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The mastiff breeds are very large dogs and have a lot of growing to do. Therefore they should not be “over-exercised” during the first year of life, and one should certainly avoid excessive weight gain. Large breed dog food is important. And as they mature, the intake of protein level in there diet should be under 22%.
Veterinarian advice differs, however the puppies that I keep for myself are always given 3 vaccinations during the first few months of life. Your puppy should be vaccinated at 6 weeks by the breeder and then your veterinarian should repeat the vaccination at 12 weeks and 16 weeks. By the time your puppy is 18 weeks old he/she should be fully protected for the first 12 months .
When taking your puppy for a walk for the first time, after a full course of vaccinations, ensure the walk to be no more than 5 minutes. Your puppy is still very young and will tire quickly. I would recommend walking your puppy for about 10 minutes each day until about 7 or 8 months of age. After this time you may increase your puppy’s walks to about 30 minutes.
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Due care should always be taken that the mastiff puppy is not “encouraged “ to run and jump or navigate staircases around the home at any time during the first 12 months of life. They are growing rapidly and become very heavy dogs. Such hard exercise will only serve to cause your puppy discomfort as the compounding weight become to much for his legs. This could possibly lead to permanent damage to immature bones and ligaments. |
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After the age of 12 months your puppy will have reached his/her maximum height and will then start to “widen” as they mature. From this point on it is ok to exercise your DDB as often as he/she takes you. |
A note of caution here:
It is always advisable that mastiffs (and any deep-chested breeds in general) are not exercised one hour before or two hours after eating. Doing so can increase the incidence of “BLOAT” (Acute Gastric Dilation) which affects deep-chested breeds. It is caused by the fermer releasing gas into the stomach , which in most severe cases causes the stomach to twist. It is “very serious” and can prove fatal in many cases. I cannot stress strongly enough how important it is to seek immediate veterinary attention if you ever suspect bloat.
Your DDB should also not be exercised in the middle of the day during the summer months. This will cause unnecessary overheating and dehydration . Your DDB will be much comfortable if he/she is exercised in the mornings and evenings during the warmer months. Try to keep them in a cool area with some shade or better yet , in the house. A small kiddy pool works great in the yard . My DDB’s love to lay in them when they are out in the yard when it is hot.
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