Mastiff Dog

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24

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  • mbts08
    mbts08 Posts: 284 Member
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    we got our dog a large bone, but she grew out of the chewing phase. ours is an American bulldog. try chew toys and more walks and playtime if you can and it'll end sooner or later

    This^^^^^
  • mbts08
    mbts08 Posts: 284 Member
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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?

    and this^^^^
  • karenmi
    karenmi Posts: 242 Member
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    A tired dog is a happy dog! I'd suggest taking him/them for a nice long walk before you go to work to burn off some of that excess energy. It sounds like your dog might be bored and chewing relieves some pent-up energy/anxiety.

    Even if it means getting up an hour earlier it will be well worth it; make the walk a part of your cardio workout! We have 3 dogs that need a lot of exercise, at least an hour off leash every day. Fortunately my hubby works nights & I work days, so he usually walks them early in the morning when he gets home from work. Then they sleep all day until I get home and are too tired to get bored or get into trouble.
  • karenmi
    karenmi Posts: 242 Member
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    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.
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member
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    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.
  • cyberskirt
    cyberskirt Posts: 218
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    Get bones. seriously, get bones, give your dog something to chew other than the furniture or his crate.

    My dog had distractions while I was at work (aka chews) and if nothing was chewed on that shouldn't have been she got a treat.. she's extremely food oriented so that worked for her, took time though.

    When I got a second dog she didn't need chews anymore, they are never apart and keep each other company while I'm at work.

    However, the big thing I learned was to tire her out and to get her bones.

    I don't give her pet store bones, she's allergic to everything anyway, but big raw meaty bones work. Like an ankle bone, it could last her several weeks and she takes to it when she's bored... instead of shoes or furniture.

    If you are worried about giving her bones when you aren't around, get a kong.
  • Sweettart
    Sweettart Posts: 1,331 Member
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    Our mastiff is a year and a half. Hes not alone we have another dog as well. He used to be in a metal crate but he dug the front of it out a bit and starting to rust
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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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! Or don't have a dog. Sorry, but I work at a vet and I tell this to people all the time. You would be bored too if you sat in a cage for 9 hours straight. 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?

    What she said!
    ^Agreed also
  • puppywalker
    puppywalker Posts: 109 Member
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    I would suggest that you ride your bike along side him while he's on a leash; once in the morning and once in the evening. If you ride your bike with him while he walks, you can go further and faster and get him more of a workout. A dog that big wears out quickly and he should sleep all day and all night.

    Our neighbors had 2 mastiffs and had to sell one due to excessive chewing (they rent the house). The other one does ok as far as I know so lot just depends on the dog itself.

    I have 3 small breed dogs so I know how difficult it is to schedule activity and outdoor breaks.

    Good luck!
  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
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    How 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.
    Absolutely this

    yep this^^^ I've had a mastiff, 2 rotties, and other huge dogs my whole life :)
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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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).
  • christyv32
    christyv32 Posts: 1
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    Dog walker..large antlers are good too it lasts them longer..or mental games. 15 min of mental games or trick training tires dogs out too more than an hour walking but you still should not substitute it for walking big dogs need to move :)
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
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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.
  • SuffolkSally
    SuffolkSally Posts: 964 Member
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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.
  • Sweettart
    Sweettart Posts: 1,331 Member
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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).

    Hes not in a crate for 9 hours anymore. He used to be and we didnt have the chewing problem. The chewing problem has started since hes been out of his crate and free in the house
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    My sister in law has 2 English mastiff puppies!!!!! They are beautiful and sooo sweet!!!!
  • angelashay42
    angelashay42 Posts: 286
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    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.


    .
  • angelashay42
    angelashay42 Posts: 286
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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).

    Hes not in a crate for 9 hours anymore. He used to be and we didnt have the chewing problem. The chewing problem has started since hes been out of his crate and free in the house

    He's still bored, doesn't matter where he is. If he doesn't get enough exercise, he will find entertainment for himself. This behavior will become habit eventually and then you will never break him of it. He needs several hours of exercise per day. Look into Doggie Daycare. Or like others suggest, running (not walking) him in the a.m. and the p.m.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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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.
    Nonsense. Dogs lose muscle tone and cardiovascular ability very quickly if they're not exercised enough.

    As I said earlier, an extra large Kong is your best bet for a toy. You can also try dog puzzle toys when you ARE around - I have a Husky/Border Collie Cross and pedigree Border Collie so both smart dogs, and 30 minutes of trying to work out their puzzles is enough to knock them out for 2 or 3 hours of sleep - dogs need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise.
  • lao482
    lao482 Posts: 68 Member
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    We had a Bullmastiff. When he was a pup he did the same thing yours is doing. Chewed up the baseboards in our room, the bed frame, diningroom table and even ripped up the linoleum kitchen floor. We found the best thing for him was the nylabones. Not the 1 1/2 inch wide ones though. They are supposed to be indestructible, but he would chew through them. Pet stores took them back under warranty. Get the big ones if you try it. They were about $35 Canadian, but well worth it. We exercised ours like crazy, but when he was a pup he loved to chew. Grew out of it by about 1 1/2. Good luck.

    I worked in a vet clinic and was recommended these by another tech who bred English Bulldogs. They worked with her Bullies too. Make sure you give them to him while you are around for about the first week and check them over periodically.

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