Mastiff

Well I figured since I'm a new mastiff puppy owner I'd make a post about them. I know as of now we don't have any other mastiff owners but maybe someday we will! If anyone else has anything to add...I'd love to hear it!

Here's a little info I've gathered...

The Mastiff is a giant-breed dog with a long history.
They were used as war dogs by the ancient Celts and accompanied their masters into battle. When the Romans invaded Britain, they took the dogs back to Italy and used them to guard property and prisoners.
In the Elizabethan Era, the mastiff was used to fight wild animals (such as bears, tigers, etc.) for entertainment pruposes.
During the world wars, mastiffs were used to pull ammunition carts on the fronts.
In America, they were usually owned by plantation owners who used them to guard their property.
Breeders today have bred the mastiff for gentleness and have created an excellent companion who is large enough to deter intruders and yet gentle enough to be around small children.

Mastiffs are not an outside dog by choice. Most tend to be homebodies that live fro lying around on the couch or a soft mat. They are susceptible to heat stroke and therefore cannot be left outside unattended during hot weather. They will bond strongly to family and become depressed when kept away. They are a member of the family and want to be treated as such.

All mastiff puppies should be taken to at least puppy obedience classes, not only to learn the basic commands but to also properly socialize the puppy around people and other dogs. Early socialization can help prevent temperment problems later when the mastiff is older, bigger, and more set in his ways.
The mastiff needs lots of exercise and should be kept in firm shape. But you should be careful not to over exercise, especially in his first year.

Have you seen the episode of Breed All About It on Mastiffs? It has been awhile since I watched it, so I don't remember too many specifics, but that show usually has decent info about the breeds.

Nope I sure haven't, but I would love to see it. I think I'm going to have to get a book and read all about them. This boy is definately a different puppy than we've ever raised, but I love every minute of it:D

I have a half mastiff:)

I have a bullmastiff/lab mix breed. I was wondering if the mastiff breed has thickened fur on their cheeks. His cheek fur is so thick that I figured it had to be a protective breed adaptation. If anyone knows anything about this, I'd love to hear about it. He's a well mannered animal and not at all aggressive, so I was rather curious about the cheeks.

Thanks!