Mastiff Dog
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Why on earth did you get dogs if you can't look after them? Nine hours a day in a crate? I'm surprised he's not totally crazy. At least arrange a kennel with an outdoor yard and toys plus at least two one hour walks per day; pay a dogwalker or dog minder; or rehome the poor dog (plus the other one unless you've somehow managed to get it adapted to your very unfair routine).
Dogs are adaptable animals. My dogs (who are active breeds) don't get that much exercise, and they are both fine.
Well you've been very lucky - or they've been very adaptable.
9 hours a day in a crate is not a reasonable life for any dog of any size, never mind a so-called active breed - why would anyone infllict it on them? Or get a shepherd mix, which as a working breed and needs stimulation (mastiffs can be quite lazy, they're watchdogs). Dogs are bred for reasons, and so far as I know none has yet been bred to sit alone in a cage on its own for hours against all its instincts.
There are other pets to have which are more suitable for for people who are away for long hours like that; cats, budgies, hamsters, house rabbits... I've got a dog, but I never got one until I was absolutely sure that I got a full grown adult who was then crate trained and would never be left more than 4 hours. That meant arranging my work and paying dogminders.
lol...sorry for the miscommunication. I am not saying they get NO exercise. They have free reign of the house during the day and are let out around lunch for maybe ten minutes.
They get an hour long walk about every three days, but by no means do they get two hour long walks a day. I have a one year old and a five year old - both pit bull rescues.
I think it is a combination of luck and also disciplined training. I have a big yard for them to play in, but they don't stay outside for long periods.
I guess my point - which I could have communicated better, is that while exercise is important, the amount originally suggested might be excessive.0 -
Why on earth did you get dogs if you can't look after them? Nine hours a day in a crate? I'm surprised he's not totally crazy. At least arrange a kennel with an outdoor yard and toys plus at least two one hour walks per day; pay a dogwalker or dog minder; or rehome the poor dog (plus the other one unless you've somehow managed to get it adapted to your very unfair routine).
Dogs are adaptable animals. My dogs (who are active breeds) don't get that much exercise, and they are both fine.
Well you've been very lucky - or they've been very adaptable.
9 hours a day in a crate is not a reasonable life for any dog of any size, never mind a so-called active breed - why would anyone infllict it on them? Or get a shepherd mix, which as a working breed and needs stimulation (mastiffs can be quite lazy, they're watchdogs). Dogs are bred for reasons, and so far as I know none has yet been bred to sit alone in a cage on its own for hours against all its instincts.
There are other pets to have which are more suitable for for people who are away for long hours like that; cats, budgies, hamsters, house rabbits... I've got a dog, but I never got one until I was absolutely sure that I got a full grown adult who was then crate trained and would never be left more than 4 hours. That meant arranging my work and paying dogminders.
lol...sorry for the miscommunication. I am not saying they get NO exercise. They have free reign of the house during the day and are let out around lunch for maybe ten minutes.
They get an hour long walk about every three days, but by no means do they get two hour long walks a day. I have a one year old and a five year old - both pit bull rescues.
I think it is a combination of luck and also disciplined training. I have a big yard for them to play in, but they don't stay outside for long periods.
I guess my point - which I could have communicated better, is that while exercise is important, the amount originally suggested might be excessive.
It does depend on the breed - mental stimulation and human company is incredibly important - that's what we humans have bred them for - leaving them alone for hours on end does not compute in a dog's brain.
However at LEAST one daily walk is a must for any dog, surely? Unless you have acres for them to roam free? and they have some occupation as well, such as working gundogs and the like.
I reiterate my point - why have them?
You've bought (cutie ickle puppies) or rescued them for your needs not theirs - if you don't make the effort to look after them then they are quite likely going to chew the furniture, bark incessantly, annoy the neighbours, dig holes, pee and poo where you don't want them to;and in extreme cases such as this (of the OP) attempt to dig their way out of confining crates and chew on their own tails.
Have you ever seen Victoria Stilwell on TV?0 -
First: You need a metal crate. Check your local pet shop for the largest one you can get.
Second: Your dog is bored. Buy a deer antler and give it to him for when you leave.
Third: Take your dog for a long walk in the morning / before you're going to crate him so he can expel some energy.0 -
Oh, and I would caution against leaving him anything to chew on when you are not home to supervise. A chew toy or even a hard bone can get broken into small pieces that a dog can easily choke on.
