Are you planning to buy a large pet? Many people buy a large breed puppy but are often clueless about how to take care of it properly. You need to learn about the best methods that help the pet grow up as a disciplined and obedient companion. Pet safety must be a consideration. It is always advisable to seek the advice of dog trainers and vets to make your care perfect. Offering special care, you need to make your huge-statured dog feel secure and comfortable.
Proper nutrition is extremely vital
The growth of large breed puppies is different compared to other pets. In fact; their growth is very fast. So, you need to offer them proper nutrition, especially during the first year. If you want your dog to live a healthy and active life, you need to know about the best foods with excellent nutrition. With a perfect combination of chosen protein ratios, calcium, lower fat, and vitamins, you can optimize the growth rate and ensure pet safety.
Choose food products that combine all nutrients harmoniously
Large Dogs require various types of nutrients, including minerals and vitamins. To meet the highest standards of dog food regulation, you have to add vegetables, meat, fruits, and grains to the diet. There are many different options on the shelves. Pet safety is very important while choosing a dog food. The best dog food blends minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein harmoniously to make smooth digestion.
Highly sensitive to nutrient imbalances
If a dog weighs one pound at birth, it grows to 150 pounds within the next 18 months. What does it indicate? Large puppies have a rapid growth rate. It clearly suggests that these types of puppies are highly sensitive to nutrient imbalances. Pet safety can only be achieved with a balanced caloric intake. Deficiencies and excesses can adversely affect the overall health of your pet and compromises on pet safety.
Some people search for methods that make the growth rate fast. You should not follow this method of approach. Excessive growth invites many developmental orthopedic diseases (DOD) including:
– Retained ulnar cartilage core
Smaller meals throughout the day are the best option
It is always advisable to control the intake of vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium to lower the risk of DOD. Veterinarians don’t advise pet owners to rely on free feeding. It can make a large breed puppy vulnerable to DOD. You can feed your puppy many smaller meals throughout the day instead of offering a large meal three or four times a day.
The quantity of food also matters. What is the quantity of food to be given to a large breed dog? There is not a single answer to this question. You need to realize the fact that every dog’s caloric requirements are unique. Top-quality manufacturers offer guidelines for pet owners on the nutritional label of their products. However, you have to tailor them to your dog.
One of the best sources available to know about the exact quantity of food that particular dog breed needs is a veterinarian. With the help of Body Condition Score, experienced veterinarians assess the weight of a dog and recommend the right quantity of food. If you are worried about pet safety, you must contact a veterinarian immediately.
Check the weight frequently
You must ensure pet safety by checking the weight frequently. The weight needs to be kept within a healthy range. You can contact your veterinarian to know more about the appropriate weight range of a particular breed.
How Much to Feed a Large Breed Dog
There is no easy answer to the question: how much to feed a large breed dog? Every dog’s caloric needs are unique. The nutrition label on your dog’s food provides guidelines for owners, but you may need to tailor them to your dog.
A balanced exercise routine optimizes growth
You need to adopt a balanced exercise routine to optimize the growth of your large breed puppy. If your pet grows too fast, it becomes highly vulnerable to body strain and long-term damage. During the puppyhood stage, the growth plates stay brittle. Rigorous exercise for an extended period may damage the growth plates. You must be careful about pet safety. It is always advisable to avoid activities that cause unwanted stress on joints.
When to start dog training?
Dog trainers advise pet owners to start training a large breed puppy as early as possible. As mentioned above, it should be done with a clear focus on pet safety. It becomes easier for you to inculcate good habits and socialization skills if you start early. Once you adopt a large breed puppy, you can start training immediately. You can even train a puppy as young as three to four weeks. Young dogs absorb stimuli and information fast and respond positively.
Focus on rewards, not on punishments
As stated above, you need to start training early to cultivate good habits in your dog. Giant breeds respond more proactively to positive reinforcement. You must reward your dog for good behavior. Don’t focus on punishing for bad behavior. Many large dog breeds are highly sensitive. Some of them may fight back if they don’t like a punishment. It also doesn’t support your efforts for pet safety. Your focus should be on teaching your dog acceptable behaviors instead of punishing them for bad habits.
Follow a proactive approach
When it comes to breaking bad habits, you have to determine the pet’s perceived reward for his behavior. Expert trainers always advise people to replace or remove them with more desirable behavior. A proactive approach with a clear focus on pet safety is what you need while training a large dog. With a clear focus on pet safety, you can start training your dog and help it grow as a good-mannered adult.
