Are you considering getting an English Mastiff? Or are you just interested in the breed? Well this is the perfect place to start! This post is a short summary of the English Mastiff breed characteristics from their size to how much exercise they need.
Breed overview
English Mastiffs are a huge and courageous breed bred for guarding, hunting wolves, bull and bear baiting and as a gamekeepers dog. They have a short coat meaning that they need minimal grooming but will shed lots! They come in a few colours, but the breed standard colours are apricot fawn, brindle and fawn. They stand at 27 to 33 inches to the shoulder so are classed as a large breed and have a lifespan of less than 10 years.
Grooming
As I mentioned above English Mastiffs need very little grooming. So, will need the occasional brush (about once a week) and bath. But they do shed a LOT so it will be beneficial to brush them more during shedding season. Obviously, they will also need their nails trimmed and teeth cleaned regularly exactly the same as all other dogs.
Exercise
Although English Mastiffs are working dogs, they do not need a lot of exercise due to their massive size! So up to 1 hour will be plenty. But they do still need mental stimulation on top of physical exercise like all dogs. This mental stimulation can be done by training or using puzzle toys.
Health
As with most large breeds English Mastiffs are at a higher risk of hip dysplasia. There are also some other health conditions that are common in English Mastiffs such as Progressive retinal atrophy, seizures, cystinuria, Gastric torsion, cancer. To minimise the chances of these problems all good breeders have both parents genetically tested and screened for all of the common problems mentioned above. This means that when you buy a puppy you know it’s got a much smaller chance of developing these problems when its older.
Temperament
The main characteristics of a English Mastiff is that they are gentle, loyal and docile! They are also very sociable and love nothing more than to spend time with people. Good training and socialisation early on is a necessity with this breed due to their size and strength. If well trained and socialised they make a very reliable and loving companion.
So, overall English Mastiffs can make great family dogs! But they do need owners with plenty of experience that can give them the training, socialisation and exercise they need. With a good upbringing English Mastiffs are characterful, loyal, loving and protective dogs but are not aggressive.
P.S. You can shop all of our English Mastiff products here!
