Why did you choose a Mastiff and your particuar breed of Mastiff?

[blue-kyla]

i wanted a dog and my husband has always grown up with pit bulls that were large he doesn't care for small dogs and it was out of the question so i went looking for a dog that was large but gentle with children as we have a almost 3 year old daughter. i have always loved the look of mastiffs but never had one so knowing my husband has trained big dogs i figured this would be the best time to buy one, i went to the breeder looking for a fawn boy and came out with a brindle girl even with her issues she had with the runs and the medicine she has been on for the first week i have had her she is great sits on demand and drops anything the moment i ask and and when i say nooooo bella don't do that she is sitting and looking at me now the potty training is not going the best but we are working on that it may be easier now that she isn't having runny poops but i love her and she loves my little girl

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

In 1995 my long time girlfriend decided she wanted a dog. I was on-board but she was a bit flaky back then and I knew the care and maitenece would fall to me, so we decided I would choose the breed.

I spent a lot of time researching and visiting breeders of many different breeds. This was fun for me. It was a little more legwork back in the day, the internet wasn't quite what it is now.

I stumbled across a breed that wasn't really recognized in Canada yet.

Cane Corso.

I went to meet the breeder and liked how guarded she was about selling me a pup. I had to prove myself. She came to visit my house about 3 hours from her.

When the litter was born, there was one that I loved from the photos. A blue male.

When I went to meet the the pups, a brindle female left her litter mates and wandered over to me, gave me a kiss and fell asleep with her head in my hand.

No choice, I went home with the brindle.

It's a long time ago and I still have trouble talking about her. I have never trusted anything in my life as much I as I trusted Echo. If she had doubts about a stranger, I didn't let them into my life. Two years later my daughter was born and I was worried how Echo would take it.

I was wrong to worry. Echo never let my daughter out of her sight. They would even play horse on their own. My daughter would climb on Echo and she would slowly trot around with my 2 year old hanging on to her jowls.

Echo was gentle but never let anyone in the house. She used to pin people against the wall with her side if friends she knew walked in and I hadn't said "It's OK Echo". Once said, she would slobber all over them looking for belly rubs.

Echo died in 2006 and I was devestated. I couldn't imagine 'replacing' her.

I changed jobs, changed wives, changed countries and finally about 4 months ago I felt ready to get another pup. There was no doubt to what breed I wanted, but I didn't know if I could find one in my present country… China, especially a good breeder.

Strangely it was easier to find Presa Canario breeders but I knew what I wanted and finally I found a breeder I thought was the real deal in the Shanghai area. I don't live anywhere near Shanghai, but my wife and I made a holiday of it and went to meet the breeder.

I felt comfortable and a couple of months later I chose (this time from photos) a black (maybe reverse brindle) male.

Yingzi is calmer than Echo. Maybe smarter or maybe I'm better at training but he has been a joy. He's only 12 weeks but I can't imagine life without him now.

I guess the short answer to the OP's question is luck. I got into mastiffs through luck and a puppy's kiss. Now, although I'm interested in looking and learning about other breeds, I'm a total Cane Corso guy.

I will never choose another breed.

Do you mind me asking which breeder you got your dog from back in the '90s? There are so few people with old time experience (especially here in Canada) it would be nice to see if she is still active in the breed.

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

Reading some of these stirs an array of emotions I'd rather not display in public on the job.

 

[CeeCee]

What a beautiful story, CeeCee. I'm so happy that you found the joys of the human/dog relationship.

Thank you so much for sharing!

Thank you AB. They are my heart!

 

[DDBsR4Me]

I grew up with larger dogs - mainly German shepherds as our personal family dogs. But my family did a lot of fostering so we had various breeds in and out - mainly larger dogs -dobermans, boxers, we had a bloodhound once.

Anyway - Turner and Hooch did it for me. I saw the movie as a kid and fell in love with Hooch. Though I didn't find out that he was actually a purebred dog until I was in college. And from there I knew I had to have one.

IMO DDBs are the best dog ever! I don't think I will ever not have one - or I can't imagine not having one in my life. The downside is their life span and health issues.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I didn't I picked the group of dogs called Livestock Guardian Dogs first, and just happened to end up with one who's named a Mastiff!

 

[kbuchanan66]

I am going to start by saying that I am only 22 and will be 23 in September and while I do believe that this is such a young age I don't believe that age should matter as long as you are financially stable and mature in the mind enough to own a dog or have had a prior experience to set you straight..... Heck I know for a FACT that my animals are treated better than most animals that live with 30, 40 and 50 year olds that I have met.

