LGD Expensies

[RPC]

I know someone (KIM) that has an LGD for sale and I have been thinking about getting one since we have really bad coyote problems around here. If I had an LGD I could actually leave the goats out in the field with the dog and not worry. Since I only have 10 goats I don't think I need more then 1 dog and we have never actually had the coyotes get in with the goats but they come close enough.
I know I will have vet check ups to pay for and food but how much food does a dog of that size eat? I just don't want to go poor off the dog alone.

 

[jodief100]

I don't know about Anatolian but my Pys do not eat near as much as you would think. My greyhounds who are much smaller eat more than they do. Jack is still a growing puppy (1 year old) and about 125 lbs right now. He eats 4-5 cups a day. Snowy is 5 and about 90 lbs, she eats 2-3 cups a day. It comes out to roughly one 40 lb bag of dog food about every 16-18 days. I buy one every two weeks and every now and then skip a week because I have an extra bag still. I let them eat all they want, they seem to know what they need.

They also get some table scraps and lots of deer innards from my neighbor. I don't give them anything real fatty or cooked bird bones but they do get some things. They LOVE mac and cheese.

I highly recommend buying good quality food. You will pay more in the long run for cheep food. Make sure there is no corn and the first ingredient is meat. A working dog needs the high protein in better quality food.

I have never lost an animal to a predator except a few chickens to my own LGD's.

 

[carolinagirl]

They eat a lot as pups, but once they are grown they really don't eat more than an average large dog. No where near what you'd expect for a dog that sized to eat.

 

[RPC]

Thank you I was expecting you to say a 40 pound bag would last a week. It really doesn't sound bad at all.

 

[jodief100]

Thank you I was expecting you to say a 40 pound bag would last a week. It really doesn't sound bad at all.

I have never really looked at it that close but I know this. I go to COSTCO once a week. I buy the Kirkland Brand food in the red bag (for the LGD's) one week and then in the green bag (lamb and rice for greyhound's sensitive tummy's) the next. Every now and then I buy a green one on a red bag week. So the greyhounds obviously eat more than the LGD's. They are 70 and 80 pounds, respectively. The greyhounds also get 1/2 cup of plain yogurt on their food at every meal. I am certain between the food and the vet visits for teeth cleaning and other "greyhound" things, the hounds cost me twice what the LGD's do in a year.

If you really want an exact cost, I have records of everything I buy for the farm. I can tell you to the penny what I spent on the LGD's in any given year. PM me if you want the info.

 

[Roll farms]

I answered your FB pm, but yeah...ours eat 3-4 cups a day, spread out in 2 feedings.

This pup is eating as much as the adults now, but once he's done growing, he should level off at the same amount.

I have noticed ours eat less in summer, sometimes they even skip meals when it's really, really hot.

 

[carolinagirl]

Thank you I was expecting you to say a 40 pound bag would last a week. It really doesn't sound bad at all.

oh no...no where near that bad. I am feeding my two 8 month old anatolian pups probably two 35 pound bags a month. Once they are grown, that will go way down. It really depends on the brand of food though. If you get cheap-o food that has fillers (corn) they will eat more and poop a lot more. If they eat a high quality diet with little or no grain, they can eat a lot less. If you are close to any deer processing plant or taxidermist you can get venison for nothing. Fed raw, it's an excellent diet. I supplement my dogs with deer when I get it. The taxidermist will give you all the neck roasts you can haul and deer processing places will give you the ribs and spine as well as a lot of big meaty leg bones.

 

[RPC]

Jodie thanks but I don't need the exact amount I just wanted to make sure I was not going to go broke with one.

Kim I will go check out my message from you.

carolinagirl Thank you for all your help I will see if there are any deer processing plants close by.