Ok, first off I know goats shouldn't eat dog food. But here's what's happening. I have my Great Pyr female, Willow penned with my goats. Each evening when I feed her she wants attention so badly that she'll leave her food for a couple seconds and come try to get attention (even tho I've been extra careful to give her attention prior to feeding her.) the goats all make an absolute bee line for her food and chow as fast as they can. I've become extremely frustrated. Willow will usually go running back and will growl at them and chase them away but they're terribly persistent and they just don't learn. Even when she's eating they'll try to sneak up and get a bite. A friend said her goats wouldn't touch anything with meat in it, but mine would eat all the dog food I'd give them if I gave it to them. The dog food I use is a limited ingredient one without any grain.. (California Natural Herring and Sweetpotato) is this a sign of mineral deficiency or something? I Have free choice Sweetlix Meatmaker minerals out for them, they're getting free choice grass hay and the does get some Chaffhaye almost every day. Once in a while I take a tiny bit of grain out and they all get a nibble, 1/8 cup or so. I can get BOSS to give them too and had been giving them some up until a week ago or so but it didn't seem to make much difference. Two of my does are a little on the thin side but the one who is the most persistent is in perfect weight and looks great. To my knowledge the dog food doesn't have any MSG in it - not even in a hidden form like 'natural flavor'. Any ideas?
At this point it's not an option to move Willow out of the pen as she's a bit of a roamer and we're working on breaking the habit.
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If I could find meat locally I'd love to feed raw to all my dogs. I've done it before and they literally glow with health but I haven't found a way to make it cost effective enought to feed a large dog that way. Maybe I need to grow a wether out and butcher so I'd have some meat to feed the dogs. Not idea how I'd get it butchered but maybe I need to consider it.
What about considering a raw diet for Willow? Goats won't eat meat. It will NOT make her want to eat goats.you can get good cost if you have farmers around or pay more for easy to ue ground raw. Not everyone thinks sweet potato is good for dogs- it is a gimmick to get you to think you are not feeding "grain" but it is still a carb that canines didn't evolve eating. Just an idea! Poops have almost no smell and depending upon what you feed, you can step in the poop and it is motly bone-meal!
One idea for you!
My GP was an adult when I got her. Her temperament is too gentle to guard her food against the goats. It's not in her nature. You may just have to sneak it. lol
Ok. Willow is about a year and 4 months. I'll continue crating her while she eats and hope that eventually she'll get it that she needs to hurry up and eat so the goats don't get it.
I can't say for certain, but I imagine it's the sweet potato they're after, especially with loose minerals that should be meeting their sodium needs. Copper and selenium are common deficiencies for goats, but I doubt the dog food would have enough of either of those to attract the goats for that reason. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.
I also think it has quite a bit to do with the fact that it simply is food, and they know this because they see it being eaten and it's a similar form to any pelleted or even whole grain foods they get - small pieces. I farm/pet sit, and I once farm sat for a sheep herd. They would dive after anything that hit the pail, including dog food. If it was in a pan, they wanted it! It was much more chaotic with them than my own goats because there was so many of the sheep swarming the food.
Is your Pyr still pretty young? When they're younger the goats will get their bluff in on them, so to speak. One of my does rolled one of my poor Pyrs across the barn when he was a pup. As they get older, the goats stop bullying them and the dogs get more secure as well.
Problem is, I'm having to feed Willow twice/day because I'm giving her some meds on her food. Today I finally crated her with her food. The goats left their Chaffhaye to try to get her dog food. I'm to the point I wish she'd bite when they got too close so they realized she means business. What I'm wondering is if there's a nutritional need that's not being met in the goats that would cause them to crave things that are not species appropriate? What could cause something like this? Because it's more than just trying to get a couple bites when she's not there. They try when she is there and they don't respect her at all hardly. I come rushing back in to chase them away and Willow is looking for pets even tho Ive never get petted her after she's started eating and I'll chase her away or slap her. She just gets uptight and insecure and becomes even more clingy. :( I just got in from another battle so I'm kind of steamed.
I feed my LGD at night, after dark, when I go out to shut the chickens up. This way, the goats don't think I'm doing anything "fun" that they want in on, and don't bother coming out of their shelter in the dark to see what I'm up to. I feed the dog, and leave. The dog knows I feed then, so she meets me at the fence.
I've had this problem, too, only in my case it is one specific doe who will go after the dog food if she gets the chance. At first I started separating the dog to feed, but I've discovered now that the simplest thing to do is feed the dog last right before I leave the barn. That way he doesn't get distracted and will guard his food until he's done. Really, just as long as I'm out of the barn and fence, he will eat. I also very carefully portion his food so that he doesn't get any more than he will eat at one time. He gets just what he needs and no extra so that he is always hungry at feeding time and doesn't leave food in his pan. I was over-feeding him a bit at first, so this also helped a lot. I found that if he got even a little more than necessary he would leave it unattended.
He is extremely bonded to his herd, but he also still loves his people and will leave his food for attention if I'm within petting distance.
Replies
One idea for you!
My GP was an adult when I got her. Her temperament is too gentle to guard her food against the goats. It's not in her nature. You may just have to sneak it. lol
I can't say for certain, but I imagine it's the sweet potato they're after, especially with loose minerals that should be meeting their sodium needs. Copper and selenium are common deficiencies for goats, but I doubt the dog food would have enough of either of those to attract the goats for that reason. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.
I also think it has quite a bit to do with the fact that it simply is food, and they know this because they see it being eaten and it's a similar form to any pelleted or even whole grain foods they get - small pieces. I farm/pet sit, and I once farm sat for a sheep herd. They would dive after anything that hit the pail, including dog food. If it was in a pan, they wanted it! It was much more chaotic with them than my own goats because there was so many of the sheep swarming the food.
Is your Pyr still pretty young? When they're younger the goats will get their bluff in on them, so to speak. One of my does rolled one of my poor Pyrs across the barn when he was a pup. As they get older, the goats stop bullying them and the dogs get more secure as well.
I feed my LGD at night, after dark, when I go out to shut the chickens up. This way, the goats don't think I'm doing anything "fun" that they want in on, and don't bother coming out of their shelter in the dark to see what I'm up to. I feed the dog, and leave. The dog knows I feed then, so she meets me at the fence.
I've had this problem, too, only in my case it is one specific doe who will go after the dog food if she gets the chance. At first I started separating the dog to feed, but I've discovered now that the simplest thing to do is feed the dog last right before I leave the barn. That way he doesn't get distracted and will guard his food until he's done. Really, just as long as I'm out of the barn and fence, he will eat. I also very carefully portion his food so that he doesn't get any more than he will eat at one time. He gets just what he needs and no extra so that he is always hungry at feeding time and doesn't leave food in his pan. I was over-feeding him a bit at first, so this also helped a lot. I found that if he got even a little more than necessary he would leave it unattended.
He is extremely bonded to his herd, but he also still loves his people and will leave his food for attention if I'm within petting distance.