Ever since I was a little girl, I've been obsessed with dogs. I mainly have a soft spot for huge dogs. Not what you would consider large dogs, more like XXXL dogs. I decided when I turned 18 that I wanted a dog of my own. Naturally, I decided to get one of the biggest dogs you can have: A Great Pyrenees. If that wasn't enough, after nine months with the pyre, I decided to adopt a brown and white Newfoundland from a rescue. Newfies are a little bigger than full grown pyres. Everyone thought I was crazy for getting two massive dogs, but I was determined for it to go smoothly.
I have to say though, if you're planning on getting dogs like these there are a lot of things to consider that before I got the dogs I was not prepared for. Here are some things that you should consider when getting large breeds, and breeds with long, fluffy hair.
1. Maintenance
When getting a dog with a lot of fur there are some things to consider. You need to have extra time to brush them at least once a day. Neglecting to brush your long haired dog leaves them with a ratty looking coat. Also, they can start to develop mats which are very hard to get out, usually it requires them to be cut or shaved out. Sometimes when you have to shave mats out of a dog, the hair will never grow back, or it will grow back differently.
2. Food
Large dogs can weigh anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds. This requires them to eat a lot more food than the average dog. If you want large breed dogs and you want to give them high quality food, be prepared to spend at least $200 per month on food or more including treats. Also, make sure your dog doesn't eat too fast because big dogs have a tendency to bloat and have their stomach's flip.
3. Exercise
Since these dogs are so big they don't typically need as much exercise as other dogs. They're more laid back and lazy, generally. They should get out at least two or three times per day though. Make sure after eating that they don't run around too much because they just ate it isn't good for big dogs to run with a full stomach (because they can get bloated).
4. Grooming
If you decide to take your dog to the groomer instead of grooming them at home, which I recommend unless you have a very big tub, prices usually vary on the size of the dog. If you have and XL breed of dog, the typical grooming visit will end up costing you anywhere from $75 to $100 each visit. It is recommended that you take your furry friend to the groomer every month to month and a half.
5. Training
Certain types of breeds are easier to train. However, no matter what breed you have I would recommend signing them up for dog school as soon as they are old enough. Since the dogs are so big, it is very important that they are trained very well. You don't want a huge dog doing whatever it wants whenever it wants. This is especially important when it comes to walking well on a leash because if they want to pull you, you won't have a choice.
Even though large breed dogs are a bit more difficult to take care of, they are so worth it. If you are willing to spend the extra time on maintenance, and you can afford the extra money per month, most large dogs are big love bugs who just love to snuggle. I would strongly recommend getting a gentle giant if you can at some point in your life.
About the Creator
Julia L
Just writing whatever comes to my mind. ** I hope you enjoy it **
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