Help us make the right decision!

[CallmeChris]

I guess let me start by giving you a little history. My wife and I had an English Mastiff back in the late 90's and have wanted another one ever since but weren't really in position to have another one. Our kids are older now and we are ready to enjoy another one and have started looking for our new puppy. One of our major concerns are our other animals...we have a female miniature schnauzer. We have always had better luck with female animals and would prefer to have a female EM but I am being told they don't do well with other females. Our other EM was female and we had 2 other female mutts at the time and they got along like best friends. Did we get lucky with her or what?

There is also a female cat in the house but we hardly ever see her! LOL And we have an African Gray parrot who is an absolute nut but I don't see him being an issue. The breeder we had our other mastiff from had three parrots and 2 mastiffs all living in the house. I'm sure I will have many more questions but that will get me started Thans!.

 

[CallmeChris]

We found a local breeder that had a litter of puppies on fathers day...our new little baby might be in here somewhere...lol

 

[NeSaxena]

Honestly, you never know how the dog's gonna turn out to be - each of their personalities is different! EMs are the gentlest dogs I know, especially with kids and smaller dogs - I'm sure some EM owners will chime in here. If you introduce the two properly, there should be absolutely no issues among the dogs. With the other animals too, I don't foresee any issues. Unless you're getting a fila mix or something

 

[CallmeChris]

Thanks for the input, that's the experience we have had with most of our animals but after reading the EM's were aggressive against the same sex I was a little concerned. I'll go back to believing what I know and not what I read...lol

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

What is your female min schnauzer like with other female dogs, big and small?

 

[Smokeycat]

It's not the same as what your asking but I have 2 males and they get along great.

 

[CallmeChris]

Our schnauzer is not extremely friendly to most other dogs she doesn't know but has a soft spot for puppies and does prefer females . We had a jack Russel/pappilion mix that she thought of as her own.

 

[Tunride]

We have 4 females, 3 fixed, Snookums our EM, age 2 yrs now, was 4 months when we got her, not fixed yet gets along beautifully with everyone. Tao, 1/2 Shar-Pei, is 13 yrs old and mom to everyone. She was 9 weeks old, fixed, when we rescued her. Shaggy was a "tied-to-a-tree at a rest stop" for hours rescue, been with us since she was about 2 yrs old, now about 13. She is just an easy going treat beggar. Bones our dobbie/choc lab mix was rescued a month before we got our EM, same age as EM. She is a game player and toy thief. The one and only quarrel we have had was between Bones and her "mom" and that calmed down after a separation of 15 minutes. It's always a chance thing but a puppy is usually easy to bring into a home with another dog. Go slow, have meet and great in yard, pay lots of attention to your schnauzer.

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

Yay Tunride!!

 

[Smart_Family]

Yea it totally depends on the dog. My female EM has always been fine with my female Shepherd.

 

[CallmeChris]

Thank you everyone, my family appreciates the information.

And Tunride, it is awesome of you with all the rescues!

 

[DennasMom]

I'd worry more about the schnauzer than the EM... if you're ol' girl is set in her ways, a puppy full time might not be on her 'to-do' list.

 

[CallmeChris]

I'm not worried about the schnauzer...this won't be the first puppy she has been introduced to...its the full grown dogs she meets that she has problems with usually.


Has anyone heard of big dawg'z mastiffs? It is a breeder that is in the town I live in...I haven't been by in person to see them yet but plan on it soon. They had a litter born last Sunday. Here are the links to their website and Facebook page...

Home

Big Dawgs Mastiffs


I have mixed feelings about them from what I see on the internet but my wife says I'm just being a snob...lol. They love their animals, there is no doubt about that and I really like the idea of the puppies being raised inside the house. They are asking $700 for a female and $800 for a male. AKC registered and all shots. They will not be removing the dew claws from this litter and don't offer a health guarantee.

Am I being a snob or asking for trouble?

 

[Smokeycat]

What worries me is the male's age. If they are breeding him at 1 year I doubt that they are health testing as many tests can't be done until the dog is 2. Personally I will not buy another puppy from untested parents. My EM is going thru surgery for elbow dysplasia and while testing can't eliminate the risk it will reduce it along with other inheritable disorders.

 

[Smokeycat]

Also part of why I choose Kryten was that the price was right. By the time his surgeries are done the cost will be somewhere between $10,000-$12,000. My 'cheap' puppy didn't stay cheap.

 

[CallmeChris]

Roger on that. I'm not looking for a dog to show, she will just be a member of the family but I don't want a can of worms either. We had a mastiff boy puppy named Tanner that was a bundle of health problems in the late 90's and after 2 surgeries was put to sleep...the vet bill was HUGE but being in a small town the vet waived most of the charges and we only owed around $200. The breeder was our neighbor and they gave us a puppy from the next litter and she was a model of health and a true blessing to have around. The breeder linked above reminds me of the first breeders in a lot of ways.

I do like the idea of the breeder being local and from the way they talk it won't be a problem for the kids to stop by and keep up with the progress of their puppy. They are also definitely in love with their animals so it will be coming from a good environment...its the potential health problems that make me slow down, but that's a possibility anywhere I suppose. I learned a long time ago if something is supposed to happen then you don't have to force it. We have talked for a few years now about getting another mastiff and last Sunday is the day we decided to start looking...that's the day this litter was born and in our home town....destiny or coincidence? Lol


How do the animals look to you? Not show quality, but they are good looking dogs, right?

 

[Iymala]

How do the animals look to you? Not show quality, but they are good looking dogs, right?

Honestly, no. They lack bone, have poor heads on them and over all are not typey of a Mastiff. They look like poorly bred dogs unfortunately and normally the apple does not fall far from the tree. You will have a leggy, slight of build mastiff without much of a head to it when the puppy matures. I am not looking at them as anything close to show quality, but even as a pet they are a poor repersentation of the breed.

 

[CallmeChris]

Looks like I'm back to looking around, thanks.

Anyone have a lead on a breeder within reasonable distance to Memphis, TN?

 

[Iymala]

Mastiff Puppies - kyniska site

They are in my state, but I know they have puppies on the ground.

 

[Iymala]

PUPPY BREATH - New Arrivals

Also has puppies. I am not sure if either breeder has any available, but they should be able to set you up with someone in your area that does. I have not done business with either, and have no personal experience with them. Normally reputable breeders are incredibly helpful tho.