Mastiff

Home > Dog Breeds > Mastiff
Size

Giant

Life span

12 Years

Weight

91 Kg

Group

Working Dogs

Mastiff Overview

This dog breed is notoriously large. In fact, they are one of the largest dog breeds on the planet. They have a wonderful temperament, and this can be overlooked due to their size and stance.

They're very affectionate, loving and kind. They love spending time with their family and will spend most of their time protecting them. They're courageous by nature, whilst remaining dignified in their approach. This dog breed is an overall well-balanced dog breed and will suit most families.

The weight and height vary between male and female. Male weight is between 73-100 kg and Female weight is 73-110 kg. Male height is 70-91 cm and female height is between 70-91 cm.

The Mastiff comes in a variety of colours, ranging from Brindle, Apricot and Fawn.

Thinking of buying or adopting a Mastiff?

Mastiff Characteristics

Size InformationIntelligence
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Size InformationExercise Needs
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Size InformationDogs Health
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Size InformationChild Friendly
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Size InformationApartment
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Size InformationShedding
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Size InformationGrooming Needs
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Size InformationBarking
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Size InformationAlone
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Size InformationTrainability
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Size InformationEnergy Levels
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Size InformationDog friendly
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History & Origin

The Mastiff is one of the most ancient dog breeds and has been around for nearly 2,000 years. It is suggested that they arrived in England from Asia and were brought by the Phoenician traders.

The word "Mastiff' is thought to have derived from the French word Mastin meaning "watchdog". Back in the day, this dog breed was used to guard livestock against bears and other wildstock that roamed the woodlands.

 

Mastiff Temperament

The Mastiff is patient and nurturing and great with children. This wonderful dog breed makes a great addition to a family with children. Though their big in size, this dog breed is sweet at heart and loves to love. 

This dog breed requires training as with other dog breeds and usually responds very well to positive training. The Mastiff adores their family and especially children.


Mastiff Training

The Mastiff is a large dog breed and they have the natural instinct to guard. Without adequate training, this dog breed can be hard to control because of their size and strength. Luckily, this dog breed is easy to train and once you've developed a deep connection with your Mastiff, they will be your best friend for life. 

This dog breed can be stubborn and therefore it is important that training is approached with patience. Training should be done from a young age and on a consistent basis.

Grooming

Grooming your Mastiff is an important part of maintaining health and mental welfare. One weekly brush should suffice, as well as checking their ears, eyes and paws on a weekly basis. Bathing should be done occasionally or when they're very dirty or smelly. Otherwise, bathing them too often can dry the fur on their coat.


Health

The Mastiff is a wonderful dog breed but is susceptible to a wide range of health issues and for that reason, their life expectancy is very short -just 8 to 10 years. Many of this dog breed health problems are related to the bone and joint. The Mastiff is also prone to developing eye and heart problems. 

Mastiff Exercise Needs

The Mastiff was developed as a livestock guarding dog breed as they have the ability to roam for hours and their needs for exercise are not particularly high. A daily walk of 30 minutes is enough for this dog breed and they shouldn't be subjected to vigorous exercise, especially before they are fully grown. Too much exercise will put pressure on their bones and joints and will cause issues later in life. 

This dog breed is extremely loving and they love nothing more than some affection from their loves ones after their daily walk.


Children and other pets

The Mastiff is a gentle giant with children and other pets (if socialised correctly from a young age) However, because of their size, they must be supervised with small children and small pets. This dog breed tends to get on well with other dog breeds and cats.