🚀 go-pugleaf

Greg Dwyer wrote:
> 
> Happy New Year!  I'm looking for information on the suitability of a
> Mastiff for my family of two young girls and two adult dog lovers.
> Are Mastiffs friendly, jovial, boiterous, energetic, clever or what?
> 
> How do they cope with training?
> 
> Any information would be most welcome.
> 
> Greg Dwyer, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

I am afraid I have limited experience with the Mastifs but the two I 
have been in contact with have been very freindly, I have been told they 
are good guard dogs around the house due to their presence more than 
anything. As you know they are a very big dog, I have a giant schnauzer 
who is also big, this is a problem with little kids. 

Jackson is very freindly and would not hurt our little boy intentially 
but he lays down next to you and then rolls on top of you to get a pat. 
If he was to do that with Ryan he would squash him, so a big dog can be 
a problem that way.

The main thing when you do get your dog, do not train him to be a guard 
dog, it will guard you naturally. Train the dog in obedience, if you 
have a big dog you must have good control. If he is off lead in a park 
you must be able to call him back from a distance, a big dog a scary to 
people who don't know them.

There are local dog obedience clubs in most areas, you should attend one 
of these so that your dog is well socialised with other dogs and humans. 
If a dog is not socialised you can have agression problems and you can't 
afford that with a big dog.

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