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View Full Version : new dog, mastiff mix?



curtis rosche
10-06-2011, 5:09 PM
now that the house is empty, my mom is looking to get a new dog. we found a dog at the local humane league. its a mastiff mix. has anyone had any experience with this type of dog?

dave toney
10-06-2011, 6:28 PM
My daughter has a Mastiff-Labrador mix (a mastador?)
He takes up a lot of real estate, but he is good natured and gentle with a protective nature.
He is not the smarted dog I ever saw, kind of a big goof, and tends to slobber, but my daughter thinks the world of him.
Large breeds tend to live a few years less than midsized breeds.
Dave Toney

Montgomery Scott
10-06-2011, 11:49 PM
If you want a dog with a real short life span, that's your dog.

Ken Fitzgerald
10-06-2011, 11:53 PM
My neighbors have one. Friendliest dog on earth. As said by others.....tend to have short life span

Gary Hodgin
10-07-2011, 12:12 AM
I've had a friend who raised English mastiffs and another one who raised (and showed) Bull Mastiffs. These were pure breeds and they were big friendly dogs. The bull was a bit more rambunctious than the english. You certainly want these dogs, as well as any other, to be well-trained. I suspect a bad mastiff is a really bad dog. They are very big and extremely strong. I would have loved to have had one of the English mastiffs, but it would have been me and the dog because my wife wouldn't go for it.

Phil Thien
10-07-2011, 9:01 AM
Here is a video of a mastiff in a tub. Something to consider...

http://www.wimp.com/bigdog/

Dave Gaul
10-07-2011, 9:21 AM
Every mastif I have known has been a great dog. One of my favorites is a Mastif-pit bull mix.. awesome dog.

The mastif is often quoted as the "Gentle Giant"

Jay Maiers
10-07-2011, 10:02 AM
He is not the smarted dog I ever saw, kind of a big goof, and tends to slobber, but my daughter thinks the world of him.

This.
x10.

Lol. We have an English Mastiff. Dave said it right; lots of real estate and some slobber to boot.

Gary Hodgin
10-07-2011, 10:58 AM
This made the one of the news programs last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzuiymgMJXQ

Dave Ogren
10-07-2011, 1:17 PM
Great dogs, but to keep them healthy you have to feed them with a high quality food. I have several customers that have mastiffs. I would really think about the cost of ownership for one of them.

curtis rosche
10-07-2011, 1:21 PM
Great dogs, but to keep them healthy you have to feed them with a high quality food. I have several customers that have mastiffs. I would really think about the cost of ownership for one of them.

any suggestion on food?

David Weaver
10-07-2011, 2:05 PM
Plan vet costs for hips, and look up breed problems - they probably have elbow/knee and gastric issues, too. When they take that big frisbee face of theirs and tell you they're in pain with sad eyes, you won't be able to do anything but get them the best of care - goodbye wallet.

The dog in the tub movie above looks like a great dane - sort of. Most of the mastiff's i've seen at the parks (and I know there are different kinds) look more thickly built and have a huge head. I used to ride a bike on a 5 mile loop here that had a dog path next to the street - and at the end it has a huge free play area. I've never seen a mastiff misbehave but I have seen tons of other dogs from little to big try to get away from their owners to get after me on a bike. The funniest are always the little dogs who get away from their owners, and who have the nastiest look on their face as they run toward you. I guess they could scuff your shoes or something if you stopped.

The great danes and the mastiffs all were very calm on the loop and in the free play run, regardless of the other dogs around. They looked like they were just taking in the sights and not letting anyone else interfere with their relaxation.

David Weaver
10-07-2011, 2:07 PM
I see from wiki that great danes are also referred to as a "german mastiff", never knew that.

Gene Howe
10-07-2011, 2:17 PM
We are dog lovers (pound puppies all) but have never owned a mastiff. From what I know about them, I wouldn't hesitate to have one, though.
It distresses me that they are short lived. It's hard to let go. That might dissuade me from adopting one.

Jake Elkins
10-07-2011, 3:42 PM
Not all mastiffs are created equal. I have a 170 lb South African Mastiff, and it has been an interesting experience. Around the house, he is the sweetest boy, especially with my little girls. Very gentle. For example, he has never played "rough-house" style with me (not necessarily a bad thing, perhaps), or tug or any other play that might be construed as aggressive. He won't take a treat out of my hand, perhaps afraid he might accidentally nip me? HOWEVER, he is a guard dog, and he takes this job VERY seriously. A stranger (friend or not) cannot physically enter our house without a slow introduction by us. If we plan a dinner party, we can either 1: plan on spending a good part of the night convincing our dog that there is no immediate threat to us as each couple arrives, or 2: lock him up in the garage (um, shop). Neither are good options.

