# Guardian Diets



## Pips (Mar 25, 2014)

I have always been curious of what people feed their LGDs.  I am especially interested in the diets of any ancient breeds you might own.  if this has been asked before forgive me.  

Below is the diet I give to my dogs.  Atm two COs.
Please remember, if I am gonna get shouted at over the raw food, that COs are an ancient breed and their constitution is very sturdy, most food based diseases just come out the other end. 

Raw meat - mostly heart, kidneys, lungs, liver & meat off the bone (only lamb, beef & chicken)
Raw fish - Salmon & trout
Bloody Bones 
Vegs (always from the mixer as digestion is harder natural and little is absorbed) - cabbage, celery, brussels, a little carrot, some sweet potatoes are good too but not too many
fruit (always from the mixer as digestion is harder) Pumpkin, apple, bananas, strawberries & lots of dark berries
Protein (organic) powder
Dog specific mineral powder
Milk & cheese in small amounts
Linseed oil
Fish oil
Olive oil
A little garlic & onion
Some oats & barley (very little as it is grain and not great for dogs)

So percentages are ...

50% raw meat or raw fish - freeze your meat and fish, especially trout and salmon for two days before giving it to the dog.  There are particular parasites that must be killed if given raw.
10% porridge - grounded oats & barley
10% vegetables ground up with water
10% fruits - berries, pumpkin, apple, banana (vit k)
Rest of the 20%
Add organic dry food to suck up the liquidity (non-grain based)
Add oils, little tiny bit of garlic & onion 
Add powders - mineral, protein & vegetable 
Add an raw egg once a day until 4 years of age.

Calcium and phosphate are balanced as much as possible.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 26, 2014)

I feed very similar to your routine. I don't utilize organ meats as heavily, roughly once every 2 weeks or so. I feed fruits but, don't mix them in with meals or veggies as fruits and veggies are digested at differing rates and I feel mixing them can set up for digestive problems. I utilize Flaxseed oil in lieu of Linseed. I also supplement vitamins but, their addition is largely dependent on the dogs daily needs/condition. I utilize Ester-C, D3, natural Vit E and a good B complex with fair regularity. I also fast the dogs one day weekly and once a month supplement the diets with Astragalus and Milk Thistle for a week. I utilize large raw elk bones with regularity.


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## Pips (Mar 26, 2014)

Timber great thank you.  Do you use barley at all, or any grain type for that matter?  I add, especially Barley, for added B2, B12, but mostly for the high amounts of manganese that helps break down calcium & other hard minerals during digestion.  When I add it seems they do defecate less.  I don't like grain based diets at all but I find using around 10% doesn't seem to do any damage, at least I have dogs live over 16 years on mostly this diet.  
Excellent point on the veggies and fruits.  With COs they don't tend to get digestive problems at all.  I get a runny tummy once every 3 years if unlucky.   What breed are your dogs?
Fasting is also an interesting one.  I have actually never employed it myself but those that I respect as owners and breeders have done so.  
Astragalus and Milk Thistle also a good idea.  Especially Astragalus as it seems to have everything   Many thanks.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 26, 2014)

Pips said:


> Timber great thank you.  Do you use barley at all, or any grain type for that matter?  I add, especially Barley, for added B2, B12, but mostly for the high amounts of manganese that helps break down calcium & other hard minerals during digestion.  When I add it seems they do defecate less.  I don't like grain based diets at all but I find using around 10% doesn't seem to do any damage, at least I have dogs live over 16 years on mostly this diet.
> Excellent point on the veggies and fruits.  With COs they don't tend to get digestive problems at all.  I get a runny tummy once every 3 years if unlucky.   What breed are your dogs?
> Fasting is also an interesting one.  I have actually never employed it myself but those that I respect as owners and breeders have done so.
> Astragalus and Milk Thistle also a good idea.  Especially Astragalus as it seems to have everything   Many thanks.



I usually use soaked grains once weekly and utilize a 7 grain mix that includes barley. That's about the sum of grain they get in their diets tho.

