Q: Do Mastiffs / Great Danes Drool?
by admin ~ July 14th, 2008A: Yes, all dogs drool. The amount of drool certainly varies by size, breed, and specific characteristics of the individual dog. Dogs produce saliva when they are tempted with food or any appealing scent, or when they are panting or excited. Giant breeds will typically produce more drool than small breeds since their mouths are larger.
The size of a dog’s dewlap, the lower lip near the back of the mouth, can also be a factor in determining how drool-prone a particular dog can be. Dogs with larger dewlaps tend to be wetter-mouthed than dogs with a tighter lip. In Example A below, the dog has a larger dewlap. The dog in Example B has a smaller dewlap. Most mastiff-type breeds tend to have a larger dewlap.
Example A
Example B
A dog’s drinking habits can also contribute to a wetter mouth. Some great danes and mastiffs like to stick their entire face in the water bowl when they drink, and they walk away soaking wet, leaving a trail of water on the floor as they go. Other dogs are more delicate about drinking and don’t create as big of a mess. I’ve experienced both habbits with both great danes and mastiffs, and the level of drinking-related drool just seems to be up to the personality of your dog, whatever breed he or she may be.
So, can you live with it? Before you decide to adopt a giant breed, make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. There is a stain on my kitchen ceiling 10′ in the air from a great dane shaking his head and flinging drool all the way up there. I usually hand out “drool rags” to guests, and sometimes get a funny look until one of the dogs uses their sleeve as a napkin and they find themselves covered in slime from wrist to elbow. As a serious germaphobe, my friends are perplexed by my ability to deal with these slimy strings of slobber on a daily basis, and from time to time, I find myself unknowingly walking down the street with a glob of white goo stuck to my clothes. Rest assured, it’s only dog drool.
For me, the rewards of giant breed ownership make dealing with the drool worthwhile. Plus, not all of my giant breed dogs are extreme droolers. In fact, my great dane has a dryer mouth than many of my friends’ labs and golden retrievers. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to having drooling dogs in the house and have made some simple changes to accomodate, like converting to stain-resistant furniture and washable paint.
If you’re unsure whether or not a giant breed dog is the right choice for you, please spend some time with one. Dog shows are a great place to experience giant breeds in person. You can find a listing of upcoming shows and events on the AKC website.
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Healthy Treats for Great Danes and Mastiffs
by admin ~ June 10th, 2008We often get e-mails from great dane and mastiff owners wondering what types of treats we give our giant breed dogs. With smaller breeds, purchasing organic or all-natural designer treats is an affordable option for many people, but finding healthy treats for giant breeds in a large size can be a challenge. Fresh fruits and veggies along with homemade biscuits are a great alternative. Here are some of our dogs’ favorites:
- Apple Slices
- Peach or Nectarine Slices
- Carrots
- Red Bell Pepper Slices (seeds removed)
- Green Beans
- Brocoli
- Green Peas
- Strawberries
- Pineapple
- Blueberries
- Plain Unsweetened Yogurt
- Organic Peanuts
- Cherries (pits removed)
Since we’ve started making homemade treats for our dogs, they’re sure anything that goes in the oven is going to be theirs, but they love these homemade biscuits, recipe below. They’re easy to make and freeze well, and the dogs even like to eat them right out of the freezer.
Apple Oatmeal Treats
1 1/4 Cups Oat Flour
3/4 - 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
2 Eggs
1 Small Apple or 1/2 Large Apple, Grated
1/4 Cup Grated Carrots
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, oil, apples, and carrots in a large bowl. Mix in the oat flour and baking soda. Mix in 3/4 cup oats, adding more if the batter looks thin (it should stick together in a ball shape when you drop it onto a cookie sheet). Drop teaspoon-sized balls onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until they start to turn golden brown. Cool on a rack, then store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Remember not to over-do it with new foods, especially if your dog is only used to eating dog food.
