Best bed for a giant breed dog?

moof

our mastiff weighs about 120 pounds right now, and has seeeeveral months of growing left to do. (ha, years, even..)
for his crate, we're using an orthopedic bed from petsmart. (the tag says it's FIRSTRAX lazy pet brand, but for the LIFE of me i can't find it ANYWHERE online.. it looks like http://www.petco.com/product/15353/Canine-Cushion-Double-Sided-Orthopedic-Bed.aspx )
but surely enough, it's sinking down in the middle. and it's only been three months, but the depression is quite visible.
plus, it's not even big enough to fit properly in the crate.

so what's the best orthopedic bed for a giant breed dog that will fit a 54" crate that will last for a long time without sinking in?
he needs an orthopedic bed not only for comfort, but because he plops down everywhere on the hard ground and has developed quite a big hygroma on his elbow.

Answer
You can piece together two beds to make the right size and then put a sheet over it. It is difficult to find the right size - I have had the same problem and own an English Mastiff myself. I am weaning him from the crate currently. ONe of the members of my mastiff group made a great suggestion for a dog bed ( not for the crate though). She said she used freecycle.com and you can find gently used thigns there and give away your old stuff all at the same time. She just requested used futons for her two mastiffs and asked that they not have had a household with dogs so that there would be dog scent already in them. I am going that route too when we are ready. You can always buy new futon covers and the size seems perfect for them.
I also found this that MIGHT work for the crate....http://www.shop.com/Super_Orthopedic_Lounge_Pet_Bed_Super_7_Ortho_Crate-46231694-60560558-p!.shtml?sourceid=298

In response to the hygroma.....I had problems with this a bit too and when I switched to Timberwolf it got a lot better. Something about the quality of the food I guess. All of his little elbow patches even have grown fur again within months of starting that food. Just a thought...

which is ur favorite pet dog??

Q. the one that matches with mine gets the best ??

Answer
St. Bernard is My favorite dog

St. Bernard

The St. Bernard Dog is a large breed of dog originally bred for rescue and as a working dog. A full-grown male can weigh between 150 and 200 lb (68 and 90 kg). There are two varieties of the breed: the short-haired or smooth-coat variety and the long-haired or rough-coat variety.

The St. Bernard is known for its loyalty and vigilance and is tolerant of both children and animals. Because of these traits, it has become a family dog. They also make good watchdogs, as their size can be intimidating to strangers, though their temperament is gentle.

History
The ancestors of the St. Bernard were the herding dogs of Swiss farmers as well as hunting dogs and watchdogs. Their history has also been connected with the hospice at the Great St. Bernard Pass. First reports of the dogs' presence at the pass date to the 17th century, and they remained loyal companions to the monks there until 2004, when the monks began to divest themselves of the dogs and focus the time they spent on the dogs to minister to people.[1]

The most famous St. Bernard to save people at the pass was Barry (sometimes spelled Berry), who reportedly saved somewhere between 40 and 100 lives. There is a monument to Barry in the Cimetière des Chiens and his body was preserved in the Natural History Museum in Berne[2].


St. Bernard
Varieties
The St. Bernard originally was a smooth-coated dog developed to rescue travellers from the snow. In the 1830s the monks who owned and bred the dogs introduced Newfoundland blood to strengthen the breed, and this gave rise to the rough-coat St. Bernard. Although more popular, the rough-coat variety proved to be unsuitable for mountain work because the long hair tended to collect icicles. For this reason the monks kept the smooth coat variety for rescue work.[3]


Temperament
St. Bernards are very gentle giants. They are often fond of children and are loyal to their family, but, as with any dog, should not be left unsupervised with young children. It is highly recommended that owners be very patient because this breed of dog can be very stubborn. It is imperative that St. Bernards should also remain very socialized because they can become overly protective of their territory. They are also very prone to anxiety if left alone for long periods of time and may destroy their owner's belongings. It is recommended that a suitable safe environment be made available during times that the owner can not be home. This could range anywhere from a fenced yard to a suitably sized crate (normally Extra Large). They commonly get along very well with other dogs and love high amounts of attention.


Scipio, a St. Bernard dog belonging to Orville Wright[edit]
Health
The very fast growth rate and the weight of a St Bernard can lead to very serious deterioration of the bones if the dog does not get proper food and exercise. Some dogs are affected by hip dysplasia. They are also prone to eczema.

