Aso

Hi everyone.  We are bringing home a french mastiff puppy in a few weeks and I will need to bring him in the office for the days I'm in as the gap between me leaving and OH coming home is a little too long for the little one. We will be driving in and will be in the office about 5 hours. So I need to prep our things and bear the office situation in mind when we are settling her in at home.  Any ideas, tips, stories you can share? We are terribly excited to have this little one home and our 5 year is desperately trying not to get too excited :-)

Hi everyone. I was just wondering if anyone can please recommend a groomer in the Gladesville / Putney area (Sydney NSW) who is experienced with large breed puppies?

My bubba is a 7 month old Dogue de Bordeaux puppy, approximately 35kg and is still quite boisterous. I've washed and dried him myself and he's quite okay with it all including the hair dryer but with winter here and his current size, I just can't do it quickly enough. He gets brushed nightly so he's very used to that and even though shy at first, he quickly warms up to strangers. This will be his first professional visit so not sure what other information I should include. I have rang a couple of places that have came up through google but they don't deal with dogs over 25kg so I thought I'd ask specifically for "large/giant breed experienced" groomers.

Thank you so very much in advance for your help.

:)

One more sleep and our baby comes home .

Have to learn how to post photos so I can share our gorgeous boy :)

Well, today I've closed all the critters in the house with me and turned the air con on. Because I've closed up all the doors, they can't get in and out to go to the toilet if they need to. I took them out for a toilet break about 5 minutes ago, and by god you would have thought that I was asking them to set themselves on fire. Lazy so-and-so's, acting like they're dying when they're asked to go outside for 5 minutes to relieve their bladders!! Life is so hard for a dog at my house :laugh: Meanwhile, I've been working up a sweat despite the air con cleaning the house (which is mostly the mess that those grotty sods have made) while they've been lounging on the couches, but they're the ones having a hard time of it!

Something I can look forward to :laugh: !

If it is very hot it is best to just not take the dog out - they can burn their paws on a hot pavement.

Of course, if I can't walk on it barefoot, I won't let a pup walk on it. Also, what may be comfortable for myself and other dogs could very well be quite uncomfortable for my pup, with his squashed face and all :laugh: .

Our summer weather can be quite funny too, a day that may be quite cool from my place can be up to 10 degrees warmer by the time I get to my mom's place further west 30 minutes later. I'm just glad there are stuff out there that I can do and buy to make it bearable for the little monster :) .

www.k9pro.com.au are having a sale on cooling products!

edit: thread here with details

Just received the K9Pro "Top Tips for Keeping Your Dog Cool", excellent read as well. I'm going to look into those cooling coats, it should solve my on-the-go concerns. I've ordered the crate fan and cooling system with a few extra cartridges so will see how that goes with the soft crate. Not from K9Pro though but I think they're the same brand ...

Oh thank you guys!

Such simple, practical completely do-able ideas! I'm going to start collecting some of the materials now. With these crazy weather we've been having in Sydney I don't want to caught off guard.

Thanks again :D

Hi everyone!

My new puppy will be home in a little over a week and with Summer fast approaching, I'd like to share and learn as many "tricks" as I can on how to keep my darling cool during these warm months. He's a Dogue de Bordeaux and they're very sensitive to heat.

With my previous pup (also a Bordeaux):

* I had a couple of half shells in the backyard filled with water to splash around in.

* I also used to freeze water in 2L softdrink bottles and used them as "portable aircons" especially in his crate.

* Wet towels on crate and fan on low;

I found it a lot harder when we were on the move or out socialising at the park or something similar. How do you keep your pups cool? Do those "cooling mats" and coats do the job? I also saw a crate fan called "Proselect Crate Fan Cooling System" where a frozen attachment can be added to make it even cooler. Has anyone used this and does it make a difference?

