general disposition question

[FosterMom]

I'm curious to know what you folks think about mastiff disposition. I realize that each dog, regardless of breed has his own personality, disposition, etc. But do you think that, in general, any one type/breed of mastiff has a more laid-back, easy going disposition than the others?

 

[rdryan]

My guy is a mix. English Mastiff and Cane Corso. He also has a mixed disposition. At home, with just family and some extended family, he is goofy, laid back, playful and easy going. Add strangers to the mix or take him out where he encounters strangers and he is serious, on edge, often nervous/scared but on guard and ready to defend.

 

[Harrygto]

I would say EM's are the most laid-back

 

[DennasMom]

We went looking for an EM because we had read they were laid back, cuddly couch potatoes.
Denna is all that.

AND, she's also miss social butterfly, which (after reading here), is not always the case. We did socialize her well as a youngster, but I think it's a lot just Her. She loves EVERYBODY (dogs and people alike).

Even in a big crowd of strangers, she's looking for someone to drop a kiss on, or play tug with. When she does crash on the couch, pretty much ANYONE is welcome to come give her some love and pets and she appreciates ALL the attention.

I keep a close eye on her in crowds (she can get over-excited and jumpy, still, at 20 months old), but to date, other than a few barks at people who are afraid of her to begin with, she's been more that we could have hoped for in a laid back, easy-going, happy dog.

And... when it's just family around, she does give alerts to strange noises... but so far, has not had an opportunity to put her guarding instincts to the test (thank goodness!).

 

[cinnamon roll]

EM by far is the most laid back. Of course you do have some exceptions to every rule. We do have a few EM's on here that are the exception

 

[mbleblanc]

We went looking for an EM because we had read they were laid back, cuddly couch potatoes.
Denna is all that.

AND, she's also miss social butterfly, which (after reading here), is not always the case. We did socialize her well as a youngster, but I think it's a lot just Her. She loves EVERYBODY (dogs and people alike).

Even in a big crowd of strangers, she's looking for someone to drop a kiss on, or play tug with. When she does crash on the couch, pretty much ANYONE is welcome to come give her some love and pets and she appreciates ALL the attention.

I keep a close eye on her in crowds (she can get over-excited and jumpy, still, at 20 months old), but to date, other than a few barks at people who are afraid of her to begin with, she's been more that we could have hoped for in a laid back, easy-going, happy dog.

And... when it's just family around, she does give alerts to strange noises... but so far, has not had an opportunity to put her guarding instincts to the test (thank goodness!).

This describes my EM Maggie to a T. She's only 11 months old but she hasn't met a person yet she hasn't loved. She can get too excited and jump up though, which limits how often she gets to meet new people.

 

[HayleyMarie]

Panzer is a Boerboel, and he is not laid back. Nor are they suppose to be. He is actually pretty active and has a lot of energy. I do not see that changing. He was picked out of the litter for us because of his energy level. We are a very active family so we needed a pup that could keep up. Boerboel's where originally bred for farm work so they need to keep going all day.

His tolerance for people will probably change. Both his parents are not goo goo for people. So aloofness is common in the breed. He will also probably grow less tolerant of other male dogs. He will be kept intact, and his father is a pretty serious boy.

He is only 5 1/2 months, but he already has started to alert bark and posture at things. I am trying to teach him what is appropriate right now.

 

[raechiemay]

EM by far is the most laid back. Of course you do have some exceptions to every rule. We do have a few EM's on here that are the exception

I have one. She has laid back moments but it seems like they are few & far between. She does sleep, but when she's not sleeping, she's obnoxious, crazy, borderline dog/people aggressive, always in the way & is completely convinced that you want her deflated rubber pig at all times.

 

[Smokeycat]

We went looking for an EM because we had read they were laid back, cuddly couch potatoes.
Denna is all that.

AND, she's also miss social butterfly, which (after reading here), is not always the case. We did socialize her well as a youngster, but I think it's a lot just Her. She loves EVERYBODY (dogs and people alike).

Even in a big crowd of strangers, she's looking for someone to drop a kiss on, or play tug with. When she does crash on the couch, pretty much ANYONE is welcome to come give her some love and pets and she appreciates ALL the attention.

I keep a close eye on her in crowds (she can get over-excited and jumpy, still, at 20 months old), but to date, other than a few barks at people who are afraid of her to begin with, she's been more that we could have hoped for in a laid back, easy-going, happy dog.

And... when it's just family around, she does give alerts to strange noises... but so far, has not had an opportunity to put her guarding instincts to the test (thank goodness!).

Change she to he and this could be Kryten. There are a couple of people that he doesn't like. A woman who is clearly terrified on sight and a man that I had a negative reaction to.

 

[FosterMom]

Thanks for the responses! I just wondered because the Corso we adopted (he's 7) is the most calm, laid-back dog I have ever been around. We just had an EM for a month (foster-also 7) and though she was also fairly laid-back, she had a more intense "watch dog" mode. Cane (I didn't name him-he came that way) calmly meets everyone; he treats everyone the same. He smells, checks them out, comes back to me and then goes and lays down. The EM would greet people slowly, tail wagging but a little hackle showing and then as she sniffed and checked them, the hackles would lower, unless the person approaching didn't approach in a manner to her satisfaction and she would bark, raise a lot of hackle-still tail wagging and get between that person and our home/business or us. I just find the differences very interesting and wondered how much was individual dog and how much the breed. Have always had dogs in my life but I haven't raised any mastiffs from pups. I've just started fostering this year.

 

[DDSK]

Zoey our 3 YO CC is very laid back but she is suspitious of strangers and mostly men.
She does well around women and children and will make up to the right man.
She adsolutly loves all of my adult sons friends and most of mine except for one person.
She is also very wary of tall women, Where I work there is a woman who is the mother of a professional basketball player (Retired) who is very tall and Zoey will not make up to her at all.