Miscellaneous

Naming
The name "St. Bernard" was not in widespread use until the middle of the 19th century. The dogs were called "Saint Dogs", "Alpenmastiff", or "Barry Dogs" before, and in parts of North America, they're still called "Saints".

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Dog costs?

bree_1384

My boyfriend and I are really considering adopting a puppy in a few weeks. I was wondering what the monthly costs would average. I know there are vet fees, food, snacks, toys ect. I just wanted some advice from a dog owner that could tell us alittle but more what to expect finacially. And if there are any breeds that we should or shouldn't look at it. Thanks :)
Thanks for the great answers so far... I keep getting more and more excited!
Some more details... we do live in an apartment but do have a nice grassy yard to play with the puppy. We do not want a pure breed high maintance dog... we want a cute furry family pet... again a medium sized dog is what we will be looking at. Thanks for all your information...
more details... we want a puppy so that we can train "it" the way we want, we both do work but only 8 miles from where we live so checking on the puppy throughout the day is not biggy. I work 8 to 4 and my boyfriend works either 9 to 6 or 12:30 to 9... so the puppy would be alone sometimes but again we would check on it during the day. It will defnitly get plenty of attention.

Answer
Well you have the cost of the dog. From a rescue, expect anywhere from $50 to $500 (generally not this high but some purebred rare breeds may be). From a reputable breeder, $500-$1500 depending on breed and quality of pups, parents, titles earned by parents, and health tests done. They may have a returned dog or retired one for less but I'll stick with new puppy price. Skip the pet shops. Some do have healthy puppies but many of those pups come from puppy mills. You'll get better quality for the same price or less from a reputable breeder anyway.

Food can be as low at $10 a month for low-quality food for a small dog (please use good food) up to $200 a month for quality food for a giant breed dog. Let's assume you have a medium sized breed with high quality food and $75.

Toys initially would probably be $30 at least. Make sure the toys are breed apropriate. A tiny ball is not a dane toy and a giant one is no good to a chihuahua. Avoid toys that can fit to the back of the mouth as these are choking hazzards.

The essentials: leash, collar, bowls, and a license. $35

Shots and well-puppy check can REALLY vary but let's say $100. GET THE WELL PUPPY CHECK! It isn't much if you do it when you get shots and can save you alot of heartache later. If your puppy is not healthy, your breeder's contract should cover that (this is why I recommend contracts that allow you the choice of keeping the pup with a partial refund or returning the pup for a replacement). If it came from a rescue, you will need to ask them what they do about that. All shelters are different. Some say oh well, some require the pup returned, some return the adoption fee...

Obedience classes if you choose to go can also vary but let's go with $150. Look up my other answers and you will find a list of questions to ask a trainer before trusting him/her with your puppy's future.

Spay/neuter if you choose to can also vary. A shelter pup will already be altered. $150

Crate if you crate train (I highly recommend crate training but remember that your puppy's place is with YOU, not living in his/her crate). This will depend on dog size again ($30-$250 for a standard type crate) but I'll assume medium sized dog. $100

Adding up the essentials - $740 (assuming a $500 dog so you can adjust from there)

With the extras - $1140 (subtract any of the last three if you will not be using it)

Monthly maintainence can be figured out using the numbers given. Less than $100 more than likely unless you have a giant breed.

Remember that this is just a rough estimate and it can easily be higher or lower. This does not include any meds you may choose to use monthly (I choose not to but this choice is for owner and is very much determined by the area you live in). Don't forget to keep emergency vet care in mind. BTW I DID NOT add in grooming supplies as those will depend on the breed you select.

Well that makes things easier. Look for an aussie (Austrailian Shepherd) or aussie mix. Mature between 45 and 60 lbs (females smaller than males). Energy level is moderate to high depending on the dog. Medium length double coat, variety of colors (DO NOT GET A LETHAL WHITE/DOUBLE MERLE), and very friendly personality though they WILL defend their family. Not too high maintainence though they will have a major shed once or twice a year. You can find a purebred at a breed rescue or just look on petfinder. The purebreds are no more high maintainence than the mixes but the adoption fee may be higher.

Cost of owning a large dog breed?

laughing

I understand the first year is much more expensive than the rest, and I'm asking the annual cost after the first year. If you could break it down on what you spend it on, (food, toys, etc.), and could tell me your breed that'd be great!

I know it's expensive, and the only reason I'm asking is because I've seen so many different costs, but I would like to know from actual large dog breed owners.