Thank you everybody :)

Oh myyyyyy ... Omar is just gorgeous! The Frenchies that I have met have the biggest personalities which just makes them so memorable. All the best with your boy

Btw the Ddb is not classified as a giant breed , but large breed , they are not a terrier or herding dogs, they don't need a huge amount of exercise and especially exercising any large/ giant breed is detrimental to their health and development . This is one of the biggest issues that giant/ large breeders face is the over exercised young puppy!!!! They grow quickly and the body and mind shouldn't have to keep up becuse someone said so . All dogs should be socialized from the word go, and crating does not impede in that, what is the difference I ask between a dog crated and a dog confined in a bathroom / laundry during the day when people go to work?

Actually inn my experience I have found crating a puppy from a young age is more beneficial than letting them have a run in the yard all day etc. how many times do you hear of young puppies injuring themselves and MUST be confined ? Surely a well trained crated dog is far more at ease than one who has been put in a bathroom?

Being creative is what it is all about, unfortunately not all of us have the luxury of not working or friends who don't work, or we can't take them to work whatever. It doesn't mean we shouldn't own a dog !! We as breeders/experienced owners of the breed should know better than anyone what works and what doesn't and how they are best bought up. The breeder of this puppy didn't see it as a huge drama.

Hi Nobul. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. It gives me a sigh of relief. I have mentioned that we have a tiered backyard and my biggest fear is Vader jumping off one of those garden tiers when my back is turned or when left alone. My breeder have always recommended crating especially for when I'm out and about, which is often, since I took my previous pup with me everywhere except for work, and will be doing the same with Vader. Most of my friends also have puppas and bringing the crate along gives my pup a safe haven from the more energetic smaller puppas and noisy humans.

My breeder's main concern is that I don't over stimulate Vader and NO formal exercise until about 6 months old and even then, only minimal. I'm a morning person and my day starts at 5 which he will be a part of, so will have approx 3 hours with him in the morning before I leave for work & breaks during the day. My breeder will be the first one down my throat if she thinks there's anything wrong with how I'm raising her baby. Basically, not to wrap him in cotton wool but be aware of DDB issues. BTW she knows where I live so I'm not messing with her rules. :D

My previous pup, at 9 months, had to have surgery on his hind leg after my ex allowed him all access to the yard and rough play with a livelier and more agile rotti-cross after we separated. Thank goodness I kept paying for his insurance and he was able to have the necessary care.

I'm going to make sure that this doesn't happen to Vader but at the same time not be too oveprotective. Hmmmm .... :D

:laugh:

Yes it does give Vader more space but I imagine the damage a pup can do in a rental. I have dogs here who would have eaten the kitchen cupboards if left alone in there . Never underestimate the size of the damage from a large breed puppy!

My giant pup didn't spend much time on his own, (I roped in a few different family members to be with him while I worked part time :laugh:), but he's never been interested in destroying the house. I imagine any bored puppy could be pretty destructive regardless of size. The biggest problem I find with the giant breeds is that they tear up the lawn pretty badly. My pup doesn't have to do much, just his size and a couple of zoomie fits = bye bye lawn .

Oh man! I've thought of protecting what's inside the cupboards, but not the cupboards themselves . I've just received a big box from Cleanrun today and hopefully I can re-direct to the toys instead of the frames. Is there anything I can spray that will keep him away from it?

Aphelion I remember the lawn situation. My previous DDB wasn't much of a chewer but he was a digger at one point and his zoomies gave the lawn some pretty awesome skid marks. I bought him a shell where I buried toys and he dug there instead but never did fix the zoomies, had to put new lawn on when I moved out :laugh:

I also want to apologise to you Aso for my use of the word 'abhorrent'. It was too harsh a word and probably best used for physical abuse situations etc. I still don't agree with so much crating for any puppy, but reading back my reaction was over the top in the heat of the moment. I can see that you are trying your best to find other workable solutions, I still strongly urge you to look at outdoor type containments.

Your boyfriend sounds like a keeper

Thanks Clyde :) .

BF is definitely a keeper. He's fixed the kitchen area already and have put wheels & base on the crate so I can wheel it to the "daycare" area easilly which still has to be babyproofed with Bunnings stuff. We've also printed a few of the "dog run" suggestions and he's looking into it now for the yard. Such a relief ... In the meantime ... I've panicked, gotten myself upset, have upset other people ... good work

No worries, Aso.

