Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO Introduction Forum => Introduce Yourself to the Forum => : melissajean August 29, 2007, 03:01:38 AM
-
Hi,
My name is Melissa. I am 23 years old. I live in the Upper Penisula of Michigan, or as its also know as the U.P. I have a 4 year old son named Shane. Right now we live in a no dog or cat apartment, But we do have a Ferret named Avery, a Budgie (parakeet) named Stewie, a Russian Tortise named Chrissy, 2 Hermit crabs named September and October, a few Tadpoles that are unamed, and 8 Rattie girls.
I am wanting to add a dog to our family when were able (when we move outta here) I have always loved large slobbery dogs, but never really owned one, the time was never right. I am looking for a large dog, a breed that is generaly known to be good with kids, I know every dog is diffrent, and not to leave Shane unsupervised with the dog EVER. I would be giveing the adult dog a walk of about two miles everyday. And possibly swimming, we live next to lake Superior.
Like I said, I have never owned a large breed before, what are some things you do diffrent with a large breed as oposed to a small one? I know there are diffrent feeding requerments, exersize requerments, Anything else? I know you cant heavely exersize a dog till there bones stop growing or they could be dameged. Any thing else? What are some pros and cons of a huge breed (besides the yard leavings lol) What about with kids and large breeds? I probably wont be getting a dog for about a year (I am useing this time for research) So my son should be 5. He has a dog at his dads house. I dont know what breed, or how he interacts with it, like I said its at his dads.
I look forward to hearing every ones advice and stories, both good and bad. Dont hold anything back, I am here to learn.
I look forward to meeting all of you and your dogs :)
Thank you
~Melissa~
-
our akita is great with kids. i know most are good with YOUR kids, but not others. we raised axle around TONS of kids though, and he loves everybody. he's a freak to start with, at almost 145lbs. he's the pic by my user name. he doesn't typically do well with the heat (a lot of giant breed dogs don't), and doesn't like to swim, but he loves baths. the up side is he stays clean typically. upsides of giant breed dogs? there's more to love, they don't get hurt as easily with kids around (we have a baby due, and 2 and 4 year old boys). my experience is they've been easier to potty train, though some will differ lol. people don't harass you when you walk, and you ALWAYS feel safe. traveling is harder sometimes, esp. if you're staying with family though, they're not typically very understanding and will criticize you at every chance they get. most of us have had that happen at one point in time or another. vet bills are also a lot bigger. everything is bigger! boarding can also be hard to do. with axle he's considered a "vicious breed" and we can never find anyone to board him and only one or two places to groom him. with that though, grooming runs us $30 at the place we frequent, but $75 is the cheapest we've EVER found elsewhere... for just a bath. sorry for the length, it's nice to meet you!
modified b/c i kept shuddering and putting "good good with your kids" etc lol
-
Good for you for researching first!!! Look up some breeds, see which ones you may be interested in and READ!!! Read some books on the specific breed because they will help you understand some of the little quirks your pup will have!! And start reading some training books too, you can never know enough!! A crate, to me, is a must!!! So much easier to train with one of those. Also get your son around more big dogs so that he will also know what to expect and how to act himself. Good luck with your search, definitely read some of the old posts on this board also!
-
I have found my big dogs to be slower to react agressively than many smaller breeds, but to require a strong understanding of their place in the house in order to be under control at all times.
Stella
I totaly agree with stella! my boys are totaly wonderfull with the kids, Max checks on Brett (6 month old baby) when he's fussing, and puts up with Ashton (my 2 year old) combing his furr and 'painting his nails' and other stuff.
yup, look for yourself, i think they're adorable together.
-
Thanks guys.
Thats one thing I love most about big dogs, they seem so much more laid back than little dogs, not saying I dont adore little ankle biters, I do. The best dog I had was a male Yorkie. But he was nervouse around new people, or quick moveing people, and around kids he was a nervouse wreck.....Cour se I can see how he was nervouse about those little girls that one time, they did exspect me to give him to them lol. He was a big mean dog untill they looked at him, then he was a big mean dog from behind moms legs lol. And yes I socialized him to everybody when he was little. I took him everywhere.
