Bringing your new mastiff puppy home.

What you need to know. Preventing disease in your mastiff puppy.

Your new mastiff puppy should have had its first set of vaccinations and have been wormed by the breeder when you get your new mastiff puppy.

The first thing you need to be aware of is that even though your puppy has been vaccinated , your pup is “NOT” full protested from diseases, especially PARVO. Your puppy will need to get a booster shot 2 week after it’s first vaccination and then again at 6 months before it is fully protected . In the mean time to protect your puppy from disease such as parvo follow these steps.

Do not bring your puppy to any place where other dogs may have been such as ,

Public parks,

Trail and paths frequented by other dogs,

Public streets where others walk their dogs.

Do not let the puppy great or play with strange dogs .

Do not let your puppy sniff where other dogs, or sniff where other dogs have gone to the bathroom.

Do not let your puppy eat from a dish that another dog has used.

If you are traveling with your puppy and it need to exercise or go to the bathroom take it to a spot where it is not likely other dogs have been.

Even though your mastiff puppy has been wormed by the breeder you will have to have your puppy wormed again. I suggest when you take the pup to the vets for it booster vaccination you ask the vet to worm the puppy with a “BROAD SPECTRUM WORMER” . While your puppy was with the breeder it was to young to be wormed against all worms and was probably just wormed for a few types of worms.

Feeding your mastiff puppy.

For the first 14 days, only feed your mastiff puppy the food the breeder recommended , no table scraps for the first 14 days . After 14 days start introducing new foods and snacks. The reason for this is if the puppy you have just bought gets sick you will know it is not from a change in food or diet . All so, your new puppy, even though looking happy, is stressed because it is in a new environment away from its , litter mates and old home, this in it self can cause stomach upset. After the 14 days your puppy can also start chewing on ‘large’ cow bones. Never feed pork or chicken bones.

For the first two week you can give your pup strong Kong chew toys , and nylon chew bones.

Buy bottled water and only give the pup bottled water for the first 5 days , one thing that can really cause up set tummies in puppies is a change in water , gradually over a few days mix in your tap water with the bottled. water to get your pappy used to your water . I live in the country and my dogs drink well water. The chlorine in city water can very much upset a new puppies tummy.

 Exercising your mastiff puppy.

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EXERCISE YOUR MASTIFF PUP?

REMEMBER , even though your mastiff puppy is large, it is a very young delicate baby. Your mastiff pup will sleep a great deal the first month, and much like human babies ,will start to get more energy and be awake for longer periods as they get older.

I tell mastiff puppy buyers “do not take your puppy for a walk any farther then you can carry it back” . When your mastiff is tired it will lay down and not move.

As your mastiff puppy grows you must not let your mastiff puppy play to hard with other dogs or over exercise . I strongly recommend restricting exercise . There will be periods of growth when your mastiff puppy is gaining up to 5 pounds a week. The muscles and tendons do not grow at the same time as bone structure dose. So some times the muscles and tendons are tight over the bone structure . When this happens, if the puppy is jumping or playing to hard , it is very easy do permanent damage your young dog or pup.

Never let your young mastiff, Jump up or down off of things. Never let your mastiff puppy ride in the back of a truck.

Never let your mastiff pup play in a rowdy fashion with other dogs.

It is very common when your mastiff pup is 5 to 14 month of age to wake up in the morning acting stiff and sore. Watch your pup careful, if as the young mastiff walks around a bit the sore and stiffness goes away then do not worry. But ask yourself if the mastiff had an overly active day , the day before. You know then that your pup is going threw some growing pains and the muscles are taunt over its structure.

If the soreness gets worse as the day goes on, you will need to take your pup in to the vets to have it checked out. What you will need for your new mastiff puppy.

Exercise for a mastiff puppy is a very INDAVIDUAL THING . I have a 6 month old pup right now I would not walk for more then 3 blocks ,He is very large and growing very fast . I have another pups who is growing very evenly, hardly ever butt high and very athletic , I would take her on a mile long walk with out thinking twice .
Here is what I tell my  mastiff puppy people
If your mastiff  pup is growing fast , and is stiff some mornings, restrict exercise. No walk, only normal yard exercise and restrict hard play . 
If the pup is growing evenly and the pup jumps up in the mornings and seems very athletic then 1 to 2 city blocks per month of age.  NEVER TIRE THE PUPPY ,
If the pup is tired by the walk you have gone to far . Shorten your next walk,
If the pup is stiff after resting from the walk , you have gone to far , shorten the next walk.
 A tired puppy can injure tendons and ligamonts more easily.
 No running on Concrete .
 If walks are on concrete shorten the walk . Concrete is hard on the bones and joints . Always try and have walks on trails or grass.
hope this helps  

To prepare for your new mastiff puppy you should buy .

A extra large dog crate.

Blankets and bedding .

Food and water dishes.

An adjustable dog collar.

Leash.

Lots of chew toys.

Dog food.

Bottled water.

Drool towels for paws and lips.

Article by Sharon Medforth Island West Mastiffs

More information on mastiffs can be found here http://www.englishmastiff.com   or check out     http://mastiff25.tripod.com

 feel  free to email us about mastiff  puppies mailto:mastiff@shaw.ca