Thanks!

Answer
I have an English Mastiff named Grimm. (Okay, technically a giant breed, but hey, giants are large. ;) He's only sixteen months old, so I don't have much info to offer beyond the first year.

He's definitely cost quite a pretty penny so far, but I haven't kept very good track, to be honest.
His initial price was $1200.
He's gotten two beds so far. I believe his pillow bed cost about $50 and his orthopedic mat about $80, but don't quote me on that.
We've bought two crates for him. (He unexpectedly outgrew the first one.) Both crates cost over $100.
He's had a total of four leashes. I think each one was about $14. (The first leash was too thin for our liking. When we lost the second leash, we replaced it with a different color. We didn't like that color, though, so we replaced it again, and then we ended up finding the second one again.)
He's had three collars, possibly four, but I think three. Each cost about $5, maybe? (One was when he was a little puppy, and I accidentally shrunk one in the dryer..)
His prong collar cost about $20.
Both of his Easy Walk Harnesses cost about $20. (The first one, he outgrew.)
He's only been to two training classes, but each one cost over $100.
We probably spent about $40-$75 a month on his food, Canidae All Life Stages. (Okay, that's a rough estimate, I'm pretty unsure!) He gets Fromm now, which costs about 30% more per bag.
His glucosamine chondroitin supplement cost about $60.
His puppy shampoo cost about $17.
His dry shampoo cost maybe $10.
His current shampoo cost about $6.
The Kwik Stop styptic powder for his nails cost about $10.
He has two bottles of scented spray (vanilla and banana), each cost $9.
His nail clippers cost maybe $10.
The Dremel for his nails cost about $20.
His brush cost $13.
He's had four food bowls, each one cost about $10-$12.
His baby wipes cost maybe $10.
He has three Kong toys. Two cost maybe $20 each and one cost maybe $10.
He's had maybe two small Petsmart Loofa toys and four giant Loofas. The small cost about $6 each and the giant ones cost about $10 each.
He's had two stuffed squirrel toys that cost $12 each.
He's had four weird stuffed animals that cost about $5 each.
He's had three rope tug toys at about $12 each.
He's had so many bones. He's had two durable Nylabones at $17 each. He's had like fifteen, maybe more, edible Nylabones at $17 each. He's had maybe six or more three-packs of Booda Bimple Bones at maybe $9 per pack.
I imagine the rest of his toys amounts to another $40 or so.
He's had two full boxes of Milk-Bones at about $12 each, three boxes of Scooby Snacks for $5 each, and two bags of Pup-Peroni at about $20 each. The rest of his treats have probably amounted to about $40.
When he was very small, he stayed at the Animal Hospital for several days because we thought he ate rocks. That stay cost us several thousand dollars.
He's had at least ten visits to the vet in his life; we're paranoid. We have spent hundreds and hundreds there. I don't know how much all of his vaccinations and tests have cost. He's had two bottles of medicated ear wash, treatment for an urinary tract infection and treatment for a yeast infection in his ear. It's cost a LOT by now, thousands, I'm sure.
He's also the reason for two store-bought baby gates (probably about $50 each) and one homemade gate (I don't know how much the materials cost). He's partly the reason for spending over a thousand dollars putting up six-foot fencing.
I'm guessing this first sixteen months of his life has cost us about $16,000. Pretty impressive.

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Does any one know where I can get a inexpensive dog crate at?

dog crates giant breed image

Q. My Great Dane pup is out growing the large breed crate we have. I want to get the one for his breed but it is $250 at Feeder Supply and I was wondering if any one knows where is may be at for a little cheaper??
I's really prefer a new one I don't want another dogs scent in it.

Answer
You can order from JB Pet Supply. Crates are on sale right now too 15% off. The Great Dane size is $135.99. MidWest are some of the sturdiest crates too. JB's doesn't charge large/heavy item freight. I order all my crates from them for that reason. You might be able to order one someplace else a pinch cheaper, but the heavy freight charges end up making it more expensive in the long run.
Hope this helps.

http://www.jbpet.com/MidWest-Giant-Crate,1903.html

How do I get my roommate's dog to not hate me?

