing your "new post"; and you have a good question.

I'm not sure what I would do with your situation, however, in that I do not feed my dogs near the other animals. I do, however, expect my dogs to guard the food my goats are eating, keeping the fowl out of the way.

When my LGD "puppy" arrived, my "grown" lab did not like her; however, with a little help from me he did permit her to eat near him out of her own bowl. As he got use to her being around and they became friends, he let the pup do whatever she wanted, even to eating all his food if she wanted to. Now that she is grown, they share their food dishes; however, if either is given some raw food, they will guard it from the other. I would not expect them to do otherwise. 

My dogs' food is always placed on the back porch and they know that is "their" territory; so if a goat or chicken starts up while they are invested in eating, they snarl and run it off. That is ok with me. (Baby goats and baby chickens never get on the porch.)

I had a German Shepherd at one time (as well as a shepherd/chow/lab mix) that would let "babies" of all kinds (goats, kittens, geese) eat out of their dishes. However, that was when the babies were in my house.

My suggestion to you is to not set the feeding times up in such a way that your dogs have to protect their food from their charges.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

My problem with making different feeding times is that I feed all the animals twice per day already. I also plan to have them on a rotational grazing plan, and this is quite a ways away from the house once they are in the back pastures. So I really don't want to turn this into a 4 times a day feedings. The dogs do seem to act differently to each kind and age of animal that may try to get near their food, so I think it will work out okay. I just don't want to spend the time and money getting the sheep, extra fencing, and mobile chicken coupe, just to have problems with feeding all the animals.. Just hoping to get ideas from people that have already done these types of things.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Still trying to figure out why my post never shows up on the New Post list?? It looks like it can only be seen if going directly to Guard Animals forum.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

My two Pyrs are fed at the same time, but away from any other animals, and away from each other.
Both are non food aggressive as far as people are concerned, which was my true only concern, but they can get a bit miffed if one of the other dogs, or animals gets too close.
We simply set things up to make feeding as easy for us as possible, without disrupting anything else too much.
Our female likes to occasionally bury her food, we feed raw, so she is kept in a kennel for eating, as it forces her to eat, as she can't bury anything in there. Sometimes she tries to wait us out, but it isn't going to happen... Our male is one who loves his groceries, so he eats rather quickly, and gets back to work right away.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

If I have the animals on a rotational grazing plan, I would have a hard time completely separating the dogs from the rest of the animals. If any of your LGD's are like mine, once they get out of a pasture and have full range of the property, they will roam the whole property, until they are good and ready to come back on their own. I would try to feed them in the opposite side of the Paddock from the rest of the animals, but that is the best I would know to do. Any other experiences would be great to hear about.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

It's not new to you. Until someone else posts, you'll not see it in the New Post search.


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## thestartupman (Jul 25, 2010)

Yes, but as the others have posted, it could only be found if I went to the forum. I can see it now though that you have responded. Thanks


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

The younger dog is testing the older one. Don't feed the dogs with the pigs, give them their own area. Don't feed them together. When I have more than one dog, I've fed them outside, they each get their meat (I feed raw) and they dash off in opposite directions. I think its normal for them to eat away from each other.


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## purplequeenvt (Mar 3, 2013)

I have two Pyrs (an almost 1 year old female and a 15 week old male). They have no issue sharing their food with each other or the sheep, but I have an issue with the sheep eating the dog food.  I had a pen that only the dogs could get into that worked until one of the sheep figured out how to push it so that he could reach the dish and pull it towards him. I was also concerned that the puppy wasn't getting enough of the food.

My solution was to take them out of the pen completely. They each have a leash tied to the fence that I clip them up to and they each get their own ration. They can't switch bowls and no other creatures can steal it. Now I know who is getting what and can raise or lower the amount of food each dog gets based on their individual needs.

I'd highly recommend figuring out a way to separate your dogs from each other and the other animals for feeding. It will greatly reduce the stress on the dogs.


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

There is no free roaming of the dogs at feeding time. The female knows she is to go to the kennel, she goes right in. The male simply eats at the far end of everything, but he can still see what's going on, and get back to work right away.
Maura is right, it's a testing thing, and the younger one is going to lose.
Separate them, and get the pigs away.


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