More information on Great Dane & Mastiff Nutrition >
Does your spoiled pup have a favorite recipe? Share it with us! You can send it via e-mail or post it as a comment below.
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Breeder vs. Owner - Who Knows Best?
by admin ~ June 5th, 2008Q: Our breeder is concerned because we are not feeding our great dane puppy the food she recommended. What do you think?
A: Typically, when a breeder has strong opinions about nutrition or growth, it’s because they’ve been breeding for years and have worked out the kinks to establish what works best for their bloodlines. My recommendation would be to take all the advice you can get from your breeder as it sounds like she only wants to help you raise a happy, healthy puppy.
Sometimes pet food labels can be deceiving, especially if you don’t know what to look for. Every brand wants to market their food as the best, so rather than assuming a food is OK because the front of the bag says it has vegetables in it, check out the back of the bag to see what you’re really getting. Avoid foods with by-products, sugar, preservatives, artificial colors, chemicals, and high levels of salt. Other considerations should include the type and amount of grain, whether the meats are measured before or after dehydration (ie: “chicken” vs. “chicken meal”) and what grade of ingredients are used.
Feeding giant breeds, like great danes, is tricky since their rapid growth can be dramatically effected by the wrong mix of ingredients, potentially causing several nutrition-related diseases. Breeders that strive to improve their breed will usually be well informed on nutrition and how to avoid growth problems, and have probably spent some time researching foods to find a brand that includes some of the “extras” that many brands don’t.
There are exceptions to the rule, so if you have a reason to believe the food your breeder is suggesting is not a good quality food, check it out for yourself. Most companies have a guaranteed analysis and ingredient list available online. Look for Omega3 and Omega6 fatty acids, DHA for brain development, glucosamine/condroitin for joint health, pre-biotics & pro-biotics for digestive health, and human-grade or high-quality meats. Check the percentages of protein, fat, calcuim and phosphorus and compare with the levels giant breed nutrition experts recommend. Even a small change of one or two percent can have an effect on your puppy’s growth.
More Great Dane & Mastiff Nutrition Information>
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What is the Difference Between a Great Dane and a Mastiff?
by admin ~ June 4th, 2008
Great Danes and Mastiffs are very similar in many ways, and quite different in others. Both of these giant breeds make great companions but do require a huge committment of time, energy, love and money.
The Similarities Between Great Danes and Mastiffs
The Great Dane was created hundreds of years ago by crossing English Mastiffs with Greyhounds. As a result, great danes and mastiffs share many characteristics. Both breeds are usually outgoing and friendly, yet make great watchdogs. Great danes and mastiffs are typically good with children and are excellent indoor pets as they tend to be calm, relaxed breeds; not hyperactive. They share similar health issues including a high risk of bloat, and nutrition is especially important with both breeds.
Both great danes and mastiffs are in the working class category of dogs. It’s important to keep their minds engaged and take them on daily walks. They do like having jobs – even if the job is to learn tricks like putting away their toys. Great Danes and Mastiffs are intelligent and very easy to train. They should learn a few basic obedience commands and housetraining in a few weeks with consistent training.
Neither breed does well as an outdoor only dog. Great Danes and Mastiffs establish a strong bond with their family and need to be a “part of the pack”. Boredom and loneliness in any dog can lead to destructive behavior, but with giant breeds, destruction happens on a larger scale; like digging up an entire yard full of trees and plants in an afternoon.
Many people mistakenly assume these giant dogs are aggressive attack dogs, which is not the case. Though they may playfully tackle you, once pinned down you’ll probably find yourself covered in slobbery kisses.
The Differences Between Great Danes and Mastiffs
Great Danes tend to be lighter, faster and more agile than mastiffs, and many great dane owners successfully compete in agility. Mastiffs are the heaviest (largest) breed of dog, weighing up to 270lbs, but typically average around 200lbs. Mastiffs tend to be more muscular and powerful than great danes, but both breeds can easily overpower their owners on walks so obedience training is a must. In my experience, our great danes are a little more light-hearted, while our mastiff is a bit more intense.
