Extra large breed dogs

..... a new owners guide

But of course, not every home (or family) is the right place for an extra large or giant dog of course, and their awesome size means that they have some very unique needs.

If you choose to add a large or giant dog breed to your home, it's important to know how to take care of him, and make sure he grows up healthy and strong.

You'll find everything you need to do just that right here....

Quick Links:

• Which breeds are considered to be 'Extra Large'?
• Facts about large/giant breeds
• What do these big dogs need?
• Feeding extra-large breed dogs
• Exercising big dogs
• Large breed health problems

Which breeds are considered to be extra-large?

However, obviously any breed considered to be 'giant' has to be at the very top end of the scale. It's generally accepted that a dog who is going to weigh over 100lbs at maturity is an extra large dog.

Weight isn't the only factor either, height has to be considered. Some very big dogs aren't terribly heavy due to their structure, but they are extremely tall.

List Of Popular Extra Large Breed Dogs

The facts about extra large breed dogs

They are also at risk for Bloat (also known as Torsion), thyroid and other hormone issues, heart problems, cancers and more.

Extra large breed dogs also tend to have a shorter life span. Of course, small and tiny breeds have their own set of unique health concerns, but they are often quite different.

Because these canine giants have such a huge physical presence, inexperienced owners sometimes think that they need to be handled more sternly and in a more 'physical' way than the smaller breeds so. This is totally incorrect.

Obviously, if you barely weigh in at 100lbs and are 5' tall, taking a Great Dane (who could weigh anywhere up to 170lbs) for a walk may be a challenge, but many of these extra large breed dogs are truly 'Gentle Giants'. Loud voices, harsh reprimands and physical corrections are only going to scare them and cause them emotional distress.

In some of the larger 'guardian' breeds, such as Rottweilers, Cane Corso or South African Boerboels, this sort of attitude can make them resentful, obstinate and defiant - not a good combination.

Although there is no such thing as a 'free puppy' (because of many needs these little creatures have), the cost of raising a Newfoundland puppy is going to be considerably more than the cost of raising a Yorkie.... it's a no-brainer!

Although I wouldn't recommend extra large breed dogs for families with small/young children, they can be a great 'fit' for families with older or pre-teen/teen children.

The main reason that they're not great around little children is because of their size, not their temperament. They can be clumsy, and could easily knock down or hurt a small child while playing with them or greeting them. You can probably imagine why an over-exuberant 45lb puppy and a toddler aren't a great combination!

The American Kennel Club Breed Index has lots of information on the majority of the big dog breeds in the above list, including the breed history, breed standard and links to breeders with available litters.

If all of the above has made you think a large or giant breed might be perfect for your family, you're ready for the next step... to find out how to care for these big guys!

What do giant dog breeds need?

Not to mention, you'll need the 'large size' of just about everything from treats to medications (think flea and tick preventative, heartworm medication etc.) and more. Trust me, this adds up!

But it doesn't end there. Extra large breed dogs also need more room. A Great Dane will take up considerably more space on your living room floor (and the ENTIRE sofa), in your car and in your yard.

The good thing is that these big dogs aren't generally more active than small breeds, in fact a terrier will just about always run rings around a Mastiff! As puppies, all breeds are active and need to run and play, but as adults many extra large to giant breeds tend towards the 'couch potato' mentality.

Of course, many extra large breed dogs who are also working breeds, such as German Shepherds or Rhodesian Ridgebacks, NEED a job to do, and don't do well without regular exercise and mental stimulation. But this isn't true of many of the others.

Feeding extra large breed dogs

Making sure that your giant breed puppy has his specific nutritional needs met, is very important role to his future growth and health. It will ensure his correct development as a pup, through adolescence to adulthood, and can go a long way towards preventing many of the health conditions that these extra large breed dogs are prone to.

Extra large to giant breed puppies need to eat a premium food - holistic, all-natural or organic ingredients are preferable. Usually one that is specifically formulated for large or giant breed puppies has the correct balance of nutrients, but there are also some 'all life stages' foods, and even the occasional one that is designed for adult dogs, that fit the bill.

