Comments for Bob's Dog Blog

Comment on Contact by Bob

Bob — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:50:34 +0000

From personal experience, the best time to correct the ear set is between three months and a year old, prior to the growth plates setting. Since I haven’t dealt with this situation in older dogs, I couldn’t say for sure if you can correct this in a dog over a year and a half old. You are dealing with cartilage, so the older the dog gets, the more difficult it will be to break that tissue down or get the ear to drop. If anything, it would take more massaging or correction on a daily basis until the fold corrects. That being said, anything is possible.

Comment on Contact by Slaven

Slaven — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 08:16:45 +0000

I read your blog titled “How To Keep Your Dog From Looking Like Sally Field” and I wonder at what age is your dog too old for this?

Comment on About by Bob

Bob — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Hi Stefan,

That’s a great question! Here’s my take on exercise for pups, particularly Rotties and other working breeds.

Until they are around 18 months old, their skeletal and muscular components are still developing. Young pups have quite a bit of subluxation (muscle laxity) around hips, elbows, stifles and so on. Muscle laxity is a major cause of joint issues, since the muscle is needed to hold the bone in place. The solution to muscle laxity is exercise. These muscle groups need some time to fully and correctly develop. Daily exercise is critical for proper development of muscle tone, so I think you’ve got the right idea in taking her for daily walks.

If she does alright with a 2 mile walk, then don’t worry. You will not hurt her by exercising her. Quite to the contrary, in my opinion, leaving a pup to sit around all day rather than getting them to build muscle tissue, is the actual cause of muscle and joint issues later in life. Just remember to stay away from high impact exercise (i.e. running/walking on concrete or pavement) until she is fully developed. Also, I would mix up the exercise with a bit of ball chasing and retrieving, getting her to run in a straight line, to get all of her muscle groups involved. I’ve run my dogs on grass/dirt for the first year and a half and never have had hip or elbow problems.

You will want to see the improvement in her muscle tone after around a month of this. Rotties show muscle development in the shoulders, the rear and the stifle/thigh areas. Again, in my opinion, good exercise will help prevent things like dysplasia from becoming an issue. Also, if possible, hold off on getting her spayed until she is fully developed. You want her hormones available for muscle, bark and other developmental steps until at least 1.5 years old.

As always, make sure you do not get her to do heavy exercise too soon before or after meals.

Hope this helps.

Bob

Comment on About by Stefan Gilbert

Stefan Gilbert — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:58:32 +0000

Hiya Bob,

I have been trawling the web to find information on “exercise for puppies”. I was hoping perhaps you could offer some advice…

I have a large German Shepherd and now a female Rottweiler puppy (she is now 14 week old). She is a doll and I love her to bits!

We live across the street from a big park and I have pretty much always taken the GS for two walks a day, on in the morning and then when I get home. The afternoon walk is more social, which is great, as there are lots of dogs for them to play with and socialise.

My question is really about my morning walk, which is a “brisk” 3.5 kilometer (or just over 2 miles). It is a walk as much for my health as it is for the dog(s).

Is my 14 week old Rotti too young for that? In other words, is that distance too much exercise for her (at a brisk walking pace)? I absolutely hate leaving her behind in the mornings. I have taken her twice now and she still has energy when we get home, but I have read that it can be bad and the stress it puts on her body may come out later in life.

I really hope you have an answer to this as I really want to take her with me in the mornings but would hat to think that I am hurting her.

Thanks.

Stefan

Comment on Contact by Bob

Bob — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:01:03 +0000

Hi Mel,

I would recommend using a high kcal, good quality kibble such as Diamond Puppy for up to seven or eight months of age, then switch to something like Purina Pro Plan Performance Chicken and Rice (for all life stages). Just look for kibble with high kcals (between 430 and up to 550 per cup). The caloric content you choose will depend on how much energy he burns. If he ‘outgrows’ the Diamond Puppy before seven months and you cannot keep weight on him, get him onto something with higher kcals, like the Pro Plan I mentioned. As a note, I just found another good food, Sportmix Energy Plus, which is available at Tractor Supply stores. It has 552 kcals per cup. I am now using it on all of my GSDs, ages one through nine, and they are doing very well.

Comment on Contact by Mel

Mel — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:38:44 +0000

Hi there, I have a male German Shephard puppy born Jan 1, 2012

I was reading your comments about Exceed Chicken and Rice Performance dog food. I was wondering what brand you now recommend for him as a puppy and as an adult, and when do I switch.

