Diet and Feeding Protocol

#FeedingLGDs,

I feed Science Diet to all my pregnant or lactating dogs and pups up to six months of age.

Feed your pups a good quality puppy chow with no tasty caloric enhancements until the pups are six months old. At that time, switch the pups to a good quality adult dog chow.

Don’t save money on dog food! LGDs work for a living! They need solid dietary support to stay healthy; this is especially true with developing pups. Fed this way, I don’t think it is possible to overfeed pups.

Stay With Your Dogs While They Eat

The pup at my feet wasn't raised here. It took me a while to teach her to settle and eat. To begin with, I had her on a leash as I sat near her. After a week or so, sitting like this worked. She eventually became relaxed and happy when her food bowl was offered to her. This work is so important!

I stay with my pups when they eat and give them fifteen minutes or so to eat all they are interested in consuming. I do NOT play with them during this time. When they walk away from the bowls or become disinterested in eating, I pick up the extra feed and bowls and remove them to the barn.

Do not EVER leave dog food out where the dogs and livestock both have access to it! The livestock will become wise to the opportunity to steal it; the dogs will be forced to defend their food or give it up. This is an untenable situation for the dogs!