Bear Mountain Farm Anatolian Puppy Info - this is the info sheet we send home with our puppies.
Feeding:
We are feeding 3x a day and it is recommended to keep 3 meals a day until about 5 months old.
Puppies are currently eating a raw beef and organ mix, raw eggs, raw goat milk, yogurt, and Bixbi kibble, with chicken feet or beef bone treats. Your puppy will be able to immediately transition to fully raw or fully kibble, or continue with a mixed diet. Our adults get 50/50 raw and kibble. If you will be feeding mainly kibble, you can always supplement with eggs, organs, or whatever you have available. Note that it is not recommended to feed cow’s milk unless it’s been fermented.
We have been soaking their kibble in goat milk or broth and I would recommend continuing to do so for some time. We actually still soak our adults’ kibble in water or broth as it helps keep them hydrated and it reduces the chance of bloat, which can be a concern with active large breed dogs.
If you choose kibble as their main food source, be sure that it is a high protein puppy mix formulated for large breeds, and continue to feed “puppy” kibble until two years old.
Daily Supplements we use:
Longevity from Springtime Supplements (joint and immune support)
Diatomaceous Earth (deworming support)
Cistus Incanus (potentially repels ticks, also immune support)
Favorite Healing Supplements I make sure to always have available:
Amber Naturalz Paxaid (tummy troubles and parvo)
Amber Naturalz Vibracta Plus (immune support)
Activated Charcoal (toxin removal)
Methylene Blue (antiviral and antibacterial)
Oreganol (antiviral and antibacterial)
Note that I would not recommend garlic as their mom is intolerant and that can be genetic.
Nosodes:
Parvo/Distemper – alternate one each week until 9+ months old. Dose is approx 5-10 granules in the mouth, with no food before or after for 15+ minutes (no food residue in the mouth as it inhibits absorption). You can continue to use even if you opt for traditional vaccines. Store in the fridge.
Puberty:
Females from Dolly & Kenny’s previous litter entered puberty at approximately 14 months of age. Resource guarding and other difficult behaviors often increase at puberty. Their heat cycles tend to last a full four weeks from first signs of swelling and spotting, though for most of this time pregnancy risk is low. It is recommended not to spay/neuter before a minimum of two years old.
Registration:
The easiest way to register is through the AKC website. You will need the codes on the included paperwork. You can register at any time up to one year old.
Training:
Always keep in mind that LGDs are not people pleasers and are considered a “primitive” dog, closer in temperament to their wild cousins than the dogs breeds most of us are familiar with.
Resource Guarding – give your puppy their own eating space and sleeping space away from other dogs and animals. Teach children not to bother your dog when eating or enjoying a treat. If your puppy is growling over a “prize” that you need to remove, try to distract or replace with something of higher value rather than just taking it, unless it’s an immediate safety issue. Taking away their prizes can increase resource guarding behaviors over time.
Barking – barking tends to mellow with age as they learn what’s a threat and what isn’t, but can be excessive and constant in young dogs, especially at night. To help curtail it, go and see why they’re barking (yes, even at 3AM!), and either reassure them that they don’t need to bark, or praise them and join in!
Wandering – most puppies will stick close until they reach 4 or 5 months old and/or have a partner in crime. Be sure to be prepared ahead of time to teach them their boundaries and reinforce them either with no-climb fencing or GPS collars. Some dogs are more prone to wandering than others. If you do use a GPS collar with metal contact points, be sure to monitor their neck for irritation.
Livestock safety – remember that LGDs are not considered livestock or poultry safe before 18 months old at the minimum. Dogs that have had perfect behavior for several weeks or even months will continue to have naughty phases, especially with poultry, until at least 18 months old. With small ruminants, be sure to monitor carefully during lambing/kidding season for at least 2-3 years.
Basic Obedience – we find our dogs to be very food motivated, which helps with training. We teach ours to go their kennels and “sit” before eating. “Come” can be very difficult to teach but if you get down on one knee and open your arms wide, this helps encourage them to come to you. Be prepared to be bowled over, though! We also use a cow bell to train them to come for treats or dinner, which can then be used for recall. “Leave it” or “back off” is another useful command. Start training your puppy to walk on a leash and get into a vehicle from a young age, so that if you do need to go to the vet, you’re not trying to drag a 100+ lb unwilling dog into your vehicle. We like slip leashes, which allow for more control when a very large dog is being stubborn. Others have found harness training to be valuable.
We find the FB group “Training Support for Livestock Guardian Dogs” to be a valuable resource, though the admins can be very opinionated (as is true for all FB groups).
Please feel free to contact us at any time for help or with questions, or just to send pics and give us an update!