Everything About Large Dogs!

All About Large Dogs

Everyone has a preference as to the size of dog they want and larger dogs are just as popular as the smaller ones. Here a few types of large dogs to buy:

The Afghan hound and the Great Dane are very large as they tower about other large dog breeds.

The German shepherd and the Rottweiler are a little smaller than the hound and Great Dane but still fit the large dog breed category.

The Giant Schnauzer is a large, powerful, dominant dog which needs a firm, consistent but friendly owner.

The Golden Retriever is one of my favourite breeds as well. They are well known for their "patience, kindness and friendliness", and thus serve poorly as a guard dog.

The Labradors are exceptionally gentle, intelligent, energetic and good-natured, and they are generally considered good companions for people of all ages.

If you are the proud parent of a large dog (Great Dane, Akita, German Shepherd, greyhounds, Saint Bernards, Labrador Retrievers, Irish Wolfhound or other large breeds) be aware of gastric bloat and torsion. With some breeds of large dogs, you may have some health problems just like the smaller ones, but hip dysplasia is the number one health concern in older dogs because of their bone structure.

As gastric dilation-volvulus (GDV) caused by your dog gulping its food, drinking a lot of water right after and then going out for a great run or some hard play. Hip dysplasia is a condition that affects the hip joint and prevents many male and females from breeding.

It is best to feed your dog several small meals a day, do not allow your dog to gulp large amounts of water right after eating and do not allow your dog to do any strenuous exercise for at least two hours after eating.

It may be easier on you to feed your large dog once a day, but in light of the cost of veterinary care, an ounce of prevention is worth the price of time it takes to feed your dog several times a day, and monitoring its fluid intake after eating.

Large dogs should always be given toys that are made for large dogs, because the smaller toys could become choking hazards. Any plastic, hollow squeaker toy is automatically out without proper supervision, because these toys can cause choking and vomiting if swallowed, and aggressive chewers tend to easily rip pieces of plastic from these toys apart.