Owning dogs, in particular taking care of the spanish mastiff, is a specialty of humans across the world. Zoologists believe dogs were domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from wolves. Since then, we have selectively bred more than four hundred breeds, which range in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose 3-foot stature has earned them the distinction of tallest canine. But the most preferred dogs are non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The spanish mastiff is another popular choice with dog owners. Some owners are oblivious, however, of many of the most important spanish mastiff care tips.
Typical cost of care for your spanish mastiff
The yearly cost of raising the spanish mastiff—which includes food, to doctor bills, toys and license—can vary between $420 and $780. This does not even include capital costs for spay/neuter operations, a collar and a leash, a dog carrier and crate. Tip: Be positive you have obtained all the necessary supplies before bringing your spanish mastiff home.
Basic spanish mastiff Care
How To Feed the spanish mastiff
- spanish mastiff pups between eight and 12 weeks old need 4 meals daily.
- Feed spanish mastiff puppies three to 6 months old three meals daily.
- Feed puppies six months old to one year old two bowls of food in a twenty-four hour period.
- When your spanish mastiff reaches his or her first birthday, 1 feeding in a day is usually enough.
- Many times spanish mastiffs might prefer two smaller meals. It is your duty to learn your spanish mastiff’s eating tendencies.
Top-quality dry food ensures balanced nutrition for full-grown spanish mastiffs and can mix with broth, canned food, or water. Your spanish mastiff may also have a taste for fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, and cottage cheese, but these dishes should not be more than 10 pct of his daily calorie intake. spanish mastiff pups need to be given a high-quality, name brand puppy food. Please cut down on “table food”, however, since it can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth issues, and might result in very picky eating habits and obesity. Give clean, potable water only, and make sure to wash food and water bowls daily.
spanish mastiff Care Tips: Your spanish mastiff needs exercise daily
spanish mastiffs need daily physical activity so they can stay fit, stimulate their minds, and keep healthy. Daily activity also really helps spanish mastiffs fight boredom, which would often lead to naughty behavior. Getting out can curb most of your spanish mastiff’s desires to herd, dig, chase, retrieve and chew. Individual exercise needs can depend on your spanish mastiff’s level of health and his or her age—but 10 minutes outside and just a couple of walks down the street every day probably won’t be enough. If your spanish mastiff is a six to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will probably be greater.
Grooming tips for spanish mastiffs
Frequent brushing will help keep your spanish mastiff clean and reduce shedding. Check for fleas and ticks daily during the summer or other warm weather. Many spanish mastiffs don’t need to be bathed more than a few times a year. Before giving him or her a bath, comb or cut out any and all mats from the spanish mastiff’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap.
Handling Your spanish mastiff
Puppies, as opposed to adults, are clearly the easiest to manage. When carrying the spanish mastiff pup, take 1 hand and place it under your dog’s chest, with either your forearm or other hand supporting his back legs and rear. Don’t try to lift or grab your pup by his front legs, nape or tail. If you need to pick up a larger, full-grown spanish mastiff, pick it up from the underside, bracing his or her chest with one arm and rear end with your other arm.
How to House the spanish mastiff
spanish mastiffs need a cozy peaceful location to sleep apart from all drafts and off the ground. You might want to think about purchasing a doggie bed, or make one from a wood box. Place a clean sheet, blanket, or pillow inside the bed. Wash the spanish mastiff’s bedding often. If the spanish mastiff will be outdoors frequently, be sure he has plenty of cool water and shade in hot weather, and a dry, warm, covered area during the winter.
spanish mastiff Identification
Your city has licensing regulations to follow. You should connect the license to the spanish mastiff’s collar. This, together with an ID tattoo, will most likely help secure your spanish mastiff’s return if he happens to go missing.
spanish mastiff Behavior Information
Thoughts on spanish mastiff Training
Well-mannered, companion spanish mastiffs can truly be a blessing to raise. But when left untrained, your dog can be nothing but trouble. Training your spanish mastiff on the fundamentals—”Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, and “Leave it”—strengthens your relationship both with the pooch as well as your friends. If you’re the owner of a puppy, start training him on the right responses ASAP! Use snacks as an incentive and a reward. Pups should be enrolled in obedience classes when they have been adequately immunized. Call the local humane society or SPCA for information on training class recommendations. It is best to keep your spanish mastiff on a leash when, even as a pup. Be certain your doggie will come back to you at all times whenever you tell him. A disobedient or aggressive spanish mastiff can’t play with others.
Your spanish mastiff’s Health
spanish mastiffs should see the veterinarian for a thorough exam, vaccinations and heartworm examination every single year, and immediately when he is hurt or sick.
