Raising dogs, especially taking care of the english mastiff, is nothing new for humans across the world. Some experts theorize that dogs were domesticated between 12,000 and twenty five thousand years ago—and that all dogs evolved from the wolf. Since then, humans have selectively bred more than 400 breeds, which vary in size from four-pound teacup poodles to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of tallest canine. However, the most widespread canines are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The english mastiff is another favorite pick among dog owners. Some owners are uninformed, however, of many crucial english mastiff care tips.
Health care cost of your english mastiff
The yearly budget for providing for your english mastiff—to include everything from food, veterinary care, toys and license—could vary between four hundred twenty and $780. This figure doesn’t include capital costs for spay/neuter surgery, collar and leash, a dog carrier and a dog crate. Tip: Be positive you have all the necessary items before you bring your english mastiff home for the first time.
General english mastiff Care
english mastiff Feeding Schedule
- english mastiff puppies between 8 and twelve weeks need 4 bowls of food each day.
- english mastiff pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed three meals in a day.
- Feed puppies 6 months to one year old two meals in a 24 hour period.
- By the time your english mastiff hits his first birthday, 1 meal in a twenty-four hour period is usually all that’s necessary.
- Sometimes adult english mastiffs, however, do better with 2 smaller servings. It’s your duty to learn your english mastiff’s eating tendencies.
High-quality dry food provides balanced nutrition for adult english mastiffs and can mix with broth, water, or canned food. Your english mastiff may have a taste for fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, and cottage cheese, but these should be less than 10 pct of her daily food allowance. english mastiff puppies must be given excellent-quality, brand-name puppy food. Please cut down on “table food”, however, since it can result in mineral and vitamin deficiencies, tooth and bone issues, and may create very finicky eating habits as well as obesity. Clean, fresh water should be made always, and make sure to wash food and water bowls very regularly.
english mastiff Care Tips: Make sure to get your english mastiff plenty of daily physical activity
english mastiffs need some physical activity in order to stay healthy, recharge their brains, and remain in good health. Exercise also really helps english mastiffs fight boredom, which often has the potential to lead to to difficult behavior. A little fun and games would quench most of your english mastiff’s desires to herd, dig, chase, retrieve and chew. Exercise needs are dependent on your english mastiff’s level of health and his age—but just a walk around the block every day and 10 minutes in the backyard probably will not cut it. If your english mastiff is a six to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will probably be greater.
Grooming tips for english mastiffs
You can help reduce shedding and keep your english mastiff clean with regular brushing. Inspect for fleas and ticks daily during the summer or other warm weather. Many english mastiffs don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Before bathing, comb or cut out any and all mats from the english mastiff’s hair. Rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap.
english mastiff Handling
Pups are clearly easier to handle. To carry your english mastiff puppy, place one hand under your dog’s chest, with either your forearm or your other hand supporting her hind legs and rump. Don’t ever attempt to grab or lift your pup by the forelegs, tail or nape. When you have to lift a larger, full-grown english mastiff, pick it up from underneath, holding her chest with one arm and rear end with the other.
How to House your english mastiff
english mastiffs need a warm quiet place in order to sleep away from all breezes and off the floor. You might wish to buy a doggie bed, or make one from a wood box. Place a clean comforter, sheet, or pillow in the bed for cushioning. Wash the english mastiff’s bed covering frequently. If your english mastiff will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be certain he has access to covering and plenty of cool water in hot weather, and a dry, covered, warm shelter when it’s cold.
english mastiff Identification
Follow the city’s licensing regulations. Make sure to affix the license to your english mastiff’s collar. The license, together with an ID tag or tattoo, could help secure your english mastiff’s return if he happens to go missing.
Info on english mastiff Behavior
Training your english mastiff
A well-behaved, companion english mastiff is a blessing to have. But left untrained, your english mastiff could be a big headache. Training your english mastiff on the minimums—”Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, and “Leave it”—will bolster the relationship with both the dog and your house guests. If you have a puppy, start teaching him or her the right behavior ASAP! Use food as recognition and incentive. Pups can commence obedience classes when they have been adequately immunized. Contact the community humane society or SPCA for information about training schools. You should always keep your english mastiff leashed while in public, even while a pup. Be positive your dog will come back to you if you say so. An aggressive or disobedient english mastiff should not play with other people.
About your english mastiff’s Health
english mastiffs should see the vet for a complete examination, immunizations and a heartworm exam every single year, and promptly if he is injured or ill.
