breed information

Meet the Giants: Cane Corso

November 30, 2015 5 Comments

This week on Meet the Giants, we're talking about the Cane Corso! Read more for tons of fabulous breed information!

Next up on our Meet the Giants series, the Cane Corso! I’ve only met one Cane Corso and he was such a stunning boy. Since I don’t know much (well, really anything) about the breed, Teresa Mysyk is going to help us out today!

All information and photos are credited to Teresa Mysyk.

If you currently have a Cane Corso, please list the name, age, and gender for each.
Moose, 4, male

Are there any other names/nicknames for the Cane Corso? If yes, list here.
Corso, Cane, and Italian Mastiff

What are three words you would use to describe the Cane Corso?
Powerful, sensitive, and intelligent.

What is the average size of a Cane Corso?
Around 26” inches at the shoulder and 90 to 100 pounds.

What are the acceptable colors of the Cane Corso?
Black, Black Brindle, Chestnut Brindle, Fawn, Gray, Gray Brindle, Red are the acceptable colors with or without markings of Gray Mask or Black Mask.

What is the average lifespan?
10 to 11 years

What was the Cane Corso bred to do?
This is a hunting mastiff. They are the light sporting mastiff. 🙂

How much exercise does a Cane Corso typically need?
This is an energetic mastiff. They are considered a medium energy breed but I would classify it more medium high. They love to run and play and are a far cry from the English Mastiff or even the other Italian Mastiff, the Neapolitan.

What are some common health problems?
They are a strong well-built animal but being large breed dysplasia, bloat are to be considered as well as other orthopedic issues. They are also reported to have high rates of seizure disorders and heart disorders.

How much grooming does the Cane Corso require?
They are a short coated dog. Grooming is minimal but mine love to roll in mud so there is some bathing.

What do you wish people knew about the Cane Corso before bringing one home?
This is an intelligent sensitive breed. I am a proponent of positive training and this breed demands it. This is a dog that needs to have a strong bond with its family. This large, impressive animal/ little, adorable puppy needs you for love, direction, comfort, protection as well as shelter, food, and water for the entirety of its life.

Why do you love the Cane Corso?
When Moose came into my life I swore I wouldn’t have another. I have since had three more. They are smart and eager to please. His first foster home was unable to care for him so I was asked to help out.

Moose came in with issues. He would jump on people. He would seek out eye contact with folks and growl, he meant it too. He was an 85-pound fearful ball of teeth and fur. He was especially pushy with women and kids.

I have kids. This was an issue. Operation life is awesome began. Moose loves other dogs. He is a little more excitable than I like on a leash but he gets on well with them.

He is also great with other animals, all his stuff was focused on people. So we showed him a posh life with good food. When he would act out he would be removed from the room and sent to his bed. He decided pets and cuddles are the way to go. He now sleeps with the oldest.

Moose had a high bite resistance. He would have bitten had he been pushed but he gave us loads of warning so we could diffuse and not escalate. I would not recommend this with other dogs and kids. 🙂

He is now a very much beloved member of the family. He has become invaluable with other dogs we foster. I wouldn’t dream of giving him up but when we took him it was because we didn’t want him to get in trouble somewhere else.

My other foster Corsos were less Athena, female, fawn with a gray mask. She had anxiety, likely from the many homes she had. She was here a year before moving on to her furever home.

She was so smart, she would catch onto anything we asked her to do. She loved agility, long walks, playing rope. She didn’t like carrying a backpack, though. Now, she is an only dog and I hope her life is perfect and full of snuggles.

Garth, male, black with brindle legs. He was a sweet goofy 10-month-old puppy. At 100 pounds, he was a lot to handle, though. He came in with the worst aggression story, but I never saw it. He was a 100 pound, 10-month-old puppy.

He had no size awareness, but there was no mean in that dog. He was so smart and learned so many tricks. He loved to chase his ball and play in the snow. He has a great life now in a wonderful home.