I have a Tornjak and a Bernese. The Tornjak is 4 now and has never been sick or even off, to my knowledge.....extremely healthy and durable. Undoubtedly due to it's breeding/heritage and, I believe supported by a good diet. Started the raw diets (around 1994) after dealing with the atrocious cancer rate in the Berners (a train wreck of a breed health wise) and working with a very good natural Vet in N. Calif. that took the time to educate me on nutrition and immune disorders. Never met the guy face to face, we worked over the phone. After my first Bernese was diagnosed with Histiocytosis at age 7 and given 2-3 weeks to live due to the extensiveness of the cancer and my subsequent finding and interaction with this Vet, I was able to buy the dog 9 months of quality seemingly cancer free time....I began feeding all my dogs a natural diet from that point forward. ZERO regrets on going that route. Acquiring the Tornjak and it's reputation for a long healthy lifespan has been a very pleasant journey so far


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## Pips (Mar 26, 2014)

Great thanks.  I got lucky when I bought my first CO I was told to raw diet.  I followed and like you have had lovely experiences so far.  
I also use high grade or Ester C, but only recently over the last two years.
Keep me posted if you change anything


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## Pips (Mar 26, 2014)

Also @Timberdoodle your choice of LGDs is excellent.  Although never owned either they have a great rep especially Tornjaks.  Tough dogs.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 26, 2014)

Pips said:


> Also @Timberdoodle your choice of LGDs is excellent.  Although never owned either they have a great rep especially Tornjaks.  Tough dogs.


When you have time, please post pics of your CO, would love to see! I think they're impressive dogs.

Got my Tornjak from a good friend in Denmark. Some of her Tornjaks are in Sweden also.


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## Pips (Mar 26, 2014)

Have posted previously ... http://www.backyardherds.com/thread...d-page-project-need-pictures-too.13805/page-2
Both puppy and adults
Can I see yours too?

Ah nice, haven't seen a Tornjak here, although tbh haven't looked, but don't remember one. 
They are very similar to COs but with much less aggression (although in a fight can be just as good) and amazing guardians for flocks.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 26, 2014)

Pips said:


> Have posted previously ... http://www.backyardherds.com/thread...d-page-project-need-pictures-too.13805/page-2
> Both puppy and adults
> Can I see yours too?
> 
> ...



AH, yes, I remember the pic of your CO on the sofa. The other pics are great also. Stunning male  Puppy pic is too cute!

I previously posted pics of Thor here:
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/lgd-colors.28117/#post-356004
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/loving-the-snow.28111/#post-356005


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## Pips (Mar 27, 2014)

Beautiful ... he looks very alert ... on the job.  
Yours love the snow too I see.  Mine whine when they look out the window and see it 
Bringing them into the house is like stealing their best bone and giving it to the cats, they look so heart broken.

He is never allowed to be on the sofa ever ... took me five mins to get him up there  ... he is only two and puppy phase our dogs are not allowed on the sofas, bed, chairs, etc .... later on, once control is proven, and the realisation is that they don't own those spaces, they can pop up if allowed or have their own chair.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 27, 2014)

Thor lives for the snow! In spring you can find him perched atop the last remaining snow piles surveying his domain 

I also don't allow the dogs on any of the furniture, not a good habit to get started. Besides, when inside he's perfectly happy lying on the cool floor.


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## Timberdoodle (Mar 27, 2014)

Sooo, question.

Is the dog in these photos a CO????
http://www.boredpanda.com/animal-children-photography-elena-shumilova/

It's an impressive dog whatever breed it is.


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## Pips (Mar 27, 2014)

It looks like a CAO.  Could be a Kangal/CAO Mix even.  It is hard to tell without a front face photo and a full shot of him standing.  He definitely could be a CO, there are some lines that look like this, the colouring is a little off though.  I possibly would go for plain breed like CAO or a mix if pushed for some kind of answer.


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## EsquireCaucasians (Apr 23, 2014)

Timberdoodle said:


> Sooo, question.
> 
> Is the dog in these photos a CO????
> http://www.boredpanda.com/animal-children-photography-elena-shumilova/
> ...



Hi!  He looks to be a Central Asian Shepherd Dog aka Central Asian Ovcharka.  Russian CO, the cousin breed, have cropped ears but full uncropped tails.  Exceptions may include some native working dogs in Caucasus mountain areas with heavy predator pressure - herdsmen may crop CO tails here too.  But the Russian Breed Standards for CAO and CO are distinguished by cropped tail for CAO and uncropped tail for CO as a quick hint on photos to help distinguish the breeds.


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