English Mastiff Dogs

Breed: Mastiff

Height: Dog: Min. 30 inches, Bitch: Min. 27 inches

Weight: Dog: 160 pounds, Bitch: 150 pounds

Coat Type: Fine and smooth

English Mastiff dog is a combination of grandeur, dignity and courage. Commonly known as Mastiff or Old English Mastiff, this breed is giant, short-haired,  with a symmetrical built. Though the breed is calm and affectionate towards its master, it is also capable of guarding the house and property. It is an extremely loyal breed and makes a well-mannered house pet. Some of the talents of an English Mastiff dog include watchdog, guarding, police work, military work, search & rescue and weight pulling. The largest weighing dog was Zorba, a Mastiff from England, weighing over 343 pounds (156 kg), when he was only 8 years old. This great weight was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1989. Read on further to know more about English Mastiff dogs.

 

The English Mastiff is a very old breed, as depicted in Egyptian monuments in the early 3000 BC. Founded in Britain, this breed of dog fought along the British soldiers in 55 BC. A pack of Mastiffs was brought to Rome by Caesar, where they were put on display as an arena gladiator. They were put to fight with human gladiators, lions, bull baiting, bear baiting and in dog to dog combat. They, then, became popular among the peasants, where they were used as bodyguards and companion dogs. It is believed that the Mastiff was brought to America on the Mayflower ship. However, during the World War II, the breed became almost extinct. Dogs had to be imported from Canada and USA to establish them again. Today, the breed is well-settled in England.

English Mastiff is a huge massive dog with a large, heavy-squared head and a well-marked stop between the eyes. The muzzle of the dog is half the length of its skull. The medium-sized eyes set apart wide have a black mask around them. The color of the eyes can vary from brown to dark hazel. The V-shaped small ears are dark in color and in proportion with the skull. The high-set tail has a wide base tapering to a point reaching to the hocks. The dog can be found in a variety of colors, such as golden fawn, light fawn, apricot, silver, tiger, black, chocolate mask and brindle.

 

An English Mastiff dog is a self-confident and watchful canine. It is patient and considered as an excellent companion for children. Though the breed is large and heavy, it is intelligent, calm, even-tempered and docile. It requires a lot of human leadership and is always eager to please. The dog should be socialized well, to avoid being aloof with strangers and get along well with other dogs. English Mastiff dogs are considered to be lazy, but with regular exercise, they can be fitter and happier. The dog requires to be taken for daily walks to keep up with its physical and mental energy. With sufficient exercise, the canine can adapt well in an apartment. It is relatively inactive indoors and does well in a small yard.

 

Since English Mastiff dogs tend to bloat, it is advised to feed them 2 to 3 small meals a day, instead of a one large meal. The major health issues concerned with this breed are hip dysplasia and gastric torsion. Other minor problems can include obesity, osteosarcoma and cystinuria. Problems like cardiomyopathy, allergies, vaginal hyperplasia, cruciate ligament rupture, elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, OCD, entropion, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and persistent pupillary membranes (PPM) can be found occasionally.

 

It is particularly easy to groom English Mastiff dog, due to its smooth, short-haired coat. The dog should be brushed with a firm bristle brush and wiped over with a piece of towel or chamois for a gleaming finish. The dog should be bathed or dry shampooed only when required. The dog is an average shedder.