No this is not a I hate mastiff breeds posts, if you check other posts I'm a mastiff owner. I do think most should not own one. The common problem is most do not see the down side. What most people see is a monster sized dog that is very friendly, listens well, and is not dog,human, or cat aggressive. While the truth is 99% of mastiffs or mastiff breeds will never be in public if they are not. They are a massive dog, that projects grandeur and dignity. This is why a lot of people go online and reseach them. What the breed standard fails to say is, "they cost a lot to own", no not the food bill(yes it's more than what a small dog does in a week, in 1 meal), what I'm taking about is at the vets. Anything cost 2 to 4 times as much. This leads to the next fun part. My vet said or people say. Spay/neutering. Vet will ask as soon as your pup comes in about it, they will advise 6 month, with the biggest thing being testicular cancer ( sorry less than a 1% change of getting and 90% chance of surviving.) You should wait till at least 18 months to 2 years.) Yep that means you have to be a proactive pet owner and go through 3 to 4 heat cycles and no these are not minor. To mature you must wait, growth hormones will not allow the plates to close at the correct time (proven) and you may trap them in a fear stage ( still debated). This is a inside dog!!!!! They do not do high heat or high cold well, they do not do left alone well. Your looking at a 100 to 250+lb velcro dog. They must be trained at least the basicis as soon as you bring them home. (do this in 5 to 15 min time periods, they get bored.) If you want a fetch dog get a Jack Russell Terrier, if you want a do whatever you want dog get a Lab. Mastiffs and most mastiff breeds are huge cuddle bugs that like lazy walks, and being where there owners are. They are not a status symbol. Most sites will tell you they are couch potatos and yes most are as adults, pups as puppies they have huge energy and huge naps after followed by energy. They drool, they fart, they snore, and they will always want to be with you even in the restroom. No mastiff breed is actually harder to own, each have there own traits and your either ready for that and that it fits your life or not. A Fila will never be a social dog to the public and a EM will never be a junk yard guard dog, both though with correct bonding with guard there family with there life. Anyone wishing to debate hard and soft dogs I can more than give enough people who will confirm how a bonded EM, Fila, Boerboel, Cane Corso, Neo,TM,DDB,Dogo,Presa or BM reacts. These breeds must bond with you. When training these dogs you must never hit or yelled at them. They are very sensitive. At best they will shut down on you, at worst? You can not defend against them. No matter what there class or your country, they are a guardian breed! Nope they don't bark much and in 29 to 30 years none of mine have growled. They stand between there owner and what they take as a threat. They will lean against you in direct line between you and what they take as a threat. Please know to inform that person or persons "My dog may bite you if you get closer". A trainer I met most likely put it to me the best, when it comes to small dogs and mastiffs. "If you wreck a tricycle you scrape a knee, if you wreck a harley at a 100 your dead". If your a timid person,do not get a mastiff. If you want a guard dog, don't get a mastiff. If you want a status symbol, don't get a mastiff. If your getting your first dog, don't get a mastiff. If drool bothers you, don't get a mastiff. If you worry about cost, chewing, time, social life, don't get a mastiff. As for the rest I could go on forever as to why most should not own one. For that small percentage, they are a breed like no other. They Love, Care, Cuddle, Defend, also like no other. The Famous quote is: What the Lion is to the Cat the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sink before him. His courage does not exceed his temper and generosity, and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race. His docility is perfect; the teazing of the smaller kinds will hardly provoke him to resent, and I have seen him down with his paw the Terrier or cur that has bit him, without offering further injury. In a family he will permit the children to play with him, and suffer all their little pranks without offence. The blind ferocity of the Bull Dog will often wound the hand of the master who assists him to combat, but the Mastiff distinguishes perfectly, enters the field with temper, and engages in the attack as if confident of success. . Why I posted this is a look at this site as I do many others and see "x" number of member online and "X" times 10 guests. With any breed please look at what they need before what you need. With a mastiff or mastiff breed this goes 10 times. For debates on largest dog breed. Irish wolf hound and great danes are taller on average. The mastiff is the heaviest and longest. George the Great Dane was 43 inches at withers 7ft 3in long and 245lbs Zorba the Mastiff was 37 inches at withers, 8ft 3 inches long and 343lbs. All in all there a perfect dog, we as humans are what is not perfect. Please remember this before getting one, because they will throw 10 times what is we do wrong back.