^^^THIS! Bones are not good for dogs. This is a myth! Actual animal bones can crack their teeth (broken tooth extraction = $800+) and they can splinter and cause mouth, throat, and stomach lacerations. And if they swallow a large piece, you have an abdominal obstruction on your hands and an abdominal exploration surgery = $2500+.
Give him a large Kong or nothing at all while alone.
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Hmm... I wonder how dogs even survived in the wild.0 -
Oh, and I would caution against leaving him anything to chew on when you are not home to supervise. A chew toy or even a hard bone can get broken into small pieces that a dog can easily choke on.
^^^THIS! Bones are not good for dogs. This is a myth! Actual animal bones can crack their teeth (broken tooth extraction = $800+) and they can splinter and cause mouth, throat, and stomach lacerations. And if they swallow a large piece, you have an abdominal obstruction on your hands and an abdominal exploration surgery = $2500+.
Give him a large Kong or nothing at all while alone.
.
Hmm... I wonder how dogs even survived in the wild.
They used to run around in hunting packs, and slowly they started to get domesticated by humans who realised they were useful for hunting down animals for meat and later to guard flocks/property/people. They have thinking brains which need exercise, as do their muscles. They lay arond in groups with a clear leader and company when they had time off, and they dug around for grubs, searched for water, or gnawed bones when there wasn't anything else to to do.
They are part-way wild animals and if we take one on it's our responsibility to provide for thier needs - otherwise just get a different type of pet.0 -
Why on earth did you get dogs if you can't look after them? Nine hours a day in a crate? I'm surprised he's not totally crazy. At least arrange a kennel with an outdoor yard and toys plus at least two one hour walks per day; pay a dogwalker or dog minder; or rehome the poor dog (plus the other one unless you've somehow managed to get it adapted to your very unfair routine).
Dogs are adaptable animals. My dogs (who are active breeds) don't get that much exercise, and they are both fine.
Well you've been very lucky - or they've been very adaptable.
9 hours a day in a crate is not a reasonable life for any dog of any size, never mind a so-called active breed - why would anyone infllict it on them? Or get a shepherd mix, which as a working breed and needs stimulation (mastiffs can be quite lazy, they're watchdogs). Dogs are bred for reasons, and so far as I know none has yet been bred to sit alone in a cage on its own for hours against all its instincts.
There are other pets to have which are more suitable for for people who are away for long hours like that; cats, budgies, hamsters, house rabbits... I've got a dog, but I never got one until I was absolutely sure that I got a full grown adult who was then crate trained and would never be left more than 4 hours. That meant arranging my work and paying dogminders.
lol...sorry for the miscommunication. I am not saying they get NO exercise. They have free reign of the house during the day and are let out around lunch for maybe ten minutes.
They get an hour long walk about every three days, but by no means do they get two hour long walks a day. I have a one year old and a five year old - both pit bull rescues.
I think it is a combination of luck and also disciplined training. I have a big yard for them to play in, but they don't stay outside for long periods.
I guess my point - which I could have communicated better, is that while exercise is important, the amount originally suggested might be excessive.
It does depend on the breed - mental stimulation and human company is incredibly important - that's what we humans have bred them for - leaving them alone for hours on end does not compute in a dog's brain.
However at LEAST one daily walk is a must for any dog, surely? Unless you have acres for them to roam free? and they have some occupation as well, such as working gundogs and the like.
I reiterate my point - why have them?
You've bought (cutie ickle puppies) or rescued them for your needs not theirs - if you don't make the effort to look after them then they are quite likely going to chew the furniture, bark incessantly, annoy the neighbours, dig holes, pee and poo where you don't want them to;and in extreme cases such as this (of the OP) attempt to dig their way out of confining crates and chew on their own tails.
Have you ever seen Victoria Stilwell on TV?
“It does depend on the breed - mental stimulation and human company is incredibly important - that's what we humans have bred them for - leaving them alone for hours on end does not compute in a dog's brain.”
Not really sure if this is referring to anything I said. I never said that breed didn’t make any difference. Breed makes a bit of a difference, but individual temperament is the biggest indicator. For some reason my dogs are both relatively laid back. The OP’s dog seems to have some anxiety.