Large dogs often create problems for owners. The height lets them reach food placed on a table easily. They may make your life miserable by knocking off flower vases or coffee tables with their large tails. However, a commanding presence and clear and firm commands make them highly obedient. The best method is to be a rule-setter instead of being a pack leader.
Choose a crate, cage or playpen wisely
You need to be careful about a few aspects while buying a crate for your large dog. Here are the most important things you should consider:
– Length of the crate
– Height of the crate
– Width of the crate
– Weight Limit
Proper awareness about these aspects helps you make an informed buying decision. Pet safety should be a top consideration when you search for a suitable cage for your dog.
Important tips to train a large breed dog
It is necessary that your pet learns to walk with you. Pulling on the leash is not a smart step to train your dog. Dogs have an inherent tendency to chase smaller animals. You need to identify better behaviors to reward the pets for. Whenever the dog heels and walks with you correctly, you can offer a reward. Dog trainers say that pet owners have to tell their dogs to sit and reward when it listens. You can make use of some simple techniques to teach a large breed dog to walk with you.
Make use of non-retractable leashes
If you sue non-retractable lashes, you can teach your large dog appropriate walking distances. Whenever you go for walk, you can carry a treat in one hand. If you offer a treat reward every time it sits or heels, your dog easily learns to heel by looking at your hand with the hope of getting a treat.
To prevent your pet from pulling, you can make use of a gentle ladder. This method also helps the dog learn to walk with you at the right speed. Going over the mouth of the dog, the extra leash piece makes the dog uncomfortable whenever it pulls. This method makes the learning process faster.
Many large dogs jump up and greet visitors. This behavior can frighten visitors. When you see your pet jumping and greeting, you should not punish it. It is necessary to reinforce a different behavior to greet visitors. Pet trainers advise people to teach large dogs to sit or shake instead of jumping when visitors reach the door. This method of approach discourages the habit of jumping and helps you make your dog disciplined and polite.
You need to keep your dog out of bad situations. One way to do so is to use a well-learned sit command. Cultivate the habit of sitting and staying for every feeding. You have to be a bit patient and give your dog enough time to learn this habit correctly. When you switch up the time for staying, the pet will easily learn how to wait for a command.
You have to train your dog properly using a systematic method of approach. Incorrect commands make the dog confused. If you use these types of effective commands, you can groom your large breed puppy efficiently. Obedience, discipline, and socialization are the most important skills your dog needs to learn as it grows. With the help of the right dog training techniques and tricks, you can make your pet a well-mannered and obedient pet.
When it comes to training your pet, you focus on pet safety as well. It is a serious mistake to punish your pet when it doesn’t listen to your commands. Harsh punishments can cause serious damage to your pet. Responsible owners understand the importance of pet safety and follow the guidelines and recommendations of experienced veterinarians, trainers, and other experts.
You must make your large breed dog comfortable and relaxed while offering training. During the initial stages, many large breeds may show some resistance. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to stay patient at this time to give enough space and time for the dog to get accustomed to your training methods.
Choose a crate that can grow with your pet
You can buy crates that come with a divider panel to increase the pace as your puppy grows. This type of playpen helps you save a lot of money in the long term. You don’t have to waste money purchasing multiple sizes of crates to accommodate the fast-growing dog.
It is not wise to offer too much space in a crate for your dog. Offering excessive space disturbs the potty training of large god breeds. They may develop a tendency to potty in an unused area and sleep in another corner. You can come across top-quality metal dog crates with an extra panel to keep the interior space optimal.
Never undermine the importance of pet safety when you buy a crate. You need to compare different models and choose one that offers the best pet safety. You can come across a wide variety of crates nowadays. There are plastic crates, metal crates, portable cages, and many more. An informed decision must be taken after analyzing the products available on the market.
Here are the most important criteria you while searching to find a suitable location for your large dog breed cage:
– Low-traffic area
– Temperature controlled
– Getting rid of household hazards
It is always advisable to choose a low-traffic area in your home. Some of the best places include next to your desk in the office, under the stairs, by the couch in the family room, and the corner of the laundry room, just make sure it has OSHA training for safety, which includes pet safety. Some people prefer custom-built crates to meet the unique needs of their large pets. These products ensure optimal pet safety and convenience.
You should never choose a place that is exposed to direct sunlight. Another important thing is to avoid an area near a fireplace. It is also not wise to place a dog crate near heating or cooling vents. You must avoid drafty areas as well. If you want to ensure optimal pet safety, you should avoid household hazards. Never consider placing a dog crate near outlets and power cords.
You have to take care of your large pets safely to help them grow as healthy and obedient dogs. Proper awareness about pet safety, food, exercise, and crate assists you in providing a perfect environment for your dog.