Acceptable behaviour in mastiff breeds

[Cody]

Cody I know you said Cane Corso but I did want to make clear for others that may be reading this that there are a couple of mastiff breeds that do not tolerate strangers. It is even written into their standards. I think the vast majority of mastiffs will tolerate strangers but I think very few truly like them.

Definitely, a fila will never be a therapy dog,nor should it. These breeds should fit into the temperament written in their standards and their history. The very idea of them becoming a lab is disheartening. I only used the CC because that is the breed I know the best

 

[babyjoemurphy]

Now that I know Murphy more (EM), I find that he pays very close attention to EVERYONE. He will look, look away, and then look again. He isn't staring (unless there is wheels involved) but he is aware. When we allow people to pet him, after we read his q's he doesn't nuzzle in and like said here "act like a lab". He just sits and continues to pay attention to what's going on around him. It's like when you let your kids play at the park, you are always scanning potential threats. Let it be know he is by no means aggressive again unless there is wheels.
I find this thread has zeroed in on CC's and Filas being the Mastiff that really doesn't like to be social, I am so happy I didn't adopt one of those guys as I have a very social house. But if I didn't have alot of people in and out of my place I wouldn't hesitate. I am a lab lover for the happy feeling they bring, but NOTHING compares to these guys (MASTIFFS).
I couldn't imagine my EM ever being "like" a lab. There is just no way. There isn't even a similar character. Maybe they way they pee/poo. I even find the position Mastiffs sleep is different.
I had a family BBQ yesterday and had a few little kids here. Murphy does get excited about kids and yes he does forget how big he is and gets clumsy, but unlike a lab he doesn't get all waggy, thrashing body excited.
Maybe none of this makes any sense to the thread but I have had alot of dealings with labs and only a few with Mastiffs, and with this it is my thought that the breeds are completely different.
And one more thing why would ANYONE EVER want to train away the AWESOMENESS of the guardian breed. We just lost our Sheppard/lab x and I always felt VERY protected with him, and everyone that knew him knew he would die protecting us. Anyone that came to our house knew it was protected. There was no question about it. With this guy, he leaves people guessing. And that is something that speaks for itsself!

 

[Jayne]

Sounds like you have the Mastiff bug like i do.. What an incredible breed !! - Love to hear the enthusiasum coming through. - i thought it was just me that was under the spell!!!!

 

[Jadotha]

....and with this it is my thought that the breeds are completely different.
And one more thing why would ANYONE EVER want to train away the AWESOMENESS of the guardian breed

Babyjoe,^^ you've captured the heart of this thread

 

[babyjoemurphy]

I have to say the day 7 yrs ago when I drove 4 hours to a breeders to see puppies I could not even begin to explain the feeling of peacefulness, safe being, and total AWE I felt when surrounded by 7 English Mastiffs. The total feeling of surrender. These magnificent creatures are like nothing I had ever encountered before, as I am finding most Mastiff breeds carry the same natural character. It is something you will NEVER get with any other breed. Just BEAUTIFUL!
Honestly I really didn't even care to see the puppies, I just wanted to stay with the gorgeous big guys. But I had to go get the puppy fix. I actually walked away without a pup, but if they would have asked me to take an adult I would have been all over it. So different.
You can talk to someone all day long about guardian breeds, but until you have one it makes no sense. Now I understand how misguided info can come back to bite a new owner or someone looking into buying a Mastiff can confuse the person.
WOW

 

[halu bachman]

What type of training do you suggest for mastiff breeds that are fearful of people and small children. Our dog was trained as a puppy and was very social until she turned 1. She does not like strangers making eye contact with her or making any type of quick movement or advance to pet her. She is especially stressed around young children with high pitched voices and quick body movements. We've tried associating treats with people, and take her on a lot of walks around people to desensitize her. It doesn't seem to be working.

 

[Sadies Mom]

What type of training do you suggest for mastiff breeds that are fearful of people and small children. Our dog was trained as a puppy and was very social until she turned 1. She does not like strangers making eye contact with her or making any type of quick movement or advance to pet her. She is especially stressed around young children with high pitched voices and quick body movements. We've tried associating treats with people, and take her on a lot of walks around people to desensitize her. It doesn't seem to be working.