Another thing I like about big dogs is the safe feeling you get from haveing em around. I usually walk late at nite. Its just so much more peacfull, but if you do run into somebody there usually not somebody you would wanna talk to.
I like the Newfie, but heard they need alot of grooming, and must be dried after swimming or they smell sour.
I also like the Great Dane, the Mastiff, the Doberman (We had a Dobe, setter mix, and she was awsome), and a few others that for some odd reason I cant think of right now......My mind is a blank lol........... I hate when that happens lol. I am always open to breed sugestions. I figure you guys live with these breeds, you know there temperments, there anoying habbits, and everything. I do like reading books and everything though, but sometimes it seems like they only tell you the good stuff about a breed, and I doubt its the good things that are going to try my patience lol.
Thanks for the welcomes :)
Great pics by the way everybody, in your avatars and such. So cute
~Melissa~
-
Hi Melissa...I am Lori..mom to many! Hope you find the info your looking for here. Its a wonderful place to learn. Research is the key and you are doing the right thing...I have always loved all animals but BP's have always been my favorites. They have so much love to give but training is the key...Not sure who said it but a crate is a must!! I have a 85lb lab and a 200lb English mastiff and boy do we have a wild house!! Throw 2 chihuahuas in the mix and its total chaos! I would have it any other way...Again welcome! Oh ya...and if its large slobbering messes...then I suggest checking out the OEM!!
-
WELCOME!!!!!!! :D :D :D Its great to hear your doing research! Hopefully youll find a lot of answers here! I second ALLLL the crating! Crating is the best thing i ever did for my sanity...and my pups. I have a soon to be 6month old Great Dane right now. The one thing i can say about a large breed that i feel is the best thing to do, aside from training and housebreaking, is SOCIALIZE! when my pup was just a weeee little one (wait, i dont think she ever was little....) we took her everywhere, and we still do. taking her around other people was the best thing we ever did, we started out with just one or two other people at a time, then moved to small gatherings, and now, shes comfortable at parties, no matter how many people are there. shes never a spot of nervous around anyone, old or young, big or little. which is great for us because our family is very large, and we have a lot of parties. shes also been around a variety of animals, shes great with all of them. she LOVES our cat, the horses,...shes awesome with all other dogs shes around, big paws, little paws, doesnt matter. shes a real lover... again, welcome! i hope you find that big paw your heart is looking for!!! heres some pics of what i mean when i say she LOVES the cat! (ever see a cat and dog spoon before...)
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/ChloeAlmagro/0813070840.jpg)
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/ChloeAlmagro/chloewalking009.jpg)
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb90/ChloeAlmagro/0813070841.jpg)
-
A YUPER! YAY! How cool! hahah! I just got back from the UP.
We had our honeymoon up there. Which part are you from? My husband's family is from Michigan, so I'm an honorary Yuper. ;) I'm Nicole, and I share my life with Cabeza and Mabel, who are 2 black, hairy mystery mixes. We believe Cabeza to be Newf and Chow, and Mabel...hmm... .Golden/Collie/Chocolate lab? Who knows?
Anyway, I'm glad you're doing your research. I was going to suggest a Newfoundland, too, as they are absolutely wonderful with children, LOOOOOOOVE the water, and LOOOOOVE the cooler temps you have up there in the UP. They do need extra attention to their coats, as they're long, thick, and double. (They've got a shorter coat underneath the longer one to keep them warm...kinda like duck down)
There are lots of wonderful breeds out there, and some seriously awesome mixes. I've had the experience of living with a Newf and a Dane and many many mixes. Good luck, and if you stick around here long enough, you'll definitely get all of the ups and downs of about every sort of big paw!
-
Thanks guys :)
I am not actually a yooper lol, I was born a Troll (Below the bridge lol) But I live in Baraga County.
Lol No, Ive never seen a dog and cat spoon lol Thats adorable.
I dont mind slober at all, in fact I would love to have a dog that slobbers lol.
What kind of crates do you find work best? The plastic or the metal? Why?
What kind of food is best? Why?
Would a two mile a day walk be ok for a large breed, or would it need more?
I want to get either a older puppy or young adult. Preferably from the shelter.