It sounds like you are doing your best and I didn't mean to sound like I was criticising you. I was worried about your puppy being left on his own.

I take it for granted that I'm able to work from home. And, in my experience, most people take time off work when they buy a new puppy. I forget that some people have to leave their puppies home alone.

I think pet sitting/walking is a great idea and I wish you all the best with your new pup.

Thank you :) . I'm way way way sensitive about this whole subject too since we weren't really expecting to be in this situation. It's still 3 weeks away and things may change by then but I thought I'd better come up with a plan B (& C). It's so hard for me to explain details in writing too and I always read, type & send before I think .

I have come away with brilliant ideas though and I'm very very thankful for that. I was quite upset when I showed my boyfriend this thread and he patted me on the head and said "Don't worry we'll fix it" and started measuring stuff up and will be doing a Bunnings run this weekend. God bless his cotton socks :D . I can only manage a week leave when we pick up Vader but have a couple of weeks after New Years which should help and we're really quiet during Dec which is a blessing.

I'm sorry if it had seemed like I wasn't taking advise in, I am, just getting frustrated that some of the best ideas are out of my hands ... for now.

Thanks again :)

I have just realised something...

I think there has been some confusion because I wasn't talking about obedience training, as in classes, in my earlier post. I was talking about the training and socialisation that happens at home (I thought this is what the OP meant too). I think the kind of home environment an owner provides is really important in shaping a dog's temperament.

Does that make sense ??

Makes sense Labradork :) . The puppy consult we're going to is just for that, it's more for us than the puppy.

But it doesn't sound like you have the time to train/socialise him either.

6 - 16 weeks is a critical period in a puppy's development. Confining him for most of the day is asking too much of a puppy. And confining him from 8 weeks - 16 weeks will definitely create behavioural problems down the track.

Maybe you could take him to doggie day care while you're at work ?? Then he will be around other dogs and people.

Personally, I would buy a run and have the neighbour's dogs/fences/yard situation sorted out as soon as possible.

Labradork I understand that this is a critical period. We will be socialising (desensitising) our pup morning & evening and most of the weekends. Taking care of course that he's not overtired at any time. We have friends with well behaved dogs of all sizes that have been gentle with pups so they're a good start. We are also having a puppy consult with a reputable dog trainer to ensure that we start training & socialising properly.

Not sure about the doggie daycare but I have emailed the local vets if they know someone who can come to let pup out for supervised play time in addition to when I can come home. So with the crate & run in the kitchen, that's our worst case temp scenario.

It's only the "work time" containment that's throwing a spanner in the works. We have re-organised everything we csn think of to include pup in our lives. But working that out ...

You accused someone of possibly not having enough time to train/socialise their pup based on what information I don't know but I find it offensive and I would be offended if I was waiting for my new baby with excitement and people were telling me things like this. Way to put a downer on the situation.

I think stick with the housing situation for the time being, it sounds like they have plenty of time to socialise train their pup

The OP asked for advice and opinions and was given them.

I was astounded that any breeder would sell a pup into this situation, but as the breeder 'doesn't have any time" to socialise, I can see how it would happen.

Good luck with that

Jed please do not imply any wrongdoing on our breeder's part. She's selling a pup to a situation where he will be cared for & protected to the best of our ability. She is aware of my situation & my endeavours for a temporary fix. Guiding on what yo look out for & who to ask when she doesn't know the answer. She knows how much effort we have & are putting into providing for this pup.

She does not have time to socialise our pup to fit into our lifestyle & daily environment. She does more than is required which makes it so much easier for us but our lifestyle & daily comings & goings are completely different so the pup will have to be socialised into our lives too ... getting used to outdoor restaurants, our training environment with the screaming & weights being dropped on the floor, bikes, traffic & countless other things.

So please, no condescending comments about our breeder when she has done so much already.