“However at LEAST one daily walk is a must for any dog, surely? Unless you have acres for them to roam free? and they have some occupation as well, such as working gundogs and the like. “
It is preferable, but not necessary. As stated before, my dogs are very well behaved and they only get walked every third day, Once again, this is dog specific. A hyper or anxious dog, like the one the OP has, would need to be walked more. (I have a ½ acre yard, so not huge but not small)
“I reiterate my point - why have them? “
Because they bring me joy and because MILLIONS of homeless dogs are killed every year. If I can handle two, I will be taking care of two.
“You've bought (cutie ickle puppies) or rescued them for your needs not theirs - if you don't make the effort to look after them then they are quite likely going to chew the furniture, bark incessantly, annoy the neighbours, dig holes, pee and poo where you don't want them to;and in extreme cases such as this (of the OP) attempt to dig their way out of confining crates and chew on their own tails. “
Once again, I am not sure if this is directed at me, since I have already said that I have never had any of these issues even though I have had at least one dog my entire life.
“Have you ever seen Victoria Stilwell on TV?”
Yes I have! I love her!
The only point I was trying to make was that two hour long walks a day or you shouldn’t even bother adopting a dog is not a good way to look at things. There are plenty of dogs out there (especially older ones) that need homes but are not as big of a time commitment.0 -
Why on earth did you get dogs if you can't look after them? Nine hours a day in a crate? I'm surprised he's not totally crazy. At least arrange a kennel with an outdoor yard and toys plus at least two one hour walks per day; pay a dogwalker or dog minder; or rehome the poor dog (plus the other one unless you've somehow managed to get it adapted to your very unfair routine).
Dogs are adaptable animals. My dogs (who are active breeds) don't get that much exercise, and they are both fine.
Well you've been very lucky - or they've been very adaptable.
9 hours a day in a crate is not a reasonable life for any dog of any size, never mind a so-called active breed - why would anyone infllict it on them? Or get a shepherd mix, which as a working breed and needs stimulation (mastiffs can be quite lazy, they're watchdogs). Dogs are bred for reasons, and so far as I know none has yet been bred to sit alone in a cage on its own for hours against all its instincts.
There are other pets to have which are more suitable for for people who are away for long hours like that; cats, budgies, hamsters, house rabbits... I've got a dog, but I never got one until I was absolutely sure that I got a full grown adult who was then crate trained and would never be left more than 4 hours. That meant arranging my work and paying dogminders.
lol...sorry for the miscommunication. I am not saying they get NO exercise. They have free reign of the house during the day and are let out around lunch for maybe ten minutes.
They get an hour long walk about every three days, but by no means do they get two hour long walks a day. I have a one year old and a five year old - both pit bull rescues.
I think it is a combination of luck and also disciplined training. I have a big yard for them to play in, but they don't stay outside for long periods.
I guess my point - which I could have communicated better, is that while exercise is important, the amount originally suggested might be excessive.
It does depend on the breed - mental stimulation and human company is incredibly important - that's what we humans have bred them for - leaving them alone for hours on end does not compute in a dog's brain.
However at LEAST one daily walk is a must for any dog, surely? Unless you have acres for them to roam free? and they have some occupation as well, such as working gundogs and the like.
I reiterate my point - why have them?
You've bought (cutie ickle puppies) or rescued them for your needs not theirs - if you don't make the effort to look after them then they are quite likely going to chew the furniture, bark incessantly, annoy the neighbours, dig holes, pee and poo where you don't want them to;and in extreme cases such as this (of the OP) attempt to dig their way out of confining crates and chew on their own tails.
Have you ever seen Victoria Stilwell on TV?
“It does depend on the breed - mental stimulation and human company is incredibly important - that's what we humans have bred them for - leaving them alone for hours on end does not compute in a dog's brain.”
Not really sure if this is referring to anything I said. I never said that breed didn’t make any difference. Breed makes a bit of a difference, but individual temperament is the biggest indicator. For some reason my dogs are both relatively laid back. The OP’s dog seems to have some anxiety.
“However at LEAST one daily walk is a must for any dog, surely? Unless you have acres for them to roam free? and they have some occupation as well, such as working gundogs and the like. “
It is preferable, but not necessary. As stated before, my dogs are very well behaved and they only get walked every third day, Once again, this is dog specific. A hyper or anxious dog, like the one the OP has, would need to be walked more. (I have a ½ acre yard, so not huge but not small)
“I reiterate my point - why have them? “
Because they bring me joy and because MILLIONS of homeless dogs are killed every year. If I can handle two, I will be taking care of two.