Thanks again guys :)
~Melissa~
-
Hi Melissa and welcome to the board. I'm Kat and my guys are listed below. My pups aren't as large as most of the others but they are great dogs. Mine are high energy so a 2 mile walk is usually just a warm up for them.
I have one that loves the enclosed plastic crate and a couple of others that love the open wire crates. It's really their preference over what feels more comfortable to them. I have both so they get a choice around here.
Hope that helps some
-
Welcome!
I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said, but I'll throw my vote in for the smooth coated Saint Bernard.
Teddy is everything I ever wanted in a dog and he loves "his" kids (my daughter is 8, my son is now 6) like crazy! Teddy is still a puppy and he does tend to get overzelous when playing wiht my son but I'm posative that isn't the dog's fault! LOL!
Hope you stick around so we can meet the new addition when the time is righ!!
-
Thanks guys.
I was actually thinking about a Saint too. And somebody else said a Great Pyn. Might be a good choice for me.
Can you guys tell me a little more about these dogs?
Thank you :)
~Melissa~
-
Yeah. There are so many great breeds its hard picking just one. Maybe I should buy a whole big ranch, with tons of land and get one of each lol
~Melissa~
-
Another option for a great dog for kids is an Irish Wolfhound. Ours adores the kids, we have a 5 year old boy that hangs out with her all day long, they are best friends. She loves the kids more than us. They are a very attached dog to the family, and they like to be where everyone is, not left outside by themselves. Wolfhounds love to walk. You have to check out with the breeder how soon to walk the dog (long walks on leash), some vary in age, growing patterns differ in breeds.
Kennel or crate training is a must, we used a 48 wire crate that had a divider in it to make it smaller and then bigger.
We also have a newf, she is wonderful with kids, they can crawl on her or whatever. If you like teddy bears and the fluffy coushy way they feel when you hug them then you would love a poofy newfie. The only thing that is not a great thing about newfs is the grooming. If you are not keen on a lot of hair then they are not the breed for you. We had Rottweilers fro 13 years and I will have to say that the newf is a million times better than the rotti. I loved our rottis, but they aren't as good with kids, a little unpredictable. Mine never bit any of our kids but they growled, our newf has never done that. Neither has our Wolfie.
-
Well to confuse the issue further for you....I vote for the Bullmastiff. Not as large as the OEM, less drool, fairly active, mine loves treks through the trails and dog park (any large breed should be limited until mature though), lazy in the house, easy to train (my first dog EVER and completed level 3 obedience with flying colours) and loves to cuddle. We don't have kids at home but he has been great with our nieces, nephews, random kids and loves my grandma :-*
-
Thanks guys.
I love Irish Wolfhounds, There so darn cute,and from what Ive heard sweet, and I love sight hounds.
I also love fluffy dogs, and I really really love Newfies, but I dont know if I could handle the grooming. I dont mind hair all over my clothes and everything, nor drool. But I dont knwo if I could keep up with the grooming. I was ok with grooming my Yorkie cause we kept him short lol.
Our neigbors have a bullmastiff. Ive never met him, but he walked with my mum home one day. She said he was very sweet, walked right beside her, put him self between her and cars, and tried to follow her into the apartment complex. They tie him out side some times, and when ever anybody walkes by he only barks once. I would love to know more about Bull Mastiffs, so feel free to brag.......Eve rybody feel free to brag about your dogs, I learn that way......And I love to hear about dogs lol
~Melissa~
-
Hi Melissa, welcome and good for you for doing your research! I too think that is wonderful! Everyone is giving you lots of good info and there are so many wonderful breeds and mixes out there. One of the many great things about BPO is the variety of breeds represented here. I lurked on a few breed specific boards before finding BPO and I've loved learning so much about other breeds here. Now I've developed a little wish list of other breeds that I'd like to add to our little pack someday. ;) ;D Maybe while you are waiting for the right time and doing your research, you could volunteer at a rescue facility or shelter by grooming, walking, socializing, training, etc. the different breeds & mixes. That would give you a great hands-on experience with the dogs to see who will be right for your family. :)
BTW, I'm mom to 3 kids & our 3 dogs, Daisy our Golden/Lab mix, Sammy our Pyr, and Cassie our Pyr/?? mix. We've also been loved by 2 Pyrs named Cara & Halley and Sally, a sweet Dobie (we were foster failures.... ;D) that are waiting patiently for us now at the bridge. Welcome!