Knowing Your spanish mastiff’s Oral Health
Although we might simply dislike our spanish mastiff’s foul breath, it’s important to be aware of what it might indicate. Bad breath is a sign that your spanish mastiff needs a dental examination. Dental plaque triggered by bacteria causes a foul smell that can only be eliminated by the help of a professional. Once your spanish mastiff has had a cleaning from a professional, the gums and teeth can be kept up by brushing the teeth regularly, feeding a specially formulated dental diet and treats, and avoiding table scraps. Your vet can provide you additional information for minimizing dental ailments and halitosis. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your spanish mastiff’s teeth. You can brush them with a piece of nylon stocking wrapped around your finger, a gauze pad, or a soft, child’s toothbrush. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, sometimes affects spanish mastiffs. Frequently, loss of teeth takes place because of periodontal infection. Infections can possibly also propagate to the rest of your spanish mastiff’s body. Veterinarians may brush your dog’s teeth at a routine checkup.
Bad Breath in spanish mastiffs
Even though dental disease by itself is not critical if it is detected early enough, the foul odors may also indicate serious, persistent causes for concern. Diseases of the intestines or liver sometimes cause halitosis, and a fruity, even pleasant smell can sometimes be indicative of diabetes. Kidney disease is a possibility when your spanish mastiff’s breath smells of urine or ammonia. Whenever you determine your spanish mastiff has smelly breath along with other indicators of disease, like loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weight loss, moodiness, including depression, too much urinating and drinking, schedule a trip to his or her vet.
Dealing with Fleas and Ticks in spanish mastiffs
When it’s warm, it’s crucial for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your spanish mastiff for fleas and ticks. You can find and remove fleas with a flea comb. There are numerous new procedures of flea and tick management. Get advice from your spanish mastiff’s doctor about his or her recommendations.
Heartworm problems in spanish mastiffs
The heartworm is a parasite that resides in the heart and is passed from an infested dog to your spanish mastiff by mosquitoes. Many spanish mastiffs die yearly from heartworm infestations. Your spanish mastiff should have a heartworm screen every single spring—this is necessary to stop infestations from the past year. A once-a-month tablet given throughout the warm, wet time of the year will protect your spanish mastiff. Your spanish mastiff should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some milder regions, vets advise preemptive heartworm medication be taken continuously.
Medications and Poisons
If you’re thinking about giving your spanish mastiff medicine that was not prescribed for her by his doctor, don’t. Just one ibuprofen tablet is known to initiate stomach ulcers in spanish mastiffs. Make sure your spanish mastiff is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. Be sure to immediately call your spanish mastiff’s doctor if you have reason to believe your spanish mastiff has been exposed to poison. You should also notify the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for 24 hr. help.
spanish mastiffs: Neutering and Spaying
Male spanish mastiffs should be neutered – the extraction of the testicles – and females spayed – the removal of the uterus and ovaries – by six months of age. Spaying before maturity significantly diminishes the risk of breast cancer, a frequently deadly and common disease for more mature female spanish mastiffs. Spaying also eliminates the chance of a diseased uterus, a very serious condition in older females that demands surgery and intensive medical care. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, certain aggressive behavior and some hernias are all preventable by neutering male spanish mastiffs.
Innoculating your spanish mastiff
- The combination vaccine (also called a “5-in-1 shot”) needs to be given to your spanish mastiff at two, 3, and 4 months of age and then once annually. This shot immunizes your puppy from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and distemper. Your spanish mastiff puppy’s immunization program cannot be completed before 4 months of age.
- If your spanish mastiff has not been vaccinated and is older than four months, he will need to be given 2 immunizations as soon as possible, 2 or three weeks apart. After that you must vaccinate annualy.
- spanish mastiff pup innoculation and socialization should go hand in hand. You may bring your spanish mastiff pup to socialization classes as early as 8 to nine weeks of age, according to many doctors. At this age, they should have already received at least their first series of vaccines.
Because rules vary around the country, call your local vet for instructions for rabies immunization. For instance, in New York City, the law requires all pets older than three months of age to be vaccinated for rabies. After the first innoculation, he must have another innoculation the following year, and then every 3 years. There are many immunizations, many of which are right for your spanish mastiff. Others, however, are not. Your veterinarian can tell you about them. By the way, if your spanish mastiff gets ill because she is not properly immunized, do not administer the innoculation until the dog has made a full recovery.
Roundworms in spanish mastiffs
spanish mastiffs are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Tiny eggs produced by hookworms and roundworms are passed in an infected spanish mastiff’s stool. Most puppies, even from healthy mothers in good homes, carry hookworms or roundworms. Getting an accurate, early diagnosis is the key to treatment. This will maximize the possibility that the medicine is successful against the parasite your spanish mastiff has. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, cannot kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best determine the culprit—and decide the effective medication.
spanish mastiff Care Tips: Additional Information
Checklist of spanish mastiff Supplies
- High-quality dog food and snacks specifically for spanish mastiffs and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water bowl
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Comb and brush for grooming, including flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Leash
- Carrier (for pups)
- Crate for training
- Box or dog bed with sheet or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
The no-no list
Never, ever feed your spanish mastiff the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Raisins and grapes
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, chives or garlic
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt and salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems & unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
The “Bottom” Line
Keep your spanish mastiff on a leash whenever you are outdoors, unless you are in a fenced-in, secured location. And please, when your spanish mastiff defecates on your neighbor’s yard, clean it up! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about spanish mastiffs
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