Great Danes were originally bred for hunting, Mastiffs for guarding and accompanying men into battle. Today, both are usually bred to be loyal and loving companions. Some great danes have varying degrees of “prey drive,” and may chase smaller pets and animals, but this is not always the case as many great danes do well with smaller animals. Great Danes tend to be taller than Mastiffs, but Mastiffs can be twice as wide as a Great Dane and as a result will probably eat a few more cups of food each day.
Deciding Which Giant Breed is Right for You
If you’re considering a giant breed dog, start out by reading the AKC breed standards, which should help you narrow it down to two or three breeds. If you’re looking for a great dane or mastiff puppy, the best way to fully understand the differences between the breeds is to visit several breeders and spend some time with their dogs.
Breeding/bloodlines play a huge role in determining the temperament, personality, health and size of these giant breeds, so if you’re looking for a puppy, take your time interviewing breeders and meet several dogs before deciding which is right for you. Most breeders are happy to chat with you about the personalities of their dogs and are willing to help you in making the decision regarding which breed would suit your family best.
If you’re looking to adopt an adult dog, you can check with your local breed clubs for a referral to a local breed rescue. Breed specific rescue organizations should be well versed on their breed, and will want to place dogs in homes that are the best match. They should be able to provide you with information about the history of the dog, the dog’s personality and temperament, whether or not the dog is OK with kids or pets, and other details to aid in your decision making process.
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Q: How Much Should I be Feeding my 4 Month Old English Mastiff Puppy?
by admin ~ April 18th, 2008A: Great question. There are so many variables, it’s hard to give a definite answer, but hopefully I can give you enough information to help you figure this out.
The best way to determine how much your mastiff puppy should be eating would be to ask your veterinarian to calculate how many calories he should be receiving based on your puppy’s age and weight. Most dog foods label how many calories are in each cup of food, so you and your vet can then decide how many cups of food your puppy needs each day. With a giant breed, like a mastiff, you’ll need to be sure to recalculate the totals frequently to make sure you’re keeping up with his growth.
Each dog food brand and type varies in the amount of calories and levels of protein and fat, so depending on the food you’re feeding your mastiff, your puppy might require a cup or two more or less than he would if you were feeding a different brand. Most foods come with a recommended feeding chart on the bag. Giant breeds, like mastiffs or great danes, should never be fed a regular puppy food, so assuming you’re feeding a GIANT breed puppy food (we feed out puppies Eagle Pack Holistic Large & Giant Breed Puppy), check the bag to see the recommended feeding amount based on your puppy’s weight and age. If you want to start out in that range, watch your puppy for the following:
- Weight Condition. As a general rule, it’s better for giant breed puppies to be on the thin side rather than overweight. This can help prevent several serious bone diseases. You should be able to see the last two ribs, and feel the others easily under the skin. If you can see the entire rib cage, your puppy may need to be fed a little more. If you can’t see the last rib or two, cut back a bit.
- Structure. Overfeeding can cause several bone and joint issues. If you know what to watch for, it’s easy to see the signs and adjust your feeding regimen accordingly. Check for straight bone growth. If your puppy’s toes are starting to turn out, front legs are starting to turn out or look bowed, or the top of his back is drastically unlevel (roached top line), these could be signs of overfeeding or an overage of protein, fat or calcuim in your puppy’s diet. Overly knobby joints on the legs or joints that appear to be inflamed are other signs of irregular growth related to diet. If you suspect your puppy may have any of these problems, you should see your vet for a check up and diet recommendations. If caught early enough, some bone diseases can be repaired and deformed growth may be reversed.
- Other Considerations. If you’re using a large amount of treats to train your puppy, or if you supplement his diet with fresh or raw foods, you may need to adjust the amount of dog food you’re feeding to compensate for the extra calories. In addition,some puppies are more active than others, so a puppy that runs around all day will require more calories than a pup that is kenneled while you’re at work and sleeps more.
