It’s an awesome sight when you first see a Mastiff walking down the road with its owner.
The sight of the massive, fawn dog is enough to put the wind up anyone out for a relaxing stroll.
But when it looks into your eyes it’s quite possible from that moment that you might own a mastiff one day.
Within the circles of the Mastiff owners fraternity, there is actually a saying about the breed, “they are like potato chips, you can’t just have one.” And it really is true in many instances.
They are an exceptional breed known first for their massive size and beautiful appearance.
But it is the exceptional personality of the breed that has earned them the title of king of dogs.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to get to know the breed, which is also known as the Mastiff, English Mastiff or Old English Mastiff, now is a great time to learn about them.
Let’s go over some of the traits of the breed, as well as some of the negatives that every potential owner should know before choosing the mastiff as their breed.
And we have all the information you need to determine if this is the right breed for you.
The Magnificent Appearance of the Mastiff
Height:
Males: 30 inches and above (76.2cm)
Females: 27.5 inches and above (68.58cm)
Weight:
Males: 150 to 250 pounds (68.03 to 113.40kg)
Females: 120 to 200 pounds (54.43 to 90.72kg)
Coat Colors:
Fawn: Ranging from light silver to dark fawn
Apricot: Ranging from a light apricot to a dark red apricot
Brindle: Black with brindling of fawn or apricot
“What the lion is to the cat, so is the Mastiff to the dog,” a saying that is commonly used to describe the mastiff, it really does illustrate the majesty and strength of this ancient breed.
The mastiff is a giant breed of dog and is considered to be the heaviest breed of dog alive today. While some breeds may be taller, none as are massive in stature as the mastiff. They should be a heavily muscled dog that gives the impression of power.
The breed should produce a slightly rectangular dog with his body being slightly longer than he is tall. In addition, his size should be attributed to bone and confirmation and not to excess fat or unnecessary weight.
Head shape of the mastiff varies slightly, but the ideal is a large, square head with a good appearance of muscle in the forehead. The muzzle should be thick and square.
It should be slightly shorter than the rest of the head, however, it should never be so short that it looks brachycephalic. Ears should hang and should be in proportion of the head. Not too long or too short but medium in length. The mastiff should have large, kind, brown eyes and there should be a marked stop at the base of the muzzle.
The body of the should have a level topline. He should have a large, wide chest that is very deep. A mastiff in great condition should have a clear abdominal tuck and the legs should be thick and well boned. The tail is also thick and tapers to a tip. It should end at the hocks of the dog and hang straight, not curled.
Mastiffs have a short coat, however, they length can vary slightly as can the density. There are also fluffy mastiffs with a medium length coat, but they are not considered breed standard and is a coat type most breeders avoid producing. The coat should consist of a dense undercoat and a short, straight outer coat.
They come in three colors: fawn, apricot and brindle, which is a fawn or apricot with dark, black stripes. The colors can range in shade from light to dark. Mastiffs should have a dark mask on the muzzle, nose, around the eyes and the ears should be black as well. White markings can also be seen in coat color but the desired coat is one without white.
Temperaments that Prove Mastiffs are the Best
What’s not to love about the temperament of the mastiff. Well, first, it could be that they can be a little bit stubborn…okay, they can be really stubborn. We often refer to mastiffs doing commands in mastiff time. They will do the command; however, they will do it at a speed that they feel like doing it.
But with that warning, you should be prepared for a truly gentle giant. This is a dog that is known for being sweet, affectionate and incredibly gentle. They love their family and are a Velcro breed that needs to be with their owners. In fact, mastiffs often believe they are lap dogs and will try to sit in your lap, even when they are 200 plus pounds.
They are eager to please, and want their families to be happy, but they are a natural guard dog so their self confidence can make training difficult. However, they should never be trained with a heavy hand as they have a very sensitive nature.
Even a harsh word can shatter their confidence and leave them sad and scared. For that reason, they should have gentle, but firm, training and owners should be patient with their gentle giants.
While they will get along with family and strangers alike, the breed is protective of their family and there are many stories of a mastiff protecting their owners from danger. They have a natural instinct to protect and will put their family before themselves.
The intelligent breed is often described as dignified, courageous and noble in personality, but the mastiff has a fun and goofy side that delights their owners immensely. In addition, they are giant teddy bears and often try to have at least a paw on their owners.
All of these traits make them an ideal family pet, which brings us to our next topic.
A Breed Meant For Families
When most people think of a mastiff, they are so focused on the size, they don’t realize that the breed is excellent with children. In fact, they are so good with children, they are known for being one of the top 5 breeds for families.
The reason for this is because mastiffs are extremely patient with children. In addition, they love people and this extends to children of all ages. The one consideration is that the breed can go through a bull in a china shop stage where they don’t realize their size. They can injure children easily during this stage simply by knocking them down by accident.
Still, with proper training and management, a mastiff will fit into a home with children of any age. In addition, they do very well as a pack animal.
An Ancient Breed with a Long History
The history of the mastiff is often debated on with people believing that our modern day breed being descended from Molosser breeds in ancient times while other believe that it was the ancient breed itself.
Regardless of what you believe, we do know that the mastiff has been around for centuries, if not millennia. They were first recorded around the 700BCE and are believed to be over 3000 years old. It is believed that their foundation breed was a large breed developed in the mountains of Tibet or India to work as guardian dogs for flocks.
As they spread throughout Europe and the world, they became popular guardian and fighting dogs through Egypt, Greek and even Babylonia. The breed was used for war and also as gladiator dogs in the Roman colosseum and fighting pits.
The Health and Lifespan of the Mastiff
Life Expectancy: 8 to 12 years
One of the hardest parts of owning a mastiff is that they often don’t have a long life span. On average, many mastiffs only live until 8 to 10 years of age. However, more and more breeders are putting emphasis on longevity and have been successful with increasing health and lifespan in the breed. With that in mind, some mastiff lines are living to 11 or 12 years of age, and a few longer than that.
However, as with most breeds, the mastiff has a number of health conditions that affect the breed. That is why it is very important to always choose a puppy that comes from health tested parents. In addition, finding a breeder who offers a two year health guarantee will ensure that your puppy has the best start in life.
One thing that should be mentioned is that mastiffs are a giant breed with a deep chest, this puts them at an increased risk of gastric torsion, which is also known as bloat. We will go over tips on how to prevent bloat in your mastiff later in this article.
Conditions that are seen in mastiffs are the following:
- Hip Dysplasia
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Allergies
- Pulmonic Stenosis
- Osteochondrosis Dissecans
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Osteosarcoma Cancer
- Lymphoma Cancer
- Hypothyroidism
- Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture
- Persistent Papillary Membranes
- Ectropion
- Entropian
- Cherry Eye
- Urolithiasis
- Panosteitis
- Mitral Dysplasia
- Cystinuria
- Seizures
- Vaginal Hyperplasia
- Cardiomyopathy
Since this is a large breed that can be fairly inactive if they are allowed to be, they can be prone to obesity. While you want a massive dog, they should still be at a healthy weight for their size. Avoid overfeeding your mastiff and make sure he gets daily exercise to ensure that he stays fit and healthy.
Finally, mastiffs, even at optimal weight, put a lot of pressure on their joints. For this reason, it is very important to provide proper exercise that doesn’t stress joints during key growth periods.
They will frequently tear their ACL if they are not properly managed during play and exercise when they are going through a growth spurt. In addition, proper nutrition and supplements will be ensure lifelong joint health.