Tips and advice on raising Neo pup

[Belmas]

Your pup is so cute, mine is almost 6 months now and 92lbs. They are such a great dogs.

 

[Milton Meathead]

Oh my. What a sweet face! I have a blue boy to named Kazmaier. It's really good to see more neo owners in the group. I too feed my boy the kirkland Costco food but just recently switched to same brand but grain free as there was something in it that was making his poop soft all the time. He seems to do better so far. Also...we too started out crate training and it went well for a while.....not sure what happened but he now sleeps in our room or downstairs now. He really likes being with us and because our living room really had no place to put a huge crate....we had to keep it downstairs in the basement. I think he eventually became lonely down there and started crying. This is when we let him stay with us. It's been about a month and a half now and he is just wonderful...couldn't ask for a better dog...because we now trust him at night, we have now given him some trust in the day while we go out. He now stays out of his kennel during the day for longest about 5 hours and so far so good. He is great...no pee and no chewing. We have always from day one given him lots to chew on and have always told him no when it comes to things he should not be touching. We do have a big dog run in our basement that we built just in case but I just can't see having to put him there. My husband says "how is he going to protect the house and us if he is locked away in a kennel?" I agree....on the other hand...we also have a 6 year Boston Terrier that insists on sleeping in his kennel at night. He loves his kennel as we had always used it with him but then again....he also ks a different dog in that he was hard to potty training and would mark all over the house if we left him alone. That has changed now but he has learned to love his kennel.

 

[spritemk3]

OMG!!!! So squishy.... Love, love, love it. He is adorable! Have fun, the little stage doesn't last long. lol

 

[spritemk3]

@Belmas...Holy Cow! 92#'s at 6 months???? Baci is just at 18 weeks and weighs 56# and I thought that was HUGE. @Milton...How much does Kaz weigh now? He and Baci are pretty close to the same age. Our girl gains about .6#/day. My engineer husband just had to know.

 

[Titan519]

Thank you for you kind words. I put him in the crate today when I stepped out to get groceries. I work from home so I'm with him lots. Only been since thurs. I've let him sleep with me the first few night but tonight I think I may try to keep him in his crate to avoid any pee accidents. Like I said I'm always with him and pretty much never let him leave my sight. I can tell when he has to go pee but sometimes I'm not quick enough and a lil squirt will come out :/ so off outside we go even tho I was just getting ready to take him. But he goes outside and finishs and runs back inside because it's getting a little cold. He's so cute and his temperment is great.

I do have a question tho, when we play tug of war and he gets a little bitey what's a good way besides NO.

He won't go on Kirkland till 6 months. I was mistaken, he is currently on blue buffalo puppy and authority brand grain free. I feed him when we wake up again around 1ish and then at night.

I started clicker training him to look at me when his name
Is called and sit. Since he's so young I've only done it for about 10min a day. I want a treat that isn't to filling he will desire like no other.

 

[cinnamon roll]

When he nips you yelp like a pup.

 

[Titan519]

I read that and i actually have been doing that. Was amazed how well it worked. I read all this alpha dog stuff ect. Do I just raise and train him like all my other dogs I have owned. Emphasizing on socialization

Or is this something I should look into and add some techniques to my play book

 

[cinnamon roll]

I have raised all my dogs the same....from my EM, rotties, dobes you just tweak what is need depending on the stubbornness of the dog. IMO

I don't really use the alpha training. And DEFINITELY socialize him. As much as you can.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I'll have to look up the other two foods but I vaugely recall the Kirkland being fine for a growing giant breed pup.

There is no set amount thats correct (regardlessof what the bag says). You feed the amount that keeps him in the correct body condition. Use the bag label as a starting point, and adjust based on him. Lower it if he chunks up, increase it if he gets too slim. The ideal is nice and slim.

Socialize socialize socialize. And when you think you're done, repeat it. Only got 5 minutes to spare? Take him for a quick walk to say hi to the neighbors.

By "alpha training" you mean that whole mess that includes alpha rolling as a training technique? Yah, no. Please don't alpha roll your pup. For one thing, although you might be able to make him now, he's going to quickly reach a size where you can't. If thats how you plan to controll him you'll be screwed.

