This post is sponsored by Merrick. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Earlier this year we had a very tragic attack on our small hobby farm. A large dog scaled our six-foot fence and attacked our goats. Edith and Estelle were badly hurt. Estelle had to have 30 staples in her face but was able to return home after a few days, but Edith had to go to the large animal vet hospital at The University of Georgia. After a jaw amputation and two months at UGA, our sweet Queen Edith was able to return home and lives a perfectly happy, healthy goat life.
After this attack we realized that the infrastructure of our farm was not enough to protect our beloved animals from predators and we started researching livestock guardian dogs. I’ve partnered with Merrick Wet Recipes to share more about the big jobs of livestock guardian dogs. After much research, we decided that the big job of Guardians would go to two Great Pyrenees named Paco and Pearl.
The job of a guardian dog is just that… to be a “guardian”. This differs from a “guard” dog as a guardian protects and guards, but the main difference is in how it is done. Paco and Pearl have bonded to our goats and protect out of love for them. 
The job of a livestock guardian dog is not only to protect, but also care and nurture its charges. Great Pyrenees protect against all kinds of predators ranging from hawks in the sky to wild dogs and bears on the ground. Thankfully we do not have bears in our neck of the woods, but it does provide peace of mind that their breed is capable of it.
Paco and Pearl have a huge responsibility, and it is our responsibility to provide a healthy environment and the best possible nutrition for them as they grow. Neither John, nor I, had ever had large breed dogs before Paco and Pearl, so it was a bit of an adjustment. This being said, we have done a ton of research on the best way to care for Paco and Pearl.
The most important part was finding the best food possible with excellent nutrition. We decided on Merrick Pet Care’s Wet Recipes. 
We loved that it is made with real food and ingredients that humans can eat. There are literally whole carrots and peas in this food!
We also love that it is crafted in Texas. Paco and Pearl’s favorites are the Merrick Wet Recipes. We use it as a topper for their kibble in the evenings and they think it is SO YUMMY!
The most convenient thing is that it’s also super easy to find and you can get it on amazon.com, Chewy, Petco, and at your local independent pet food store.
Despite having the big job of being the guardians of our hobby farms, Paco and Pearl take their job of loving their humans very seriously.
Whatever your pup’s job may be, make sure you are giving them the best food to do it!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Merrick.