Some good points there - vet bills are definitely more expensive for larger dogs, and larger dogs have more chances of hurting themselves because of their size too. You also have to be even more responsible when you get a big dog, because they can obviously do more damage than smaller dogs - even when they don't intend to! To complete the thread you need to add some photos of your Mastiff
great thread. Phoebe has cost almost £10k at the vets as just putting her under for procedures is £300 and 2 weeks antibiotics is £150 where the yorkies are about £45. Phoebe breaks the rules in some ways as she likes to bark and bark and bark at just about anything. for the spaying though we waited till she was 2 but she only had 1 season (thankfully as i didnt want to repeat it). She also has far more energy than the norm and loves nothing more than a good run. She is so agile aswell i wish ild been a more knowledgeable dog owner when i got her as i would have gotten in to agility with her as she quite likes it. I also broke the rules. Phoebe is my first dog and i blame some of her "issues" on this as i didnt really know what i was doing. i also dont have the money or space for her either but somehow manage and im also away from home 3 days a week 9 months of the year where she goes to kennels and i work 6 hours a day where she is left but she more than copes with it.
LMost we have a lovely Mastiff in at The Rescue Home named George, he will barks non stop at his own shadow, he will try to squeeze under sofa when the hoover goes on, we can't alter his routine or he have a tantrum, he will never be put up for adoption as he prefers living at The Rescue Home, we did place him with one of our large dog fosterers but he escaped & made his way back to The Rescue Home, he sleeps in the staffs room during the day & in his kennel at night The outside world is a big scarey place to George & he don't like crowded areas or screaming/crying kids/babies, but that's just sweet lovable George, he prefers a quiet life lounging around in the staff room.
You could be talking about Phoebe Tina. She doesnt like change but im now curious about lmost comment about being trapped in the fear after spaying as she wasnt like this till she was spayed. she was a happy go lucky confident dog
Have you ever tried putting Phoebe in a Thundershirt? I ordered one for Georgina which arrived yesterday afternoon. She wore it for a couple of hours and I can't say it made much difference but so far this morning she's certainly been a lot calmer than usual. It might be worth giving it a try?
George is not neutered Katy he came to us intact & as he's scared of altered routine looks like he stay intact.
yeah she just flopped to floor and refused to move, left her there but after 2 hours i had to take it off so she would get up. tried everyday for a week and same thing happened. Her boyfriend Zues wears it now i didnt think he was i was talking about Phoebe as she wasnt like this till she was spayed and ive always been told is a coincidence but lmost made a comment about being trapped in fear if you spay at wrong time.
@katygeorge if Phoebe was spayed before 18-24 months yes could well be trapped in fear. The vets at The Rescue Home won't spay any large dog under 18 months & giant dogs under 24 months old.
Forgotten to add my own vets I take my dogs to won't spay a giant breed, unless its for medical reasons, they give the dog some sort of contraception instead, not sure if its a pill or injection, they said its far to risky to sedate a giant breed as they need more sedation then other breeds of dogs & react very badly when coming out of the sedation.
She was around 2 it was a month either side of her birthday. About 3 months after her first season and i remember that the vat commented on how late her first was
Sorry been a little busy. Yes it is thought by some that along with the amount of time it takes a mastiff to physically and mentally mature that it is possible for them to be stuck in a fear stage. As the hormones are not only needed for there physical maturity but metal maturity also. It is something that is being studied. By no means has it been proven or dis proven yet.
6JRT's Mastiff hate when there routines change and also sadly it is generally 8 months to a year before most will bond and trust a new home. So yes sadly rehoming them is a issue on many levels.
Here's a article that links to some studies on the matter. About mid way down is the part about aggression and fear. http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/your-dog-needs-to-be-spayed-or-neutered-right/
