The term mastiff is used in no less than six different breed names: English Mastiff, American Mastiff, Spanish Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tibetan Mastiff and Bullmastiff. The Mastiff dog information in this article is about the English Mastiff, which is more often called simply Mastiff, especially outside North America. The English Mastiff is a huge, sturdy dog that can trace its ancestry back to the Pugnaces Britanniae, a breed of dog that is now extinct.
Mastiff dog care
The Mastiff has a sleek coat that is easy to care for, but compared to most other short-haired breeds the Mastiff sheds a lot and daily grooming is recommended. During your daily grooming session, brush the dogs’ coat and clean both ears and eyes. The nails should be frequently trimmed since this is much safe than clipping them once in a while. Bathing only has to be done occasionally since excessive bathing can make skin and coat dry. It is important to make your Mastiff feel comfortable during grooming sessions when it is still a puppy, because handling a panicked fully grown Mastiff is very difficult even for a big, strong person. You should for instance make sure that your Mastiff is okay with you trimming its nails.
Mastiff dog puppy
The Mastiff dog puppy is a charming fellow, but before you decide to get one for yourself you should ask if you are capable of providing this dog with everything it needs for the comming 10 years or even longer. You should also determine if the Mastiff is the ideal breed for you. Do you want a massive dog that grows huge? Do you want a dog that can function as a watchdog while still being extremely gentle and friendly? Getting a Mastiff dog puppy is an excellent idea if you want a dog that only needs moderate exercise and that comes with a sleek, easy to care for coat. Getting a Mastiff dog puppy is not a good idea if you cannot handle a puppy that is rowdy and jumpy before it grows up. You should also keep in mind that the Mastiff drools, slobs, snorts, snuffles, grunts and farts A LOT, and it is also a very shedding dog.
Mastiff dog training
Mastiff dog training is usually focused on obedience, since this breed rarely excels in agility or tracking competitions. Teaching your Mastiff basic obedience from an early age is very important, because a huge and heavy dog that has never learned how to behave can turn out to be a big problem. During Mastiff dog training, it is important to remember that this is an extremely relaxed breed. It understands what you want it to do; you simply have to wait a little for this gentle giant to come around to it. Early Mastiff training should always involve social training as well and just like any other breed, the Mastiff puppy should never be removed from its mother when it is younger than 8 weeks. During these initial 8 weeks, the puppy receives invaluable social training from its mother and siblings.
Mastiff dog breeding
According to the American Kennel Club standard, the aim of Mastiff dog breeding should be to create large, massive and symmetrical dogs that exude grandeur and dignity. Dogs (i.e. males) should be at least 30 inches at the shoulder while bitches should be at least 27 ½ inches, and the height of the dog should come from depth of body rather than simply being due to long legs.
Mastiff dog breeders
When purchasing Mastiffs, it is important to do so from reputable Mastiff dog breeders that strive to promote good health in the breed. Serious Mastiff dog breeders will only use vet-checked parents that have been screened for hereditary disease, while insincere breeders tend to use any Mastiff they happen to own without caring for the future health of the resulting puppies. The two most commonly occurring health problems in this breed are hip dysplasia and gastric torsion.
Mastiff dog price
When comparing the Mastiff dog price offered by different breeders, it is important to find out what you actually get for your money. Does the Mastiff puppy hail from healthy, vet-checked parents of high quality ancestry? Has the puppy been examined by a vet, vaccinated and de-wormed? Is the puppy mentally stable and well socialized? The expected lifespan for a Mastiff dog is 9-11 years, and trying to save a few bucks on the Mastiff dog price by going for a low quality dog is usually a very expensive choice in the long run.