A large breed dog can become a reliable protector and loyal guard for its owner. However, she requires special conditions for maintenance, a city apartment will not always be a suitable option for her.
Large breeds include dogs whose height at the withers exceeds 70 cm - shepherds, collies, St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, huskies and many others. They require a spacious containment room, careful training and adequate nutrition. To have such a dog means to take on a great responsibility, before you buy a shepherd or St. Bernard puppy, you should carefully consider and weigh everything.
Food
A large dog should be getting enough protein, as well as calcium and phosphorus. Prepared food is very convenient and saves a lot of time spent preparing food for your pet. Puppies of large breeds increase their weight in the first year of life by 70 times, they must receive vitamin and mineral supplements. Proteins are needed from animal sources, plant proteins will not be complete nutrition for puppies.
It is recommended not to feed large breed puppies with porridge, since a large amount of food is harmful to the stomach, such food gives a large body weight, which is bad for the development of the skeleton. If you are not using a prepared food, your puppy's diet should be approximately 60% meat and offal and 40% light filler (wheat bran or cereal). By the end of growth, as a rule, at 18-20 months, the puppies are transferred to an adult diet.
You can give any meat raw, half-baked or boiled, but it is better to exclude pork. The volume of food for one feeding of an adult dog is about 2 liters. Partially raw or raw meat is given only after deep freezing, so you can prevent parasite infestation. If you are feeding your dog fish, boil it and be sure to remove all bones.
Walking
To maintain normal muscle tone, large dogs require long walks (about 5-6 hours a day), as well as vigorous physical activity. If you cannot provide your large pet with such a rhythm of life, it is best not to have a large dog.
Swimming and running help keep the animal in shape and strengthen muscles well. For large dogs, long walks of moderate intensity are most beneficial. Running with obstacles perfectly develops endurance, and to increase the tone of the muscles of the paws, you should run on loose snow or shallow water.
Training and care
Training is a necessary element in the education of a large breed dog. A raised animal will not be dangerous for its owner and his family members. It is easier to cope with an obedient dog on a walk, he does not create any inconvenience to others.
Do not forget about regular brushing of the coat, even if the dog lives outside. For the period from spring to autumn, it is necessary to purchase a special collar against parasites, as well as to treat the wool with antiparasitic agents. During shedding, it is recommended to comb the wool at least once a day, and it is better to do it more often - two or three times during the day.