These are the basics of what you need to be looking for in a food for your large breed puppy...

• Protein - approx 23% - 25%
• Fat 12% - 15%
• Calcium - 1.2%- 1.5%

Giant breed pups shouldn't be fed a high-calorie diet, look for a more moderate range - somewhere around 350 - 380 calories per cup of food. This will help to prevent the overly rapid growth rate that's responsible for a lot of the bone/joint problems in extra large breed dogs. You can find some of the best dog foods on the market on my 10 Best Dog Food Choices page.

Extra large breed dogs who have reached maturity, need a different balance of ingredients, with higher levels of protein, fat and calories.

To learn more about this subject, I thoroughly recommend that you take a look at www.greatdanelady.com. This website has a HUGE amount of information and advice on feeding extra large and giant breed puppies. Also check out the Interview with 'The Great Dane Lady' herself (aka Linda Arndt). It's fascinating reading.

It's also not just the type of food that you feed that is important, you also have to be careful to feed the right amount of food. Overfeeding extra large breed dogs can also cause bone and joint problems. A nutritional imbalance can lead to too-rapid growth, or a puppy who is overweight - compounding the stress on the bones/joints.

Particularly during the first 6 months, it's vital to control the calorie intake of your pup. Feed 3 times a day until around 3 months of age, when you can reduce it to twice daily. At 8 weeks old, 2 - 4 cups of premium food per day (depending on weight/breed - check individual bag for specifics) is about right, increasing slowly until 6 months of age when you should be feeding somewhere between 6 and 8 cups a day.

Extra large breed dogs and puppies can be messy eaters! They tend to be a bit clumsy and can be 'drool-y' as well. It pays to invest in some non-spill, non-skid bowls if you want to keep your kitchen floor remotely clean and dry. To see some of the best bowls of this kind on the market, check out Best Spill Proof Dog Bowl Choices.

The activity level of your puppy or dog also plays a part in how much they need to eat. Obviously an active dog requires more calories than one who spends his days on the sofa, so take that into account when doing your calculations. This is particularly relevant for adolescent and adult dogs.

Seasonal changes may also factor in. Like humans, dogs tend to eat less when the weather is hot, and during the winter months they need more food to burn to keep warm. Even if your dog spends 95% of his time indoors, he may still show seasonal changes in appetite.

Extra large breed dogs grow very rapidly, but they take a long time to reach maturity as they actually develop quite slowly. Sometimes owners can get a little impatient and want to 'put a little weight on' their pup, especially during the adolescent stage when puppies can look very 'gangly' and a bit out of proportion. But this is totally wrong. A giant breed dog may not be fully mature until 18 months, or even 2 years, of age and he needs to be allowed to develop at the pace nature intended if he is to grow up healthy and strong.

You can learn about puppy growth rates on my Puppy Weight Estimates and Puppy Weight Chart pages. An overview of puppy developmental stages can be found on my Puppy Development page.

Exercising extra large breed dogs

In extra large breed dogs, hip dysplasia and other joint/bone problems can occur more easily than you might think. To protect your pup, avoid these things........

• Jogging, or running on hard surfaces such as concrete


• Jumping from any significant height - ie pick up bed, SUV, bed etc.


• Playing on slippery or slick surfaces such as tile, wet ground etc.


• Roughousing or wrestling

Of course, your puppy still needs exercise in order to develop the strong muscles he needs to support his big heavy bones!

A short walk several times a day, moderate games (eg fetch) outside and inside, and lots of socialization are needed. Enrolling him in a Puppy Obedience Class as soon as he's fully vaccinated is a great idea.

Puppies are just like babies, and your little guy will play for a while and then need a nice long nap... then he'll wake up and start all over again.

