Feeding Maremma and Excercise

[fpbear]

We have an 8 month old Maremma puppy protecting the Dorset sheep. He is growing fast so it is hard to tell how much to feed. We give him Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice twice a day and he eats all of it (not free feeding). But the amount is just a guess. We can feel the ribs behind a small layer of puppy fat. He is not very active because he follows the sheep everywhere. When the sheep are grazing, he sits around on watch. When the sheep are laying down, he's sleeping.

 

Anyone else with a LGD know how much to feed these things and encourage them to be active?

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

There should be some guidelines on the food you are feeding. Most somewhat overestimate this amount, but LGDs are more active so it is less likely that that would be the case.

 

My dogs have a very slight layer of fat over their ribs in the winter, even though I don't feed them any more and they work much harder as lambing starts. I suppose it's an adaptive thing.

 

At this point you might want to switch to a ration better suited to a working dog, however. Way back before the high protein rations were "cool", LGD experts were saying that 30/20 was a minimum level of protein and fat for these dogs.

 

Your dog is doing most of his work at night. While you sleep, he is spending most of the night patrolling. During the day, they look like the laziest things in the world, unless something alerts them. Don't try to encourage your pup to do anything that is not related to his job at this point - he is working mentally even if you don't see him moving.

[Bill Fosher]

I'm going to agree and disagree with Becca.

 

First the disagreement: I don't think you should pump the protein and fat levels way up on a LGD puppy. Or an adult for that matter. It sounds to me like you're feeding your pup just about right: he's not active when he doesn't need to be; he sounds trim. He'll be growing until he's almost three years old, and if you feed him high protein and fat rations he may grow too fast. Joint problems are a real concern in these dogs, although my impression is that Maremmas are a little better than Great Pyrenees in that department.

 

The agreement: don't do anything to encourage activity or play in the pup. He sounds like he is a really good guard dog, focused on his sheep and not on nonsense. If you don't like him that way, send him to me!

[Lenajo]

Pup sounds wonder...I mean terrible! Definately terrible. I'll take him off your hands if you don't like him. At least tell me who the breeder is so I can buy...I mean yell, at them about their dogs.

[fpbear]

We had him penned with the sheep for the first 6 months. I think that helped a lot. We got the puppy from David at Field Stone Border Collies. I guess part of the reason he's so good at guarding and staying with the sheep is because David raised them along with lambs since he was born. Also David gave us a lot of good advice, he is a real pro.