Raising your Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppy
Exercise
When raising any large or giant breed puppy, extreme care must be taken to ensure the puppy does not injure itself. These puppies can be very rambuncious and playful and they just don't know what's best for them! Although your puppy should and must be properly excersized, one must not over-do it.
A swissy puppy should be allowed free supervised play with companions of comparable size. It's important not to take very young puppies on extended walks or hikes. A puppy that is energetic and willing to play should be allowed to do so, while a puppy that desires rest should be granted this as well. Keep in mind that a young puppy will feel the need to "keep up" with the pack and can easily over-do it in their excitement. Swissies are slow to develop and growth plates are not closed until around 18 months of age. Care must be taken to avoid damaging these growth plates by jumping out of vehicles, jumping over logs or other obstacles, or running down stairs. This is very important, as these can lead to OCD lesions in the joints.
Diet
Another factor in raising a sound puppy is controlling weight gain and growth. A swissy puppy should not be fed a puppy food, but rather a premium all-life stage or adult formulation food. Puppy foods encourage too fast a growth rate and can lead to structural issues in a developing swissy puppy. A slow growth rate should be encouraged. You should also keep the puppy's figure slim. They should never be free-fed, or given free access to food. Your puppy should never be allowed to be overweight while growing! Ribs should be easily felt and the puppy should never have a "belly". This is critical to insuring your puppy's soundness as an adult. Studies have shown that free-fed puppies have a much higher incidence of hip dysplasia as adults. All dogs are pre-programmed to end up being a certain size- you will not influence this by feeding them more and growing them up faster. Please see my feeding recommendation page for my interpretation of proper diet.
Socialization
A swissy puppy must be properly socialized in order to become a good canine citizen. This includes meeting as many new people and animals as possible every week. Take time on the weekends to take your puppy on mini trips to new places and safe, fun environments. You must also take care to only give your puppy positive experiences. This does not mean the puppy should only do things that make them happy, but rather be introduced to everything in a positive manner. Vet visits, including nail trims and restraint should be introduced early. At some point in their lives they will most likely be in a vet hospital for something and it should not be a distressing experience. All puppies should be enrolled in obedience classes as soon as it is possible. Puppy kindergarten is more about the socializing than actual obedience, but simple behaviors can be instilled at that young age (good attention to the handler is one important thing and something that most swissy pups excel at!). Your new puppy should meet men and women- both young and old, children- even if you don't plan to have any, and other animals- both large and small.
**Always keep in mind that your puppy wont be fully vaccinated against Parvo virus until they are 16 weeks old, so should be taken to places where the dog traffic is controlled, ie: no dog parks or pet stores, as these places are not regulated and pose a greater risk of harboring Parvo virus. Don't let this stop you from getting your puppy out and about however- socialization is very important!!
Coat, Nails, and Teeth
One of the joys of swissy ownership is the "wash and wear" coat they possess. The coat varies from plush to slick, with varying degrees of undercoat. All swissies shed, but some more than others. They typically "blow" their coats twice a year with the change in weather. Most get by just fine with once a week brushing and then use of a shedding blade when doing the heavy shedding (I love the Furminator for this). Honestly, none of my swissies (all fairly slick coated with varying amounts of undercoat) shed any more than my Labrador. But, like all breeds with an undercoat, they will create hair tumbleweeds in the home! Nails must be kept trimmed and this should be a skill acquired as a youngster. Many dogs do not particularly enjoy this, but it is a necessary task. I trim my dogs' nails once a week, using a Dremel grinder. They are all accustomed to it and accept it. You should not have a 100+ pound dog that takes 3 vet techs to restrain in order to have it's nails done! Take the time to teach this lesson to your new puppy and stay with it for the life of your dog. Dental hygeine is another important aspect to overall health care and must be routinely checked. Following my feeding recommendation can help insure clean teeth and healthy gums, by making use of the natural chewing behavior of your canine companion. Raw, meaty marrow bones are great for cleaning tartar build-up off the teeth. Allowing tartar to build up in the dog's mouth can lead to bacteria eroding the tooth roots leading to tooth loss or the need for tooth extractions. This bacteria can also lead to dental abscesses and heart disease.