As puppies, extra large breed dogs are as energetic and active as any other breed. But they can also be clumsy and endearingly uncoordinated, so always be careful when playing or exercising them. As adults, giant dog breeds are often on the lower end of the activity scale, and an adult Great Dane can live quite happily in an apartment, as long as he gets his daily walks.

However, if you ARE an apartment-dweller there's something you need to think about before you make the decision to add one of the extra large breed dogs to your family!

Housebreaking a giant breed puppy really needs to be done without the use of pee-pee pads, for obvious reasons, and that means you need to be able to get your pup outside quickly, multiple times a day (and night). Unless you live on the ground floor, this can be problematic, because carrying a 35lb - 50lb 'baby' outside (even if the elevators do work every single time) is a challenge most of us can't meet.

Letting him walk by himself seems the obvious answer, but it's not that simple. A puppy is a very easily distracted creature, combine that with the urgent need to 'do his business' and very immature bladder/bowel control and the consequences are fairly obvious. PLUS (and this is a big one), most giant breed puppies will have trouble negotiating stairs, at least to begin with. He could hurt himself (or you) if he falls, jumps and so on.

All around it's a difficult, if not impossible scenario.

Giant dog breed health problems

• Bone and Joint Problems
  

  These include Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, which are orthopedic conditions caused by malformed or 'poorly fitting' joints. Panosteitis (often called 'Pano') is a condition caused by inflammation in the growing joints of a young or adolescent pup. It causes lameness or limping. Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (or HOD) causes swollen/painful joints (often the lower joint in the front legs), and can be triggered by several things including infection, improper diet, vaccine reactions and more. This condition can cause the joints to become malformed and your pup may 'knuckle-over' or his front legs may become bowed.

  A nutritionally balance diet can help to prevent many bone/joint problems. Canine Nupro Dietary Supplement is a totally holistic dietary supplement that contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and essential fatty acids in natural raw forms. It is an excellent addition to your dogs nutritional program and is suitable (and beneficial) for all ages.



• Wobblers Syndrome
  

  Also known as Spondylolitheses, this is a condition that affects some extra large breed dogs, mainly Great Danes and Doberman Pinschers (although Bullmastiffs and St. Bernards, Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Borzois have been known to exhibit similar symptoms). It's also more common in males than in females. This syndrome is caused by a narrowing or malformation of the vertebrae in the dogs neck, which puts pressure on the rest of the spine. It usually appears in adolescent Great Danes, somewhere between 5 and 18 months of age, but usually shows up much later in Dobermans, at around 4 or 5 years of age. The symptoms are usually a 'wobbly' or unsteady gait, or weakness/lameness (normally in the back legs), the syptoms gradually get worse, and occasionally paralysis can occur. Treatment may include a neck brace, steroids or surgery, depending on the severity of the condition.



• Dilated Cardiomyopathy
  

  This is a heart condition, and a dog with DCM has heart muscles that don't contract efficiently, causing arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats). It also means that the heart has to work extra-hard to pump blood around the body and this puts an immense strain it. It's most commonly seen in extra large breed dogs, especially Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Scottish Deerhounds, Doberman Pinschers, St Bernards and Newfoundlands.

  A dog can show no symptoms and die suddenly from this condition, although sometimes dogs show symptoms such as excessive panting, heavy breathing and are easily tired. Severity of the condition varies, as does the treatment and prognosis for individual dogs. An echocardiogram, chest x-rays and an EKG can help diagnose this condition.

  There's a natural product that can help promote healthy cardiac function in your dog. It's called Canine Hearty Heart for Dog Heart Disease and it's a totally herbal formula, free of all chemicals. Help your dogs' heart stay strong and healthy, and improve his overall vitality by adding Hearty Heart to his daily regimen.



• Aortic Stenosis
  

  This is another heart condition that more commonly seen in extra large or giant dog breeds. AS and SAS (Sub Aortic Stenosis) are caused by a narrowing of the aorta, which puts extra strain on the heart. Limiting exercise and stress in affected dogs can help reduce the risks associated with this condition, but it does vary in severity and can cause sudden death.



