What do you do if your dog gets too big?

[Sam K.]

Well, we have a new puppy. My wife wanted a small dog while I wanted a bigger dog. We compromised and got a Beagle. At least the mother was a Beagle, supposedly. People are telling usthe doglooks like an Austrailian Shepherd and it's estimated to get 40-50 pounds with 50 being more like it. With my wife wanting a dog that can be a house dog and get up on the couch etc., she's thinking she made a mistake and might now take it back (after spending about $400.00).

What would you do or what have you done in such a situation?

[Radiated]

I've got about a 100 lb black lab. Down from about 115. She got so big due to medications for seizures, and my broken leg last summer and unable to get her for walks.

Mine has no trouble getting up on the couch, the bed (which is tall) but does have hip problems due to weight.

[Sam K.]

Thanks for the response, Radiated.

What do you do w the dog while you're at work? We're reluctant to let him have the run of the house. Yet we don't want to cofine him to a cage either esp. if he gets big? We've considered confining him to the kitchen but have heard that he might chew on the cabinets. So we don't know what to do.

[NashvilleUK]

My dog is 35lbs and even crawls in bed some nights. How big is too big - that's a question only you can answer. I've got friends with the mini-dogs (purse dogs) and others with great danes. All depends on what you're looking for in a dog. Personally, I don't see a 50lb dog being a "big" dog. I view anything from 35-75 as a mid-size dog.

Mid-size: like a car, only runs longer.

[DenCat]

I had a mix breed several years agoand shewent 50-60 lbs.She was a holy terror when she was young, chewing on anything, which is normal for any young dog. We tried keeping her in the kitchen when we weren't there, but she didn't like that. I had to replace base boards, repair doors and such. She didn't like being confined to one room. We let her have run of the house and she never chewed anything again. Some don't mind being locked up in a room, others hate it. All dogs are different. She ended up being a fabulous companion until we had to put her down at age 13 due to health problems.

[Jeff Craddock]

We have three Goldens--95, 80, and 70 lbs. They pretty much own the couches, occasionally allowing us to get in some quality couch time. They all three sleep on the bed, for at least part of the night. Each has his or her "spot", so we've got the routine down. We do this because we like it, but some might not want so much togetherness.

As far as the run of the house, the rule of thumb I've used--with expert advice--is NOT to give them the run of the house without supervision until they are two years old. They have to be finished with the chewing phase. So we've crated our young ones until they were old enough. Pups need to go to the bathroom frequently, so we've always found a way to get home in the middle of the day until they're old enough to hold their bladders. That's usually six to nine months. When Keira--our youngest--had to be crated, I'd get a "Kong" toy and fill it with kibble and cover the opening with peanut butter. She'd happily follow the Kong to the crate and would be eagerly working away on it as we/I left the house. In fact, as soon as she saw me preparing the Kong, she'd go straight to her crate. When I came home, she'd generally be sleeping. Dogs usually come to like the crate and consider it a place of safety and security. If you don't feel guilty about using one, they'll take to it much more easily. (You'll soon discover that dogs can "read" your thoughts and feelings and know how to work you. :)) My first trainer used to tell me that my dog was already in my head, so I needed to work on my thoughts and, as Cesar Milan says, project leadership.

Ours are now six, six, and three, so they have the run of the house and do just fine. My wife mostly works from home, so they currently have company, but they do just as well without us. Dogs are social by nature--or at least retreivers are--so I've found that having two makes everyone happier. Dogs don't get as depressed/anxious if they have another dog around when the humans go out.

What I'd do is determine quickly if this is the dog for you and if so, take it to training as soon as possible. Start with "puppy kindergarten" to socialize the pup, then get some basic obedience training to establish your place at the top of the heirarchy.

Good luck!

[capcat]

Really good points, Jeff....the two year milestone, crating and training. All came to mind when I read Sam's post.
We've never had a bit of trouble withour 65 pound Lab/Spaniel mix. She's a gem.
If your vet says Australian Shepherd, you might want to ask around about that particular breed and whetherit's suitable. The only one I've been around is one my parents took in as a puppy. She was dumped on their farm, with a broken leg. She's young yet andhas a lot of energy, but her days are filled with things like herding cattle, which is right up her alley.My dadwas hesitant at first to take her in, but now they're inseparable. I will say that she appears to be a dog who would take well to training, because she seems fairly obedient and 'considerate'(I think some dogs are :)) even without it. She's a sweet pup.

[freethrow]

Hey Sam,

I agree with the above comments about Crating your dog. It is best that you buy a good size doggie crate now and start using it right away. The pup will yelp like crazy for a couple of nights but will settle down and get used to it. Put a used piece of clothing or something with your scent in the crate. Something that the pup can't hurt itself with. Also, for the chewing urge, put something to chew on for the little fella. Place the crate to where the dog will not have a view of you moving around the house after he is crated for the night if possible.

It is wise to agree on a saying between you and your wife for when it is time to crate him. Allways use those words in the same way and never let the Dog win when you want the dog in the cage. Don't be rough, but don't be a wimp either. :) It won't be long before you can tell the dog to go to bed and he will head straight for his crate, if you stick with it.

I know a good deal about Australian Shepherds and Beagles as well. That should make a real fine dog. Beagles, usually, are very gentle dogs. Great with kids. Australian Shepherds are great family dog's as well but not as eager to meet strangers as a Beagle is. They love kids too and are also pretty darn smart and will steal your heart with their personality as they mature.

I wouldn't worry about a 50 pound dog at all. You have the best of both worlds. Small enough to where the dog isn't in the way all of the time and big enough to actually protect you or your wife if needed. About all one of those tiny dogs can do is pee on the bad guy. :) Besides, a tiny dog often is a "yapper" and that can drive you crazy. I know, it happened to me. :)

Keep the guy Sam. I bet he becomes a beloved family member in no time. :)

[Radiated]

We did the crate thing for awhile when we were gone and at night. She would whine and bark pretty much all night. Then we started to let her sleep with us.She had run of the upstairs, but not the downstairs.

