Mastiff News &amp; Tips...

Top 6. Apr 22, 2005 8:43 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Lantana poisonous to Mastiffs...

In response to Not Quite posted by biogardener:

LOL Traute - I reckon Mastiffs are the canine equivalent to a goat smile

Yes, I've been in the garden again, and I was checking to see if my Lantana was a perennial or annual - I didn't get a definite answer, but I did find out that it is also poisonous to pets.

Y'all have a great day!
Dar

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 7. Apr 22, 2005 8:49 AM

» mastiffs2005 - How much exercise does a mastiff need?

If you want a dog that loves to romp and play and maybe even go jogging with you, go and buy German Shepherd or a Golden Retriever! Your Mastiff might follow you to the end of the driveway before he needs to turn around and go get a drink of water smile

Mastiffs do, however, need exercise! If they don't get enough exercise, it has been my experience that they will become lazy and overweight. Of course we love our lazy mastiffs - being naturally lazy ourselves, the mastiff fits right into mine and Dave's lifestyle smile But we also make sure that we all take a walk once a day, usually in the evenings after dinner, when it's nice and cool.

Your mastiff should not get all worked up out in the direct sunshine, but they should be allowed to graze around the yard when you're out gardening instead of allowing them to lay up on the couch while you're working smile

Remember that mastiffs were originally bred as war dogs, so they aren't meant to be complete couch potatoes!

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 8. Apr 22, 2005 9:27 AM

» biogardener - Protective

How well do mastiffs adjust to extreme cold? And are the protective? Do they like to go on car trips?

My favorite is dobermans. Regardless to whom they belong, they always adopt me as the object of their protection, and they will kill anyone who even thinks a bad thought about me. There is some bond between me and dobermans which I don't understand. I must have been one in a previous life, LOL.

-- posted by biogardener

Top 9. Apr 22, 2005 10:40 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Are mastiffs protective?

In response to Protective posted by biogardener:

Traute, Mastiffs LOVE cold weather! You wouldn't think they have the coat for it, but their skin is very thick. Our first mastiff, Draco, would literally go lay down in the snow and refuse to come in!

Draco was also the one you couldn't say RIDE around... or anything that rhymed with RIDE... We used to play word games with him... "Hey boy, do you wanna HIDE? Wanna do your laundry with some TIDE?" hehehe Of course then we'd get him all worked up and have to take him for a ride ANYwhere for him to settle back down LOL

They are also EXTREMELY protective! Chesty has to be the worst about protecting me... anytime a repairman comes to the house during the day, I have to lock Chesty up, or he will eat him. Women can come by all day long, and he'll love 'em all up! But I think Dave might've trained Chesty that if a strange man that isn't Daddy comes while Daddy is away, eat him smile Chesty isn't the same at all when Dave is here - he'll let anyone come up and just wants to play.

Doberman in a past life, eh? I can see that hahaha

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 10. Apr 28, 2005 9:49 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Riding in cars with Mastiffs...

One of the big things in deciding whether a mastiff is right for you is, "Is your car big enough for a mastiff?" Sounds like a silly question until you consider a few things...

1... What about vacations? Will your mastiff go with you? How will they travel? Remember that they are going to weigh 200 lbs!

2... What about vet visits? Can you easily and safely transport your mastiff to the vet's office? So you have a compact car, but your friend with a pickup truck says they'll get you to your scheduled appointments...

3... What about emergencies??

They are also safety issues when taking your mastiff with you in your car. A 6 month old mastiff is so large that when they move around in the back seat, your car moves with them! This can be dangerous when rounding corners or in heavy traffic. If you have to slam on your breaks, your mastiff WILL fall forward... if they're in the front seat (heaven forbid), they could easily go straight through the windshield.

So be prepared for trips with your mastiff - even if your mastiff is going to be home while you're out of the house, there will be times when they have to ride in the car. Keep them in the back seat... consider safety harnesses for riding... and take it a bit slower and easier when your mastiff is in the car with you. Also, if you do plan to let your mastiff be a rider, start them out young and teach them to behave smile They DO love to go with you wherever you go!