Yoda, male, gray brindle. Yoda was a talking growling monster. He had been relinquished to the humane society and was garnering the wrong kind of attention. I brought him home to foster.

Yoda is 130 pounds, he is very large for a Corso. Yoda was a fearful dog. He was short on bite resistance with people he wasn’t familiar with. He made a lot of noises constantly growling and demanding things. He stole my heart. This was one of the hardest times I have had giving up a foster. He has a wonderful home with another amazing dog.

They are smart, they need a solid relationship with their people. Love, direction and connection are the keys.

Anything else you want to say?
This is really the best way for all breeds, but the smaller ones do less damage.

Interested in adding a Cane Corso to your family? Check out Big Dogs Huge Paws to see their available Corsos and determine if they’re the breed for you!

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Meet the Giants: Great Dane

November 23, 2015 10 Comments

This week on Meet the Giants, the Great Dane! Come learn about this majestic breed with us!

Next up – the Great Dane! Mauja and Atka have a few Great Dane buddies and it’s so much fun to see them run around and play. Thinking about adding a Great Dane to your family? Here’s some information about this stunning breed.

Special thanks to Kristie Mendralla for the awesome information and photos!

If you currently have a Great Dane, please list their name, age, and gender.

Ripley, 7, Male. (Previously had Hudson and Porter, both male Danes.) We also have a male English Mastiff named Bromley who is 6 yrs old.

Are there any other names/nicknames for Great Danes?

Great Dane is frequently shortened to Dane. They are often called Velcro Dogs because they are happiest when they are with their people.

What are three words you would use to describe the Great Dane?

Goofy, Playful, Affectionate

What’s the average size of a Great Dane?

Males are generally 130-180 lbs, Females are generally 100-150 lbs.

What are the acceptable colors of a Great Dane?

There are six colors of Dane that are acceptable for showing: Fawn, Mantle, Harlequin, Brindle, Blue, Black. Danes can come in many other colors though, the most common are Merle and White.

What is a Great Danes average lifespan?

Generally 6-9 years, although occasionally you’ll hear of one making it to 11 or 12.

What were Great Danes originally bred to do?

Originally bred to hunt boars.

How much exercise do Great Danes typically need?

1-2 decent walks a day are sufficient. They are generally couch potatoes and make excellent apartment dogs, which seems counterintuitive given their size. One thing to note is that Danes are not considered fully grown until they are 2 and their growth plates have closed.

Anyone looking for their Dane to be their running partner needs to be cognizant that they can’t be taken running until they are at least 2, and it should be cleared with a vet first.

What are some common health problems for Great Danes?

Great Danes are especially prone to Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV), commonly known as bloat. This is a condition in which the stomach fills up with gas, and as the pressure increases, the stomach can rotate in the abdomen, cutting off blood supply to the organs.

This condition progresses rapidly and can cause the animal’s death in a matter of hours. Sometimes, emergency surgery can save the dog, but it can cost anywhere from $3,000- $5,000.

Danes are also prone to orthopedic issues like hip dysplasia and spondylosis, as well as a neurological condition called Wobbler Syndrome. It’s caused by a narrowing in the cervical vertebrae and causes the dog to have a “wobbly” gait in the rear legs.

In the most severe of cases, the dog gradually loses control of their rear end until paralysis sets in. Surgery can be an option for some dogs, but can cost upwards of $10,000.

How much grooming do Great Danes need?

Very minimal. Great Danes have short coats and are low odor. We only bathe our Dane once a year, usually in the Spring, and use grooming wipes occasionally in between. Great Danes do shed, but their hair is very fine. We use a rubber curry brush once a day to remove excess hair, but many people don’t brush their Danes at all.

What do you wish people knew about Great Danes before bringing one home?

Great Danes are meant to be with their people. They are nicknamed “velcro dogs” for a reason. They are not meant to be locked outside and used as guard dogs, particularly in the winter when their short coat is no barrier to the weather.