With that being said I had owned a Min Pin from the age of 16 until 20. His name was Zeke and I got him at the age of 8 months after he was returned to Petland(Yaaaa I know) because he had a skin problem that they couldn't solve and they wanted a new dog. I got him for free as Petland could not really sell him due to the skin issue, so I took him home. After about 1 week in my house his hair grew back and the skin issue was magically disappearing(I believe it was stress and cheap detergent that was causing his skin issue). Being 16 I had friends to see, school to go to and a Job for spending money. Zeke didn't get as much socialising as he needed and because of this he didn't tolerate anyone other than myself to touch him. There were plenty occasions where he would charge, bark and growl at my father, friends, brothers or any stranger that came close and the vet. There were a couple of instances where he had bitten people. When I reached 20 and moved in with my boyfriend all heck broke loose. Zeke would not get along with Duke (boyfriends lab) or my boyfriend. After the 5th bite to my boyfriend and the 3rd fight between my 5lb Zeke and the 80lb Duke I set out to find a trainer that could help me give the tools to rehabilitate Zeke. I tried techniques and training methods I had found on the internet but nothing worked. I spent 6 months trying to get in touch with any trainer that could possibly help me. I called people from as far as 500 km away. They all pretty much said the same thing..... Min Pins are a one person dog and if they are not socialised with in the 1st 6 months of life they are a lost cause. I could not find 1 trainer to even come and evaluate Zeke. So as I could not find a trainer to help me I started looking for an experienced dog owner that had the right situation to help Zeke. While I was looking Zeke got out of the front door one day as an oncoming Truck was coming down the road. On Aug 20/2011 I lost Zeke to the Truck. To this day it still hurts to think that I basically set my little man up to fail in life.

I went almost a year before the idea even set in that I wanted another dog. I beat myself up hard for 10 months thinking I did not deserve another dog and how could I when I set up the last dog I had to fail? I found myself looking through the Kijiji ads when I went back home to visit some friends. There I saw an Ad for RottweilerXLabXMastiff puppies with some horrible low light picture. My friend was excited and just wanted to go look at them so she drug me along. Needless to say I ended up with the calmer male of the 8 puppies. I admit I did no research and I basically got Barron on a whim but one look at his little face and one little puppy kiss to my nose and I was smitten. He basically Robbed my heart for that 1 little moment and started healing my heart. The moment I decided to take him home was the moment that I swore to myself I wouldn't fail this puppy like the last one... To DATE I have done what ever I needed to to train Barron to be a perfect gentleman. This included never ending research for training techniques, research on diet, research on puppies in general, joining a Rottweiler forum and than joining a Mastiff forum, making my own puppy socialising classes, finding children in my neighborhood to play and train my dog around, taking my puppy everywhere I went as well as hiring a professional 1 on 1 trainer for training issues that I was wanting extra help with. Telling people not to do certain things with my dog like playing rough or yelling at him. I hardly go on any holidays and if I do they usually come with me unless it is out of the country in which that case I have a few on call Dog Sitters that I trust to watch both my boys (Barron &Duke). If I go boating they come, if I have soft ball games they come, if I have to go into town to pick up a couple things they come, I work during the day but my boyfriend takes them to work there is maybe 1-2 hours a day where they are ever left unattended in which case we have a gated deck they stay.

The expense of a large breed compared to a small breed is quite different, even the vet bills are more. Peoples reactions to my large breed compared to my little dog is ridiculous. Barron is 100 X more well behaved and yet I have more people scared, or asking if he bites...?? The amount of room he takes up in my house is crazy. The times he really really wants to sniff something he can and will pull me if I am not watching and their is really no bracing for a 100lb dog.

I believe that the experience with Zeke made me the Dog Owner I am today. Though I regret what happened with Zeke I don't know if I would change anything in my life right now.

 

[ZEBO75]

I been a long time fancier of APBT for almost 20 years and decided I wanted a breed with more defensive drive. For two years I did thorough research on the Dogo and Presa Canario. I choose the Presa Canario because it had more defensive drive and less health issues than the Dogo. I'm away from home a lot and my wife is home alone a lot and this is the real reason I wanted a breed with a strong guardian instinct. My dog is still very young so I will see how it works out. So far he's very dominant, confident, and hard-headed.

 

[Hector]

My story is pretty simple. I wanted a dog that will protect me and actually bite people that broke into my house. I wanted a dog to protect my property and from the druggies next door. I wanted a dog with stability, confidence, and strength, and loyalty. Rescue dogs had too many problems and I wanted to start new with a pup. There was a fila breeder near me and so I went with it. I expected to isolate my life and my dog from the outside world. I'm not a social person anyway so that didn't bother me.

Pros: He is pretty laid back and very eager to please. He showed me what sensitivity and intelligence is in a dog. He's always aware of people. He doesn't lash out just in the sight of them. His best friends are kids (two that are not mine). He didn't have the typical destructive puppy behavior that I had expected. He is a happy and playful boy. He has the greatest personality ever.

