Hi everyone, thanks for letting me join your community.I had never thought much about owning a mastiff, as I'd had my heart set on Great Danes. But in 2010 my friends contacted me about a dog they had taken from the pound. When they spoke about this dog, I thought he was everything I wanted in a dog. He turned out to be a big black mastiff cross, 2 and a half years old. He had the most beautiful face to go with his beautiful disposition. We called him Digby, and he remains one of the best decisions I ever made. He turned out to be the most loyal of dogs.The beginning wasn't without its challenges though. Digby had a real problem with cameras and with any aerosol spray. In the presence of a camera or aerosol, Digby turned into quite a scary dog, with lots of serious growling and gnashing of teeth! We overcame this with slow careful work and Digby actually grew to really love having his photo taken. We had other things to work on too. Digby was very frightened of loud noises and was prone to getting very down in the dumps. We worked through these things with the help of a behaviourist, and every year Digby blossomed more. He gained confidence in himself, and in us. He became a dog that I could take anywhere. He was a true gentle giant.In 2014 Digby developed a cough. Investigations showed a large tumour in his chest cavity pressing against his heart. One day later tumour appeared in his groin. He had Lymphoma, and it was already advanced. We chose to write Digby's bucket list. For the next six weeks Digby tried every flavour of icecream at the local parlour (apart from chocolate), went on meat pie treasure hunts, and visited all his favourite places. He went for trips to the pet supplies store and chose his favourite treats to take home. Despite everything, it was a wonderful time, just spoiling him, like he deserved. He was only seven when he died.Digby was my introduction to the mastiff, and I can't look at a big block-headed dog now without feeling some of that affection I felt for my Digby, and that is how I came to love mastiffs.
