Author Topic: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?  (Read 9536 times)

Offline PennyK

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Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« on: September 06, 2006, 08:39:01 am »
Teddy is getting tall!  Maybe too tall???

The male height for saints says 27-30" when full grown.....Tedd y is 8 months today and his butt is 30.5" NOW!!  He is still on Iams Large Breed Puppy food and he is NOT fat at all - he's just going UP!

Did your pups look really leggy around 8 months?  Do you think he's reached his adult height and now he will just fill out?
Every girl needs a Teddy bear!

Gypsy Jazmine

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2006, 09:01:43 am »
absolutly if he is on puppy food change to adult food now!!
I switched sam at I think around 6 months & he still looked like a runway model at 1 yr...all legs...He has since filled out....Here he is at 15 months.

Offline Saintgirl

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2006, 10:19:17 am »
He is probably having another growth spurt, but I couldn't agree more with EastJenn, I don't think that the puppy food is helping matters any, he could be growing too fast.  A good adult food would help slow down that growth preventing some potential fast growth joint problems. And don't worry about the eventual height, Saint Bernard standards only say minimum 27 and a half inches at the shoulder for a male, there is no restriction to how tall they become as long as they are proportionate. For some reason or another I can't get the link to come through, but if you check out the Saint Bernard Club of America and go to breed standard you can see the height restrictions. The SBCA is the recognized breed standard here in North America.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2006, 10:22:05 am by Saintgirl »
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Offline macybean

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2006, 10:38:52 am »
Riley is still leggy at 14-m-old. I think he's 30.5" and just 130 pounds. He hasn't put on much weight at all this summer.

I would definitely get him on adult food, though. Riley was on a puppy/adult mix (I mixed it 1/2 and 1/2) until he was 6-m-o. Since then, he's been on adult food. I was warned by the breeder, vet, and others w/ giant breeds to be careful with puppy food and his growth.

I have this funny picture that really shows his legs (exaggerates them, I think). I'll see if I can find it.

Offline macybean

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2006, 10:46:48 am »
Here's the photo. I noticed just how long his legs looked after I downloaded it.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2006, 10:51:42 am by macybean »

Offline Saint and Mal mom

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2006, 01:07:38 pm »
Probably just a growth spurt. I wouldn't  worry too much if any dog doesn't fit the breed standard exactly, especially with Saints. Breed standard for females says there are supposed to be at least 120 lbs. But Dolly looks heavy at about 117, so we're cutting back on how much she eats. It's just what is normal and healthy for your dog! And who knows? Maybe your Teddy has some Great Dane in him!  ;)
Marissa

Zoey- Alaskan Malamute, 4 years
Dolly, CGC- Saint Bernard, 4 years
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Offline lshelley21

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2006, 04:37:24 am »
when looking head on at jaz.. you see head, neck, and leg.... she hasn't developed a chest yet..lol.. it is rather amuzing.
Lauren, Jazmine (great dane)
Jazmine's pets:
Calvin (ferret)
Willy (ferret)
Samantha (ferret)
Baxter (ferret)
Ferrets friends:
Shirly and baldamore (geckos)
Gecko's friend:
Big D (fish)

Oh yeah.. my pet.. Matt (hubby)
Our pets are all above

Offline Miranda

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2006, 04:48:05 am »
Could someone send me a link or something to an article saying not to feed your giant breed puppy puppy food? I was trying to tell my friend not to feed her Neo puppy food, but I'm pretty sure she thinks it's all bull. You should see the legs on her Neo though! Her body almost looks more like a lab or something!
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.  ~Phil Pastoret

Offline lshelley21

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2006, 05:01:54 am »
http://www.mydog8it.com/puppy_care.htm


1. Feeding:

Large breed puppies require a special diet. Your puppy should only be fed a high quality ADULT DOG FOOD or a GIANT BREED PUPPY FOOD. Do NOT feed your puppy a regular puppy food. Doing so can cause serious bone, joint and hip problems which can be very costly and painful for your dog. These foods are also lower in fat and protein, which allow your puppy to grow at a slower rate, lessening the likelihood that he will develop hip, bone and joint problems. (Don’t worry, your dog will still grow to be the same size!) I like the following foods:

Nutro Natural Choice or Holistic

Costco's Kirkland brand Lamb & Rice or Chicken & Rice

Click below to find out why I no longer recommend IAMS/Eukanuba brand foods:
IAMS and Animal Testing
IAMS Testing Lab Undercover Report

When searching for an adult food for your dog, avoid foods with high amounts of corn, salt and any meat by-products. These foods are not very digestible nor are they good for your dog’s health. It’s OK to give your dog small amounts of healthy table-food, such as cooked chicken breast, hamburger, rice, and raw vegetables and fruits.

