Mary Allen
The English Mastiff is huge, bulky, and has a heart of gold! Find out everything about the colossal big dog with the gentle soul.
He’s definitely not a lap dog, even if he would love to lie down on everyone’s lap. The English Mastiff impresses dogs and humans alike with its sheer size and muscular and bulky body.
Unknowing people cross the street at the sight of him. Even the cheeky Chihuahua thinks twice before barking cheekily at the huge dog.
The mastiff is the purest angel in dog form. Calmness, serenity, and balance are just some of his character traits. Get to know the gentle giant better in our breed portrait and learn all the important information about appearance, upbringing, health, care, and character.
What is a mastiff?
In the past, “mastiff” was a collective term for large, bulky dogs. Not just a few other dog breeds also have the name Mastiff in their breed name, although they are different dog breeds. In order to better distinguish from this, the term Mastiff in this article means exclusively the English Mastiff.
What does a mastiff look like?
Without question: The English Mastiff simply looks impressive. Its size and muscular build make the dog visible from afar. The most important feature is his massive, well-proportioned body.
The Mastiff has a broad skull with a wrinkled forehead. The characteristic of the dog breed is its wrinkled face with a rather square shape. Especially in puppies, this makes for a very cute, “worried” facial expression.
The fur on the face is usually dark in color. This is the so-called black mask. The lips hang down slightly.
The dog’s coat is very short and should show off the muscular body well. Approved coat variants are
- apricot
- sandy color or
- brindle.
In addition to the black mask, dark coloring is also permitted on the neck, ears, and tail. But not on the rest of the body.
How big is a mastiff?
One of the most important characteristics of the Mastiff is of course its size. The average height at the withers is between 81 and 91 cm for males and between 71 and 86 cm for females. The Mastiff is one of the largest dog breeds in the world.
How heavy is a mastiff?
As if its size wasn’t enough, the Mastiff is also one of the heaviest dog breeds in the world. Males weigh between 73 and 91 kg on average, females between 64 and 82 kg. And of course, that’s just the average!
A mastiff weighing over 100 kg is not uncommon. The mastiff male Zorba deserves special mention here. The dog entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1989 as the heaviest dog in the world, weighing 155.6 kg. Whether Zorba liked to lie on the lap of their master and mistress is not known.
How old does a Mastiff get?
Similar to most other large (and heavy) dog breeds, the English Mastiff has an average life expectancy of around 7 years in good health. With good care and husbandry and a keen eye on their health, many dogs often live to be more than ten years old.
What character or nature does the Mastiff have?
On the outside, he’s almost a “monster”, but on the inside, he’s a real teddy bear. The nature of the Mastiff is characterized by gentleness, calm, and friendliness. The dog is considered – at least from adulthood – to be calm and relaxed.
The Mastiff approaches the small and large challenges of life almost like a monk. Practically nothing brings him out of peace. He is very cuddly and trusting towards his family. He observes strangers (or new, unfamiliar situations) alertly but with caution. The concentrated, wrinkled face of the dog breed is particularly typical and endearing.
Thanks to its very high irritation threshold, the Mastiff is considered to be almost non-aggressive. The gentle giant even observes situations that could drive other dogs into a frenzy with only one watchful and one indifferent eye.
If his family is actually threatened, however, the protective instincts of the large dogs can come to the fore. True aggression, however, is rare here, too. Rather, the dog tries to scare away the threat with barking and its colossal presence. With success! After all, what burglar likes to face a growling 100-kilogram mountain?
The History of the Mastiff
Not only does the Mastiff look impressive, but its history is also just as impressive. The breed is one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. The first written evidence of the Mastiff dates back to the 14th century in England. But the Romans already described dogs that bear a strong resemblance to the mastiff.
What is certain is that the mighty dogs were used as hunting, war, and guard dogs from the late Middle Ages. Their size, strength, and courage made them ideal companions in dangerous situations. Mastiffs in packs could even take on adult bears and wild boars!
Unfortunately, this circumstance led to the gentle giants being used primarily as fighting dogs from the 16th century at the latest. Dogfighting was a popular pastime, especially in England. Real arenas were built especially for these fights, in which mastiffs, among others, had to fight against boars, bears, and even lions. It was not until 1835 that the British Parliament banned this cruel spectacle. The large dogs have since been valued for hunting and as guard and guard dogs of large estates.
The mastiff almost went extinct
During the two world wars, the English Mastiff almost became extinct. Because if you are that big and heavy, you also need a corresponding amount of food. Due to food shortages and limited rations, many dogs could simply no longer be fed. By the end of World War II, there were only 14 Mastiffs left in North America and just one adult female in England, the breed’s former homeland.
Through vigorous breeding efforts and importing surviving Mastiffs from Canada to England, breeders were able to stabilize the breed again. Today, all living (purebred) Mastiffs are said to be descendants of these 15 surviving dogs.
Incidentally, due to its appearance and character, the breed is one of the pioneers of numerous other dog breeds. For example, Mastiffs are considered the ancestors of the Great Dane or the Boxer.
Mastiff: The right attitude and training
Education
The Mastiff’s gentle and loving nature makes it relatively easy to train. The dogs are considered intelligent and sociable. They love close contact with their families. With a loving hand in training, the dog really blossoms.
At the same time, however, the Mastiff also needs a lot of consistency and clarity in training. The dogs are known to be stubborn and headstrong, which has earned them a place among the dumbest dogs in the world. However, this does not mean that the dog is stupid, but simply that it thinks twice about whether each of your commands really makes sense. Basically, he’s actually really smart.
Attitude
Because of its size and weight, it goes without saying that the Mastiff also needs a large apartment or house with a garden and a large plot of land. Climbing stairs does the mighty canine colossus no good at all. A flat without a lift is therefore out of the question for him. His health would suffer sooner rather than later.
The gentle giant is not really a sports cannon. Of course, a lot of exercise in the form of daily, long walks should not be missing. However, additional dog sports or accompanying him when cycling or jogging is not really his profession. It is important to note that you will likely need a new car for the Mastiff as well. Because the muscle mountain hardly fits in a Smart … he would probably rather pull it.
What care does the Mastiff need?
The care of the mastiff is not particularly complicated. You should brush his short fur properly at least once a week. Be sure to pay attention to the skin folds on his face for good care. Inflammation can easily develop there. The large floppy ears are also susceptible to parasites.
Good nutrition is extremely important for the care of the mastiff because dogs tend to be overweight. So that your dog doesn’t overdo it with the kilos, you should ensure a healthy balance between diet and exercise. Because the breed is prone to torsion, you should also break up your dog’s meals into several smaller portions throughout the day. A raised bowl can also make it easier for the dog to eat.
What are the typical diseases of the Mastiff?
Amazingly, despite its size and weight, the Mastiff is one of the relatively healthy dog breeds. This is mainly due to the strict controls and high standards in breeding. The large breed is considered to be robust and hereditary diseases are few. This includes:
- hip dysplasia
- gastric torsion
- heart diseases
- bone cancer
- overweight
How much does a mastiff cost?
The English Mastiff is particularly popular in England. In Germany, there are rather few breeders who have specialized in puppies of this dog breed.
The puppies are correspondingly expensive and the waiting lists are often long. So you should expect prices from 1,000 euros for a puppy. Be sure to check the animal shelter to see if a small (or large) English Mastiff is looking for a new home. That makes the purchase cheaper, you help a little dog soul and do something against animal suffering.
Do you have a large garden, a heart for gentle giants, and also plenty of time for a four-legged friend? Then the Mastiff is an ideal match for you.