-- posted by mastiffs2005

Top 11. Apr 28, 2005 2:16 PM

» biogardener - Thanks for the tips

Those are all good things to know ahead of time, and they scare me.

I will stick to my dobermans. They never get heavy even though they may be big. They are just really active. Around me, they are calm, but around some people, they can get terribly hyper.

I was always taught that a doberman originally was a cross between a hyper English terrier and the gentle Weimaraner. Weimaraners are the dogs most likely to nurse another dog's puppies. That is why I have found the doberman to be the most protective of any dog and, as I say, they always insist on adopting me.

-- posted by biogardener

Top 12. Apr 28, 2005 3:29 PM

» mastiffs2005 - Re: Thanks for the tips

In response to Thanks for the tips posted by biogardener:

I try to be as honest about my experiences with the mastiff as I possibly can, Traute. I love the breed, and no other dog suits mine and Dave's personality or lifestyle. AND we never want to be without a mastiff in our life!

There are websites that say, "Every home should have a mastiff." I don't agree! Every home that is perfect for the mastiff should have a mastiff... but every home isn't perfect for the mastiff!

I certainly don't want one of my puppies to go to a home and the owners call me a couple of months later and say, "You never told us that!" and want to return the puppy... or heaven forbid, I call to check up on the dog a year later and find out they took it to the pound because they didn't realize what it was going to take to raise such a large dog.

But for the family who loves the mastiff, there is no other dog smile

-- posted by mastiffs2005

http://www.flickr.com/photos/porbem/1165...

Top 13. May 2, 2005 9:31 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Mastiff with a snake bite...

In response to Re: Thanks for the tips posted by DarCheek:

One of the puppies from my last litter was just bitten by a baby copperhead snake... he was bitten on the inside of the mouth, so he obviously took a bite out of the snake first LOL Fortunately, his parents acted quickly and got him to the vet... he had some antibiotics, is back home now, and doing much better. You can see a picture of his little swollen face here...

Of course this has me preparing my yard for the summer to make sure that I don't run into the same problem! We have a creek and a pond and lots of brush left by the previous owners of the house. There are several piles of downed limbs stacked up under trees.

So what I did first was spread moth balls all along the creek and pond edges. This will hopefully make those snakes move further on down the creek and out of my yard! If you do this, try to do it when you're going to have a few days with no rain... I've been waiting for May, and we now have 5 days in a row where we'll have sunshine. You can put them out anytime, but the rain will disolve the and wash the smell away.

Next thing we're going to work on is these brush piles and any areas that are grown up or still have leaves left from last fall. A leaf blower will take care of the leaves, and please do be careful yourself while you're doing the clean-up! We don't want mastiff parents in the hospital from a snake bite either smile

The brush will get cut up and burned in a barrel... bigger pieces of wood will be saved for a campfire for the nieces and nephews. But hopefully within a couple of weekends, we'll have less areas where a snake will feel invited and welcome!

And of course, if you have a smaller puppy, remember that they're like human kids - everything goes straight in the mouth! Keep an eye on them when they're playing outside and try to keep them from playing in any area where a snake might be taking a nap.

If you do notice that your dog is lethargic or has any swelling, get them to the vet.

Have a safe summer!
Dar

-- posted by mastiffs2005

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/holi...

Top 14. May 4, 2005 7:17 AM

» mastiffs2005 - Mastiffs and raw food diets...

In response to Mastiff with a snake bite... posted by DarCheek:

Here is a great article and discussion on the raw food diet, along with a book recommendation...

I have been leery of trying this myself, as what I feed my pets (Nutro) is perfectly balanced for my large breed dogs... AND I don't know if I have the dedication to stick to the raw food diet... or the budget for that matter.

If some of you are doing the raw food diets with your mastiff, I'd LOVE to hear from you if you'd like to share your experiences!

Thanks!
Dar

-- posted by mastiffs2005