-
Hi :)
Thank you for the idea. I didnt think to volunteer at the shelter. I dont know how often I'll be able to, cause its 45 minutes away. But Im gonna call em and ask about it. I dont know if Ive ever seen any really really big dogs there. (I check em out on pet finder all the time lol)
I cant wait to get outta here. I miss haveing a dog so bad lol. People give me funny looks cause I talk more to there dogs than I do to them when I run into somebody walking a dog. I get people interaction all the time,I hardly ever get K9 interaction lol.
Thanks again for the advice guys. Ok, Ive got a list of breeds Im interested in. Oh and its not in any particuler order lol
Newfoundland
Saint Bernard
Bull Mastiff
Great Pyrenees
Great Dane
Doberman
Mastiff
And I think thats it lol. I probably forgott some. Im very forgettful some times lol
~Melissa~
-
Hi :)
Thank you for the idea. I didnt think to volunteer at the shelter. I dont know how often I'll be able to, cause its 45 minutes away. But Im gonna call em and ask about it. I dont know if Ive ever seen any really really big dogs there. (I check em out on pet finder all the time lol)
I cant wait to get outta here. I miss haveing a dog so bad lol. People give me funny looks cause I talk more to there dogs than I do to them when I run into somebody walking a dog. I get people interaction all the time,I hardly ever get K9 interaction lol.
Thanks again for the advice guys. Ok, Ive got a list of breeds Im interested in. Oh and its not in any particuler order lol
Newfoundland
Saint Bernard
Bull Mastiff
Great Pyrenees
Great Dane
Doberman
Mastiff
And I think thats it lol. I probably forgott some. Im very forgettful some times lol
~Melissa~
You're welcome! Shelters so often need help, it's wonderful that you're going to call and see about volunteering. I know what you mean, I often remember people by the names of their dogs, too. I think that it's just something special about all of us "dog people". ;) It sounds like you've got a good starting list there, please keep us posted! ;D
-
Hi Melissa!
I'm still new to the forum also, but welcome anyway. :)
Duke is our first large breed and the best advice I can give you is training, training, training.
My husband and I have come to find that as Duke and our kids (we have five between us) frequently need reminders about who's the boss and appropriate behaviour. ;D
Good Luck & God Bless!
-
It's awesome to see someone doing their research first to find the best breed to fit their family.
The only experience I have is with Saints.
Their activity level is perfect for me. I'm definitely not an extrememly active person. They are happy with a slow paced walk/hike or a good 20 minute romp in the front yard and they are out cold. :D
My Saints are short haired, so grooming consists of a good brushing once a week, maybe twice. But regardless of how much you brush you still find hair everywhere.
Cons would be drool. Bubba slings drool everywhere. On the ceiling/walls, the TV, in my morning coffee, on my dinner plate. :D The gross factor increases if there is food, lint, grass etc stuck in the drool. I've even been slapped in the face with a flying slinger quite a few times. LOL Not to mention my poor cats walk around sporting 'cow licks', it's worse with my long haired kitty. LOL
Another con would be the hair, I have tumbleweeds on my kitchen floor. Hair stuck on my clothes.. I no longer wear black. I've picked hair out of my mouth, out of my food.. I could go on and on. :D
Bubba and Lola are both so different personality wise. Bubba at 2 and a half is still very puppyish. He's goofy, affectionate, loves to cuddle and wants everyone to kiss his nose, lol. Yet he can be hard-headed, stubborn and pushy at times and it drives me crazy. :D He's too smart for his own good and has learned to open the screen doors (which are now locked at all times) and cupboards. I've had to move all food stuff out of the lower cupboards so he can't help himself since he still opened them even after I put child locks on.
