Mastiff Breed Information

The Mastiff is an ancient breed originally developed to guard, fight and hunt. They are large, extremely powerful dogs with broad rectangular-shaped heads, short muzzles and small, v-shaped drop ears. They are 28 to 30 inches in height, weigh approximately 175 to 195 pounds and live 8 to 10 years.
The Mastiff comes in several colors including apricot-fawn, silver-fawn, or dark brown fawn-brindle. Their coats are generally easy to care for and require little maintenance. A weekly brushing (and a healthy diet) will keep this breed’s coat in tip-top shape.

The Mastiff loves to be part of a family. They are loving, calm and make wonderful pets for those with the room to accommodate his large size. They do well with children, however, should not be left with small children unsupervised as they can easily knock over a child with one swing of their powerful tail! Though they are wonderful family dogs (they aim to please) it is very important that this breed receives early socialization and training. They can be wary of strangers and have a very strong instinct to protect.

Mastiffs do not require as much exercise as one might think. If allowed, they can easily become couch potatoes! To keep this breed happy and healthy 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day is ideal. It is important to note that Mastiff’s over-heat quickly so summer walks should be kept short or during the evening hours when it is cooler. Be sure to read more about dogs and heat stroke!

This breed is not the easiest to train. They are known to be sensitive, yet stubborn. They do well with positive reinforcement training�so it is important to pile on the praise! Training sessions should be kept short, be consistent and most important fun for both you and the dog.

Obviously, the Mastiff is not an apartment dog. This giant breed needs a yard! He is also not the best choice if you don’t like drooling, snoring, and bad smells (they tend to “break wind” quite often!). However, if you can overlook a little drool then this lovable, loyal, and sweet breed may be for you.

To find out more about these gentle giants please visit: The American Kennel Club.

To become the proud parent of a Mastiff, please visit: Adopt a Pet