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EM turning 6 months old

Johnsonmichael527

Active Member
20180410_182148.jpg My little boy (well not so little) is turning 6 months on tomorrow and so far he has brought joy to us. He had his check up yesterday and he is doing great. He is about 27 inches tall at the shoulders and 118lbs. He plays all day with his little brother (our beagle pup). He is starting to get his personality developed. He is a complete goofball and unless he playing with the other puppy he is a super cuddler. I know it's a bad habit to develop but he loves to lay on the couch with his big ole head in our laps. The only problem I am having is his lazy sit. We keep correcting him when he sits like this but he still does it.

Sorry about the photos being sideways. Tried numerous times to upload but they always ended up like this.
20180326_091210.jpg
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
View attachment 60411 My little boy (well not so little) is turning 6 months on tomorrow and so far he has brought joy to us. He had his check up yesterday and he is doing great. He is about 27 inches tall at the shoulders and 118lbs. He plays all day with his little brother (our beagle pup). He is starting to get his personality developed. He is a complete goofball and unless he playing with the other puppy he is a super cuddler. I know it's a bad habit to develop but he loves to lay on the couch with his big ole head in our laps. The only problem I am having is his lazy sit. We keep correcting him when he sits like this but he still does it.

Sorry about the photos being sideways. Tried numerous times to upload but they always ended up like this.
View attachment 60412

He looks great! Congratulations! Definitely a big guy. I love the second picture.
 

Smokeycat

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure you can prevent that sit. It seems to be a natural position for EMs, at least based on Kryten and the pictures I've seen on Mastiff pages. Also better his head than him. Lol.
 

Sheila Braund

Well-Known Member
He’s a big gorgeous boy! And he will only get bigger. That sit Bella sits like that too when she is tired. When I see it I ask her to lay down or to stand. As I don’t like all her weight on her hip like that.... thats just me .... Our family of EM owners don’t teach our dogs to sit as a trick. We’re just trying to protect their hips
 

Johnsonmichael527

Active Member
He’s a big gorgeous boy! And he will only get bigger. That sit Bella sits like that too when she is tired. When I see it I ask her to lay down or to stand. As I don’t like all her weight on her hip like that.... thats just me .... Our family of EM owners don’t teach our dogs to sit as a trick. We’re just trying to protect their hips

We have started getting Declan to stand when he sits like that. We are concerned about hip issues with him also. We recently bought his a Kuranda orthopedic bed. He is still getting used to it. It's supposed to be real good for their joints.

He has been really finicky with his eating past couple of days. My vet said he is probably hitting s growth spurt and making him that way. We rescued an older St Bernard but this is our first giant breed puppy I never knew they were this demanding. But it's worth it. Just means i have to do more research and talk to other EM owners.
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
We have started getting Declan to stand when he sits like that. We are concerned about hip issues with him also. We recently bought his a Kuranda orthopedic bed. He is still getting used to it. It's supposed to be real good for their joints.

He has been really finicky with his eating past couple of days. My vet said he is probably hitting s growth spurt and making him that way. We rescued an older St Bernard but this is our first giant breed puppy I never knew they were this demanding. But it's worth it. Just means i have to do more research and talk to other EM owners.

I don‘t think that this is uncommon. Our 7 3/4 months old EM would just walk away from his food from time to time. I typically add different toppings, such as banana pieces, carrots, apple etc., which can help.
 

Johnsonmichael527

Active Member
I don‘t think that this is uncommon. Our 7 3/4 months old EM would just walk away from his food from time to time. I typically add different toppings, such as banana pieces, carrots, apple etc., which can help.

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely try that. My wife tells me I am overly concerned with this guy. I probably am, we lost three dogs in 4 months last year due to old age and cancer. I think that has me a little precautious
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the advice. I will definitely try that. My wife tells me I am overly concerned with this guy. I probably am, we lost three dogs in 4 months last year due to old age and cancer. I think that has me a little precautious

I'm sorry you had so many losses. I understand being extra cautious. I was the same after I lost two dogs unexpectedly and close together. As for the food issue - just be careful with the toppers. Some dogs can become reliant on a topper to eat. I don't mind adding toppers, but some people do. I don't think I welcomed you to the forum, so welcome! Beautiful boys you have.
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
I'm sorry you had so many losses. I understand being extra cautious. I was the same after I lost two dogs unexpectedly and close together. As for the food issue - just be careful with the toppers. Some dogs can become reliant on a topper to eat. I don't mind adding toppers, but some people do. I don't think I welcomed you to the forum, so welcome! Beautiful boys you have.

Good point. I definitely wouldn‘t overdo it on the toppers either. However, things like carrots are low on calories and can easily be added from time to time to add some variety.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Good point. I definitely wouldn‘t overdo it on the toppers either. However, things like carrots are low on calories and can easily be added from time to time to add some variety.

I use green beans a lot. Particularly if I need to cut back kibble during the winter due to weight gain (shhh, don't tell Ella). They're pretty much a free food.
 

Sheila Braund

Well-Known Member
I don‘t think that this is uncommon. Our 7 3/4 months old EM would just walk away from his food from time to time. I typically add different toppings, such as banana pieces, carrots, apple etc., which can help.

This spring all my fur babies walked away from their meals. Bella was only eating 1/2 of her normal amount. Some days Sunny wouldn’t eat at all. I just kept a watch on them all. Made sure they still drank and still went pee. Even my 17 yr old cat, Miss Kitty stopped eating. I think it was a bit of spring fever. Now that we have snow again their all eating their normal amounts
 

Johnsonmichael527

Active Member
This spring all my fur babies walked away from their meals. Bella was only eating 1/2 of her normal amount. Some days Sunny wouldn’t eat at all. I just kept a watch on them all. Made sure they still drank and still went pee. Even my 17 yr old cat, Miss Kitty stopped eating. I think it was a bit of spring fever. Now that we have snow again their all eating their normal amounts

He still drinks plenty of water and goes to the bathroom regularly. And he and his brother play. From everyone's responses it seems it just the typical EM puppy life.

Thanks for all the responses everyone. What's the old saying it takes a village to raise a kid. So I guess it takes a world wide forum to raise mastiff puppies
 

TylerDurden

Well-Known Member
He still drinks plenty of water and goes to the bathroom regularly. And he and his brother play. From everyone's responses it seems it just the typical EM puppy life.

Thanks for all the responses everyone. What's the old saying it takes a village to raise a kid. So I guess it takes a world wide forum to raise mastiff puppies

I wouldn't be worried at this point. Also, he looks very healthy on the pictures you posted. There are some tricks that can help you to make them eat (e.g. Boxergirl's descriptions). Being lazy and stubborn at times certainly can be challenging when it comes to food. I've noticed that he would sometimes walk away just to return a couple minutes later to eat (no idea why). I have a video of him pushing his food bowl away to demonstrate that he's not interested (he had begged for the food prior to that). Not sure if that is breed specific, but definitely nothing out of the norm. However, totally understandable that some behaviors can be concerning to us owners.