The kitchen area is the only place where I can physically set a run up that will be attached to the crate. As mentioned before I will be going home for breaks more often now, about every 2-3 hour breaks. Pup will be fed a raw meaty diet which doesn't produce as much poop thank goodness. I looked back at my previous boy's journal and he was able to hold it inside the house for 4 hours min voluntarily when housetraining at about 9.5 weeks of age. This is where I was basing my timing from, the crating for that duration is the "new" bit which is what I'm working on. <br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(238, 242, 247);"><br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(238, 242, 247);">I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear but this is a temporary arrangement for a max of 8 weeks from when the pup arrives. We have had 2 houses fall through in the negotiating stage and are in the continuous process of looking and braving open houses. We were already looking for a house before we had the opportunity of getting a puppy. My puppy will eventually be outdoors as my previous dog was when I'm not home but not yet. We have dog proofed the yard as much as we can from our side but we are still getting strays in the yard. My housemate and I have spoken to our neighbours about it but I think it has fallen on deaf ears.

Will the breeder keep pup until you are all set?

It would be such a lovely thing to start off , securely , in more ways than one ! :)

Can you visit pup if breeders keep him?

I haven't ask Persephone, she's about an hour away from me. I really want to be able to socialise and train him as much as possible as young as possible. We really want to make sure that our pup is desensitized & socialised as much as possible so that he'll be fine in any situations that we can think of, and our breeder doesn't have the time for this

They have just told us that they will be removing the old shed at the back which actually has a concrete base and hedges around which would be perfect.

Oh yes! All sorts of things can be placed on a concrete slab! :)

Oh.. and re a soft crate .. they are very hot ..and also easy for pups to rip/chew their way out of

Keeping all fingers crossed for the shed removal! In the meantime, we'll be measuring up the kitchen "area" and the crate.

A dogue on a raw diet is still going to produce a shitload of poop, don't kid yourself (pun intended) :laugh:

Can you take the pup to work with you, even for a few hours a day? I did that with my new pup, rather that leave her home alone, and it worked out well.

Try not to imagine this pup is going to be the same as your last pup, even dog is different, and just because one dog could hold on for a certain amount of time, doesn't mean another one can.

Beg to differ with the raw meaty bones diet poop Minimax, my previous pup did very well with it and his poop was like little pellets and never sloppy :-)

I can take my pup to work but he will still be in the soft crate in the back of the car, with all windows and the back open and crate fan and only if the temperature is okay. Will this be better? I can come out more often for his breaks and interaction.

I understand what you mean about the pups being different, I think it makes it easier for me to have the protocols that worked before so I know where to start.

Sloppy and quantity are different things! What breed was your previous dog? Both my dogs are fed a raw diet so I'm well aware of the output ;) However, I have pugs so the output is MUCH less than a DdB lol

I can't see how being in a car is any different to being in a crate in a house, temperature being the only thing as cars can be like ovens (although there is probably a law against it, like leaving kids in cars).

My previous pup was a Dogue de Bordeaux too.

The only difference with keeping him in the car is that my carspace is directly in front of my workspace and I can actually see him there and he will have more frequent breaks & play time. Of course it will all depend on the weather too, it's not illegal if you're pet is not in danger, and in mild temperatures he won't be with the shade and everything being open and crate coolling but anything over 25 outside will not be comfortable. With summer coming a very well insulated house is a cooler option. Will just have to figure out the best possible configuration.

A dogue on a raw diet is still going to produce a shitload of poop, don't kid yourself (pun intended) :laugh:

Can you take the pup to work with you, even for a few hours a day? I did that with my new pup, rather that leave her home alone, and it worked out well.

Try not to imagine this pup is going to be the same as your last pup, even dog is different, and just because one dog could hold on for a certain amount of time, doesn't mean another one can.

Beg to differ with the raw meaty bones diet poop Minimax, my previous pup did very well with it and his poop was like little pellets and never sloppy :-)

I can take my pup to work but he will still be in the soft crate in the back of the car, with all windows and the back open and crate fan and only if the temperature is okay. Will this be better? I can come out more often for his breaks and interaction.

