Large breed dogs are some of the most popular pets in the United States. They are often seen as being loyal and protective, and many people believe that they make great family pets. However, there is a lot of misinformation out there about these animals, and many pet parents don't know what to expect when they bring one into their home. In this blog post, we will dispel some of the myths about large breed dogs and discuss three things that you should avoid if you have one of these animals.
Large breed dog owners know that life is very different than when they have a smaller dog. They are often more active and need more room to run, which can be difficult in an urban environment. In addition, there are some things that you should avoid doing if you have one of these animals.
Dr. Hannah Capon spoke with us this week and helped to solidify three things to avoid if you have a large or giant breed dog in order to best help them stay as healthy as possible!
- Take nutritional advice from your vet. You've got a dog that's got huge metabolic demands, especially as they're growing. Thinking that you can create your own homemade diet and that you can do just a little bit of this and a bit of that can be dangerous. I would definitely seek a good quality balanced diet and seek some help from your vet to make sure that you're choosing a good brand.
- Keep control over your dog's weight. The worst thing that you could do for your dog is allowing them to be overweight. We definitely know that overweight juveniles are likely to carry weight into adulthood. So making sure that your dog stays lean throughout life is really, really important. There are growth charts to help you gauge what the suitable growth rate for your dog is as well as applying the same body condition scoring.
- Not attending to concerns. If you are seeing something within your dog, especially related to mobility make sure to get it checked out. If you are seeing them a little bit lame or a little bit stiff, a little bit uncomfortable, their back is a little bit arch their tails down it needs to be examined. If they just don't seem to flow or they haven't got fluid movement, get that checked out. It's the saddest thing, when people say to me, I just thought he was lazy when actually that dog's been really, really struggling with discomfort and therefore we could have caught that disease a lot earlier.
So, if you have a large or giant breed dog, make sure to consult with your veterinarian about their diet and weight, and be on the lookout for any health concerns. By following these simple tips, you can help ensure that your pet lives a long and healthy life.
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