Raising dogs, in particular taking care of the neapolitan mastiff, is nothing new for humans. Experts speculate that dogs were first domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from wolves. Since those days, we have selectively bred more than 400 different breeds, which vary in size from four-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose three-ft stature has earned them the distinction of tallest dog. But the most widespread canines are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The neapolitan mastiff is another favorite pick among canine owners. Many owners are uninformed, however, of many of the most critical neapolitan mastiff care tips.
Health care cost of your neapolitan mastiff
The yearly budget for raising the neapolitan mastiff—which includes everything from food and treats, to vet bills, toys and license—could range between four hundred twenty and seven hundred eighty dollars. This figure doesn’t include capital costs for sterilization surgery, collar and leash, a dog carrier and a dog crate. Tip: Be positive you have obtained all the necessary items before you bring your neapolitan mastiff home.
General neapolitan mastiff Care
Feeding the neapolitan mastiff
- neapolitan mastiff puppies between eight and twelve weeks old need 4 bowls of food in a 24 hour period.
- neapolitan mastiff pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals every day.
- Feed pups six months to 1 year two times daily.
- By the time your neapolitan mastiff reaches her first birthday, 1 feeding in a twenty-four hour period is usually sufficient.
- Sometimes adult neapolitan mastiffs, however, eat two lighter meals. It is your duty to adapt to your neapolitan mastiff’s eating habits.
Excellent-quality dry dogfood ensures a well-balanced diet for grown neapolitan mastiffs and may be mixed with canned food, water, or broth. Your neapolitan mastiff may also dig cooked eggs, cottage cheese, and fruits and vegetables, but these should be less than ten percent of his or her daily food allowance. neapolitan mastiff puppies need to be fed premium-quality, name brand puppy food. You should cut down on “people food”, though, because it can result in mineral and vitamin imbalances, tooth and bone issues, and may lead to very picky food choices and obesity. Clean, potable water should be made at all times, and be certain to wash food and water dishes very often.
neapolitan mastiff Care Tips: Your neapolitan mastiff needs exercise daily
neapolitan mastiffs must get some physical activity to burn calories, stimulate their brains, and keep healthy. Daily physical activity also seems to help neapolitan mastiffs avoid boredom, which would often lead to destructive behavior. Physical activity would curb many of your neapolitan mastiff’s desires to herd, dig, chase, retrieve and chew. Activity needs vary based on your neapolitan mastiff’s level of health and her age—but 10 minutes outside and just a couple of walks down the street every day probably is not enough. If your neapolitan mastiff is a six to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will probably be relatively higher.
Grooming tips for neapolitan mastiffs
Regular brushing will help keep your neapolitan mastiff clean and reduce shedding. Check for ticks and fleas daily during the summer or other warm weather. Most neapolitan mastiffs don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Before giving him a bath, comb or cut out any mats from the neapolitan mastiff’s coat. Rinse all soap from the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap residue.
Handling Your neapolitan mastiff
Puppies, as opposed to adults, are obviously the easiest to handle. To carry your neapolitan mastiff pup, take one hand and put it under your dog’s chest, either with the forearm or your other hand supporting the hind legs and rear. Don’t ever try to grab or lift your pup by his forelegs, tail or nape. When you have to pick up a larger, adult neapolitan mastiff, pick it up from the underside, bracing his chest with 1 arm and rear end with your other arm.
How to House your neapolitan mastiff
neapolitan mastiffs need a comfortable peaceful spot in order to rest apart from all breezes and away from the ground or floor. You might want to think about purchasing a doggie bed, or make one from a wood box. Put a clean sheet, comforter, blanket, or pillow in the bed for cushioning. Wash the neapolitan mastiff’s bedding frequently. If your neapolitan mastiff will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be certain he has shade and plenty of cool water in hot weather, and a dry, warm, covered shelter in winter.
neapolitan mastiff Licensing and Identification
Your city has licensing regulations to follow. You should connect the license to the neapolitan mastiff’s collar. The license, together with an ID tattoo, can easily help secure your neapolitan mastiff’s return should he go missing.
neapolitan mastiff Temperament Info
Training neapolitan mastiffs
Well-behaved, companion neapolitan mastiffs can be a pleasure to raise. However, when left untrained, your dog can possibly be a headache. Teaching your neapolitan mastiff the standards—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—will bolster your relationship with both your neapolitan mastiff and your visitors. If you have a pup, start teaching her the appropriate behavior as soon as humanly possible! A treat can be used as incentive and recognition. Puppies should commence obedience classes when they have been adequately immunized. Contact the community humane society or SPCA for obedience schools. You should always keep your neapolitan mastiff on a leash when, even while a pup. Just be sure your dog will come back to you when you call her. An aggressive or disobedient neapolitan mastiff shouldn’t play with people.
Your neapolitan mastiff’s Health
neapolitan mastiffs should see the veterinarian for a full diagnosis, innoculations and a heartworm blood screening annualy, and as soon as possible when she is injured or sick.