Puppies need to eat at least 3 times a day for the first 4 months. It’s OK to switch to twice a day at around 5-6 months. Some people recommend free-feeding; leaving a bowl of food out for your puppy all the time. Recent studies are suggesting that free feeding may help to avoid bloat. (Bloat is a condition in which the belly fills up with air causing the stomach to turn upside down, killing the dog if he is not treated immediately. Recent studies may link certain ingredients in dog foods to bloat - Follow this link to read more.) Or follow the links below for additional information:

Purdue University Bloat Study Information
Bloat Analysis and Risk Prevention
2. Environment:

Great Danes overheat and chill easily. Do not leave your puppy outside for more than ½ hour at a time during the hot summer months or he may get heatstroke. Do not leave him outside in the winter for more than a few minutes at a time – since they have no undercoat, they freeze easily. Provide your dog with a soft place to lay: blankets, dog beds and crib mattresses work well.

3. Growth:

Since your puppy will grow quickly, some precautions must be taken to ensure proper bone development:

Do not allow your puppy to run for long periods of time as this can cause hairline fractures in their developing bones. Wait to run or play long games of fetch until your dog is at least 18 months old.

Do not allow your puppy to play on slippery surfaces. This is a possible environmental cause of hip dysplasia.

Some studies have shown that vitamin C helps to ease “growing pains” associated with rapid bone growth. Talk to your vet about supplements.

4. Vaccinations:

Vaccinations are very important! There are many deadly diseases such as Parvo that can spread rapidly. These diseases can be easily prevented by simply vaccinating your dog. Vaccinations typically cost around $10.00 each, while treating your dog once he has a preventable disease will cost hundreds, even thousands, and many dogs will still die. Other diseases such as distemper are almost always deadly, but can be prevented with a vaccine. Feel free to use the following vaccination schedule as a guide unless otherwise recommended by your vet:

Puppies between the ages of 6 weeks and 4 months typically receive a parvo/distemper/parainfluenza shot every 3 weeks with the final one given at 4 months. The reason for this is that puppies will loose the disease immunity they receive from their mother some time between 6 & 16 weeks of age. Since there's not an easy way to tell when the shots take over the natural immunity, they need to be given often in order to protect your puppy. After age 4 months, the shot is typically given every one to three years, although some vets recommend an additional shot at 6 months. This shot protects against Parvo, Distemper, and parainfluenza, and can be obtained through your vet or at vaccination clinics, and usually runs anywhere from $10-$25. Consult your vet for more information on this.

General vaccination guidelines include a rabies shot at 4 months and 1 year, and then every 3 years after that. This shot is required by law. If your dog has not had this shot and bites someone, he may automatically be killed or quarantined by rabies/animal control. This shot can be obtained at your vet, at vaccination clinics, or at the rabies/animal control pound. It's usually around $10-$20.

Kennel cough (bordetella) is an extremely contagious respiratory disease that can cause death if not properly treated or prevented. Most vets will start this vaccination at around 4 months and is usually repeated every 6 months to 1 year.

Heartworm/worm prevention can usually begin at 4 months. This can be obtained from your vet. Heartworm prevention is easy (a chewable tablet given once a month), and treatment is extremely expensive and not very reliable.

If you plan to do a lot of hiking or camping with your dog, you should also consider a lyme disease vaccination as this disease is transmitted by ticks.

