World's Largest Dog
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Owning a Large Breed Dog
Owning a large breed dog can be tons of fun and excitement, especially for children. Of the 155 dogs that are listed in the American Kennel Club in 2006, the majority of the dogs listed in the top half are large breed dogs. Regardless of whether you choose a large breed dog or a small breed dog, it will be to your advantage to learn as much as you can about the breed. Some of the more popular large breed dogs are German shepherd, Mastiff, Newfoundland, Great Dane, and Labrador. The Labrador is the most popular of all dogs and has been for quite some time. In fact, they are so far ahead of other dogs in popularity; it would take a lot for some other breed to pass them up.
It is a known fact that large breed dogs require more food, more space, more energy and time than small breeds, but there must be something special about them for them to remain so popular. For some reason, children seem to be enamored at the prospect of having a large dog. Whether children feel they play better or are more protective is unknown, but they just seem to prefer large dogs. They just seem to be more affectionate and loving, with children enjoying them more.
There are certain concerns involving owning large dogs. When you bring home that cute little puppy, you know they will grow to be a large dog, but you have no idea at that time how big they will actually grow. They can be an average size German shepherd weighing around 85 pounds or an English Mastiff like Hercules, the Guinness Book of World Records setter, which weighs 282 pounds. There is a lot of difference in the care these two dogs will need.
There are certain concerns involving owning large dogs. When you bring home that cute little puppy, you know they will grow to be a large dog, but you have no idea at that time how big they will actually grow. They can be an average size German shepherd weighing around 85 pounds or an English Mastiff like Hercules, the Guinness Book of World Records setter, which weighs 282 pounds. There is a lot of difference in the care these two dogs will need.
The larger a dog is, the higher his energy requirement will be, which equates into needing more food. Large breed dogs usually spend a lot of time outdoors and their body needs to adjust to different temperature changes. In fact, the energy requirement of an outdoor dog is 25% higher than an indoor dog. Because, large breed dogs are active, they will require more energy. You will need much more dog food to satisfy the needs of a large breed dog. There are certain dog foods made for the large breed dog. It is very important to the dog's overall health that they be fed this food. When dogs are extremely large such as Hercules or some of the other dogs with weight in the 100 to 200 pound range, they may often require a special type of dog food.
Another consideration when contemplating getting a large breed of dog is health problems they may encounter because of their size. Because large dogs have a smaller digestive tract than small dogs, they often have more digestive problems such as episodic diarrhea, frequent defecation and lower digestibility rates. Big dogs tend to want to eat large amounts at one time, which can often cause problems after awhile. The large breed dog may require a special diet or feedings more often to avoid bloat, a syndrome associated with large breed dogs. Rather than feeding one large meal a day, you may want to try giving them three smaller meals each day, preventing them from overeating. Bloat is the number one killer of large dogs.