WHen we were gone, we had babygates ove the kithen doors and she would just jump over it.

We then let her have full fun of the house while we were gone. She chewed the cushions on a brand new couch. Thankfully,. the store we bought it at replaced the cushions

When she got older she quit chewing on everything. She is now a great dog.

When I broke my leg and we had to move the bed downstairs she didn't sleep with me. I slept in the bed, wife on the couch, and dog on the loveseat. Now that we are sleeping back upstairs, she still sleeeps down on the loveseat.

[Bluesong]

freethrow wrote: Hey Sam,

I agree with the above comments about Crating your dog. It is best that you buy a good size doggie crate now and start using it right away. The pup will yelp like crazy for a couple of nights but will settle down and get used to it. Put a used piece of clothing or something with your scent in the crate. Something that the pup can't hurt itself with. Also, for the chewing urge, put something to chew on for the little fella. Place the crate to where the dog will not have a view of you moving around the house after he is crated for the night if possible.

It is wise to agree on a saying between you and your wife for when it is time to crate him. Allways use those words in the same way and never let the Dog win when you want the dog in the cage. Don't be rough, but don't be a wimp either. :) It won't be long before you can tell the dog to go to bed and he will head straight for his crate, if you stick with it.

I know a good deal about Australian Shepherds and Beagles as well. That should make a real fine dog. Beagles, usually, are very gentle dogs. Great with kids. Australian Shepherds are great family dog's as well but not as eager to meet strangers as a Beagle is. They love kids too and are also pretty darn smart and will steal your heart with their personality as they mature.

I wouldn't worry about a 50 pound dog at all. You have the best of both worlds. Small enough to where the dog isn't in the way all of the time and big enough to actually protect you or your wife if needed. About all one of those tiny dogs can do is pee on the bad guy. :) Besides, a tiny dog often is a "yapper" and that can drive you crazy. I know, it happened to me. :)

Keep the guy Sam. I bet he becomes a beloved family member in no time. :)


We have a Boxer that is just a little sweetheart. I agree with giving the crate a name. Every time we put her in it, we would say "Bed" and then give her a word of praise. Now, if company is around and you don't want the dog bothering folks, all we have to say is her name and bed. She goes right to it, no questions asked.

Beagles are great little dogs. If they have a downside at all, it would be that they are bred to hunt and when turned outside, they will roam a large area if not chained or fenced in.

[NC Cat]

We got a "beagle mix" pup from the Humane Society 4 years ago, because our daughter wanted a "little lapdog". We were assured that he would neverbemore than 17 lbs....Well, they were only off by 60 lbs. or so (he's75 lbs. today).:rolleyes:

On the bright side, he still thinks he's a lapdog andwe love him as much or more than any dog we've ever owned. He's just a little larger than we bargained for. :ggrin:

[Calsegs]

Our 5 year old neutered male ,brindle and flashy white Boxer, Chester, was crate trained as a youngun to accomplish house breaking. Haven't used the crate since his first year.
The dog is 70 lbs. Curled up , looks smaller. He likes the warmth of our radiant heated stone floors covered with thick rugs. He also loves his bed, which is on the floor in our library/family room.

Sometimes when I return home from being away for several hours, if he's inside because it's "cold" out, I will find him on one of our overstuffed chairs in our living room.
This is probably the worst thing he does, that and bedevil one of our 2 cats.(the other cat, a Maine Coon , pretty much ignores all canine antics)

Chester loves to romp, go for long walks, runs too. He is fine with hanging around the house, but he does love any outdoor game or exercise. Did i mention dog has a sweet, and has a good sense of humor?
He eats a raw diet of green tripe, chicken, turkey , organ meats of larger animals, meaty bones, some green veggies .He was not as bad a chewer while teething as our Belgian Shepherd was...and the chewing behavior is long over.

Jeff said it well, with his advice on taking some classes in basic obedience , and how to socialize your dog , to other dogs and to humans.
As for the size of your dog, seems like a great size, and probably going to be a really smart companion. I hope you and your wife :cool: are happy with your new friend.

[StuckinHoosierNation]

freethrow wrote: Hey Sam,

I agree with the above comments about Crating your dog. It is best that you buy a good size doggie crate now and start using it right away. The pup will yelp like crazy for a couple of nights but will settle down and get used to it. Put a used piece of clothing or something with your scent in the crate. Something that the pup can't hurt itself with. Also, for the chewing urge, put something to chew on for the little fella. Place the crate to where the dog will not have a view of you moving around the house after he is crated for the night if possible.

It is wise to agree on a saying between you and your wife for when it is time to crate him. Allways use those words in the same way and never let the Dog win when you want the dog in the cage. Don't be rough, but don't be a wimp either. :) It won't be long before you can tell the dog to go to bed and he will head straight for his crate, if you stick with it.


I definitely agree with these comments. We have a german shepherd that we brought hom a couple of months ago. We started crate training him from the get-go and he does fine. He's not crazy about being in there when you are moving around but he calms down pretty quickly these days. He stays in his crate even when I am home and I don't want to devote all of my attention to him (like now ;)). He's currently 19 wks and is already over 30lbs. We have found this website to be EXTREMELY helpful. He's aGSD breeder but stresses that his advice applies to all dog breeds.

http://leerburg.com/

[freethrow]

Sam, I don't think you want this dog. Semi Adult theme to this but a good grin anyway.

Edited


Well, the link got edited. Just trust me. It was funny. Gross to some I am sure, but funny. :)