5. Obedience Training:

Your dog will be very large and powerful, and will be very strong willed! Large dogs without manners tend to be exiled from the house and family which causes them to be lonely, and since they’re lonely, the make more trouble, which makes you more angry…It’s a vicious cycle! I recommend obedience training to prevent this from happening. Many obedience schools offer a course on puppy training that can be started at 4 months - 6 months. The classes help with potty training, chew training, sit, stay, come, heel, etc.

6. Potty and Chew Training:

Puppies need to potty every 4 hours until they are 4 months old, at which time they can usually hold it for about 6 hours. They should be able to hold it for about 8 hours by the time they’re 6-7 months old. Puppies will need to potty approx. 5-30 minutes after eating or drinking, and always after a nap. Keeping this in mind, the best way I've found to train puppies is by combining kennel training with doggie door training. Dogs have a natural denning instinct, so they will naturally make a kennel their bed, or den. Dogs will not potty in their bed, (unless there are extreme circumstances, such as being locked in there for too long) so by keeping your dog in a kennel when you are not home and then taking them directly outside when you let them out, they will learn where to go. If you are able to install a doggie door, the kennel can be bumped up against the doggie door when you are not home so your pup only has access to the outside and his bed. This is by far the fastest way to potty train. When you are home, your dog will always have access to the yard when he has to go, so there will be no accidents. If you do catch your puppy in the act of piddling in the house, say NO and take your puppy outside. When he piddles outside, praise him excessively and give him treats. He will then associate piddling outside with getting yummy food and love and will do it more often. DO NOT HIT YOUR PUPPY. This will only make him fear and dislike you, and will make him more prone to biting in the future. Positive reinforcement works the best with dogs. If your puppy leaves you a puddle or a pile and you find it after the fact, don’t bother punishing the dog. He won’t remember why he’s bad, only that you’re mad and he has no idea why. The most effective training is watching your pup constantly when he is in the house so you can catch him before he goes and take him outside.

Puppies explore and learn by chewing on things and digging in things. Give your pup chew toys in his kennel. By providing your pup with plenty of toys to chew on and by taking him to the park to dig in the sand, he will be less likely to dig in your yard and chew up your stuff. Keep all shoes, candles, and other tempting objects out of the reach of your pup or he WILL eat them. If you catch your pup chewing on something he shouldn’t, take it away, say NO, and replace the item with a proper chew toy. When he starts chewing on his toys, make sure to tell him he's good, and maybe even throw in a treat. Again, positive reinforcement works best with dogs. In time, your dog will learn what’s OK to chew. Do not give your dog stuffed animals or stuffed quilts as the stuffing can choke your dog. Also, your pup can’t tell the difference between a stuffed toy and a stuffed couch cushion… that’s just asking for trouble! 

Speaking from experience, though it can be so cute to watch a dane puppy destroy a newspaper or a stuffed toy, you will regret allowing him to do this later. Bad habits are hard to break, and when that 175 pound dog decides to destroy all your household paper products or your couch cushions while you are asleep, it is not so amusing that next morning.  Be firm. Allow him to play with TOYS ONLY!

7. Grooming:

Great danes require relatively little grooming. They should be bathed regularly (every week or two). Nails should be trimmed weekly. Ears should be cleaned after each bath or weekly if they are dirty. After bathing your dog, inspect for ticks, fleas, cuts, and ear mites. Your dog’s teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with an enzyme toothpaste for dogs. Danes tend to collect food particles in the back of their cheeks, and if it isn’t cleaned out regularly, you will have expensive tooth decay problems within a few years. You can also consider giving treats designed to assist with cleaning teeth between brushings.

8. Spay/Neuter:

Un-neutered male dogs WILL mark or spray (urinate on any and everything they can, including you) to mark territory. Plan on shampooing your furniture and carpet often. To prevent this habit from forming, neuter your dog before he reaches 6 months.

Females will go into heat at around 6 months. This is a messy thing, and if she gets pregnant, plan on spending AT LEAST $1000.00 and hours upon hours a week to raise a healthy litter puppies. If you do not intend to breed your dog, the least expensive way to go is to HAVE YOUR DOG SPAYED OR NEUTERED! Spaying before her first heat cycle also reduces her chances of getting breast cancer by up to 80%! Some vets offer discount programs for people who have their pet fixed and get vaccinations done there. If you're starting to feel like your dane is a money pit, (they are...) check with your local humane society to find out if they offer a low cost spay/neuter clinic.