What type of mastiff?

 

[halu bachman]

English Mastiff- 3 years old. We tried a special expensive trainer who told us that our dog needed to be told what to do, that she likes to be the follower. We tried giving more direction and working with her toward that end, but it hasn't made much of a difference.

 

[Batz]

If I'm home and a stranger walks in my yard shadow will run up to the door barking. Now as along as I'm with him and the person shows no type of ill intent shadow will treat him like a friend. On the other side If I'm not home shadow will not let anyone on my porch or near my front door, even people who have been over that he knows. He won't attack, but he will stand his ground on the porch barking until the persons leaves. I don't know about you, but I couldn't ask for a better mastiff. Can we also stop with the lab talk, the meanest dog around my way is a chocolate lab.

 

[halu bachman]

That sounds perfectly reasonable! I would like to get to the place where Lucy treats the person like a friend- provided I am with her. We are somehow not giving her the cues that we've got it covered and she can relax.

 

[dogman#1]

Halu, what makes you think that your mastiff is "fearful"? is that what your expensive trainers told you? I ask because i know that many trainers that are not familiar with the defense drives of some mastiffs they would call them fearful... that is wrong. They just cant understand a truly confident dog that would guard w/o training.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

I agree with dogman, I wouldn't necessarily equate her not wanting strangers to pet her or not like them making eye contact an issue with a mastiff (of any type) as aggressive or something that needs to be worked on at all. Most of the standards for the guardians say they aren't supposed to want to greet strangers or be happy go lucky about them. (Some don't get the memo and that is fine but the standard does say aloof) Is she backing off and hiding behind you? What is the reason that you think she is being fearful?

As for not being great or getting stressed with children, that can happen with dogs that don't live with or aren't exposed to kids often and I don't mean an hour or 2 a week I mean several hours a week at least. We had rotties before our corsi and they were exposed to kids ages 2 and up so when we brought our daughter home from the hospital we introduced them slowly but for about 2 month (on the hardest one of the 3, the other 2 accpeted more easily the change) when the baby would cry while waiting to be fed or to be changed, she would run around the house looking for one of us, panting and stressed out. Took about 2 months for her to not react this way and to just stay calm that we were close and would take care of it. She might not ever get to the point where she isn't stressed out by kids if she doesn't see them often but keep working with her and as she shows the desired behaviour reward for that.

All dogs are different and some adjust right away and some take some time and some take a lot of time. My corsi seem to take everything in stride, 2 of my rotties were a little off for a couple of weeks and one like I said took almost 2 mths. Patience is the key and reading the dog so that if she is getting too stressed, remove her from the situation to give her a break and keep everyone safe.

 

[combatboots2012]

i agree 100 percent. i have a female 140 lb bullmastiff who is good with the kids and sleeps indoors and we have 10 acres for her to roam. I do not feel comfortable with her guard instinct as she is 18 months old and was afraid of a little 35 pound mutt. Please help me tech her how to guard the way she is supposed to.

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

^ For something like that you would need training, especially if she doesn't come from a "hard" line ( which are few and far inbetween) Also she is still young and might be going though a fear period. These guys mature slow. She may come into her own.

 

[sfletcher]

It's not stereotypes, it's called breed temperament. It's part of the overall breed standard defined by the club.

If you want a lab or golden, buy a lab or golden. Don't buy a mastiff breed. It's simple as that.

I do not think breeders should be breeding guardian breeds for friendly temperaments. Will you occasionaly have friendly dogs, of course, but it's not and shouldn't be the norm.

There is a whole gray area in between. Should people create monsters by leaving them chained in the back yard? No! But that is different from a well socialized, confident, aloof dog.

I expect my dog to be controlled, calm, and obedient to me. However I own a guardian breed for a reason (cane corso, presa, CAS, boerboel). I am aware of their temperament. It one reason why I love the breeds I do. While I don't expect (or let) him lunge, bark, and be frightening to everyone; I do expect a certain amount of wariness, alertness and aloofness.