It’s also important to note that Great Danes eat a decent amount of food per day. Our Dane is 130 lbs and eats 6 cups of kibble per day. The average Labrador eats 2 cups a day, so it’s important to factor cost of kibble into your monthly budget.

Further, big dogs cost more in almost all aspects. They need bigger, more expensive dog beds that will stand up to their weight. Most medications are administered by weight, so vet care is more expensive for giants as well.

Why do you love Great Danes?

Great Danes are the clowns of the dog world. They are goofballs who adore their people and want to be with them at all times.

Anything else you want to say?

It should be noted that Danes both drool and snore, so potential adopters would want to be aware of that. 🙂

There we go friends – the Great Dane! Interested in adding a Dane to your clan? Head over to Big Dogs Huge Paws to see their available Danes! Do you have a Great Dane? Anything else we should add to this post?

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Meet the Giants: Newfoundland

November 9, 2015 17 Comments

This week on Meet the Giants - the Newfoundland! Check back weekly for information about other giant breeds!

Last week we kicked off our Meet the Giants series with the Great Pyrenees. Today, our friends over at My Brown Newfies will be talking all things Newfoundland!

Do you currently have a Newfoundland?

Sherman-9 years old. Male. Leroy-7 years old. Male

Are there any other names/nicknames for the Newfoundland?

Newf. Newfie.

What are three words you would use to describe Newfoundlands?

Gentle. Loyal. Massive.

What is the average size of a Newfoundland?

Males=130-150 lbs. Females=100-130 lbs

What are the acceptable colors of a Newfoundland?

Black, Brown, Grey and Landseer (white with black markings)

What is the average lifespan?

To age 8-10 but many Newfoundlands these days are living well past 12!

What were Newfoundlands bred to do?

Water rescue and draft work, but many Newfoundlands also can be found doing therapy work in nursing homes, hospitals and schools.

How much exercise do Newfoundlands need?

Moderate to low. Should have daily walks and belly rubs.

What are some common health problems?

Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, SAS, hypothyroidism, cystinuria. allergies, bloat.

How much grooming does the breed require?

Daily

What do you wish people knew about Newfoundlands before bringing one home?

That they are a full time commitment and those cute little fluffy puppies will quickly grow to giant dogs that shed and drool all over house. They are a breed that is happiest when they are with their family. They require daily care and love. If they get sick you can expect giant vet bills.

Why do you love Newfoundlands?

I love the their sweet temperament and goofiness.

Anything else you want to say?

A Newfoundland dog is not for everyone. There’s a saying,, “Newfoundland. Not just a dog it’s lifestyle” and that couldn’t be more true. Newfies will change your life.

If you want to keep up with Sherman and Leroy, follow My Brown Newfies on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hope you learned something new about Newfoundlands and check back next week for another giant breed!

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Meet the Giants: Great Pyrenees

November 2, 2015 39 Comments

I am so excited to kick off our new series, “Meet the Giants”. Each week we will share information about a giant breed from someone very familiar with the breed.

I wanted to start this because I felt a lot of information online about Great Pyrenees was a bit off. The Meet the Giants posts will come from the minds of breed enthusiasts to try and share the most accurate information possible.

So, let’s kick it off with the Great Pyrenees! I’ll be handling this post 🙂

Do you currently have a Great Pyrenees?

Yes! I have two amazing Great Pyrenees – Mauja, our female who just turned 3, and Atka, our male who just turned 2. If we didn’t live on a military base, we’d have many more fluffies!

Are there any other names/nicknames for Great Pyrenees?

The Great Pyrenees is known by this name mostly in North America. In most of Europe, he is known as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog or Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées in France. For those of us that find “Great Pyrenees” too long to say all the time, “pyr” works just perfectly.

What are 3 words you would use to describe Great Pyrenees?