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Mastiff Personality?
by admin ~ March 27th, 2008Q: I am getting ready to take a job at a youth camp and was wondering if that setting would be good for a mastiff. First, will a mastiff ever be content to be outside a lot (i will be and would love to have a big dog with me) and maybe even sleep outside. Second, will a mastiff do well with a constantly changing huge group of 200 kids every week and the resulting attention? Can they easiily be trained to heel without a collar and obey?
A: Mastiffs are a fun-loving, easy going, social breed. They love to be around people and typically do well around kids (other than the occasional tail whack or accidentally knocking over small children).
1. Assuming the weather is nice in the area you will be (they don’t do well in hot or cold temperatures) a mastiff probably wouldn’t mind the time outdoors, as long as they are interacting with you and not left alone in a dog run all day. English mastiffs do have a reputation for being a bit lazy, so their energy level is probably not up for daily jogging or 5 mile hikes - a more athletic type dog would be a better choice if that is the case. Make sure your mastiff has a soft place to rest outside.
2. Your mastiff would prefer to sleep on your bed, or on top of you on your bed, or on your pillow. This doesn’t leave much room for youRemember that dogs are pack animals, so it is not in their nature to be separated from their pack, even for the night. Rather than leaving him/her outside, a better choice would be to have a dog bed or a large crate in your bedroom where your dog can sleep near you.
3. The typical mastiff loves being the center of attention. As long as you begin socializing your puppy to children, commotion, and change, or choose an adult that likes kids and crowds, you shouldn’t have a problem. Every dog has a unique personality, so ask your breeder/adoption counselor to help you choose a dog or puppy with an outgoing personality, and make sure your dog has a place to rest away from the commotion that is off limits to kids in case he/she needs a break.
4. My great danes and mastiffs are all voice trained. It takes time and you have to be committed to enrolling in a good obedience class and sticking with it. Mastiffs are intelligent and very trainable, but they can have a bit of a stubborn streak so consistency is key and frequent practicing is a must.
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Can English Mastiffs Live Outside?
by admin ~ March 27th, 2008Q: Can english mastiffs live outside? I’ve been told they are inside dogs but we live in Arizona and have always had outside dogs.
A: No, they really don’t do well outside. They overheat very easily, and the summers in the desert can kill a mastiff if they are left outside.
You may also want to consider the fact that dogs are pack animals – it is in their nature to live in families. When left alone in the backyard while your family lives inside, giant breeds can become very destructive as an outlet for their frustration - they want to be with their pack but are forced to be separated. Most people that attempt to keep giant breeds as backyard dogs end up turning them over to shelters after having their yards, plants, a/c units, sprinkler lines and even stucco and siding destroyed, or due to constant barking.
They make great pets if you’re able to spend a lot of time training, exercising and socializing, but they definitely are a lot of work in that regard and I would never recommend keeping a mastiff or a great dane outdoors only.
Mastiffs are typically calm dogs as adults, and they are relatively easy to house train. If you really are committed to wanting a mastiff but have never had indoor dogs before, I would check with a mastiff rescue to see if they may have an adult that would be a good match for your family. By eliminating the difficult puppy training phase, you will probably have a much easier time training and adjusting to an indoor dog. You can check out www.petfinder.org or www.azanimalassistance.com for information on adoptable dogs.
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Picky Eater
by admin ~ March 25th, 2008Q: My 4 month old mastiff puppy is a picky eater. Any suggestions?
A: The first step is to ask your vet how many calories your puppy should be getting each day based on her weight and age. Once you’ve established this, you can check your dog food bag to see how many calories are in each cup, and determine how much your pup should be eating. Often times we think they should be eating more than they actually should.
