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The Mastiff . Giant . Regal . Quite intimidating .
Those are only a few words that you ’ll probably think of when you come aspect to face with this giant dog breed .
The Mastiff , or Old English Mastiff for some , is one of the oldest breed of dogs sleep with to man . It goes way back — earlier bred as guard dogs and fighting wiener .
But do n’t get scared ! Because the modern Mastiff now is as sweet and gentle as it can get .
Below , let ’s find out more about the Mastiff ’s visual aspect , characteristics , personality , and short history .
Mastiff Dog Breed: An Overview
allot to the American Kennel Club’sbreed criterion — a Mastiff is a massive , harmonious Canis familiaris with a well - knit chassis .
They go to the Working Group category , entail they are bred to assist humans as watchdogs , toil dogs , and even rescue hotdog .
A full - grown male Mastiff can arise more than 30 inch in height and press up to 230 pound , while a full - grown distaff Mastiff can grow more than 27.5 in and consider up to 170 pound .
Mastiff puppies , on the other hand , can weigh from 80 to 110 lbs for males , and 60 to 90 lbs for female person at 6 months old .
When taken care of , a Mastiff ’s lifespan can reach from 6 to 10 years erstwhile .
They are also excellent house pawl . They ’re affectionate and first-class playmates for tiddler !
If you do n’t mind the drool and have adequate experience in care for dogs in the past tense , it may be the utter time to get a Mastiff .
However , because of their size , you may want to believe your bread and butter space . Apartment - dwellers require to cogitate twice before getting a Mastiff , as they will be needing plenty of space to run for around .
Mastiff Dog Breed: Short History
mastiff have been around for quite some clock time now , dating back to 3,000 years ago as bump in some European and Asian phonograph recording .
They came from thenow - out dog breedMolossus , which can be traced back to Ancient Greece about 5,000 year ago .
The name Mastiff itself came from the Romance wordmansuetus , which think “ tamed ” or “ domesticated . ”
After some time , mansuetuswas translated to Old French or midway English until the terminus Mastiff was introduced in some English lit in 1387 .
sound jolly nerveless , right ?
From fighting in battles and getting pitted against lions , bears , and other wild beast in line of descent plot , to guard farm animal against marauder , Mastiffs sure as shooting have an impressive ( and quite daunting , if you ask me ! ) history .
Mastiff Dog Breed: Traits and Characteristics
mastiff have always been genetically big because of the determination they served in the past . They are gigantic – no doubt about that !
But asunder from the sizing , another thing that you ’ll plausibly acknowledge immediately is their mordant masquerade and their wrinkled foreheads . Their ear are also naturally floppy and their eye are droopy , making them look kind but still alert .
Their rectangular physical structure is proportionate ; they are heavily - boned with a brawny muscular tissue structure .
The Mastiff ’s color ranges from apricot , brindle , or fawn . They also have a short double coat that sheds moderately .
They are also adaptable to changes in living conditions , atmospheric condition , routine , and potential variation in their day - to - day life sentence .
mastiff can support quite a bit of cold atmospheric condition , but not so much the heat . Just like pugs and bulldogs , they are brachycranial .
This means that they have short snouts which makes it unmanageable for them to respire in certain atmospheric condition .
As compared to other heavy , working dog , Mastiffs have a moderate energy level . They only have low exercising requirements and can happily be sofa white potato if you allow them .
However , Mastiffs have the potency to gain weight , so it ’s advisable to give them enough physical usage to keep them set . Stimulating them mentally can also take their thinker off getting too mouthy !
Oh , and you may also require to grease one’s palms some bib and earplug . away from the drooling , they are quite the snorer too .
And there ’s also this matter they do with their behind ( a.k.a . fart ) . possibly a nose chew is a good estimate too , no ?
Mastiff Dog Breed: Personality and Temperament
Despite their history , no doubt that mastiff are great family dogs . They are very much affectionate with their human family , especially with children . Just watch out for babe and toddlers — Mastiffs may be too big for them !
These gentle giants are watchdog through and through ; they ’re very much protective of their families .
They are not much of a doggy , but when they do , they are definitely trying to alert you about something .
With enough socialization experience , mastiff can also be favorable with other weenie and strangers . If not , they will be aloof and wakeful .
And however polite they may be , they will still jump in front of you to protect you from any risk they may be smell .
Mastiffs can also be trainable except for import when they can be too ego - willed , but nothing that respect breeding ca n’t furbish up .
They also sure have it off some playtime – they’d happily play fetch with you but only until they get tired . You ’ll probably end up carrying them home if they over - exert too much !
Mastiff Dog Breed: Care Needs
Grooming needs
Because mastiff have short , double - coat , they shed too ( but not as much as a Husky , do n’t worry ! )
They are not as high - care in condition of dress as other dogs , but at least a weekly brush is recommended .
Vacuuming and lint - rolling are your best bet in keep the house clean from their pelt , especially during their heavy shedding time of year twice a year .
Cleaning them off with wet wipes or chamois cloth should also be enough to keep them sparkly clean . Pay supererogatory care to their ear , eyes , and the cryptic wrinkles on their brow .
sweep their tooth at least twice a week to prevent tartar buildup and bad breathing space .
Also , because they aredroolers , always keep a tissue or fabric at alcove .