I want my guardian breed dog to do what it was designed and created to do, guard. In public he should be watching his surroundings (it's a good thing to be alert), he should be uncomfortable and even give warning if something is not right ( people approaching at night, drunks or people being disorderly). He should not be happy having people fawn all over him. If I ask him to he will, but he doesn't like it and he gets HEAVILY REWARDED after.

I agree one should take every step to socialize and create a well adjusted dog. However I disagree that any guardian should approach life like a lab. Mastiffs should guard, labs should retrieve, collies should herd, terriers should hunt vermin, it makes the traits we love in our defined breeds. Just as a lab afraid of water would be no good, a mastiff with no protective instinct is pointless. It is the whole reason breeds were created in the first place, for a purpose.


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I agree 100%!! If I wanted a submissive lap dog then I would have a Yorkie, Maltese, or something to that affect.

---------- Post added at 06:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:42 PM ----------

My baby girl Gia is only 14 weeks old and she already exhibits the characteristics of a great CC. I think that is AWESOME!! She is wary of strangers, Barks, Hides behind me and watches for anything that she doesn't like when people are near, and lets me know she doesn't like it. She has the Pack Mentality with myself and my Children, even though I only have them a couple nights a week. I wanted this breed, I did my research. I don't want her to be a social look at me attention dog.. I picked her for a reason! You know like how K9 units pick G.S. and not Shit Tzu.. Come on if you want a retreiver get one, if you want a bird, or hunting dog, get one; but don't insult the rest of us by trying to tell us what the Mastiff breeds should be like.. There is a very old Standard for that and common sense..

 

[sfletcher]

My baby girl Gia is only 14 weeks old and she already exhibits the characteristics of a great CC. I think that is AWESOME!! She is wary of strangers, Barks, Hides behind me and watches for anything that she doesn't like when people are near, and lets me know she doesn't like it. She has the Pack Mentality with myself and my Children, even though I only have them a couple nights a week. I wanted this breed, I did my research. I don't want her to be a social look at me attention dog.. I picked her for a reason! You know like how K9 units pick G.S. and not Shit Tzu.. Come on if you want a retreiver get one, if you want a bird, or hunting dog, get one; but don't insult the rest of us by trying to tell us what the Mastiff breeds should be like.. There is a very old Standard for that and common sense..

 

[Cody]

My baby girl Gia is only 14 weeks old and she already exhibits the characteristics of a great CC. I think that is AWESOME!! She is wary of strangers, Barks, Hides behind me and watches for anything that she doesn't like when people are near, and lets me know she doesn't like it. She has the Pack Mentality with myself and my Children, even though I only have them a couple nights a week. I wanted this breed, I did my research. I don't want her to be a social look at me attention dog.. I picked her for a reason! You know like how K9 units pick G.S. and not Shit Tzu.. Come on if you want a retreiver get one, if you want a bird, or hunting dog, get one; but don't insult the rest of us by trying to tell us what the Mastiff breeds should be like.. There is a very old Standard for that and common sense..

Don't let her bark and hide behind you, at 14 weeks CC pups should be confident and out going, their aloof nature kicks in as they mature. Make sure to get her out and socialize like mad, expose her to all sorts of situations.

 

[Spartan]

I agree with Oak Hill Farm. If I wanted a social butterfly, I would have gotten a Pappillon.

 

[Dogue]

Hopefully I don't get barred from the group. Wow GlasgowDogTrainer! I realize you Scotts "tamed" the terrorist who bombed the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie and sent him back to Libya but that doesn't mean you can also turn a CC, Presa, or a Fila into a lab or a golden. We're talking DNA here. And let's say you changed the behavior of a CC, Presa, BB, Fila, etc., and he behaved like a lab you would actually have a very unstable dog.

 

[musicdeb]

Hopefully I don't get barred from the group. Wow GlasgowDogTrainer! I realize you Scotts "tamed" the terrorist who bombed the Pan Am flight over Lockerbie and sent him back to Libya but that doesn't mean you can also turn a CC, Presa, or a Fila into a lab or a golden. We're talking DNA here. And let's say you changed the behavior of a CC, Presa, BB, Fila, etc., and he behaved like a lab you would actually have a very unstable dog.

Nope you won't be barred. Pretty much of what you said was said previously. It was actually a pretty eventful debate.