Protective, loyal, and gentle.

What is the average size of a Great Pyrenees?

Height at the withers is 27-32 inches for males and 25-29 inches for females. Weight should be proportionate to the size and structure of the dog. Typically, pyrs will range from 90-150 pounds at a healthy weight.

The Great Pyrenees is considered a medium boned breed (for reference, a Newfoundland is well boned and a Mastiff is heavy boned). That means that a 120 pound pyr could appear to be the same size as a 150 pound Newfoundland.

Many people are often surprised at Mauja and Atka’s weights thinking they should be much higher. The lack of density accounts for the difference. To sum it up, a Great Pyrenees should not be overly lumbering or light. The dog’s proportions are most important.

What are the acceptable colors of a Great Pyrenees?

The Great Pyrenees is predominately white, but various shades gray, tan, and brown can cover up to 1/3 of the body. Most people refer to these markings as “badger marks“.

The face can be slightly colored or fully masked and the body can have a few spots. Typically the undercoat is white, but it can be shaded or marked as well.

What is the average lifespan?

Pyrs typically live for 10-12 years, but I have seen several reach 15 or beyond.

What was the Great Pyrenees bred to do?

The Great Pyrenees is a livestock guardian dog. They protect livestock from predators such as coyotes, wolves, and bears. I have heard of several fending off mountain lions and moose as well; they’re tough dogs!

Pyrs are still widely used as LGDs today, but are becoming an increasingly popular house dog. It is also common to see pyrs as therapy dogs due to their gentle nature. All Great Pyrenees need a job and many will be happy protecting you and your family.

How much exercise do Great Pyrenees need?

They tend to do well with a brisk 30-60 minute walk each day. They are not particularly active dogs, so you won’t spend time running with them for hours on end 😉 Great Pyrenees are also fairly inactive indoors, but most prefer to spend their time outside patrolling their territory.

What are some common health problems?

Great Pyrenees are one of the healthiest giant breeds, but they do still suffer from issues such as hip displasia, bloat, patellar luxation, and osteosarcoma. Minor issues can include skin problems, entropion, and ear issues.

How much grooming do Great Pyrenees require?

Brushing will be the most important thing for maintaining your pyr’s coat. Ideally, brushing should occur at least 2-3 days per week. The outer coat of a Great Pyrenees is mostly mat resistant and self-cleaning, so baths are only needed a few times a year. The double dew claws should be trimmed regularly.

What do you wish people knew about Great Pyrenees before bringing one home?

Well, I wrote an entire post with my top 5 things I wish people knew about them. To sum it up – they bark a ton (like, endlessly), they shed, they dig, they’re independent thinkers so training isn’t a priority for them, and their guard dog nature needs to be seriously considered.

Another big consideration is fencing. The territory of a Great Pyrenees is as far as he can wander and a small fence won’t stop that. Most pyrs will need a minimum of a 6′ fence.

Why do you love Great Pyrenees?

Oh my, I could go on and on here. I think that, for me, their devotion to their family is the most wonderful thing. They are incredibly loyal and would fend off a grizzly without thinking twice. The bond between a person and her Great Pyrenees is unsurmountable.

I also love their independence. There’s something fun about the challenge of training a Great Pyrenees when they have little to no interest. It forces you to think outside the box and get creative. I absolutely love pyrs and will always have them in my life.

While they’re not the perfect breed for everyone, they’re the perfect breed for me <3

Anything else you want to say?

Please don’t go home with the adorable, fluffy puppy without doing research and talking to individuals knowledgable with the breed. Their quirks can be unacceptable to many people who aren’t prepared.

So there you have it! Our first Meet the Giants post featuring the Great Pyrenees. Stay tuned for next week when we’ll introduce our next giant!

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breed information

Meet the Giants: Cane Corso

Meet the Giants: Great Dane

Meet the Giants: Newfoundland

Meet the Giants: Great Pyrenees

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