Thanks for your time.

Mel

Comment on Did you hear the one about the 180 lb Rockwilder? by Bob

Bob — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:32:23 +0000

Murphy,
Thank you for your comment on this post.
In over fifteen years of handling this breed, I have never seen any documentation proving that a specimen that conforms to the breed standard can hold that kind of weight. The key word here is ‘conform’. I’m sure you may find someone who has a 200 lb dog, 38 inches at the withers, that looks like a Rottweiler. The fact of the matter (and the point of my post) is that an oversized dog is not something that should be used for breeding, showing or work. If someone wants to create an oversized version of a Rottweiler, that’s their call. Just give it another name and be done with it. Technically, they are not Rottweilers.

You see, all Rottweilers listed in the FCI and AKC stud books, who have been titled, are within this breed standard and are not oversized. All Rottweilers are descended from titled dogs (being a pure bred canine). Hence the fact of someone having seen one or heard about giant specimens is a very, very, moot point.

Comment on Did you hear the one about the 180 lb Rockwilder? by austin murphy

austin murphy — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:04:50 +0000

Bob you are slightly mistaken about the size a rott is able to obtain through selective breeding, proper care, and a refined diet. My grandfather had his own kennel with 60+ rottweilers and spent 20 years refining a blood line that produced 180lb+ males and 150lb+ females everytime. Once the bloodline was finished this chain was broken by only one runt female (Doba) which he gave to us grandkids and she still managed a respectable 138lbs.

The unfortunate side effect to this large selective breeding was these dogs didn’t live as long and had substantial joint problems by the time they were 6-8 years old. If you look through the history of the breed the original rottweilers were bred to be over 150lbs and pull carts, not herd livestock. The breed has since been breed down for the smaller, more athletic, and healthier version you speak of.

The genetics are still there for the massive dogs but are the health problems really worth it? You can take the huge line bred rott and have it crippled by 8 years of age, Or, take a normal rott and have a loving family companion for 12-14 years instead of 9 like my Doba. Also the reason you havent seen any of these massive rotts in show is they are very rare, quite ugly, and somewhat disformed looking. They tend to be almost solid black and have an extremely short wrinkled muzzle that looked like it belonged on a bulldog.

So, the short story is I do agree that size obsession is a waste of time and will only lead to a broken animal and a broken heart. I however do not agree with your disbelief that these animals exist. You shouldn’t be so closed minded on the issue. They are quite rare now days so its understandable you have never seen one. I haven’t seen but one or two 180lb rottweilers in the last ten years and I know where some of my grandfather’s bloodline ended up.

I know I dont offer any evidence for my arguement but call around to a few vets. Im sure they have seen a few. I may be able to provide A breeder that might still have a 180lb+ rott or I think I have a pic of “Goliath” (208lb) standing flat footed over the back of Doba and his belly wasn’t touching her back. There was also a NY Times article on a lady who attacked her husband with her 180lb+ rott several years ago. Actually I found there are several news stories on rottweilers over 180lbs attacking folks. I wonder if their size doesn’t affect their temperment as well. I’ll look into it.

respectfully,
Murphy

Comment on The Great Dog Food Scam, Part II by Bob

Bob — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:18:21 +0000

Hi Curtis,
The only experience I have had with Exceed is the Chicken and Rice formula. That formula was changed over a year ago, when Mars took over producing the food for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they changed the lamb and rice formula as well, most likely to save money in its production. You will have to call and complain to both Mars and Sams Club to get anywhere with this, but you can for sure find out from Mars how many calories this food has and compare it to other similar brands (i.e. Pro Plan, Eukanuba, etc). I know Exceed used to be a good food, but those days are over, unfortunately. Do not be fooled by their ‘fantastic’ ingredients, as that is only part of the big picture, as I have noted on this post. You are better off shopping another brand with better kcals which is more digestible for your dog. Hope this helps.
Bob

Comment on The Great Dog Food Scam, Part II by Curtis

Curtis — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:17:39 +0000

Yes its packaging changed this Oct. 2011. Now my dog is sick and will not even eat Exceed Lamb and Rice.

Something has changed about Sams Club Exceed Lamb and Rice dog food. Dog started being gaseous has been now throwing up. Do you have any info on this brand. It was always so good in the past. Dogs did well on it have been feeding it to them for almost two years. The package changed in Oct. and the food looks darker and more oily.

Thanks,
Curtis