Hey Reader,

Gonna be honest here. I didn't weigh the puppies this week.

the horror

Other tasks took up my time and let me tell you, it's not super easy weighing these little (but growing!) cotton balls nowadays. I do hope to weigh them today or tomorrow to have some data for this week.

Our time with them is slowly coming to an end which is bittersweet. In a couple of weeks they'll be ready for their new homes and jobs.

I will absolutely miss being greeted every day by 7 overly exuberant clouds. And I've loved the experience and the accompanied education of raising them.

When getting Juno and Jove I was so excited to have them arrive but now I can see the experience from the other side. I won't forget any of these 7 little polar bears and I hope to follow along with their lives as they grow into great guardians.

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Bringing your new LGD home

Bringing home a new puppy who has a job and isn't a pet can be daunting, especially when you've never gone through this process before.

Rex and I certainly understand that feeling. We did quite a lot of research before getting Juno and we still ended up doing some things our own way due to our expectations and unique situation.

Many people will suggest getting an older more experienced dog because you can skip the puppy phase but I feel like that's missing a huge chunk of learning for you as a LGD owner.

I've learned so much and grew alongside Juno and now with Jove as well. I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything.

These suggestions below apply to bringing home a puppy or even an older dog.

First and foremost, don't start preparations when or after the dog arrives. Be prepared to make the transition as seamless and stress free as possible for everyone involved.

It can be stressful for a puppy or older dog to leave their companions and accustomed environment so setting them up for success will help them better bond with you and your livestock.

You are now this puppy's lifeline, guide, and protector which is a role I take seriously.

Focus on the basics:

• food
• water
• shelter
• observation tools

Food

If not told by the previous owner, ask what type of food the dog has been eating. You may want to continue with the same food or slowly transition to whatever you want to feed going forward.

Transitioning too fast could cause the dog to have gastrointestinal issues.

Simple metal food bowls can suffice whether you're feeding kibble or raw meat and bones. We use bowls like these because our animals are on small acreage and easily accessible. You can get similar ones at Walmart or any pet store.

For training, we either used homemade jerky for treats or pepperettes (also available at Walmart). We cut these up into much smaller pieces to make it more economical.

A note on feeding:

We do focus on raw feeding Juno and Jove meaning they get raw meat, bones, eggs, etc. They can also eat whatever raccoons or moles dare to cross their paths.

Sometimes this takes extra effort on our part to source meat to keep costs low but, for us, it's worth it to provide a biologically appropriate diet for them. And we're working on supplementing with rice and beans while keeping meat as the majority of their food. The desire is that we spend less in the long run not dealing with vet visits and health issues.

Feeding kibble works too when the right kibble is chosen. There are definitely better kibble options out there other than Purina, Rachel Ray, and Beneful. Have you looked at their ingredient lists? Eesh!

Our puppies are being given raw meat, bones, and kibble (grain free from Walmart) so that they're prepared for whatever food they're given at their new home. Each puppy will be sent home with a bag of food to help transition them.

I do believe that providing dogs with some raw bones and meat is extremely beneficial to their overall health and well-being. We like chicken quarters that are available around us from $0.70-$0.80 a pound. These can be fed whole (uncooked!).

​Grain free dog kibble - take a look here for options.

Water

Our dogs drink from the same water as our livestock. And because so many are drinking from one source, we went with the tried and true Rubbermaid 50 gallon tank.

It holds enough for our animals along while being shallow enough for puppies, mini fainting goats, cats, and chickens.

Shelter

As adults, Juno and Jove take shelter with the livestock.

When we first got Juno and Jove as puppies we used this crate outside until they were accustomed to the area. This cover provides a wind break and this mattress helps line the floor for comfort.

Since then that crate has come in extremely handy for chickens and all sorts of livestock so it was a great investment.

With shelter also comes the need for a puppy only space to get away from livestock while they learn and acclimate.

You can have separate pens, like we did, or use electric fencing or other type of fencing. This way the puppy and livestock can smell and see each other without actually interacting while you're not around.

I'd recommend this for a good while until you're sure everyone has settled down and the newness and shininess has worn off. Allow them time in this area to settle in and become comfortable with you and their new surroundings before increasing their territory and letting them mingle with livestock. Then move on to tethering and moving among the livestock while observing.

Make sure that the puppy always has access to water, food, and shelter while tethering them. Check in on them periodically and don't leave them tethered for extended periods of time. Definitely don't tether them while leaving the premises or overnight.

A side note, make sure that there's nothing in their reach that you don't want chewed on. No matter how many toys you might give a puppy, they're going going to drag up something you like and and more than likely chew on it.

Observation Tools

A good collar and leash go a long way. We like this reflective collar for Juno and Jove and we use these identification tags.

We use leashes as adults if they're going to the vet, but as puppies it's a useful tool for training. You can use it as a quick correction tool to pull the puppy away from what they shouldn't be doing. You can also let them run with it attached (only when being observed!) so you can step on it quickly for correction.

We found both a 20 foot lead and a 6 foot lead to be useful. The 6 footer we got at Walmart.

For tethering, you'll want to make sure that the area is free of obstacles that will tangle up and potentially hurt your puppy while also making sure they have access to water, food, and shelter if needed.

We attached this cable to a thick metal ring around a t-post so that the dogs would have full 360 degree movement while also allowing livestock to get out of their reach. We checked back frequently on them to make sure they weren't tangled up.

The key here is to make sure that the puppy is safe in their environment and also with the livestock. Do not leave a puppy with livestock that will beat up on it or you may have (understandably) aggression issues arise.

Other Nice to Haves

For puppies I do recommend some rope toys or the like to help with teething and redirection from biting your hands and legs. Maremmas, as many dogs do, go through a mouthy phase. And instead of parents and littermates, it's now you and your livestock for entertainment. Patience and understanding with puppies goes a long way.

Maremmas have quite a thick coat and sometimes can use some grooming to keep knots and mats out. These can inhibit a dog's ability to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

We like to use a few different types of brushes for those thick coats depending on need. We like this undercoat rake, this extra-large comb, and brush like this one that we got from Walmart.

And let's not forget about nails - we use these clippers.

Depending on your dog and environment they're living in, you may not have a need for grooming or nail trims. Unfortunately we had burrs in Wyoming and we still have them here in Tennessee which creates matted fur more easily.

Recommendations

I mentioned this previously, but I highly recommend taking your dog on car rides to desensitize them. We did not do this often enough and Juno and Jove are not fond of car rides.

Imagine having to pick up 80lb and 100lb dogs to put them in the back of my CRV. Not fun.

Definitely make sure you're walking them on leashes so they respect walking on lead and not pulling. This makes for easier vet visits.

Touch the puppy from nose to tail and everywhere in-between (look in ears and mouth!) to keep a good comfort level with you and them and your vet in case of an emergency. Grooming on a consistent basis can help with this too.

And last but not least, start training on day one!

Juno and Jove were introduced to livestock and living next to them on day one.

We also started training SIT the first day and they nailed that (for some tasty treats, of course).

Now of course these are all recommendations based on what we've used with our dogs and you can subtract from, add to, or substitute for what fits your and your dog's needs the most.

Just remember that you are everything to this puppy until they bond with livestock. Gentle patience is what they need.

Ciao for now!

Jamie

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