Owning a Mastiff
Training English Mastiffs are not at all hard to train as they are very intelligent, but they can be very stubborn at times as well. It is very important though, that you at least train them the basics; sit, stay, and house training as these dogs will think they can take over because of their size. It is also important to give them a little leash training, especially if you have the room to let them run and you don't have to take them for frequent walks for exercise. This leash training will be valuable when it comes to taking them to be groomed or when going to get their vaccinations at the vet's office. If you do not have a lot of run room, then leash training will be important so that your dog won't take "you" for a walk in the park. Don't be lazy with Mastiffs as they can gain too much weight and have joint and hip problems. Make sure to give your Mastiff the attention that he/she needs. If you neglect your dog chances are it will find something else to occupy the time, usually leaving you with a mess to clean up or something valuable torn up. Feeding Owning a Mastiff requires lots of feeding. Make sure that you find a dog food that is specially formulated for large breed dogs. You don't want them growing too fast as this will result in hip and joint problems also. Large breed dog food has the right combination of protein and fats for your dog to grow. Pay special attention to the amount your dog needs, as it will increase fast as they grow. I highly recommend finding a high quality dog food because this will ensure proper nutrition and less problems in the future. My male eats six cups of dog food per day. Sometimes seven to eight depending on how active he gets in the summer. This can become pretty costly so make sure you are prepared to buy a lot of dog food in the future. Never let your dog go without water! Dogs will start to eat less if they do not have enough water. Make sure to check the water supply everyday and make sure that it is clean water. You wouldn't want to drink dirty water, so why would you give it to your dog. Vaccinations Always take your dog in for his/her vaccinations. You don't want your dog getting sick because you wanted to save money or you forgot. This could cost you more money in the long run. I had a couple who purchased a puppy and they forgot to give him the twelve week shots. The puppy ended up getting sick with parvo and died. There's nothing more heart breaking then spending $600 to $1200 on a dog only to have them die from missing their shots. This is the vaccination schedule that I go by for my puppies from my vet. 2 weeks of age; Deworm 4 weeks of age; Deworm 6 weeks of age; Deworm Parvo-Coronia-Hepatitis (DHP-C) 9 weeks of age; Deworm DHL-P-C (Lepto) Kennel Cough 12 weeks of age; DHL-P-C/ Rabies/ Valbazen Wormer 14 weeks of age; (final) DL-P-C & Start of Heartworm Preventative Yearly vaccinations due 1 year from rabbies date and will continue on a yearly basis. The heartworm preventative is very important!! This prevents a number of different worms, especially heartworms, from affecting your dog. My mother-in-law's dog had heartworms and had to undergo three very expensive treatments. Again, preventative measures may cost you less in the long run. Other tests There are other tests that you can have done to your Mastiff to obtain a health certificate. This is mainly for people who want peace of mind that their dog is healthy, or for breeders who want to guarantee the health of the pups. The requirements for the health certificates can be found at
Mastiff.Org
When owning a Mastiff be prepared to wash your clothes all the time when playing with or being around your mastiff. They drull a lot especially after they have eaten. Males tend to slobber more then females. My male can just rub across me and I will get a pant leg full of dirt or food covered slobber. Taking a wipe to wipe around the edges of the mouth will help out with this especially when you have company. They also have eye goobers that need to be wiped away frequently so that there is less chance of an eye infection problem. Cleaning of the ears is another important task when owning a Mastiff. Take some ear cleaning wipes and wipe away just the waxy substance that you can see. Don't try to wipe deep down in the ear to get it spotless or you might cause damage to the inner ear or even cause infection to occur. You only have to due this when you start to see a build up in the ear again. If you want to have less holes in your yard, I would suggest trimming your dogs nails every now and again. This also helps to prevent catching on things and breaking the nail. Bathing can be a chore when owning a Mastiff. I personally take mine to a well trusted groomer to get bathed, toes trimmed, and a flea and tick dip. Don't bath your dog too frequently though. They have natural oils that occur on their fur that help them keep a shiny nice coat and helps to prevent dryness. Once every couple of months or so is how often I give my dogs a bath. Unless of course they decide to go off and role in the horse or cow manure. English Mastiffs have short hair so you don't have to comb them as often as a long haired dogs. About twice a week is enough for the upkeep. When spring time roles around you might want to comb a little more often to help release the winter coat and to help reduce the shedding in your house. I don't usually brush my dog's teeth. I give them treats that help break up plaque on the teeth and help with keeping their teeth healthy. If they need teeth cleaning I take them to the groomer to have it done, but there are tooth brushes and toothpastes available if you want to brave the task. Again owning a Mastiff is not an easy task and should be thought of carfully. If you decide that you are ready to own your own Mastiff or already own one, then I look forward to helping you along the way. Return from Owning a Mastiff to Hompage |
