Kustali

awwww he's gorgeous!!!!

Hey, well it was suggested i post these here too We took Bo to the beach yesterday and he had a blast!! He loves to swim out after his tennis ball and is a real good swimmer. Here are some piccies. and a link to some more Beach Bum

Thanks for the reply!!

Hello, just a quick question. Are we allowed to remove the front dew claws here? Then if it's a no, are we allowed to show a dog with removed dew claws, if it is an import? Are we allowed to show dogs with cropped ears? It's naught to do with me but just a conversation i had with another breeder in the U.S. Someone is considering importing from the U.S. to Australia and i said i wasn't sure about the dew claws so thought i'd ask Not that i agree with it, because i do think they need them. If it's easier to point me in the right direction via link do so ;) Hannah.

I've heard they are a bit 'shaper' in temperament than the English Mastiff, how true is this?

A brindle bitch at 3 years old

I would like to add this picture to the thread. A good represent of the Mastiff breed.

Excellent post Clyde, so well said Almost every large dog is called a Mastiff, when in fact it is nothing like what a Mastiff should be like, in looks and in temperament, usually because it is a cross breed with many dogs in the mix, but because it is large and may be a similar colour it is called a Mastiff. It is just a label given, and i think people like to give that label to their big dogs not thinking about the misrepresentation they are giving to the real Mastiff breeds. There are many different breeds of Mastiffs, all different in type and temperament. There are the Bullmastiffs, Neopolitan Mastiffs, French Mastiffs (Dogue - Turner and Hooch dog) Italian Corso, Spanish Mastiff, Tibetan Mastiff, Central Asian Mastiff (Ovcharka), Pyranean Mastiff and the English Mastiff. Then there is the South African mastiff the Boerbel (not a recognised breed with the ANKC but has their own registry) and the Fila Brasileiro (also not recognised with the ANKC ((not allowed into the country))registered by the FCI and others). Then you have these 'people' who are ruining or breed by 'creating' the so called 'Australian Mastiff' which has everything in the mix (according to their website) including English Mastiff, Bullmastiff, Great Dane, Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Dogue De Bordeux, and Ovcharka. These 'people' are selling the pups for as much as what a purebred registered Mastiff will cost. Also they train them to be highly protective. Adding one of these creations into your family is just asking for trouble. When you start mixing different breeds together you are throwing different personalities in the mix, not knowing what you will get from it. 100 kg dog with a kelpies brain...can you imagine it!!!! Mastiffs are naturally a guarding breed and will protect their home and family if needed, but they should never be 'trained' or taught to be aggressive towards people or other dogs. These days Mastiffs are bred to be much softer than what they were used for in the past and with their masters approval will accept you into their home with not a problem. If you are out walking on the street children and adults can come and greet your Mastiff without a worry, the dog is sound and knows his size. Other dogs can approach and be happily greeted by a wagging tail. A person can offer the dog food and the dog will take the food as gentle as can be with only his front teeth....this is just how a Mastiff is, large kind and gentle, always knowing his size accepting all that is around him.

Hahahaha! Yes can just imagine it :p

I've never 'met' Axel, but have seen many pics of him so recognised him easily. Looks like your boy does love him heaps though from the pic I'm sure they love the attention too the Mastiffs, just the look of joy on their faces because they're getting all the attention!!!

Hi, yes that would be the lovely Axel would it not?? They are very tollerant with other dogs, very gentle and careful with how they play, they know the young ones are babies and are so so patient with them. I have taught Bo to lie down when we go up to the smaller dogs so he is not as intimidating, now he does this most of the time and the littler dogs come right up and they'll be the best of pals We hung around last night after show training and stayed for obedience sign up for socialising, lots of new dogs and people, dogs barking and growling, Bo took it all in his stride, he loves to say hello to all the dogs, and everyone is in awe of him, you get all the comments and everyone can see you coming from a mile away......but to see the dogs together is just the best We had our Ambull back here for re-homing, two males who had never met before, i let them meet and greet through the fence for a while, after a couple of days when i felt they were ready i let them in together and they played like the bestest of buddies!!!! Was a sight to see, Buddy is half the size of Bo but more agile, is was wrestle mania!!!! But, if the dog is not socialised it may be a different story, some if they have not been allowed to interact with other dogs might not be so friendly. I do think being tollerant of other dogs is a breed trait though. Hope this helped!! There is a great little write up on this, Lynai may have it, it is a really old one??

