The American Mastiff is a gentle and loyal breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The origin of the American Mastiff can be traced back to 20th century United States, when breeder Fredericka Wagner began experimenting with crossing various Mastiff breeds. Wagner eventually crossed the Old English Mastiff and the Anatolian Shepherd Dog, and the American Mastiff was finally born.
Throughout its history, the American Mastiff has been most commonly used as a watch and guard dog, and as a companion and family pet, proving its superior abilities to work while providing protection and friendship.
Today, while the American Mastiff is slowly developing an underground popularity as a family pet and companion, the breed remains rather rare outside of the United States.
Personality Traits
Best known for its loyal and protective nature, the American Mastiff thrives on strong and dependable relationships with humans. These dogs are very bright, yet stubborn and independent, creating difficulty in training. The American Mastiff is dominant, territorial, alert, and aware of its surroundings. As a pet, this breed is loyal, loving, and affectionate. The American Mastiff enjoys spending time outdoors, taking long walks, and playing games such as tug-of-war.
Train-ability
Due to its stubborn and independent attitude, the American Mastiff can prove somewhat challenging to train. This breed is known for growing bored and even annoyed with repetitive exercises and tasks, and can be very exceptionally to housebreak.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the American Mastiff. These dogs require an experienced, patient, strong, and confident handler with a stern yet gentle approach.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning an American Mastiff, such as its no hassle, low maintenance coat. These dogs are quite energetic when young, and often very amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the American Mastiff gets along well with children and other pets, known for its sweet and gentle approach to small children. This breed is protective, territorial, and alert, making an amazing watch and guard dog, announcing the arrival of guests and unwanted visitors, and serving as a deterrent to would-be intruders. The American Mastiff is loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent family pet and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning an American Mastiff. While this breed only requires moderate amounts of daily exercise, they do need room to run and play on a regular basis. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. An American Mastiff not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The American Mastiff has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these large dogs are surprisingly quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The American Mastiff must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
Sadly, several Mastiff breeds have been affected by breed bans. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed are advised to research their local and state laws before taking the appropriate steps to obtaining an American Mastiff.
As previously mentioned, the American Mastiff remains rather rare outside of the United States and can prove quite difficult to obtain. Individuals wishing to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.
Common Health Concerns
While the American Mastiff is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, shoulder and spinal issues, arthritis, likeliness to develop cancer, various dental problems, obesity, and bloat.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own an American Mastiff? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.heydogs.com/a/america-mastiff.html
http://www.american-mastiff.com
