Pet Haven

Large dogs are usually the cutest puppies in the store.  With large eyes, and oversized feet attached disproportionately to skinny legs, they’re often gangly, uncoordinated and adorable.  However, before your heart decides that you’re taking one of these cuties home with you, you really need to consider some hard facts about owning a large dog breed.

1.       Large dog breeds require large budgets!  They are heavy on everything from food to dog shampoo!  If your dog needs veterinary attention, you can guarantee it’s going to cost you twice, if not three times, as much to heal your Saint Bernard’s broken leg as it will your neighbour’s miniature poodle’s!  Insurance is another area where a larger breed will have a higher financial penalty – and it’s likely that there will be a higher excess to be paid on top of this so make sure you read the small print carefully!

2.       Large dog breeds need more exercise!  If you are time-poor, then a large dog is really out of the question.  They need to be taken out regularly for long walks and give the chance to stretch their muscles fully.  If you’re a jogger or daily walker, this could be ideal – if you’re a couch potato, it’s not!

3.       Large dog breeds take up more space!  A space to call their own may not quite be what you currently call the spare room, but it may be the area that you’re using as your office space!  Consider the full-grown size of the dog breed and how much room it needs not only to sleep, but also how much physical space it will take up when following you around the home – if you think that you’ll constantly fall over the dog because there’s not enough room in your home to actually walk around a dog of that size, it’s not the breed for you!

4.       Large dog breeds need training!  All dogs should be trained, but larger ones tend to scare people quicker.  Even if you decide against training your dog formally, you need to have it sit immediately upon command, and to “leave” or “drop” whatever it’s holding in its mouth.  With an average height that means they are able to comfortably scan the kitchen table, having them trained to “leave” and “drop” means that whatever catches their eye remains on the table!

Whatever dog breed you finally decide on buying needs to fit your life>  Make sure that your budget, life and home can accommodate the dog with that’s already got its huge paws on your heartstrings!

• Big Dog, Little Dog – Assessing the Situation
• Two Kittens – Twice the Fun!
• Does Your Cat Have Diabetes?
• Buying a Puppy from an Animal Shelter
• Remember Poop Clean-up for your Pooch!

Comments are closed.