Head progression pictures of a fawn male at a few days old 6 weeks 5 or so months old 21 months old

Ok, so you twisted my arm Lynai! An example of a fawn dog and a brindle bitch, both with very good masks (black muzzle, ears eyes and nose) and lovely expression. A fawn dog standing front on and side on. A brindle bitch being examined by the judge at a Championship Show A fawn dog having a cuddle with an 8 year old

Thanks Lynai I too think PRA is an important one to test for as we can do a DNA test to see if they are clear or affected. Clear parents will produce clear offspring. My dogs have tested clear (a U.K. import and a Swedish import) but most breeders will not test for this as it does not seem to be common in the Mastiffs of Australia. But, it would only take one affected dog to be used at stud or an affected dam having 12 or more puppies to affect the gene pool, so i think it is worth ruling it out totally, better safe than sorry! and this is one test that is a 'sure thing', your dog is either clear or affected.

QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? We are breeders of the Mastiff. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? The Mastiff is a very ancient breed dating back to 2500 B.C. and has a long history, from bull and bear baiting, fighting at war to guarding their masters castles. Now these days he is a gentle family companion and guardian. The British are considered to be the creator of the 'breed' and England is the breeds home, being the "English Mastiff" 3. How common is it in Australia? The Mastiff breed is not very common in Australia and it seems to be quite difficult to aquire a good type of dog here. 4. What is the average lifespan? 6-10 years or more, depending on their health and bloodlines, some live to 14-16. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Calm, laid back, but quite capable of guarding your home and family. Quite friendly dogs, but may be indifferent to strangers, until they warm up to them! They make for very good family dogs because of their placid nature and are excellent with children despite their size. They like pats and cuddles like any dog but are not over zealous. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Not alot of excersize is needed, although they do like a walk every now and then.7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? With guidance from another Mastiff owner or breeder yes for sure. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? As long as they have toys and things to keep them occupied as they do bore easily and could landscape your yard for you or your loungroom quite easily!! Most of the time when they are older they will sleep the day away until you get home, not 'usually' a distructive dog and they don't bark alot, only when there is something to bark at 9. How much grooming is required? Not alot, a wash every couple of weeks, an ear clean and a nail clip and your set!! 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? No, they usually aren't very boisterous, although you do get the odd one. With little training a mastiff will know how to behave and a Mastiff is so gentle with the children anyway, usually it is the children that need the training of how to behave around the dogs!! 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Hip and Elbow Dysplasia is the main one 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? A few important questions to ask the breeder, not every little thing is covered here. What is the Temperament of the sire and dam like? Depending on wether you want to show/breed or just have him/her as a pet, will the puppy be on the Main Register or the Limited Register and do i get my papers with my puppy? All puppies should come with papers as proof of parentage no matter what they are registered under. Some breeders also like to co-own their puppies with people so don't be suprised if you are offered this. Is the puppy microchipped? Does the puppy come with one set of vaccinations or two? You may need to give the puppy it's second vaccination shortly after bringing it home. How much will the puppy cost? This is probably on the top of most peoples lists. Every breeder is different with the cost of their puppies. Mastiff pups do cost alot to produce and they are expensive to rear and raise. You will be looking at around $2-3000 for a puppy. But it does not matter what the price, wether it be less or more- it depends on the quality of the dogs they are breeding and the quality of the pups they are selling. Getting a bargain, usually is just that and you will pay for it later, but also paying the highest price for the pup doesn't mean you are getting the best either!! There are many things to ask the breeder but one i feel important is testing for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia. Ask the breeder if they test for this, 'usually' if they do they will be pairing the dogs up together to be a suitable match. If they don't test and are breeding they don't know wether their dogs have Dysplasia, or not. Breeders testing for this are doing their best to prevent their puppies from developing this dabilitating disease. Here is a site to visit, as i can't cover everything! look under Origins, About the Breed and Puppy Enquiries for loads more info!! Mastiff Club Of Victoria.

I also use the Vets All Natural and think it's great! But what i am wondering is wether The Missing Link is just as good. Do any of you use it? Can you just add it to your raw chicken or pet mince in the same way you do with the Vets All Natural? I like the idea of an all natural raw diet but don't want to comprimise my dogs health by missing out on anything they may need. Hannah.