Bruce's Journal

[Mike CHS]

"lunch buckets" used to be quite common. Guess your dogs are taking their lunch to work.

So about that giant knuckle. How long would you expect it to last? (Question posed to anyone with a GP that has given them a knuckle).

Maisy will get 3 - 4 sessions of an hour or so before we never see it again. She chews awhile then goes off to bury it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

My least favorite was when she placed it on my pillow.

UGH!

 

[Baymule]

Merlin looked for all the world like he had just dropped dead in the snow 20' away. Didn't move until I started to pick up the tools when it was getting dark.

Our Trip does a pretty good dead dog imitation too.

 

[Bruce]

I'm quite certain they are trying to convince any predators that there is nothing guarding the animals and property. Who's afraid of a big dead dog??

 

[Baymule]

 

[Bruce]

Apparently this "travelling food dish" thing is going to be a problem. I fed Merlin this morning and dealt with the chickens and alpacas then started working on the gate post outside the big barn. After a bit I heard a noise and looked in the barn. Merlin had picked up his dish, dumped what food he hadn't eaten and was carrying the dish toward the door. Perhaps he would like to eat al fresco?

Then later while I was working on "deconstructing" the old rotting fence that runs from the NW corner of the little barn parallel to the shed side of the big barn in preparation to replace it with a single cattle panel I heard a metallic noise. I looked over and he was picking up the cardboard box that contained my wrenches. I have heard of this "spirit the tools away" behavior in other GPs. I already have enough trouble finding things I put down even though I haven't moved. I'll NEVER find them if the dog takes them!!

He was staying outside and the chickens decided to dare coming out of the coop into the barn alley. I think they polished off the food Merlin dumped. Probably best, I don't need him eating old pine shavings and dirt trying to pick up the food when next he got hungry. Later there was a HUGE chicken ruckus, Merlin had come through from the alpacas' door. 4 hens headed for the gate between the barns up by the house, 2 more hiding just inside the south barn door. One on the top of the half wall of the "feed room" up against the hardware cloth of the coop. I was going to put Merlin in the "integration coop" on the other side of the real coop. Oops, one of my EEs was in there. I had to tie him up in the alpacas' area and then coerce 8 of my 12 girls back to the coop.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Don't be surprised if he prefers eating his food off the ground. I don't recall him liking to dump his food, but his mom generally knocks her bucket over as soon as she gets it and then picks every kibble off the ground.

Maybe get a few 2 gallon buckets (I use the neon colored ones from TSC). Either attach one to the wall or swap them out at each feeding and let him take it where he wants. The bright colors help you find the buckets whenever he may have stashed them.

They can be quirky about where and how they eat their food.

 

[Southern by choice]

Yep, we have a few pyrs that will knock there food out and only eat off the ground.

I think Merlin is bored though and this playing with the dishes is a way of self entertaining.

They really are not solitary animals. They are pack animals and much like we remind people that sheep need sheep and goats need goats etc the dogs are the same.

We have always given our pups plastic coffee cans to play with. They toss them throw them and entertain themselves in positive ways.

I would perhaps give him buckets or something similar so that he can amuse himself. Dogs that are bored and have no companion often start messing with livestock.... so if he is playing with buckets - let him have his toys.

 

[Bruce]

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to change where I feed him, the shavings in the alley/run came from the coop. Prior to the arrival of the big hairy beast, the chickens would spend all day hanging out in the alley if there was snow outside. And we all know what chickens do all day long. I'm sure he has eaten worse, but still. Almost time to get more food so I can pick up a couple of buckets at the same time.

Cost to feed Merlin (weight approximated at 140 pounds) in the winter: $2.20/day (or less, he hasn't run out of his first 40 pounds quite yet). Cost of only the canned cat food year round for 3 cats (total weight about 32 pounds) $3.21/day (and that includes my "old guy" discount at Petfood Warehouse).

It is curious. At first he would eat his food from the dish no problem. Then he started pushing the dish to the edge of the plywood so it tilted a bit into the alley. And now this. Maybe I'll feed him out in the snow tomorrow (except it is supposed to rain). Silly dog thinks sleeping stretched out in the snow is comfortable.

 

[Southern by choice]

Yep they love it!
Poured rain here the other day... my dogs are "basking" in the rain. When it snows they LOVE it.

Remember they aren't housepets... they eat different, sleep different, play different.

Many LGD's will not eat everyday. Do not be surprised.