If you’re having trouble getting your puppy to eat enough food, it could be anything from illness to pickiness, so if your puppy is acting lethargic other has any other symptoms of illness, you should see your vet immediately. If you’ve ruled out illness, it may just be that your puppy doesn’t like that particular food. You may want to try out a new brand and see if your puppy’s appetite improves. If you want to stick with the same food, you can try adding a small amount of chopped veggies or fruit to the food, or a teaspoon of plain low-fat yogurt or low-sodium chicken broth. Sometimes just adding some fresh scents will help to jump start the appetite. You can also try working on a new trick like “sit” or “shake” and use the food as a reward during training.
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Clicker Training for Puppies
by admin ~ February 25th, 2008I’ve trained many dogs over the years, typically using the standard method of giving a command, like “sit,” pushing gently on the puppy’s rear end to help them into a sitting position, then giving a treat. This seemed to work pretty well.
I recently began taking a beginner’s obedience class with a new puppy. The class is based on clicker training. The theory behind clicker training is that you are able to click (a small metal “clicker” can be purchased at pet supply stores) at exactly the moment the dog performs the desired action, then follow the click with a treat. This provides a more precisely timed reward for the desired behavior (the click), helping the puppy to understand what it is you want faster. Clicker training provides positive reinforcement which seems to work really well with dogs and puppies.
I must admit, I was skeptical at first. We were instructed to stand with the clicker in one hand and a treat in the other, look at our puppy’s backside and wait for them to sit without giving commands or assisting with motion. I was suprised when it worked! But sure enough, after just a few seconds of making eye contact with my puppy’s backside, he sat down and and looked at me, trying to figure out what I was doing and what I wanted. Immediately upon contact between the puppy’s rear and the ground, the clicker is clicked, then a treat follows.
A few weeks into the classes, I’ve found I’m getting a more rapid response to commands. My puppy seems to be grasping new concepts after just a few repetitions of commands with the clicker, vs. the few weeks it would typically take to learn commands the old way. He definitely associates that click with a positive response and a treat. Clicker training receives a thumbs up!
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Arizona Bill May Force Spay and Neuter
by joy ~ February 5th, 2008Arizona House Bill 2516 seeks to prohibit ownership of intact dogs and puppies over the age of six months without a permit. My initial thought was, “Cool. Maybe that will help reduce the number of dogs and cats that end up in shelters.” Upon closer review of the Bill, I found it has some serious issues that need to be addressed, and in it’s current state would make life more difficult for responsible breeders. You can check out the bill here. Thanks to the AKC for compiling a handy list of all the Representatives you can contact regarding the Bill. The main problem points:
1. In order to get and maintain a permit to keep an intact dog, you have to meet certain requirements. One requirement states that the dog must be training to compete or competing in shows. OK, no biggie. But then they slap a time limit on it. Your dog must be titled by age three, or you can’t renew your permit. For breeds like Mastiffs that don’t even reach adulthood until age 2 1/2 to three, this could be a problem if you’re going for a confirmation title. What happens if your dog has half of his points and turns three?
2. The bill provides a loophole for people to breed one male and one female dog per household one time. The intact permit is only good for one year, and if it must be obtained by the time the dog is 6 months old, do the math (don’t foget to allow 2 months for pregnancy) and this is forcing breeding way too early. 16-18 month old dogs are not only too young for breeding, screenings for genetic issues such as hip dysplasia are not reliable if the dog is under 2 years. Not only does this allow irresponsible breeders to continue breeding, now they must be more irresponsible by breeding young dogs without health screenings.
3. Your intact dog permit can be revoked if you refuse to allow an inspection of your home or premesis where the dog is kept. Whoa! Major violation of privacy. Just come on in whenever you feel like it, no cause, no warrant necessary.
Responsible owners who are already complying with local animal control laws will be unfairly punished by HB 2516, while irresponsible breeders both inside and outside of Arizona will continue to make problems for the community and local shelters while profiting off of the sale of dogs. I urge our lawmakers to focus their attention in this matter on mass breeding facilities, kennels, and those who choose to disregard the current laws and will likely continue to do so.
Please read the Bill for yourselves and send your comments to the Representatives.
