Now, while I happen to love English Mastiffs and have worked with quite a few. I'd have to ask, how big is your property, how far from the nearest neighbor and what AGE is your Mastiff before you recommend the breed based on your experience.
Partly because no two lines of Mastiffs, even English, have the same opinion on trespassers.
Partly because if a two hundred pound dog decides to defend the property and you haven't actually put real training on the dog, there's going to be a thing. Admittedly their idea is usually to knock down and sit on someone rather than tear them apart - it can still prove quite dangerous to the squashee.
All the EMs I ever worked with, I got the call because between two and four years the dogs became the dogs they were bred to be, guardians. And because they'd been mellow puppies (aka lumps) the owners hadn't done much obedience on them = problem.
Are they awesome family dogs. Heck yes. Do people with bad intentions often flee just from size alone - oh yeah. Does a two hundred plus pound dog do damage when it finally DOES decide to knock someone down for trespassing? Absolutely.
And while in the right home a 180 - 200lb + animal is a joy,most people aren't comfortable living with them. However, unlike smaller dogs they are less active and MORE comfortable with apartments and moderate exercise. If you can take the size - they're ideal city and house pets. Go figure.
Around livestock they can go either way. Small children, medium children and adults are sometimes badly battered by clutz moments from both puppies and adult dogs. Several of my owners or their children sported everything from bumps and bruises to broken noses. Large and coordinated sometimes do not go hand in hand.
American mastiffs and Spanish Mastiffs ARE best avoided by the normal pet owning public agreed. The first are marketed mutts, the second purebreds but not for the average trainer.
As a breed they rock. But they do require some understanding and commitment, because at three they can just decide to sit on the mailman. He won't like that.
I'd like one someday. It's what Laura wants for her next puppy. Me I'm going standard Poo.
Partly because no two lines of Mastiffs, even English, have the same opinion on trespassers.
Partly because if a two hundred pound dog decides to defend the property and you haven't actually put real training on the dog, there's going to be a thing. Admittedly their idea is usually to knock down and sit on someone rather than tear them apart - it can still prove quite dangerous to the squashee.
All the EMs I ever worked with, I got the call because between two and four years the dogs became the dogs they were bred to be, guardians. And because they'd been mellow puppies (aka lumps) the owners hadn't done much obedience on them = problem.
Are they awesome family dogs. Heck yes. Do people with bad intentions often flee just from size alone - oh yeah. Does a two hundred plus pound dog do damage when it finally DOES decide to knock someone down for trespassing? Absolutely.
And while in the right home a 180 - 200lb + animal is a joy,most people aren't comfortable living with them. However, unlike smaller dogs they are less active and MORE comfortable with apartments and moderate exercise. If you can take the size - they're ideal city and house pets. Go figure.
Around livestock they can go either way. Small children, medium children and adults are sometimes badly battered by clutz moments from both puppies and adult dogs. Several of my owners or their children sported everything from bumps and bruises to broken noses. Large and coordinated sometimes do not go hand in hand.
American mastiffs and Spanish Mastiffs ARE best avoided by the normal pet owning public agreed. The first are marketed mutts, the second purebreds but not for the average trainer.
As a breed they rock. But they do require some understanding and commitment, because at three they can just decide to sit on the mailman. He won't like that.
I'd like one someday. It's what Laura wants for her next puppy. Me I'm going standard Poo.
