Meet the Mastiff
Best Fur Friend

Best Fur Friend

Drooliest Dog

Drooliest Dog

Low-Maintenance Looks

Low-Maintenance Looks

Want a gentle giant who’s loyal and loving? Then I’m the breed for you! We Mastiffs may look scary because of our large size, but we’re absolute sweethearts. I’m a guard dog by nature – my size alone is enough to scare off bad guys – but I’m not aggressive. Even so, because I’m a giant breed, I’m not the best choice if you have little kids – I might hurt them accidentally! My size also makes me hard to handle as I weigh more than some humans, so I do best with an experienced dog owner. Train me early so I don’t yank you around or knock you down when I’m excited! I need a house with a yard – I’m too big for an apartment – but I don’t need lots of exercise. In fact, I have couch potato tendencies, so you may need to drag me outside if I’m being lazy. Warning: I drool a lot, and I snore, and my world-class gas has been known to clear out a room. But I make up for it by being easy to groom and loving you with my whole heart. If you can handle some slobber, I’ll be your best friend furever!
My Many Looks

My Many Looks

 My Breed Characteristics

My Breed Characteristics

 Furbulous Fact

Furbulous Fact

 As I Grow Up

As I Grow Up

 History of My Breed

History of My Breed

 Care Tips

Care Tips

 Training Tips

Training Tips
关于我

Personality

Affectionate

Gentle

Loyal

Group

Working Group

Origin

England

Life Span

6-10 Years

Breed Popularity

#33 of 195

Height Range

27.5-36 Inches (at the shoulder)

Weight Range

120-230 Pounds

Coat Details

Type

Short

Texture

Straight Outercoat & Dense Undercoat

Features

Double Coat

Colors

Apricot, Brindle, or Fawn + Black Mask

Hypoallergenic

Cost to Buy

$600-$2,000

Lifetime Care Cost

$19,560

My Many Looks

My Many Looks

Apricot

Fawn

Brindle
My Breed Characteristics

My Breed Characteristics

Training Ability：
Intelligence：
Exercise Needs：
Health Issues：
Affection Level：
Grooming Effort：
Pet-Friendly：
Shedding：
Kid-Friendly：
Barking：
Furbulous Fact

Furbulous Fact

It’s not surprising that the record for the world’s largest dog was once held by a Mastiff. In November of 1989, the Guinness Book of World Records gave an 8-year-old Mastiff named Zorba the title of both heaviest and largest dog in the world. We’re all pretty big, but Zorba takes the cake! When he won those titles, Zorba was 37 inches tall at the shoulder, 8 feet 3 inches long from nose to tail, and weighed 343 pounds!
As I Grow Up

As I Grow Up

As you can see, we Mastiffs age pretty gracefully. Here are a few key milestones in my growth and development to be aware of as I grow up from a pupper to an adult and senior!
Puppy 3-12 Months
My body is getting bigger and bigger every day, so make sure that my daily exercise, socialization & obedience training isn’t too hard on my growing joints and bones!
Adult 3 Years
I have couch potato tendencies, but it’s better for me (and my humans) to get some exercise – take me on low-intensity long walks.
Senior 6-7.5 Years
I’m prone to obesity and joint problems, so give me dietary supplements and switch to a senior-friendly dog food to avoid weight gain.
History of My Breed

History of My Breed

We Mastiffs (also called English Mastiffs) descend from very old breeds from the ancient world. My earliest ancestors lived almost 4,500 years ago in Central Asia. These ancient mastiff-type breeds were fierce war dogs and guard dogs who protected their humans and could hunt big game – there’s even ancient art showing my ancestors hunting lions! Today’s Tibetan Mastiffs and Neopolitan Mastiffs are also thought to be related to these ancient breeds. Phoenician traders brought the closest ancestors to the Old English Mastiff to ancient Britain in the 6th century BCE. There, the humans used them as watchdogs and fighting dogs in bull-baiting and bear-baiting competitions. They also protected their humans by hunting wolves. When Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 BCE, he was impressed with how fierce and strong my ancestors were, so he took some of my ancestors back to Rome, where they fought lions, bears, and even human gladiators in the famous arenas! Many of my ancestors remained in Br
Care Tips

Care Tips

from Dr. Jessica Greenberg, Associate Veterinarian
1

Pay attention to your Mastff’s joints.

As with many large breed dogs, Mastiffs can be prone to hip dysplasia. But they can also be prone to a condition called panosteitis, which is when parts of their long bones become inflamed and painful. Males are significantly more prone to panosteitis and high calcium intake may also be a contributing factor. Both conditions can cause limping and discomfort but you’ll need to consult your veterinarian to get a full diagnosis.

2

Monitor your Mastiff’s eyes for irritation.

Mastiffs can suffer from both entropion and ectropion. Entropion occurs when part of the eyelid is turned inward causing the eyelashes to rub against the eye and cause irritation. Ectropion is when eyelids roll outward and can also cause irritation. Don’t just chalk up irritated eyes to the breed – consult your veterinarian if you see any inflammation or irritation.

3

Look out for heart murmurs and consult a cardiologist if your Mastiff has one.

Mastiffs are prone to both dilated cardiomyopathy and pulmonic stenosis. Both of these conditions can vary in severity and treatment but a heart murmur is typically the first sign. While your regular veterinarian will be able to identify and grade the heart murmur, a veterinary cardiologist will be required to provide a confirmative diagnosis.

Training Tips

Training Tips

from Dr. Jessica Greenberg, Associate Veterinarian
1

Early obedience training is a must.

This breed grows quickly and grows a lot. Mastiffs are big, heavy dogs that tend to be protective. It is key to start training your Mastiff as soon as they come home, preferably starting at 8-10 weeks.

2

Socialize your Mastiff early and often.

As protective dogs, Mastiffs need to socialize among people and other dogs, especially smaller breeds. They also learn from other dogs, so visiting the dog park is great for their social development.

3

Train your Mastiff to walk on a leash.

Your Mastiff needs to know more than just basic manners. Because of their large size, teaching them how to walk on a leash will set the foundation of you being the leader. They are very obedient dogs so it is not that hard.

My Many Looks

My Many Looks

 My Breed Characteristics

My Breed Characteristics

 Furbulous Fact

Furbulous Fact

 As I Grow Up

As I Grow Up

 History of My Breed

History of My Breed

 Care Tips

Care Tips

 Training Tips

Training Tips
关于我

  • Personality

    Affectionate

    Gentle

    Loyal

  • Group

    Working Group

  • Origin

    England

  • Life Span

    6-10 Years

  • Breed Popularity

    #33 of 195

  • Height Range

    27.5-36 Inches (at the shoulder)

  • Weight Range

    120-230 Pounds

  • 动物皮毛

    Type

    Short

    Texture

    Straight Outercoat & Dense Undercoat

    Features

    Double Coat

    Colors

    Apricot, Brindle, or Fawn + Black Mask

  • Hypoallergenic

  • Cost to Buy

    $600-$2,000

  • Lifetime Care Cost

    $19,560