There are plenty of places that give lots of tips about Mastiffs, including health, history and training…an excellent article on the Mastiff can be found at the Mastiff club of Victoria (MCOV) website www.mastiff.com.au/aboutthemastiff.htm
So, I am just going to give you an idea of what it is like to live with one of these gentle giants.
First off, they are not really a guard dog…Mastiffs are a companion breed – a very big one at that! They can guard, but if that is what you want then there are better breeds for the purpose. Their smaller “brother” the Bullmastiff is a case in point. Mastiffs will bark at intruders, and are protective of their family, but once introduced to a stranger, they should be okay with them. Sometimes Mastiffs will just not take to a visitor, and it behooves you to listen to them. Perhaps there is something not quite right about the new person…Mastiffs are very sensitive to body language and other signs that people give off, that we humans are not aware of.
Every Mastiff has a different personality. Some of them are real clowns, some are a bit standoffish to strangers, some love everyone, some are just silly, some are a bit goofy, some are very dignified, but all of them are absolutely devoted to “their” humans. Our dogs are usually quite aloof with strangers initially, but then will warm up to them quickly once introduced properly. However, occasionally they will not trust some people, and Penny in particular is very definite in who she will and won’t let pat her.
Mastiffs are also quite sensitive to your moods. They are very keen to please their owners, and will be mortified if they have upset you in any way. If you are upset about something, they will be worried about you, and will notice your mood immediately. If you are happy and excited, they will be full of joy and playful. For this reason, it is important to not get angry with your Mastiff. They don’t respond at all to harsh training methods, and are more than likely to flop on their back and do nothing if you get annoyed with them. It is much better (not to mention a lot easier!) to train a Mastiff using positive training methods. find out what really motivates your pup and use that to teach them new things. Our guys all LOVE food, so they respond very well to training for food treats. Some others, however, will respond better to a little game or a squeaky toy, or just to verbal praise.
Because they are so sensitive, they need to be very well socialised as pups. They NEED to experience lots of different people, places and situations when they are young, and on an ongoing basis throughout their lives, to develop into (and stay) the loving family companions that they should be. As this is so important, I have put a separate page on socialising on this web site.
Mastiffs also LOVE to be with their families. They love to come inside and share your life. They do not enjoy being left alone, and will wilt if they do not have sufficient love and company. They generally love to go for a car ride – because it normally means going somewhere neat with you -even if that is only to the vet :-). Our gang will always run straight tot he back of the car when let out of the back yard – just in case a trip is in offer. they are happy to go for a walk, but a car trip – well, that’s something really special!
They don’t need a lot of exercise, in fact it is best to only give young dogs a small amount of exercise only, and stop before they get tired. This gives their growing joints and skeleton the best chance of developing properly. Once a Mastiff is grown, it is able to have more rigorous exercise, but even then, they are not the sort of dog that you will take jogging with you. They prefer their exercise to be a bit more fun, and in short bursts.
Health wise, if you get your dog form a reputable breeder, who has done proper health checks, and you feed your pup on a good diet, raise him properly, don’t let him get overweight, don’t over exercise him, don’t allow him to jump up or down from high places, then there is no reason you shouldn’t have a healthy,happy dog for many years to come. However,Mastiffs do have a number of hereditary problems that can develop, so make sure you do some research into this before you get your dog. With a dog as big as a Mastiff, vet bills can be proportionately huge too – so make sure you know what you are getting into from the start!