Meet Lex-Man

Life with an XL Dog

Yesterday, I took Lex to the vet. At almost two years old, he weighed in at 92 pounds. When we got Lex he was about 6 months old and weighed only 40 pounds. We rescued him and couldn't be happier. Along with being a little two small he was scared and looking for a family to love him. He had anxiety issues, and still does from time to time. Lex is a mix-we were told Labrador and Weimerheimer.

The first 6 months of having him we walked Lex, 3 times a day RELIGIOUSLY! It was so good for him. Over the past year and a half he has matured but it is important we still find ways to occupy his mind engery and physical energy.

Here are my tips for caring for a large dog:

-Invest in a Kong. Lex loves his. We fill it with peanut butter and pumpkin most commonly. We even mix in his dog food from time to time. It is best to freeze it to make him work a little harder for it. Kongs are used for prevention of boredom, separation anxiety and other behavioral issues. Kongs are great for a dogs dental health. And overall, a great toy for them to play with bounce, chase, chew, etc.

-Kibble Nibble Ball Toy-  Food and Treat activity ball that the dog must roll and work to get a treat. The toy is mentally and physically stimulating.

-If your dog pulls a lot while walking on a leash a gentle leader is a great investment. It is designed so when a dog pulls it adds slight pressure on calming parts and pulls their nose down teaching them that it is uncomfortable to pull. It changes Lex's complete demeanor when he has the gentle leader on, he understands that we are in charge.

-Hide and Seek- Just like the game you would play as children hide and seat is also mentally and physically challenging. My husband and I will play with Lex in the evenings when it is too rainy or cold for a walk. One of us will hide while the other holds Lex back. When ready the hider will call the dog and the dog must search the entire house trying to find his owner by listening to the command "come."

-Gestures- We are also firm believers in adding a gesture to the commands your dog learns. We have trained Lex to sit, lay down, and stay without having to say a word. This is good for him and for us!

-Stereo or TV-We turn on our stereo or TV while gone. Lex is confined in the kitchen using baby gates while we are gone. We are able to use the noise to help occupy his mind.  At times we also had to give him Benadryl while we were gone to help deal with his anxiety.

Overall, my biggest tip is to remember that a little work goes a long way for enjoyment. We have invested a lot of time in our dog and still have a ways to go, but he is learning and  it is paying off.  Tips that work for children also work for raising a dog.