Knowing Your neapolitan mastiff’s Oral Health
Although we might simply dislike our neapolitan mastiff’s foul breath, it’s important to be aware of what it may indicate. Foul-smelling breath is a symptom that your neapolitan mastiff should get an oral exam. Plaque brought on by bacteria causes a bad stench that can only be eliminated by professional treatment. After a professional cleaning, the gums and teeth can be be preserved in a healthy state by brushing regularly, feeding a special diet focused on dental health, and eliminating table food. The vet can supply you with more data on eliminating oral ailments as well as halitosis. You can clean the neapolitan mastiff’s teeth with a dog paste or a simple baking soda and water paste twice weekly. You can brush them with a nylon stocking stretched over your finger, a sterile gauze pad, or a child’s soft toothbrush. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, sometimes affects neapolitan mastiffs. Sometimes, teeth loss takes place due to gum disease. Disease can possibly also propagate to other areas of your neapolitan mastiff’s body. The doctor will usually clean the neapolitan mastiff’s teeth in her routine health checkup.
neapolitan mastiff Halitosis
Although bad breath brought on by dental disease may not be that serious if found early enough, sometimes odors may be indicative of fairly serious, long-term issues. A pleasant, even sweet smell can be indicative of diabetes, while intestinal or liver diseases may cause foul breath. If your neapolitan mastiff’s breath smells of ammonia or urine, kidney disease is a possibility. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your neapolitan mastiff has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Dealing with Fleas and Ticks in neapolitan mastiffs
Daily checks of your neapolitan mastiff for ticks and fleas throughout the summer are crucial. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are several new techniques of flea mitigation. Ask your neapolitan mastiff’s doctor about her or his options.
neapolitan mastiffs With Heartworm Issues
This parasite lives in the heart and is passed from a contaminated dog to your neapolitan mastiff by mosquitoes. Heartworm infections can be potentially fatal. It is wise to give your neapolitan mastiff a heartworm screen each and every spring—this is important for catching infections from the prior year. It is recommended that you give your neapolitan mastiff a once-a-month pill throughout mosquito season to be able to protect him from heartworms. Should you ever vacation in a warmer-than-usual region with your neapolitan mastiff in the winter, she needs to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. There are some places, usually the areas with warmer climates, where vets advise parasite pills be used year round.
Medicines and Toxins
Remember to never give your neapolitan mastiff medication that hasn’t been prescribed by his vet. Are you aware that just 1 regular-strength ibuprofen pill can cause stomach ulcers in some dogs Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your neapolitan mastiff. Be sure to immediately call your dog’s veterinarian when you have reason to believe your neapolitan mastiff has ingested poison. You may also contact the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for 24 hr. help.
neapolitan mastiff Sterilization Procedures
Male neapolitan mastiffs should be neutered – the extraction of the testes – and females spayed – the extraction of the uterus and ovaries – by six months of age. Spaying before maturity greatly diminishes the risk of breast cancer, a common and frequently deadly problem for more mature females. Spaying also eliminates the possibility of a sick uterus, a traumatic problem in older females that requires surgery and intensive medical care. Neutering male neapolitan mastiffs helps prevent testicular and prostate diseases, some hernias and certain aggressive behavior.
neapolitan mastiff Immunizations
- Your neapolitan mastiff puppy should be vaccinated with a combo innoculation (called the “5-in-1”) at two, three and 4 months of age, and then once yearly. This innoculation immunizes your neapolitan mastiff puppy from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and distemper. Your neapolitan mastiff must be innoculated for at least the first four months of her life.
- If your neapolitan mastiff has not been innoculated and is older than 4 months, he will need to be given 2 vaccinations promptly, two to 3 weeks apart. After that you must innoculate yearly.
- neapolitan mastiff pup socialization and innoculation should coincide. You can take your neapolitan mastiff pup to socialization courses by eight to 9 weeks old, according to most veterinarians. At this point, they should have already received their first immunizations.
Laws are so different between different areas, the best thing is to call your community vet to get rabies immunization details. In New York City, for instance, the regulation states that all pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. The initial rabies innoculation must be followed up by another innoculation the next year, and then every 3 years. There are several immunizations, many of which are effective for your neapolitan mastiff. There are others that are not, however. Ask your neapolitan mastiff’s vet for his opinion. Also, if your neapolitan mastiff gets ill because she is not innoculated, do not give the shots until the dog has made a full recovery.
Tapeworms in neapolitan mastiffs
neapolitan mastiffs are often exposed to worms and possible infestation—especially in rural areas. Tiny eggs produced by intestinal worms are transmitted through an infected neapolitan mastiff’s feces. Most pups, from all environments, even those with healthy mothers, carry hookworms or roundworms. An accurate, early diagnosis is the secret to effective treatment. This will make sure that the medication is highly effective against the parasite your dog has. A dewormer that eliminates roundworms, for example, can’t kill tapeworms. Your doctor can best figure out the culprit—and assign the right medicine.
neapolitan mastiff Care Tips: Additional Info
Checklist of neapolitan mastiff Supplies
- Premium-quality dog food and treats designed for neapolitan mastiffs and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water bowl
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Comb and brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with identification tag and license
- Quality leash
- Carrier (for pups)
- Crate for training
- Box or dog bed with comforter or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
Never, ever feed your neapolitan mastiff the following:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocoloate or any food with caffeine
- Raisins and grapes
- Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
- Onions, garlic or chives
- Bones of chicken, turkey, or any other animal (choking hazard)
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems & unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
The “Bottom” Line
Retain your neapolitan mastiff on a leash whenever you are outdoors, unless you are in a fenced-in, secured space. And please, when your neapolitan mastiff defecates on your neighbor’s yard, remove and dispose of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about neapolitan mastiffs
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