ThirdDegre

My roommate has been a good friend of mine for a while, and due to convenient circumstance I got to move in with her. It's a good setup so far, but the only real problem I have is with her dog.
I'm an animal person in general, but this one is an ugly, yappy little dachsund/chihuahua/Jack Russell mix who trusts no one but my friend. She has had several owners, and was probably abused at some point in the six years of her life. For this reason, my roommate refuses to get rid of her at all, but she has no time in her life to correct the dog's behavior.
I figured I could just put up with her when I was home, but that's not an option. She's not housebroken. She has severe separation and general anxiety. Roommate and I have stepped out for twenty minutes to go get food, making sure to take the dog out before we leave, and we come back to giant puddles and turds on the floor. Once she even broke into a closed room, raided through the clothes, and ate through three pairs of pants. One of them was mine.
Roommate explained that she was just "acting out" because she wasn't used to me being there. We got the dog a crate, which has helped, but every time I let her out when Roommate is at work, I can't even get the dog to go out. She cowers on the couch and submissively urinates there, which is disgusting. I don't even raise my voice or anything, I use a very friendly coaxing tone, but because I'm not her 'mama' she just lays down and voids her bowels where she is.
I understand by her body language that I'm viewed as a threat. I feel sorry for the thing, but I don't feel inclined to make friends with her. I also can't take on the responsibility of potty training her myself, since I don't have the time to do so (this would be my roommate's responsibility, if she'd ever step up to do so). I don't need her to like me, but if I'm going to live here I need to get it to the point where I can at least get her to go outside and do her business without having to drag her out by the harness.

tl;dr - Roommate's dog hates me and will only poop/pee outside for her. HELP.
Great advice so far, thank you all - I should definitely include that I was exaggerating when I said "drag her out by the harness." I have not dragged her anywhere, but I was so perplexed at how to get her to follow me out that that was the only scenario I could come up with, and it was not ideal...

Answer
Well, she IS a Doxie/Chi/JRT mix... Those 3 breeds together, mixed with the wrong type of owner, equals a freakishly neurotic animal. Professional training is probably the only hope she has at becoming more self-confident. She's had a rough life and obviously has issues... Meds will only help her so far, but consistent training should help her realize her potential. Also, all three breeds are "working" dogs, so if you can find some sort of "job" for her to do, it may help relieve some of her anxiety. Plus, any JRT mix needs lots of exercise, and it doesn't sound like she's getting nearly enough for her to burn up the excess energy she has, which is only contributing to the problem. Your friend either needs to make time in her life to focus on the dog's needs or find a good home for her to go to.

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How do I get my dog to obey my roommate too?

dog crates giant breed image

Gwendolyn

My dog listens to me; he does not listen to my roommate. He's always jumping on her, nipping at her clothes as she walks by, stealing her food and being generally a pain.

As far as discipline goes, my roommate and I are doing the same things. The only clue I have is that I'm the one who feeds, walks and goes to obedience classes with him. I spend a lot of time with him but I don't play and rough-house with him like my roommate does (who, I'm gathering, he sees as a giant playmate).

She's getting frusterated and I'm tired of being the referee. How can I get him to see her as a pack leader too?

(also, he's a 1 year old, 50 plus pound mixed breed who is walked 3 times a day and never crated for more than 4 hours at a time during the weekday)

Answer
First I would try to have your roommate go to the obediance clalsses with you. She would need to participate in some of the exercises with your dog while you sit back and watch. Also- have her feed the dog for a few days. She can even hand feed the dog (morsel by morsel) until the dog understands that she also is in charge.

Basically the dog thinks he is alpha and above her. He isn't going to lsiten to someone he doesn't view as his owner as well. If your roommate acts as the food-keeper, disciplinary person for a few days to a week, most of your problems should be resolved.

What breed of dog should I get if I have a small child?

Expecting

I have a 4 years old daughter, and my husband and I really want to get a dog. We never had a dog before and we live in an apartment in a city - its a very large apartment though. I am nto sure what breed we should get. I know it should probably be a small dog, but do you have more suggestions?

Answer
What it really boils down to is the individual dog. Ideally you want a dog that's been raised with kids and has proven himself/herself to be good with them. You could also get a puppy to raise with your kids but it'll be a lot of work and you'd need to be prepared for training classes for basic obedience, working on training at home, housebreaking, crate training, teaching the dog what's appropriate to chew on and what's not, etc. Be prepared to have your workload around the house increase doublefold if you get a puppy.