Knowing Your english mastiff’s Oral Health
While many of us might simply dislike our english mastiff’s halitosis, we should pay attention to what it may be telling us. Bad breath is a symptom that your english mastiff is in need of an oral exam. Plaque , which is caused by bacteria creates a foul stench that demands treatment by a professional. Once you have given your english mastiff a professional cleaning, the gums and teeth can be be preserved in a healthy state by brushing the teeth regularly, feeding a specially formulated dental diet and treats, and avoiding table scraps. The vet can supply you with more information for reducing oral ailments as well as stinky breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your english mastiff’s teeth. Clean them with a nylon stocking stretched across your finger, a gauze pad, or a soft, child’s toothbrush. Sometimes english mastiffs get periodontal disease, another name for gum disease. Often, tooth loss occurs due to periodontal infection. Diseases can possibly also spread to other areas of your english mastiff’s body. The veterinarian will usually brush your english mastiff’s teeth during the regular health screening.
Breeds with Halitosis (bad breath)
Although dental disease in and of itself is not a serious threat when caught early enough, the foul odors may be indicative of more serious, persistent problems. Liver or intestinal diseases can also cause halitosis, and a sweet, fruity smell may often be a sign of diabetes. When your english mastiff’s breath smells of ammonia or urine, kidney disease is a possible reason. If you find your english mastiff has foul breath and other indicators of ill health, like loss of appetite, vomiting or nausea, weight loss, moodiness, including depression, a lot of urination or drinking, schedule an exam with the vet.
Fleas and Ticks in english mastiffs
When it’s warm, it’s important for you to perform daily, regular inspections of your english mastiff for fleas and ticks. Remove fleas using a flea comb. There are many new procedures of tick and flea reduction. Ask your vet about her or his recommendations.
english mastiffs With Heartworm Issues
The heartworm is a parasite that lives in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your english mastiff by way of mosquitoes. Heartworm infections are potentially deadly. Your english mastiff should have a heartworm screen every spring—this is critical to stop infections from the past year. It’s also wise to give your english mastiff a once-a-month pill throughout the course of the warm, wet time of the year in order to protect him from heartworms. Your english mastiff should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some of the more moderate climates, vets advise preventative worm medication throughout the year.
Medicines and Toxins
If you’re pondering giving your english mastiff tablets that was not prescribed for him by his doctor, don’t do it. For example, are you aware that 1 ibuprofen tablet causes ulcers in some dogs Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your english mastiff. When you think your doggie has been exposed to a poison, call your vet or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hours a day for assistance.
Spaying and Neutering english mastiffs
Female english mastiffs should be spayed—which is the extraction of the ovaries and uterus—and males neutered—removal of the testes—by 6 months of age. You will greatly diminish your female english mastiff’s chance of breast cancer by spaying prior to maturity. The risk of an infected uterus, which is also a serious condition that impacts older females, can also be removed by spaying while young. Testicular cancer, prostate diseases, certain aggressive behavior and some hernias are all preventable by neutering male english mastiffs.
english mastiff Vaccinating
- english mastiff puppies should be vaccinated with a combo immunization (called a “5-in-1”) at two, 3 and four months of age, and then once each year. This immunization protects your puppy from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. The english mastiff puppy’s innoculation regimen cannot be finished before four months of age.
- If your english mastiff has not been innoculated and is older than four months, he will need to be given two immunizations as soon as possible, 2 or three weeks apart. After that you must vaccinate yearly.
- Your english mastiff puppy’s socialization should coincide with the innoculation program. You may take your english mastiff puppy to socialization classes by eight to 9 weeks of age, as recommended by most veterinarians. They should have already received their first innoculations by then.
Statutes are so varied around the country, the best thing is to contact your community vet to get rabies vaccination information. In NYC, for example, the statute states that all pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. The initial rabies innoculation must be followed by a subsequent vaccination the following year, and then every three years after that. There are a variety of innoculations that may effective for your english mastiff. Your vet can tell you about them. Also, if your english mastiff gets sick because he is not vaccinated, do not administer the vaccination until the dog has made a full recovery.
Worms in english mastiffs
english mastiffs are commonly exposed to worms and possible infestation—even in urban areas. Microscopic eggs produced by intestinal worms are passed in an infected dog’s stool. Even the healthiest of english mastiff puppies carry roundworms or hookworms. The secret to treatment is early diagnosis. This will maximize the possibility that the medicine is highly effective against the parasite your english mastiff has. A dewormer that eliminates roundworms, for example, cannot kill tapeworms. Your english mastiff’s doctor can best define the culprit—and prescribe the most effective medication.
Miscellaneous english mastiff Care Tips
english mastiff Supply Checklist
- Premium-quality dog food and snacks specifically for english 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 identification tag
- Quality leash
- Dog carrier (for puppies)
- Training crate
- Dog box or bed with warm sheet or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
The no-no list
Never feed your english mastiff the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Raisins or grapes
- Spoiled or moldy food of any kind
- Onions, chives & garlic
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt and salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
Final Thoughts
Retain your english mastiff on a leash when you are outside, unless you are in a fenced-in, secured spot. And please, when your english mastiff defecates on your neighbor’s lawn, clean it up! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about english mastiffs
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