He is obedience trained. He was introduced to several people and other dogs when he was a puppy. However, almost overnight at about 11 months, he went from a floppy, goofy puppy, to the guard dog he is now. I have had other big dogs before (including pitbulls and a bullmastiff), but I have never seen another dog with guarding/protecting instincts like this. He is now mid aged, and has mellowed a bit. Not much, but a bit.

Food is expensive. Drooling is a fact of life. They MUST have a strong (physically/mentally) owner. Don't get me wrong, I love him to death. When I am out of town or on call, I couldn't put a price on the assurance that there is 170 lbs of attitude standing between the bad guy and my wife and kids. And he makes me laugh. Almost like having kids, having a dog like this is something that will change your life, so it shouldn't be a decision made in haste. However, I have no regrets.

Hope this helps.

Dave Ogren
10-07-2011, 5:03 PM
Curtis,

The food that has proven itself is Life's Abundance. Since Danes were mentioned, here is the comparison. In the US a great Dane lives to about 9 maybe 10 years very few get to 11. In Germany the average Dane lives to 20. Europe has had a high quality, organic food for years. Life's Abundance is that type of food. PM me if you want more info.

Dave

Roger Newby
10-07-2011, 6:58 PM
any suggestion on food?

From the looks of 'em a side of beef should last several days.:eek::D:D

David Weaver
10-07-2011, 8:52 PM
20 years? it's uncommon for most giant breed dogs to live past 12-13 anywhere in the world (and probably very few get to that).

I'd be wary of any lit that says otherwise, especially if it's got a marketing focus.

curtis rosche
10-08-2011, 7:37 PM
Curtis,

The food that has proven itself is Life's Abundance. Since Danes were mentioned, here is the comparison. In the US a great Dane lives to about 9 maybe 10 years very few get to 11. In Germany the average Dane lives to 20. Europe has had a high quality, organic food for years. Life's Abundance is that type of food. PM me if you want more info.

Dave

i looked into that food. it is a bit pricey at $69 for a 40lbs bag. any other similar quality products?

David Weaver
10-08-2011, 10:02 PM
The "health food" dogfood world is a minefield of MLM products, and boutique products with spurious claims and extremely high prices.

If I were in your shoes, I would tell the vet you're on a budget and ask them what a good dog food would be. The vet might have a high priced dog food in mind, too, but if you're asking about a budget constrained range, they'll have to suggest outside of what they sell and you should be able to get a good honest answer from someone who generally will only make decisions based on clinical proof.

There are tons of dog food review/suggestion sites online, but you never know who is writing the reviews or sponsoring the sites.

Rick Potter
10-11-2011, 1:31 AM
May I suggest a black lab. They are a very gentle and loving breed, medium large, and smart. Mine, a pound dog, is over 13 and looks like a much younger dog. She only eats Costco dog food, and I am carefull not to let her get fat, like me. Never met a dog yet that could open a fridge. Molly is getting pretty deaf, and losing a bit of eyesight, kind of like me, but still can run around the yard easily. She could catch mice and birds till about a year ago. I just bought her a three year license, and expect her to use it all.

Rick Potter

Only problem....She wants to be near me all the time, and I really have to look before I back up anywhere in the shop. That is where she usually lies.

Paul McGaha
10-11-2011, 6:16 AM
We're lab people also. Labs are great dogs. I'm sure other breeds are too though. I would be concerened about a dog with a short life span though. It hurts very much to lose a dog.

PHM


May I suggest a black lab. They are a very gentle and loving breed, medium large, and smart. Mine, a pound dog, is over 13 and looks like a much younger dog. She only eats Costco dog food, and I am carefull not to let her get fat, like me. Never met a dog yet that could open a fridge. Molly is getting pretty deaf, and losing a bit of eyesight, kind of like me, but still can run around the yard easily. She could catch mice and birds till about a year ago. I just bought her a three year license, and expect her to use it all.

Rick Potter

Only problem....She wants to be near me all the time, and I really have to look before I back up anywhere in the shop. That is where she usually lies.