mastiff puppiesMastiffs are a beautiful breed of dog that many people love to cuddle up with. They make awesome cuddlers.

These beautiful dogs average taller than 30-inches and may weigh as much as 230 pounds. You can easily recognize the breed by their rectangular body that is thickly muscled. They are a working-class breed of dog by trade. However today, they are simply popular pets. They have a wrinkled forehead that gives them a very kind look and it is revealed even further once you get to know this lovable companion and guardian.

Temperament

MastiffsOverall, these dogs are some of the sweetest you will meet. These dogs can lead more toward being very protective of their family. This means they may not always take kindly to strangers. The key is to socialize them early and often. They also need to be trained to behave early in life and before they reach their full size.

We also recommend that you avoid taking on a mastiff if there is any real uncertainty about how well you could care for and train them. They grow rapidly during the first two years. As with all puppies, this means that they may misbehave at times. It also means that they need adequate nutrition which can get costly.

Grooming will also need to be something you consider. Since these dogs do have wrinkled faces, grooming will often involve checking the wrinkles for ticks or other problems. They are short haired dogs, which does make the rest of the grooming routines easier, but they will still shed. They also tend to have slingers hanging from their jaws. This can get messy if you don’t keep a towel close by to catch some of their-excitement.

Although large, these dogs do tend to thrive in smaller apartments and do not require a lot of exercise. They get tired easily and may spend more time laying down on a walk than actually walking it.

Special Considerations

As far as a lovable pooch goes, you really cannot ask for anything better than a mastiff. However, they do come with challenges. The fact that they love the indoors and the shoestring effect from their muzzle are going to be a constant thing you have to deal with. Your clothing, your furniture, your carpets and flooring, will all get doused with drool at some time or another. Are you ready to give up your nice clean home for the next 10-years or so? If you are unsure, then you may want to consider some other animal breed that is perhaps a little “cleaner”.

This isn’t something that should stop you from considering a mastiff if it is something that you have always wanted, but it is worth mentioning. There are some people who simply find a drooling mouth to be unappealing.