Lola on the other hand is affectionately known as my 'special' girl. She's not the sharpest tool in the shed but I love her anyway. :D She's very selective with who she likes and who she doesn't. With those she considers her family she's almost smothering with her affection, yet she's shy and reserved with people she doesn't know. She will do anything for food including jump our fence when she saw my son on the other side with an ice cream cone. *shakes head* LOL
I agree with Tina about the vets bills. Bubba is now past the weight for a single dose of the Revolution heartworm/worm/flea combo. So I get 2 boxes for him and Lola is still within weight for a single dose, but next year she will probably need 2 boxes too. Some people also consider my food bill high too. We currently spend $145CAD a month. They go through a large bag of Orijen every 2 weeks.
By the way, Welcome to BPO!
-
Thanks guys.
Drool and hair dosent bother me. Im kinda looking forward to it lol.
Im not an extreamly active person. But I do like to walk about two miles a day, Maybe (Usually) swimming, and then a hour or two of walking down town late at nite, but its not constant walking. I'll walk a little stop, walk a little more,stop lol
Thank again for all the great advice Keep it comeing :)
~Melissa~
-
Hello and welcome!
Sounds like you are doing a good job of researching things first.
I have a dane (and a few other things........ .lol) so my vote goes for them.
And yes, it costs alot more for food and vet bills. Gunther eats 3 times more than my 55 lb dog. To get him neutered, my vet was going to charge me $500! But I went thru a spay/neuter assistance program and it ended up being alot cheaper.
As for exercising, while puppies I was told to minimally exercise them until they were over 1 yr old. We used to walk until Gunther got tired which really wasn't very far. Our walks when he was a puppy usually were only a mile or less (which really torked off my husky mix..........l ol) He still gets tired alot faster than my other 3, but can go a few miles now.
With large breeds, I agree that training and socialization are key. I took Gunther everywhere when younger (danes tend to be big scaredy cats) and he is still nervous around children and strange objects....... .but has no problems going anywhere new.........we ll, as long as my oldest dog comes with. ::)
He was a snap to potty train, and trains easily in general. He is a big goofy momma's boy. No matter what breed you pick though, be prepared to have some prejudicial people to deal with from time to time. They think your BP is going to eat their dog/child and how could you own such a thing? And of course you will be inundated wtih the obvious questions, "how much to they eat/weigh? you must have a big house/yard/car..........where is it's saddle/are you going to ride that thing?" So get used to hearing those kind of phrases....... .....lol.
-
Stupid people, err I mean prejudice people dont bother me. I just laugh at them and walk away. I should probably try to give them facts and such, but ive found they tend to think they know it all, and dont listen to me anyways ::)
Whats the stupidest thing someone has ever said to you guys about your Big dogs? I got alot of people telling me how to raise my Yorkie when I had him.
~Melissa~
-
I've got an 18 week old Great Pyrenees puppy. And no matter where we go, someone always has to make a comment about her looking like a Polar Bear. Like "Ohhh, I didn't know you could walk a polar bear" Or "Awww Look a polar bear" or something stupid like that. And yeah I get ppl calling her a horse alot too. lol
Tell you what though. She the cutest most snuggly horse or polar bear I've ever known! ;)
Pyrs are great dogs, they are ridiculously (sp?) smart, and easy to take care of (as long as you enjoy brushing out their coat 2 or 3 times a week). Easy to train too, it only takes a few sessions of practising commands before she's learned them, we also do hand signals which she's getting pretty good at. They do however, because they are so darn smart, have a mind of their own, and will try to push your limits just like a child (only bigger and faster to run away). They have a tendancy to wander so they are never to be trusted off leash unless in a fenced in area. they do, like all big dogs though eat ALOT; and vet bills are more, I paid twice as much for Najas vaccinations then I did for Moo's (he's our Cairn Terrier). I don't even want to think about what it's gonna cost to get her spayed, I'll get to that when I come to it I guess ;). However, I wouldn't trade any of that in for the world. I love this breed, and plan to have a few more, as well as some other breeds. That won't be for a while though, need to own my own house first. :D
Anyways, I've rambled on for just about long enough now. So Welcome to BPO and good for you for doing all this leg work before you find your perfect BP. Knowing exactly what to look forward to, and knowing what dog will suit you best will pay off big time! Can't wait to see lots of pictures. ;) ;D
-
There is a discussion about what stupid things have been said about your dog...perhaps one of the Mods can link it as I'm not sure what it was titled. Seriously I didn't know what ignorance was until I got Phelan-people don't want to be educated, they want to be right!
