Puppy care - Feed your pup for optimal growth

Feed your puppy for optimal growth. Diet is vitally important to the growth of this breed of dog. A raw diet is recommended, consisting mostly of chicken, beef, bones, and eggs. It is important that the diet is balanced, and it's also important that your pup does not gain too much weight while he is growing, as that would create hip and joint problems.

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Owner guide - Mastiff puppyhood lasts longer than for most dog breeds

Mastiff puppyhood lasts longer than for most dog breeds. A Mastiff isn’t considered an adult dog until he or she is 18 to 24 months old.

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DOG FAQ - Do mastiffs Shed?

Yes, like most breeds, Mastiffs shed approximately twice a year. But, the short, sleek Mastiff coat is less objectionable, when it sheds, than the coats of many long-haired breeds. A daily brushing will prevent accumulation of hair around the house.

Mastiff - Dog Lover

DOG FAQ - Do Mastiffs make good obedience dogs?

By nature, Mastiffs are eager to please. This makes them good Obedience dogs. But like any other breed, temperaments vary between individuals, so some Mastiffs are better candidates for the Obedience ring than others.

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DOG FAQ - Do Mastiffs Chew?

As for chewing, puppies of any breed need to be given durable toys that they know it is OK to chew. Any time you catch your Mastiff puppy chewing on anything except its own chew toys, take the forbidden item away from it, and give it a chew toy, and encourage the dog to chew on its own toy. Praise it when it DOES chew on its own toy. Repeat as necessary (remember, we told you these dogs are stubborn!)

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DOG FAQ - Are Mastiffs good guard dogs?

Mastiffs are excellent guard dogs. They go to the door and bark, their hackles stand up, and they look formidable, but Mastiffs, as a breed, are not trigger-happy. They have a gentle, rather than an
aggressive, nature.

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TEMPERAMENT

Temperament of Mastiff is a great family dog that is calm, dignified, good-natured, gentle, loyal, and very fond of children. Because of its giant size, toddlers are in danger of knock-down, and should always be supervised carefully. Mastiffs need a house with a large fenced yard. Some fully grown mastiffs can adapt to apartment living if given regular exercise.

This breed needs lots of companionship and should have early and on-going socialisation and obedience training. This intelligent and good-natured dog responds well to early obedience training and you must be able to control this giant breed with voice commends.

Mastiffs tend to drool and slobber a lot and will wheeze and snore loudly. This breed is naturally protective of its home and family and must be socialised early and often with other dogs to prevent it from becoming combative. Mastiffs make good watch dogs and guard dogs. They should have an experienced owner who knows how to manage them.

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GENERAL APPEARANCE

All the Mastiffs are heavy-boned dogs with a massive head and well-developed muscles.
Though all the Mastiffs can boast a huge weight, English Mastiffs are leading. This breed is considered the heaviest dog known today. This fact is reflected in the Guinness Book of World Records. An English Mastiff weighing about 286 pounds became famous thanks to its outstanding size.

The Neapolitan Mastiff standard states that a dog should weigh about 110-150 pounds depending on the sex. However, this breed does not seem to be willing to get behind English Mastiffs. Larger dogs appear to be more awesome, which is highly valued by those wanting to have guard dogs in their homes. This feature is rather influential in the process of breeding. In fact, many breeders and owners prefer having Neapolitan Mastiffs that are over 150 pounds. Thus, they appear to be much larger than in the standard.

As for Dogue de Bordeaux, there is no significant weight difference in males and females. The Dogue de Bordeaux weighs usually 120-145 pounds.

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START TO KNOW

The Old English Mastiff is one of the heaviest breeds; a male Mastiff can exceed 200 pounds. This dog is very massive, powerful and muscular. The head is heavy and square with a short muzzle. There is a black mask around the eyes and nose no matter what the general coat color. The eyes are small, dark, and hazel. The small ears should also be dark-colored. The teeth should meet in a scissors or slightly undershot bite. The tail is set quite high, tapers to the tip, and reaches to the hocks. The short coat comes in golden fawn, light fawn, brindle, silver, tiger, and apricot and is easy to groom. In the eighteenth century it was described as follows:

"As a lion is to a cat, so is a mastiff compared to a dog."

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