I understand what you mean about the pups being different, I think it makes it easier for me to have the protocols that worked before so I know where to start.

slightly OT ..but I love the look of these.. wish I had some money! :)

Thanks for this Persephone. I actually asked the owner for permission for something similar to this but the only pic I can find was really hideous and he said no because it will be unsightly. I have sent a pic of this away and will see what he says. They have just told us that they will be removing the old shed at the back which actually has a concrete base and hedges around which would be perfect.

I like the idea of segregating him in a kitchen or bathroom area? at least he has room to move and you can set up a toilet corner.

Have you any idea how much wee and poo a giant breed pup can produce - it would stink like a latrine in no time.

:laugh:

I'm not even thinking size here oops!

Surely that's what a crate inside a house will smell like after a few hours too no doubt.

The kitchen area is the only place where I can physically set a run up that will be attached to the crate. As mentioned before I will be going home for breaks more often now, about every 2-3 hour breaks. Pup will be fed a raw meaty diet which doesn't produce as much poop thank goodness. I looked back at my previous boy's journal and he was able to hold it inside the house for 4 hours min voluntarily when housetraining at about 9.5 weeks of age. This is where I was basing my timing from, the crating for that duration is the "new" bit which is what I'm working on.

I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear but this is a temporary arrangement for a max of 8 weeks from when the pup arrives. We have had 2 houses fall through in the negotiating stage and are in the continuous process of looking and braving open houses. We were already looking for a house before we had the opportunity of getting a puppy. My puppy will eventually be outdoors as my previous dog was when I'm not home but not yet. We have dog proofed the yard as much as we can from our side but we are still getting strays in the yard. My housemate and I have spoken to our neighbours about it but I think it has fallen on deaf ears.

Thank you for your practical advise and I am doing my best to apply what is within my control and what is best for the temporary situation and the pup.

I do hope the pup can hold on for a few hours, and doesn't have to use his crate as a toilet ..so setting himself up for a really sad habit

Thanks Persephone. I will be monitoring his crate "holding" time for a week and will only leave him in the crate for the duration that he is comfortable with. I will definitely try to ensure that I don't encourage any bad habit :)

I like the idea of segregating him in a kitchen or bathroom area? at least he has room to move and you can set up a toilet corner.

Hi Donatella,

I have requested permission to "re-organise" the layout of the kitchen area so I can do this and I'm waiting for a reply. Because it's a "studio" layout, it's a bit tricky. I agree though, it's one of the best inside arrangements if I can get the go ahead.

I think this amount of confinement to a crate will be problematic for several reasons:

* Your pup will almost certainly have to toilet in the crate if confined for that amount of time. That will make toilet training very very difficult.

* Confining a pup so closely, especially a pup of this size, will have a very negative impact on his muscle development.

I think you'd be far better off investing in a decent dog run with shade and a well insulated kennel and starting him in the back yard from Day 1. This is going to be a big dog. Confining him inside is not in his best interests.

Hi Haredown Whippets,

I am taking a week off to get him used to this arrangement and supervise his crate traning closely. I am only 15 mins up the road so will work with the amount of time slowly. I will have a camera on him as well to help with this assessment and will work out more frequent toilet breaks to start off with.

We have a tiered backyard and crating him when he's not supervised will be better for him than anything else. I don't want him jumping around anything. He has a full size XXXL crate that will be partitioned for crate training and he will definitely have enough room to sit, stand, lie down and stretch in any way he likes :) .

He will not be confined inside at all times, he just won't be left outside to his own devices. I can't wait for the little man to get here!

I honestly don't know why you bothered to ask the question if you're hell bent on crating a giant breed baby puppy against its best interests.

Does the pup's breeder know this is your plan? I cannot see how the pup will get enough exercise for its development based on this. I really can't.

Prepare for problems of both the physical and mental variety IMO. It's a dog, not a budgie. That may be blunt but your plan is seriously flawed.

Yes my breeder is aware of this and how much exercise do you think a giant size pup need for the first few months of his life? Sorry for the confusion, but my question was pertaning to the duration between toilet breaks, not the crating itself. Do you have any experience with giant size pups as to how they develop physical problems? As to the "mental variety" are you privy to the training plan I have for him that will be in full consultation with a very reputable & experienced trainer?

Wow you're amazing, who died and made you god?