“You've bought (cutie ickle puppies) or rescued them for your needs not theirs - if you don't make the effort to look after them then they are quite likely going to chew the furniture, bark incessantly, annoy the neighbours, dig holes, pee and poo where you don't want them to;and in extreme cases such as this (of the OP) attempt to dig their way out of confining crates and chew on their own tails. “
Once again, I am not sure if this is directed at me, since I have already said that I have never had any of these issues even though I have had at least one dog my entire life.
“Have you ever seen Victoria Stilwell on TV?”
Yes I have! I love her!
The only point I was trying to make was that two hour long walks a day or you shouldn’t even bother adopting a dog is not a good way to look at things. There are plenty of dogs out there (especially older ones) that need homes but are not as big of a time commitment.
No of course it's not directed at you - I just get rather mad when people take on impossible doggie commitments and especially buy puppies when they're clearly not well positioned to look after them and would be better with a small cactus plant or something.
My point was that a dog needs its needs met - little elderly dogs might be fine with a small sniff around the neighbourhood, mine's fine with company and a daily walk.
The OP seems to have crated a great big mastiff shepherd cross from a puppy, for a very long day, and be complaining that he attempts to dig his way out (through metal and wood) and when left with the run of the house chews the furniture. Strange, obviously, one would think he'd be perfectly happy.
This is how dogs end up in rescue and on death row - it's not the dog's fault usually, it's daft silly owners (I'm being polite).
My hat off to you, for taking on rescue dogs, as I have done (although mine's not half so well behaved:). Wouldn't it be better though, if people thought a bit more before getting them in the first place... certainly all the UK rescue centres are full...?0 -
I totally get having a work commitment. I totally get that the dogs have to be alone during that time, but the dog definitely seems bored. Generally dogs are more inclined to cause destruction when bored. As someone else said - a tired dog is a good dog. I have two dogs, one is a puppy as well.
I would definitely encourage you to re-explore crating until the chewing has subsided. Invest in a good metal crate - you can often buy gently used ones for a good price off of classified ads. They generally last longer. I know you mentioned that the dog wormed its way out of the last one... which concerns me a) Cause the crate was old and b) Cause the dog must be boooooooored to go to that sort of lengths.
Ensure you walk the dogs before going to work with about 15 minutes before you leave. I do about a 20 minute walk in the morning to make sure I get some of the jollies out of them. When crating them ensure you're calm and don't make a big deal out of it. If the dog is anxious there are herbal sort of things you can give for calming, a lavender plug in also helps (calming scent) and leaving the radio on or a classical cd or something similar. All calming things which is great. In their crate there's plenty of things you can give them. I love stuffing Kongs with peanut butter and kibble and then freezing them.. it takes them a while to work at it. I also usually toss in a deer antler for them to chew on. They're strong, don't splinter and crazy long lasting (and not bad for them).
I also strongly recommend you get a dog walker to come in and do at least a half hour of out door time with them in the middle of the day. It's good for them to relieve their bladders and get some time out and about. If you find a student they do the walks for pretty cheap.
When you get home make sure to do a good walk (it's a great way to do exercise) or visit a dog park! It's a good way for them to burn off the energy they had pent up during the day.
And bam - your puppy chewing should subside. If you continue the routine you can try doing it without a crate.0 -
I just recently got a dog well puppy still and didn't have a crate and ge chewed chairs and my wall!! Got him a metal crate and I've of those dental bones and he's been perfect ever since! The dental done lasts forever too!0
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Crates can be life savers for a bit! Lovely chewing phase isn't it? I almost killed our pup when she was going through that phase and she chewed a hole through our couch while I was making dinner. GAH, Can't take your eyes off them for a minute.
if you're looking for other stuff to give them in the crate give them a rope toy, dunk it in chicken/beef broth and freeze it. Yummy, hard to chew and cold. Yum yum. (for them). Or freeze a toy where you can stuff wet food or peanut butter or pumpkin or plain yogurt into it.0 -
buy some very tough toys. although some indestructible ones really aren't haha we found that out. don't have a mastiff though.
give him lots of things to do. take him out twice a day if you can. give lots of love and when you're about tell him no when he chews on something he shouldn't and praise him when he listens
if his teeth can handle it, buy really tough treats to chew on 0 -
We have a dog that used to go through a great deal of anxiety when we were gone. We tried crating her but her anxiety was so great we were afraid she would injure herself. We closed her in the laundry room (actually laundry room, hallway and bathroom - large enough area), she chewed/scratched a huge hole in the wall. It was so bad we were afraid we would have to put her down, we couldn't keep her, she was too distructive, we couldn't give her away to be distructive in someone else's house.
