Great Pyrs - Advice and Opinions Please!

[CYGChickies]

My farm consists of about 40-50 birds (chicken, quails, guinea fowl and turkeys), about 30-40 rabbits (depending on current litters) a herd of three Nigerian Dwarf goats and two barn cats. We have two Great Pyrenees puppies coming in about six weeks. They will be 10 weeks old and are male littermates. I don't have a huge farm but there is a small fence around it with three cattle gates.

I'm looking for advice on what to feed (including brand), how to train (to be gentle with and guard poultry, rabbits and the two cats, the goats are more of a given)and how to keep them in--stronger gates, underground fence, etc, and any other suggestions. I've seen threads like this get ugly so please no arguing, just statements of opinions and advice. So many of you have these dogs or similar LGD's that I thought I could get some decent advice.
Thanks!
CYG.

 

[AussieGirl]

First off I love Great Pyrenees and second mine is STUBBORN! Train early and getem used to being brushed alot cause you could make a coat outta the fur. I would ask what the breeder what they were feeding there pups so they dont get upset tummies while switching food. With mine I use positive reinforcement training but its up to you how you want to train yours. Did you check out the parents? Itll give you a idea on how they turn out as adults (temperment wise) and they are also prone to hip dysplasia. (The breeder should know this) But then again if your asking here then they were probally just happy taking your money. If you got any more questions just PM me.

 

[CYGChickies]

No the breeders are good friends of mine and live SS off grid real farm life. The parents are healthy, excellent guardians and friendly to humans that are introduced in a positive way by one or both of the "masters".
I know about hip dysplasia and bloat and I'm paranoid about that. I also know they're prone to bone Cancer so I don't want to give a feed that has questionable ingredients and could make this Cancer likely. Blue buffalo is $60 for 40lb in a pet store here but I'm considering trying to get it from the factory. However, just because blue's commercials say how great it is doesn't make that a fact. With rabbits, weaning off foods and onto other foods is a sensitive process so I will be very careful with the pups just as if they were a kit.
Positive reinforcement, how will that work? Like if they don't trample the chickens you praise every few minutes or is it more specific?