Spaying and Neutering
Most reputable breeders will require in the contract that you wait to alter your male and female Greater Swiss until after sexual maturity has been reached. In females this means going through atleast one heat cycle-- two is better. Your female should not be spayed until she has reached 18 months of age. Aside from allowing the dog's hormones to aid in development of the musculoskeletal system, in the female, allowing them to fully mature can help prevent Female Urinary Incontinence. It is still not a guarantee, but rather a safeguard against it.
In males, they should be kept intact, barring any behavioral difficulties, until 18 months to 2 years of age. Males that are neutered earlier tend to grow tall and stay more narrow. There have been multiple studies done to show the incidence of structural issues (torn cruciate ligaments in the knee mainly) in early neutered male Rottweilers. I have spoken to my dog's orthopedic veterinary surgeon about this issue and he agrees that the sex hormones play a vital role in proper development of bones and ligaments. A valid argument (in some breeds) for spaying BEFORE sexual maturity is a decreased chance of mammary cancer in females. This is one reason your vet may give for spaying your girl at 6 months of age. This is just something that we don't see much of in GSMDs and is not a good reason for early spay in swissies, in my opinion. Living with an incontinent swissy is a much more common problem and one that is exacerbated when a female is spayed before becoming fully mature.
**If you don't think you are responsible enough as a pet owner to keep your dog from impregnating another or your female from becoming unwantedly bred, you may not be prepared for or ready to raise a puppy. In this case, consider Swissy Rescue or find a suitable retired breeding or show dog. I want any puppy buyer to feel confident enough to not be bullied by their veterinarian when it comes to this issue. I am more than happy to discuss this in-depth with you. Just ask! As a licensed veterinary technician myself, I know and understand both sides of this and I have only my dogs' best interest in mind, not the convenience of the puppy buyer. I am interested in the most caring and dedicated owners for my swissies.
Please visit the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America's site, mainly this page: The Beginner's Guide To The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, for more information not covered here.
When raising any large or giant breed puppy, extreme care must be taken to ensure the puppy does not injure itself. These puppies can be very rambuncious and playful and they just don't know what's best for them! Although your puppy should and must be properly excersized, one must not over-do it.
A swissy puppy should be allowed free supervised play with companions of comparable size. It's important not to take very young puppies on extended walks or hikes. A puppy that is energetic and willing to play should be allowed to do so, while a puppy that desires rest should be granted this as well. Keep in mind that a young puppy will feel the need to "keep up" with the pack and can easily over-do it in their excitement. Swissies are slow to develop and growth plates are not closed until around 18 months of age. Care must be taken to avoid damaging these growth plates by jumping out of vehicles, jumping over logs or other obstacles, or running down stairs. This is very important, as these can lead to OCD lesions in the joints.
Diet
Another factor in raising a sound puppy is controlling weight gain and growth. A swissy puppy should not be fed a puppy food, but rather a premium all-life stage or adult formulation food. Puppy foods encourage too fast a growth rate and can lead to structural issues in a developing swissy puppy. A slow growth rate should be encouraged. You should also keep the puppy's figure slim. They should never be free-fed, or given free access to food. Your puppy should never be allowed to be overweight while growing! Ribs should be easily felt and the puppy should never have a "belly". This is critical to insuring your puppy's soundness as an adult. Studies have shown that free-fed puppies have a much higher incidence of hip dysplasia as adults. All dogs are pre-programmed to end up being a certain size- you will not influence this by feeding them more and growing them up faster. Please see my feeding recommendation page for my interpretation of proper diet.
Socialization
A swissy puppy must be properly socialized in order to become a good canine citizen. This includes meeting as many new people and animals as possible every week. Take time on the weekends to take your puppy on mini trips to new places and safe, fun environments. You must also take care to only give your puppy positive experiences. This does not mean the puppy should only do things that make them happy, but rather be introduced to everything in a positive manner. Vet visits, including nail trims and restraint should be introduced early. At some point in their lives they will most likely be in a vet hospital for something and it should not be a distressing experience. All puppies should be enrolled in obedience classes as soon as it is possible. Puppy kindergarten is more about the socializing than actual obedience, but simple behaviors can be instilled at that young age (good attention to the handler is one important thing and something that most swissy pups excel at!). Your new puppy should meet men and women- both young and old, children- even if you don't plan to have any, and other animals- both large and small.
