Pro's and con's of English Mastiff?

It's a matter of opinion. What I consider to be a pro, you might consider a con. Since I don't know your lifestyle and preferences, I'll just list the upsides and downsides as I personally see them.

PROS:

- Low energy level. Mastiff puppies can be pretty boisterous, as can all puppies, but they usually spend the majority of the day napping between their bursts of activity. By age three, Mastiffs are typically very laid-back. Of course they still require daily exercise (like a short walk and some playtime), but they're pretty much couch potatoes.

- Size; they're certainly not fragile. We're all a bit rough and clumsy in my home, so we definitely wouldn't fare well with a delicate little dog.

- Intimidation factor. Their size and thunderous bark is a great deterrent against sketchy people.

- Friendliness. A well-socialized Mastiff tends to be very friendly and genial (towards non-shady individuals, that is).

- Low prey drive. Now, there are absolutely Mastiffs out there with very high prey drives, but it's more typical for them to have low prey drives. They aren't usually the sort of dog who chases and kills squirrels and neighborhood cats.

- Aesthetics factor.. Well, I think they're adorable! So smushy and cute.

- Tolerance. They aren't known for dog aggression, because they're pretty mellow.

- Gentleness. Puppies can be morons who don't know their own size, and it's quite easy for a Mastiff to accidentally send a small child flying (my older Mastiff once knocked a boy on his butt by wagging his tail too hard), but they do tend to have an innate sense for when gentleness is needed. They're one of the "gentle giants."

- Affection level. They're very loving family dogs and are often "Velcro dogs."

- Guardian instincts.

CONS:

- Health. Although many health issues can be at least largely prevented through quality breeding and proper upbringing, the breed is prone to many problems. Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, osteosarcoma, eye problems, allergies, heart issues, so on and so forth.

- Life span. They can live to be twelve, but like the Great Dane, they usually only live about ten years (or even a bit shorter).

- Costs. A well-bred puppy can easily run as much as $2500, and maintenance care (food, vet bills, etc.) is pretty expensive!

- Drool. So much drool..

- Flatulence. A diet that agrees with the individual Mastiff's digestive system can help cut down on this.

- Shedding. They don't shed a spectacular amount, but they do shed a lot. Frequent brushing, especially with a FURminator brush, can help.

- Training troubles.. These vary, and they aren't unique to Mastiffs. But their size means that a lot of problems, such as jumping, can seem a lot worse than if a smaller dog (with smaller claws!) was committing the same crime.

- Destructiveness. Some Mastiffs take quite a long time to learn self control, and some are never 100% trustworthy around tempting things like shoes and remote controls and whatnot.. But of course, this isn't unique to Mastiffs either, I suppose.

- Long puppyhood. They can't be considered adults until they're at least three years old.

- Substandard breeding can (and often does) result in highly reactive or timid temperaments.

I think that if you're very familiar with Great Danes, then you already have a good idea of what a Mastiff is like. I don't mean to imply that they're identical (for instance, Danes are typically a fair deal more athletic than Mastiffs), but they share quite a lot of characteristics.

I recommend checking out this site:

http://www.mastiffonlinecommunity.net/

(Also, just as a sort of irrelevant note, it is advisable to wait until at least a year of age before neutering a giant breed. It's even better to wait until eighteen months of age to allow full skeletal development.)

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RE:

Pro's and con's of English Mastiff?

I would love it if you all could tell me the Pro's and Con's to owning an English Mastiff. I love this breed, and I already know they are big, but would like to know of the upsides and downsides. I have a large yard, though this dog would live inside, and our home is moderately large as...

Con's - Cost a lot more for pet care. Neutering, flee treatments, etc. Example 20 pound dog cost about $100 for neutering, but a dog that big may cost $300. Flea treatments depend on the size of the dog. Take a look online too see how much the price difference is. A dog bed will cost a lot more. Food will definitely cost way more.

Pro's - If you like a big dog, there you have it.

Not big, huge! There is a show on Animal Planet, Dogs 101. They have info on all sorts of breeds. Keep an eye out for the breeds you are interested in.

Being a huge breed they are probably prone to bloat. But then, so are Danes.

Pros: great playmate for your great dane, large and protective, doesnt require a large amount of exercise, they would be good for protection, laid back

Cons: eats a lot, bigger poop, slobbers A LOT, shorter lifespan,

english mastiffs sometime masturbate other dogs to get food, and are therefore prone to weight problems.