• Hypothyroidism
  

  This is a condition caused by the thyroid gland producing too little of the hormone thyroxin. It's common in some giant breed dogs and symptoms include unexplained weight gain, lethargy and skin conditions such as thinning hair, darkened skin, itching and so on. Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually treated with hormone supplementation.

  If you'd prefer to try the natural approach to your dogs thyroid problems, try Canine Thyro-up for Dog Hypothyroidism. This all-natural, herbal product contains no synthetic hormones, has no harmful side effects and is safe for long-term use.



• Bloat or Torsion
  

  This is a very serious condition and is also known as Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV). It's a condition that mostly affects large, deep-chested dog breeds including Great Danes, Greyhounds, Bullmastiffs, and St. Bernards (among others). It's a condition where the stomach fills suddenly with gas and twists into an unnatural position, basically cutting off the passages between the stomach and the esophagus and the stomach and the intestines. It is life-threatening and, unless recognized and treated quickly, is often fatal.

  The causes of bloat aren't fully understood, but there are some things that seem to trigger it. These include eating too much at one sitting (especially common if the dog is fed once a day), eating too fast, drinking a lot of water, and indulging in vigorous exercise too soon after eating.

  The symptoms of bloat include signs of distress such as excessive panting, pacing or whining, drooling, retching or vomiting (the dog may not actually bring back up any food due to the twisted stomach),and a swollen or distended belly. If you notice any of these symptoms, get your dog to a veterinarian or emergency animal hospital IMMEDIATELY.

  For an in-depth look at Bloat (including causes, symptoms and treatment), check out this webpage... Canine Bloat

  Although they're by no means guaranteed to prevent bloat, using elevated dog bowls for your big guy's food and water can help minimize risks. This is because they make it easier for your dog to eat in a comfortable position and reduce the amount of air he swallows (a factor in triggering bloat).

  If you have a 'chow hound' who guzzles his food, a 'go-slow' or 'anti-gulp' type of dog bowl (such as the Healthy Diet Slow-Eating Anti-Gulping Dog Food Bowl) can also help.



• Entropion and Ectropion
  

  These are conditions affecting the eyes, to be more precise the eyelids and eyelashes. In Entropion, the eyelid rolls inwards and fur or eyelashes irritate the cornea, if left uncorrected it can cause infection/irritation and vision problems. It's more commonly seen in giant dog breeds such as Mastiffs, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundland, Bernese Mountain Dog, Great Dane and St. Bernard.

  Ectropion is not seen as often in the extra large breed dogs, but it can occur in the same breeds affected by Entropion. Ectropion is caused when the eyelid rolls outwards or droops. This can cause infection, inflammation, conjuctivitis and more. Both conditions can be corrected with a simple surgery, and Ectropion can sometimes be treated with eyedrops and other medications.

As I mentioned earlier, extra large breed dogs are much more fragile than they appear, and it's important that new owners are aware of this. Because of this I would strongly recommend that you take out pet health insurance if you add an extra large or giant breed to your family.

The veterinary bills can also be on the extra-large to giant end of the scale for owners of these dogs simply because they need MORE of everything! Medications of all sorts, tests,surgeries or accidents are all likely to be much more expensive for a Great Dane than they are for a chihuahua.

Get all the information and advice you need to get the best health plan for your puppy or dog on my Pet Dog Insurance page. If you don't want to empty your savings account in the event that your pup gets sick or hurt, this is a life-saver (in every sense of the word).

They are stunning dogs, and make loving, loyal, faithful friends. I wouldn't be without my Rottweilers for the world - even (or maybe especially) when my 125lb male wants to cuddle on my lap! You can see the site I've dedicated to this amazing breed at www.a-love-of-rottweilers.com

Enjoy your BIG dog!

Choosing A Healthy Puppy

Puppy Health

Puppy Weight Estimates

Puppy Development

Interview with The Great Dane Lady

Types of Small Dogs

Return from Extra Large Breed Dogs to Homepage

New! Comments