As for their nails , they also need regular trimming just like any other hotdog .
Feeding needs
A Mastiff ’s repast clock time should be properly portioned and scheduled . think that they are free weight - gainers ; they ’d happily munch off if have the free pass !
Mastiff puppies need to be fed with highly - alimentary meals , particularly those that are obtuse with Protein , Calcium , and Phosphorous . Because they are large breeds , this will help prevent them from let any pearl diseases in the time to come .
babble out to your veterinarian about the eating requirement of your dog as their age , sizing , build , and action grade also want to be considered to determine their dietetical needs .
Mastiff Dog Breed: Potential Health Problems
Just like any other purebreds , mastiff are also susceptible to a twosome of health problems .
Overheating/ Heat Stroke
As mention , Mastiffs are more tolerant of colder conditions than hot I . Because they are monotone - nosed , they are more prone to having breathing job , especially during dog day ( pun intended ! )
One way how dogs seek to cool down down is by pant , and a brachycranic dog like a Mastiff ca n’t do that quite as well .
Hip Dysplasia
They ’re large and big - boned , of course of action , they ’re heavy ! elephantine pawl like Mastiffs are definitely prone to having bone problems , especially if it run in their genes .
Hip Dysplasiais generally an inherited disease where the ball and joint in the hips do n’t quite set , causing difficulty in strong-arm activities , and even pain . This can cause arthritis later on , as well as other possible bone complications .
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
PRA is a degenerative middle disorder that can do slow but reformist sightlessness to your Mastiff in a course of months or years .
This is stimulate by the departure of photoreceptors at the back of the eye . Unfortunately , there is no known therapeutic yet for PRA .
However , many unreasoning dogs have prove how productive they can still be ( thanks to their other highly - sensitive senses ! )
Just like Hip Dysplasia , PRA is also hereditary in nature .
Seizures
Mastiffs can also getseizuresfrom a motley of causes , like heat exhaustion , epilepsy , or trauma .
It can be alarming to see a monolithic cad like a Mastiff suddenly pass into a seizure , but thankfully , this is not sore for them .
With care direction , any detent who suffers from a gaining control can still have a long and happy life .
Cystinuria
Seen more often in manful Mastiffs , Cystinuria is another genic defect wherein the hot dog ’s kidney do n’t permeate Cystine properly , get it to build up and mold vesica stones .
This often causes Urinary Tract infection in our pets and can be life - sinister if not treated right aside .
However , not all weenie with Cystinuria form Stone but they can still experience several complication because of it .
Gastric Torsion
Gastric Torsion or Bloating may sound too normal . I mean , who does n’t experience this once in a while , right ? But did you know that bloat in dog can be fatal ?
This happens when a dog ’s stomach is distended with accelerator pedal , food , and fluids then wrench – not earmark them to relinquish gun and block ancestry flow to major variety meat like the pith .
eat a big repast then drink bombastic amounts of water , doing hard practice before or after a meal , giving nutrient in highly - lift containers , and stress may be some of the causes of gastric torsion .
Cancer
With dissimilar varieties of Crab sham both frankfurter and human race , mastiff can also narrow one , especially in their old long time .
Luckily , treatment options for cancerare not scarce these days , and there are many inspiring level of dog and dog owners who really survived to tell the narrative .
Different Mastiff Dog Breeds
Mastiff is also a pop dog tomix with other stock , creating many variations over fourth dimension .
The 4 most common Mastiff strain are :
Tibetan Mastiff
They are most celebrated for their rich , Leo - alike mane . Tibetan Mastiffs are mountain frump with impenetrable coats .
This Mastiff breed is intelligent yet has selective audition .
They are infamous for being strong - willed and too independent . Trust me , you ’ll for sure involve incumbrance of time and solitaire to school a Tibetan Mastiff .
English Mastiff
English Mastiffs are an easy - going , laidback Mastiff strain , which pee them great syndicate dogs .
Although may not display many emotions and could look quite bored all the time , they are very much loyal and can easily protect you in a moment of risk .
Bullmastiff
A mixture between a Bulldog and a Mastiff , the Bullmastiffs are relatively quiet .
Maybe they know they can intimidate interloper with just their size and visual aspect !
A full - grown male person Bullmastiff can average 120 lbs in weight and 26 inches tall in height . They got their orotund - ish face from the Bulldog but the signature black mask of a Mastiff .
Neopolitan Mastiff
you could easily distinguish a Neopolitan Mastiff because of their coming into court — not only their foreheads are wrinkled but usually some part of their body too . They areItalian dogsthat have a history of guarding estates .
They come in calamitous , puritanic , burnt sienna , brindle , or tawny coats , and are also self-respectful and loyal fellow traveller .
Other Mastiff Breeds
There are several other Mastiff cover all over the public . Some of them are lesser - hump , while others are most famously called by a unlike name . They are :
Mastiff Dog Breed:Fast Facts
Mastiff Dog Breed– Summary
mastiff are a great pick for multitude who do n’t mind having a goliath , lumbering click in their house .
Because why would you when they can give you as an huge amount of love with a bonus of drooly kiss on the side ?
There are many Mastiff blackguard breeds with different personalities and temperaments that can suit your and your family ’s lifestyle .