**Always keep in mind that your puppy wont be fully vaccinated against Parvo virus until they are 16 weeks old, so should be taken to places where the dog traffic is controlled, ie: no dog parks or pet stores, as these places are not regulated and pose a greater risk of harboring Parvo virus. Don't let this stop you from getting your puppy out and about however- socialization is very important!!
Coat, Nails, and Teeth
One of the joys of swissy ownership is the "wash and wear" coat they possess. The coat varies from plush to slick, with varying degrees of undercoat. All swissies shed, but some more than others. They typically "blow" their coats twice a year with the change in weather. Most get by just fine with once a week brushing and then use of a shedding blade when doing the heavy shedding (I love the Furminator for this). Honestly, none of my swissies (all fairly slick coated with varying amounts of undercoat) shed any more than my Labrador. But, like all breeds with an undercoat, they will create hair tumbleweeds in the home! Nails must be kept trimmed and this should be a skill acquired as a youngster. Many dogs do not particularly enjoy this, but it is a necessary task. I trim my dogs' nails once a week, using a Dremel grinder. They are all accustomed to it and accept it. You should not have a 100+ pound dog that takes 3 vet techs to restrain in order to have it's nails done! Take the time to teach this lesson to your new puppy and stay with it for the life of your dog. Dental hygeine is another important aspect to overall health care and must be routinely checked. Following my feeding recommendation can help insure clean teeth and healthy gums, by making use of the natural chewing behavior of your canine companion. Raw, meaty marrow bones are great for cleaning tartar build-up off the teeth. Allowing tartar to build up in the dog's mouth can lead to bacteria eroding the tooth roots leading to tooth loss or the need for tooth extractions. This bacteria can also lead to dental abscesses and heart disease.
Spaying and Neutering
Most reputable breeders will require in the contract that you wait to alter your male and female Greater Swiss until after sexual maturity has been reached. In females this means going through atleast one heat cycle-- two is better. Your female should not be spayed until she has reached 18 months of age. Aside from allowing the dog's hormones to aid in development of the musculoskeletal system, in the female, allowing them to fully mature can help prevent Female Urinary Incontinence. It is still not a guarantee, but rather a safeguard against it.
In males, they should be kept intact, barring any behavioral difficulties, until 18 months to 2 years of age. Males that are neutered earlier tend to grow tall and stay more narrow. There have been multiple studies done to show the incidence of structural issues (torn cruciate ligaments in the knee mainly) in early neutered male Rottweilers. I have spoken to my dog's orthopedic veterinary surgeon about this issue and he agrees that the sex hormones play a vital role in proper development of bones and ligaments. A valid argument (in some breeds) for spaying BEFORE sexual maturity is a decreased chance of mammary cancer in females. This is one reason your vet may give for spaying your girl at 6 months of age. This is just something that we don't see much of in GSMDs and is not a good reason for early spay in swissies, in my opinion. Living with an incontinent swissy is a much more common problem and one that is exacerbated when a female is spayed before becoming fully mature.
**If you don't think you are responsible enough as a pet owner to keep your dog from impregnating another or your female from becoming unwantedly bred, you may not be prepared for or ready to raise a puppy. In this case, consider Swissy Rescue or find a suitable retired breeding or show dog. I want any puppy buyer to feel confident enough to not be bullied by their veterinarian when it comes to this issue. I am more than happy to discuss this in-depth with you. Just ask! As a licensed veterinary technician myself, I know and understand both sides of this and I have only my dogs' best interest in mind, not the convenience of the puppy buyer. I am interested in the most caring and dedicated owners for my swissies.
Please visit the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America's site, mainly this page: The Beginner's Guide To The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, for more information not covered here.