The Old English Mastiff is often referred to as a “gentle giant”. 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
Also referred to as the English Mastiff or simply Mastiff, the Old English Mastiff has a lengthy history. Evidence of this large breed dates all the way back to 55 B.C., where these dogs fought beside Caesar, against the Romans.
This breed has been used as a multi-purpose working dog throughout history, performing such tasks as herding, fighting, and guarding.
In 1879 the American Mastiff Club was established and then soon disbanded. The Mastiff Club of American was formed in 1920.
Personality Traits
The Old English Mastiff is best known for it gentle, sweet, and affectionate personality. This breed is highly intelligent and gets along very well with children, most people, and other pets, making the Old English Mastiff an impressive family pet and companion. Due to its history of performing various work and protective nature, the Old English Mastiff makes an excellent guard dog today.
Train-ability
Due to its high intelligence and sweet nature, the Old English Mastiff typically responds quickly to training. This breed can be taught most anything its trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
As with all large breeds, establishing immediate dominance and trust is key to successfully training the Old English Mastiff. These dogs respond well to gentle and persuasive training and very poorly to aggressive training or unnecessary physical punishment.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning an Old English Mastiff. This large breed rarely barks and has a no hassle coat. The Old English Mastiff is an affectionate and loving breed, getting along well with children and other animals. These dogs make excellent companions and pets alike. This breed becomes protective of its owners and owners’ property, making them an impressive guard dog. The Old English Mastiff is highly intelligent and responds quickly to positive training.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning an Old English Mastiff. While this massive breed only requires moderate exercise, these dogs do need room to run and play. Anyone wishing to purchase an Old English Mastiff lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. An Old English Mastiff not receiving the proper amount of exercise and room often acts out by destroying personal property, barking, chewing, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Old English Mastiff becomes very attached to its owners and sometimes suffers from separation anxiety. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed who travel regularly, have full time work, or are away from the home on a daily basis are advised against doing so. An Old English Mastiff suffering from an attack of separation anxiety will often act out of destructive nervousness, and may destroy property, bark, whine, chew, and ignore housebreaking training.
This enormous breed sometimes lack grace and can be clumsy, accidentally knocking over and damaging property.
Common Health Concerns
Due to their size, the Old English Mastiff falls victim to several health problems, such as: hip and knee dysplasia, various joint problems such as arthritis, bloat, gastric torsion – caused by large amounts of activity after meals, patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, obesity, and obsteosarcoma – bone cancer, typically found in or around the knee.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own an Old English Mastiff? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://www.en/wikipedia.org/wiki/mastiff
http://www.terrificpets.com/dog_breeds/mastiff.asp