-
We have a really great vet. Even on routine things she lets you make payments. There have been a couple times when our rattie girls were sick that she just gave us the medicine. And Ive talked to her and the vet techs down there and they really seem to know what there talking about (Ive heard horror stories about some vets)
Yeah, if somebody could linnk me to that discusion that would be great :) Thanks :)
Thank again for all the advice guys :)
~Melissa~
-
Like I said, I have never owned a large breed before, what are some things you do diffrent with a large breed as oposed to a small one? I know there are diffrent feeding requerments, exersize requerments, What are some pros and cons of a huge breed (besides the yard leavings lol)
Hi Melissa,
You can get a lot of great information from the boards here. There is a great post about food here:
http://www.bigpawsonly.com/index.php/topic,9742.0.html
and, a benefit of feeding good food is the yard leavings are not as plentiful!
-
Thanks. I will defently check out that thread :)
Thanks again
~Melissa~
-
Welcone Melissa,and thank you for doing your home work 1st
I really can't add anything,you have been getting great advise.
As you can see we have big to little.althoug h our big isn't as big as most on this board.
Magic is a Bouvier des Flanders,even though he looks like a Giant Schanuzer.He is actually small for a Buv most are 90 to 110 lbs,He only weighs about 85-90
Falkor is a Collie (rough) a white collie with a tricolored head.
Emma is the little one a mix of Rotti (Mom) Peke (Dad)
A good breeder and socializing,plus training no matter what breed .......
Definetly try to hit some dog shows and get up close and personal.
The more you know the better so keep doing what you are doing.And the right dog will find you no matter what the breed.
Hope you stay around till you find him.
Again welcome.
Tricia and the fur kids
-
Thanks :)
I spend alotof time online researching diffrent dog breeds lol
Ive been to one dog show. It was the best thing. I loved it. All those diffrent breeds in one place, and allmost everybody let me love on there pups lol. I was in heaven lol. Every Labor day weekend they have it, but it seems like something is always happening to where I cant get up there. Grrr.
Hopefully next year. Me and my sis really really wanna go. Shes hopeing to see a Mini Bull Terrier. Thats what kind of breed she wants. lol
Thanks again everybody for the welcomes and the info :)
And I will defently stick around loong after I get my dog.
~Melissa~
-
Thought I'd throw in a word about my big guy, Ranger, who is a 2 year old, almost 3, he'd like to add, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Most folks are more familiar with the Bernese Mountain Dog. Swissys, as they are known, are the slightly larger, short-haired version.
Swissys are WONDERFUL companions and become very attached to their family. They would never be happy separated from the pack, which means they want to be WITH you, that includes inside the house. They can be stubborn and independent, so it is important to establish from day 1 who is in charge and they always need to be on the NILIF program (nothing in life is free). For example, Ranger must sit before eating, going through doorways, etc. These guys were bred to pull carts, so they won't have any hesitation in pulling you on a leash if not trained properly and I've found that formal training classes at least for the 1st year is really helpful. :)
They are considered a dry mouth breed, but do slobber from time to time. It is usually when it is hot outside, in my experience. The blow their coats 2x a year, so you have to be dedicated to brushing their coats and vaccumming your house daily during this period.
Swissys are vigilant dogs. They will definitely feed off your cues as to whether or not a situation is "okay." They are really sweet dogs and friendly, unless they sense their response should be otherwise. If a Swissy barks, you KNOW something is awry, b/c they rarely bark otherwise.
I also wanted a dog who would be happy with one walk a day and not get frustrated by a lack of really heavy cardio-workouts. I have super bad knees from my former gymnastics days, so running, etc. is out for me. Swissys fit that regiment perfectly.
I can't say enough about what a wonderful companion Ranger has been to me. I will never be without a Swissy!
-
Thanks :)
I would love to hear more about Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs.
How are they with children? What about other pets? What sort of grooming do they need?
Thank you
~Melissa~