Owning a large breed: Pitfalls?

[AnnaBeginsToChange]

Starting a new thread, following my Rhodesian Ridgeback one. I've never owned a very large breed like this before and I'm wondering about the disadvantages I might not have thought about (not money related). Is it difficult to take them places (eg pubs, town walks, visiting people, even holiday)? Do other parents get worried about thier children? Do other children get very worried about coming for play dates?

Any experiences welcome

You have to have an estate car!

I have two big lurchers and they just don't fold (or bedshare Anubis banish the thought ) so they need about 1.5m2 each to sleep in. Dog beds that big are £60 - £80 quid! The alternative (a folded over double duvet) make your kitchen look like a den of iniquity.

Our ddog is a husky x podenco x ? (poss a bit of alsatian) so not ginormous, but definitely a 'big dog' not a small one.

One disadvantage that I didn't think of when he was younger is that I can't lift him (he weighs around 35 kg, so considerably more than 10 y/o dd).

When he was younger that was fine as he could pretty much jump anywhere you told him to go. But for the last few years (he's 13 now) even though he is still very active we're limited in our walks to places with no stiles as there is no way I could lift him over one and he's no longer agile enough to leap them.

Fortunately we have a van with reasonably low access so he can get into that at the moment, but we are starting to have to think about a step to help him get up.

Overall although he is the best dog in the world (of course!) I wouldn't actively choose a big dog in the future. Having said that he came to us rather than the other way around which is what always seems to happen to us, so no doubt I'll be living with an Irish wolfhound at some point in the future

The cost of everything is exponentially more.
The three bag poos.
The mud and muck and hair - there are mud splatters 4ft up one wall in our house.
The fact that they can lick your kitchen surfaces without even trying.
The impossibility of trying to persuade one to do anything they really really don't want, like have a bath.
But mostly the fact that if Giant Pup bounce on his toes even slightly it mortifies people, whereas little rat dogs can be snarling and frothing with impunity.

'You have to have an estate car!'

I drive a fiesta, lol

I do have a 48" crate in my living room though - that's something else I hadn't reckoned on...but I can get a bed that fills it at the market for £18

On the other hand, I am sitting here on my sofa with one dog draped over my knee, and the other lying with her head on my feet, and although the central heating has gone off, I'm toasty warm. Which is just as well, as there's no way I can get up.

yy TwelveLeggedWalk

I regularly make sandwiches etc with a dog head resting on the work surface gazing/ nostril flaring at the lovely cheese.

Big dogs also have to be MUCH better behaved than little dogs. We've put HUGE amounts of work into our dogs' manners to counteract their prey drive. It irritates me beyond belief when a Yorkie goes ballistic at them, getting in their faces and snarling at their feet. If my dogs behaved like that people would mutter about them being put down.

We have a GSP who weighs a mere 27kg. The thing I didn't realise is that antibiotics and Advocate are done on weight so keeping a big dog worm and flea free is much much more expensive than for a little dog. This is a monthly cost :(

I think we've mostly accounted for cost of meds, ops, food and insurance. It's really the social side I think I'm concerned about; I don't want a big dog to put people off, either us or our home! I also worry about a big dog accompanying us places. We often go out for days and bring the dog (eg walk/picnic/pub lunch/fetes etc). Are you more likely to be refused with a giant dog?!

I know ( but not very well) the owners of Irish Wolfhounds, Great Danes and a Deerhound, they all feel very sad that the very big breed have short life expectancies. The two smallish dogs I have owned ( collie cross and PBGV) made it to 17 and 16 respectively, the Great Dane is living on borrowed time at age 8.

Charlearose, I would love to see a picture of your dogs all together. Any chance?

Yes, that's very sad. We are looking at RR and they seem to go on to 12-ish from what I've read.

'We often go out for days and bring the dog (eg walk/picnic/pub lunch/fetes etc). Are you more likely to be refused with a giant dog?! '

I've never had a small dog, but I find that it's either dogs are allowed or they aren't - though I do see people carrying small dogs into places I wouldn't think of taking a dog (shops and what have you).

Also with visitors, some people don't like dogs full stop and yes big dogs are a bit more daunting, but as long as you keep in mind that some people aren't keen on dogs and can work round that and remember that small children are often a little bit nervous about dogs that are the same size or taller than them it's not a big issue.

Mine is still young and excitable so I don't let him throw himself at people to jump all over them and lick them like he'd like to and if someone pops in that he's making a nuisance of himself with or they're a bit scared - I can put him to bed or in the kitchen with a chew for a while.

Our dog is fairly large - a lurcher - she's similar sized to some of the female ridgebacks we've seen around, but the males are significantly taller than she is. However, she weighs quite a bit less, which means I can still pick her up (just) - which was one of the requirements of a new dog. I know lots of lurchers that are wonderful with children. Depending upon the version that you get, they can look exceedingly nonthreatening so you don't have the 'dangerous dog' label attached.

We don't leave her in the car because of her breed because of people breaking into cars to steal them - but that would go for quite a number of breeds.

Oh - and despite being largish, many lurchers seem to live to a ripe old age.

We've not really had any problems with our big dog over the years. Now though, he's 13 and arthritic, and we have to be careful about where and how far we walk him because if he is tired he is too big to carry. Likewise, he is now nervous of things like narrow bridges, and again that can be a problem at times.

As PP's really! The biggest shock for me when BlackDog was PTS was her upcoming insurance renewal was for a shade under £70 a month- twas quite eye watering and I did wait for the right moment to break it to DH!
I too found that getting a large breed with slightly doddery pins into a 4x4 was interesting to say the least. If you have factored in the increased parasite prevention costs as well as medical treatment then you already have some idea.
I would also add that i found certain camp sites and ferry operators have a list of dogs that are not welcome. While I only ever found a couple where rotties were on the list, it is worth mentioning :)
Lastly we always take our dogs everywhere with us. Small dogs lie concealed under tables or chairs, large dogs inevitably leave a stray limb (or worse,tail) strewn across floors to fool unwary passers- by. However hard we tried, it always happened!

I have a Great Dane too :D

He is so soppy it's unbelievable but we have had a few negative remarks from people, usually they just tut, mutter or jump out the way but one person told us he was too big to be allowed out!

Have not had a problem taking him anywhere so far but I imagine some places might be uncomfortable with him, especially on the bus where space/stray legs are an issue.

I can't see your profile. I think you have to make it public :)

We have just got a giant breed - he is 8 months old. I am reasonably experiences with dogs - but taking a toddler that size into the family with young children , gave me pause for thought.... The first time he mouthed my daughter in play freaked me out.

We are now all completely in love - he is a gentle giant.
He has only knocked my DD who is 3 over once and that was over enthusiasm on both their parts - but given size it will happen.

The thing is other peoples reactions - people avoid us - I see them make sharp changes in directions , others are fine.
Other smaller dogs (most of them) are surprisingly aggressive towards him - I presume because they are intimidated.... Or maybe just not well socialized. He has never shown any aggressive behaviour - most of the time straight away goes into a submissive stance (gets down on the ground so his head is below theirs) , but I do worry that these experiences will start having an effect on him.
My new pet hate is badly trained little dogs , whose owners think it is fine for there dogs to snap and bark at him.
One of his favorite playmates is a RR - who is lovely.
Though RR is about 11 months old and already needs 2 hours walking a day.... Our giant will never require that amount!

Oh - our giant breed is renowned for pulling - we use a dogmatic - and DS who is 8 can walk him.
We looked after or friends cairn terrier and she pulled our 3 year old over - so any size dog has potential to do that.