Medium sized dogs tend to be a better choice than other sized dogs. Small dogs (chihuahuas, papillions, etc.) can frequently become overwhelmed with the activity level of children to the point they feel threatened and think they need to defend themselves. Giant breeds (saint bernard, mastiff, etc.) can be great with kids but problems may arise simply because of the massive size of the dog and the small size of the child - giant dogs can inadvertantly harm children. However, there are always exceptions to rules. I think your best bet would be to check out your local humane society or www.petfinder.com and look for some dogs available for adoption. Responsible humane societies perform behavior assessments of their dogs and would require that the dog meet your children before bringing it home to ensure that everyone gets along. You may also be able to find a dog through an owner who needs to rehome theirs, however, it's important to be aware that not every owner will be completely truthful and there's always the possibility of an owner fibbing about their dog's behavior so they can get rid of it easier (i.e. you ask, "Has the dog ever shown aggression towards a child?" and they respond, "No" even though their dog has growled or nipped at a kid.)

Don't forget that it's important to teach your kids how to treat dogs with respect. Children should not be allowed to tease or provoke the dog. Also, no matter how well-behaved of a dog you get it's important not to leave your 4 year old with the dog unsupervised.

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Does any one know where I can get a inexpensive dog crate at?

dog crates giant breed image

Q. My Great Dane pup is out growing the large breed crate we have. I want to get the one for his breed but it is $250 at Feeder Supply and I was wondering if any one knows where is may be at for a little cheaper??
I's really prefer a new one I don't want another dogs scent in it.

Answer
You can order from JB Pet Supply. Crates are on sale right now too 15% off. The Great Dane size is $135.99. MidWest are some of the sturdiest crates too. JB's doesn't charge large/heavy item freight. I order all my crates from them for that reason. You might be able to order one someplace else a pinch cheaper, but the heavy freight charges end up making it more expensive in the long run.
Hope this helps.

http://www.jbpet.com/MidWest-Giant-Crate,1903.html

How do I get my roommate's dog to not hate me?

ThirdDegre

My roommate has been a good friend of mine for a while, and due to convenient circumstance I got to move in with her. It's a good setup so far, but the only real problem I have is with her dog.
I'm an animal person in general, but this one is an ugly, yappy little dachsund/chihuahua/Jack Russell mix who trusts no one but my friend. She has had several owners, and was probably abused at some point in the six years of her life. For this reason, my roommate refuses to get rid of her at all, but she has no time in her life to correct the dog's behavior.
I figured I could just put up with her when I was home, but that's not an option. She's not housebroken. She has severe separation and general anxiety. Roommate and I have stepped out for twenty minutes to go get food, making sure to take the dog out before we leave, and we come back to giant puddles and turds on the floor. Once she even broke into a closed room, raided through the clothes, and ate through three pairs of pants. One of them was mine.
Roommate explained that she was just "acting out" because she wasn't used to me being there. We got the dog a crate, which has helped, but every time I let her out when Roommate is at work, I can't even get the dog to go out. She cowers on the couch and submissively urinates there, which is disgusting. I don't even raise my voice or anything, I use a very friendly coaxing tone, but because I'm not her 'mama' she just lays down and voids her bowels where she is.
I understand by her body language that I'm viewed as a threat. I feel sorry for the thing, but I don't feel inclined to make friends with her. I also can't take on the responsibility of potty training her myself, since I don't have the time to do so (this would be my roommate's responsibility, if she'd ever step up to do so). I don't need her to like me, but if I'm going to live here I need to get it to the point where I can at least get her to go outside and do her business without having to drag her out by the harness.

tl;dr - Roommate's dog hates me and will only poop/pee outside for her. HELP.
Great advice so far, thank you all - I should definitely include that I was exaggerating when I said "drag her out by the harness." I have not dragged her anywhere, but I was so perplexed at how to get her to follow me out that that was the only scenario I could come up with, and it was not ideal...

Answer
Well, she IS a Doxie/Chi/JRT mix... Those 3 breeds together, mixed with the wrong type of owner, equals a freakishly neurotic animal. Professional training is probably the only hope she has at becoming more self-confident. She's had a rough life and obviously has issues... Meds will only help her so far, but consistent training should help her realize her potential. Also, all three breeds are "working" dogs, so if you can find some sort of "job" for her to do, it may help relieve some of her anxiety. Plus, any JRT mix needs lots of exercise, and it doesn't sound like she's getting nearly enough for her to burn up the excess energy she has, which is only contributing to the problem. Your friend either needs to make time in her life to focus on the dog's needs or find a good home for her to go to.

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