We tried one last thing...we put a soft muzzle on her when we left her. She was free to move around the house, she could still drink, and NOTHING was chewed up when we got home.
She has since out grown most of this behavior, once in a while she'll get a pencil or something but life is much, much better. She has turned into a really great dog.
you would put a dog down because of that? that's mean
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Its so hard. The dogs are left alone for 9 hours a day but nothing we can do about that since we are gone to work. Just dont know what to do.
GET A DOG WALKER! Sorry, but I manage vet's office and I tell this to people all the time. You would be bored too if you sat in a cage for 9 hours straight. Can you come home during lunch to walk them? If not, hire a dog walker or put them in doggie daycare, they are everywhere these days. If you can't afford it, you can't afford to have 2 dogs. If you couldn't afford car insurance, would you have a car?
this for sure. can a family member pop by and walk the dogs? take them out when you get home.
i could never keep a dog in a crate/cage. i'm too much of a softy! it's cruel too imo.0 -
Its so hard. The dogs are left alone for 9 hours a day but nothing we can do about that since we are gone to work. Just dont know what to do.
This is an excuse. You got a young dog, now you have to man up and wake up earlier. Take that beast on an hour walk every morning, he will knock it off. If dogs can't get their energy out physically by running or playing, they release it by chewing or acting out. It's not the dog's fault. You are being a bad dog mommy, no offense, but you are.0 -
Ditto! All dogs need exercise especially young ones! And give him something to chew like a Kong
Absolutely thisHow many walks a day are you taking him on? He's basically an adolescent who has nothing to do all day. My personal feeling is a young, working type dog, like a Mastiff/Shepherd needs to be walked or run twice daily for a minimum of an hour each. If you can't provide that, get a dog walker.0 -
Crating a dog imo is not cruel if used properly.0
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Crating a dog imo is not cruel if used properly.
they have hardly any space to move. so i think it is. at least put them in a room where they can move about. even a kids large playpen would be better.0 -
I have a bull mastiff/lab cross, almost 1yo. She's crazy! We also have an older lab/shepherd/husky cross and now that the puppy has learned how to play with the older dog (they wrestle!) it's a lot better. Before she started wrestling we would take her to play fetch before going to work to try and tire her out.
For the chewing, we got her a giant flossy ball - a ball made up of rope. She doesn't just want to chew she wants to rip and destroy - kongs don't interest her. She loves the flossy ball and really works hard at ripping it up. She doesn't generally swallow what she chews and the flossy ball threads are so fine the bit she does eat doesn't cause any issue.
The other toy that works for her is the giant egg. Not a chew toy, but it's like the unsolvable puzzle for dogs and she chases it around the yard. Unfortunately she makes this awful monkey noise while playing with it so we can't just leave it out for her (neighbours work night shift)0 -
I am a dog walker, sitter, and trainer and I can guarantee that this is an absolutely preventable problem - he's left a lone all day locked up, hes BORED! Do you not give him toys to play with? Also, he's a working breed who is still barely out of puppy stage, so he has tons of energy he needs to work off. If you can't handle the time requirements to take him for at least 2 long walks a day, then either find another home for him where they do have the time he needs, or hire a dog walker. There are tons of us out there looking to help out dogs in need, and we don't charge that much. Try sittercity.com, or care.com, or even just Google dog walkers in your area, and I'm sure you have plenty of responsible walkers to choose from. Good luck!0
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I had a Mastiff Saint Bernard growing up. Talk about a HUGE dog. He had the same problem through his "puppy" years. He would escape anything you put him in. We even tried putting him in the pasture with our horses. Nope, he escaped. There are serious leash laws where we lived and our neighbors HATED him, because he made everything his chew toy. So, my dad ended up putting him on a runner. It was a pulley type contraption he came up with that let the dog go anywhere on about an acre of land. I believe they call it a dog trolley. He was the happiest darn dog ever after that. If you have enough space to put one of these It might help keep him occupied during the day. If not enough space, definitly look into getting a dog walker. I'm sure you could find some youngster in the area that you could trust that wouldn't mind making a little side cash.
Edited to add: My husband's mom and dad have a bull mastiff. And they get them these HUGE rope balls from PetSmart and he absolutely loves them. They are a little pricey but SOOOOO worth it and last longer then the cheaper ones!0
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