9. Common Illnesses:

The following are signs of common illnesses you should be aware of: 

When the skin on the back of the neck is pulled up, it should snap back into place quickly. If it doesn’t, your dog may be dehydrated. Dehydration can be a sign of serious illness, so if your dog doesn’t become hydrated quickly, take him to your vet. 

Great Danes and all deep-chested dogs are susceptible to bloat. Bloat is a condition in which the belly fills up with gas causing the stomach to turn upside down, killing the dog if he is not treated immediately. The main signs of bloat are a bloated looking belly, restlessness, and possible vomiting. If your dog is rushed to the vet, he may be treated and saved. The main causes of bloat appear to be exercising heavily right before or after eating, gulping water after eating, eating food rapidly, stress, and genetics. Follow this link for more in depth articles on bloat.

Ear infections and ear mites are fairly common. Check your dog’s ears often, and if any brown waxy gunk is present in the ear, he has one of the two. See your vet for medication. 

Kennel Cough is very easily transmitted between dogs. If your dog starts coughing and sneezing, see your vet for medication before it becomes extremely bad and costly. 

Live in the Southwest US or Mexico? Valley Fever is a nasty fungus that lives in the dirt and is inhaled by practically every living being. It can be deadly in dogs if not treated. Signs are typically weight loss, loss of appetite, cough, growths on skin, or no symptoms at all. Click Here for more info on Canine Valley Fever.
Lauren, Jazmine (great dane)
Jazmine's pets:
Calvin (ferret)
Willy (ferret)
Samantha (ferret)
Baxter (ferret)
Ferrets friends:
Shirly and baldamore (geckos)
Gecko's friend:
Big D (fish)

Oh yeah.. my pet.. Matt (hubby)
Our pets are all above

Offline lshelley21

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Lauren, Jazmine (great dane)
Jazmine's pets:
Calvin (ferret)
Willy (ferret)
Samantha (ferret)
Baxter (ferret)
Ferrets friends:
Shirly and baldamore (geckos)
Gecko's friend:
Big D (fish)

Oh yeah.. my pet.. Matt (hubby)
Our pets are all above

Offline Miranda

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2006, 05:12:40 am »
I already sent the great dane lady one :) I googled it. Thanks for the other one. I'll have to send it on to her.
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.  ~Phil Pastoret

Nicole

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2006, 07:09:09 am »
Hey...although the stuff in the article might be true...

It might be hard to convince someone to take it seriously since there is absolutely zero credibility. I mean, its not by a vet or veterinary association. I could post the rules of feeding your pet elephant on a website, it doesn't mean that I would know diddly about feeding a pet elephant.

Not trying to be argumentative, but if you want to convince someone of something, its often good to do it with something that includes credentials.  :)

Nicole

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2006, 07:14:00 am »
Here is some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_petnutritionpuppykitten


An article from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association:

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/dec01/s121501e.asp

Offline tyscrzymom

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2006, 06:06:53 pm »
Hi,Definate dito from me on the puppy food topic! I have a funny pic for you at about 8 months Bubba was all legs. So very gangly.He went is spurts where he would get thin and tall and then fill out then get thin and tall again...For a while there he was taller in the rear than in the front.We thought it was going to be a problem but before we could take him to his breeder to have him looked at his front caught up.But boy did he look funny walking around with his rear in the air.He always apeared to be walking downhill :D
Heather
Oh and I love the new pic of Teddy!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D

Lyn

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Re: Did your Big Paw pups look really leggy around 8 months?
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2006, 02:14:20 am »
Bubba is the king of leggy. Only he looks like a bone bag to boot. :( When he got his 'legs' he looked even thinner. He still does to a degree. He's 19 months old and probably only weighs about 130 pounds. I've had a heck of a time keeping weight on him.

Teddy carries his height and weight well. So I wouldn't worry. I think he looks perfect.  :)

Edited. Oh my lord.. I cannot spell.. I put goods when I meant looks. LMAO
« Last Edit: September 09, 2006, 10:23:06 am by Lyn »