 

[Titan519]

Thanks for your help. I don't intend on alpha training, you gave me what I wanted , someone with exp to give their opinion. Only thing I'm doing differently with him is using a clicker with the reward system. All my dogs have always been well mannered and friendly. I read such horror stories and wonder how the dog turned out that way. I think, was the owner incapable or was it the lack of knowledge on the breed and the approach to train them. Or was it just the breeds nature.

I just want my Neo to grow up a nice happy boy.

I'm going to try the crate training tonight. I just feel he will hold some kind of resentment towards me for locking him in there.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated as this is my first mastiff.

What's a good treat to use for training. I know I can give him anything but from all of your exp what has a high desirability but isn't heavy and fill them up?

Thank you for your help.

 

[cinnamon roll]

He will get use to his crate. Make it homey and comfy for him. He will probably protest as it is something new to him, but every night the protest should be less and less.

I suggest using whatever treat works for your pup. With Mystic I used carrots.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I do recommend crate training. It'll take him some time to get used to it, butits such a usefull skill for a dog to have....

If he'll respond for kibble grab a handfull from his breakfast/lunch to use for training treats. If you need a high value treat use SMALL, as in tiny!, bits of hotdog, or cheese, or dried liver, depending on what he responds to best.

 

[Belmas]

@Belmas...Holy Cow! 92#'s at 6 months???? Baci is just at 18 weeks and weighs 56# and I thought that was HUGE. @Milton...How much does Kaz weigh now? He and Baci are pretty close to the same age. Our girl gains about .6#/day. My engineer husband just had to know.

I know, he's huge, but I figured he would be because his dad was 190# and his mom was 140#. He seems to gain about 4-5#'s a week. The picture of Baci looks just like he did, they could be twins.

 

[Belmas]

When Opie came home I felt bad when I had to crate him also, so I put the crate beside my bed ad took the top off and would reach down with my hand for and pet him for the first few nights. After that he would go right in his crate at bed time with no fuss at all. Now that he his house trained at 6 months we have transitioned his own dog bed and goes right on it and stays there all night still right next to my bed.

 

[Titan519]

Your pup is so cute, mine is almost 6 months now and 92lbs. They are such a great dogs.

Do you remember his weight at 8 weeks. Oh man do they grow fast. Hard to believe this little thing is going to turn into a giant in less then a year. I've been taking daily pics of him sitting next to a chest I have and hope to make a little time lapse video someday.

 

[Milton Meathead]

Spritemk3....not sure how many weeks kaz is but he was born June 23rd...he was weighed about a month ago and was 70lbs...I'm not sure what he is now..he seems small to me except for when I see him next to other dogs then he looks much bigger ). ....kaz's mom was 130 and dad was 160 and ill be happy at any weight.

@Belmas...Holy Cow! 92#'s at 6 months???? Baci is just at 18 weeks and weighs 56# and I thought that was HUGE. @Milton...How much does Kaz weigh now? He and Baci are pretty close to the same age. Our girl gains about .6#/day. My engineer husband just had to know.

 

[Milton Meathead]

Titan..Kaz weighed around 24lbs at 8 weeks...As for the crate training...I'm glad we started with it when kaz was much younger as it really helped with the potty training. Also..when we went out..it kept him safe plus 8weeks is way to young to just let him have free range of the house alone IMO. For treats when it comes to training especially clicker training..I would use kibble or even those kitty treats..you know the kitty treats in the small bags...not sure what they are called but kaz went nuts for them AND they are nice and small and you get lots in those bags they come in.

 

[Hector]

When first teaching a command, use a high value treat (real meat, cheese, liver treats, etc). When the pup knows and does the command well on a consistent basis, you can lower the level of the reward (kibble). You should not lower the reward for certain commands such as the recall. For the recall, the reward is every time and always very good.

 

[Milton Meathead]

Oh yeah forgot to mention that it's fine to feed kirkland adult food to a pup.especially a giant breed pup because you don't want them growing to fast with the puppy food. When we got kaz, he was 9 weeks old and we fed him 5 cups a day...2/1/2..only because he was a little skinnier as I think he had 8 other puppies to compete with for food. We now feed 7 cups a day 4/3 and he looks great..no ribs showing.

 

[Milton Meathead]

Hector..I'm having problems with the recall. I think I need to get used to the idea of always having a good treat on hand for him when I call him. In house he usually listens well but outside he has a mind of his own..