Cons: He loves to crowd me out and use me as a chin rest every opportunity he gets. He eats a lot and he cries a lot. He has a wood fetish. He sheds a lot for having a short coat. He is more clingy than I expected from a guardian breed. He always thinks he can be sneaky, but he's really not...lol

 

[Iymala]

I had always wanted a dog growing up, but unfortunately my mother was not on board. I had always loved animals and dog particularly. When I saw my first Great Dane I was spell struck. I knew it was the dog for me. I rescued my first Dane while I was in culinary school from a Puppymill seizure. He was 70lbs and so malnourished that he never fully recovered. I had 3 great years with him and I was hooked. I fostered another larger male during that time period, but after my first Dane died it took me some time to be ready to get another dog. I got a Great Dane puppy in '09 who was absolutely beautiful. Sure he had his faults, but I thought he was stunning. He was a great dog but I started to realize some personality traits that had been consistent throughout my Danes. Unfortunately, I lost him late last year and it broke my heart. It was right before I moved in with my fiance. I knew I need another dog in my life, but we were not in the situation to make that happen.

For the first time in my life I had to come to a mutual decision on what type of dog I would get. My fiance did not want a giant breed, but my heart was set on one. He was set on a breed that was protective and intimidating without being a liability. We finally came to an agreement on English Mastiffs and found a breeder. Claymore has been such an eye opening experience. I thought I was a Dane person, but he showed me that I am a Mastiff person. I have fallen head over heels in love with the breed and its calm, consistent and confident demeanor. He constantly impresses me at obedience classes, socializing in public and in our general household lives. He is fearless and even when the advanced obedience trainer puts out agility stations (1 per class to add variety to the obedience work, always making sure they are low enough for our puppy) he does the stations flawlessly. He so far has mastered table and the jump (ours was so low he could just step over it to make sure we did not stress his joints) which we used to teach "over" command. He was one of the only dogs to weave through the cones with food on them without trying to take the treats after being told to leave it the first time. We always talk about Mastiff's being stubborn, and boy are they, but they are also very smart. He picks up on commands quickly and focuses well.

We then added Betty a few weeks ago because I was certain Claymore needed a playmate. She is everything I loved so much in Claymore in a little girl body. She has been amazing. Confident, adventurous, smart, and loving. They are amazing companions for each other and for us, and while they are both dominate dogs they are able to play fairly with one another. Both of them have an innate confidence and stability of character that I have not experienced prior to owning Mastiffs.

 

[Kujo]

To be honest, I did not want a big dog, I wanted a medium dog. But my man was insistent and said if it's not a mastiff, I don't want it. I'm an animal lover, and I've wanted a puppy for a very long time, so if my requirements for getting a puppy were it had to be a mastiff, fine, I'll find us a mastiff.
Long story short, found Kujo online from a "breeder", talked to her, asked all the questions the internet told me to ask, and went and picked him up the same night. He picked me, only one to come and sit on my feet and stay there the entire time.
I know better now about BYBs, and I most likely purchased from a BYB, but I don't regret a thing, Kujo is the best thing to happen to us in a long time and can't imagine life without him.
There are so many positives to having Kujo, basically love everything about him, especially his wonderful personality.
Negatives/challenges would be vet bills. They are manageable, but I think if we had ended up with a high needs mastiff we might have been in trouble. I would have made it work, and am prepared to make it work if anything were to happen, but it wasn't something we were anticipating. We have talked about it, my man really wants another ddb, but he wants a BIG one, one day (he's obsessed with BIG dogs) (he jokes and teases Kujo for being a mini mastiff, of course he loves him but he wanted a big burly boy). But we decided we can't until we are prepared for all possibilities of caring for a BIG ddb. I honestly think Kujo is so damn healthy with no joint issues is cause he's smaller, much less strain on his joints. But this is just my thought.
So while we weren't fully prepared or really understood what it takes and means to own a mastiff, I have educated both of us along the way of raising Kujo, and we will be making a more informed decision next time around. But again, I wouldn't trade Kujo for anything, and I can't imagine not having a ddb in my life, I am absolutely obsessed!

 

[NYDDB]

Great thread idea, MM!

Although I grew up with dogs, they were always the small yappy ones (ugh.) I have always loved big, slobbery dogs, and knew one day I would have a giant breed of my own. My first dog was not a mastiff, but a black lab with a big blocky head and slobber issues of his own, LOL. Anyway, he was the perfect "starter" dog for me-- sweet, mellow guy who was utterly devoted and protective. He was unusually easy to train, and I could walk him off-leash anywhere. Just a perfect gentleman.

While Luke the lab was alive, I met a Dogue de Bordeaux in Central Park one day and was smitten. Since that day, I started doing a lot of research and reading about the breed, because I was so curious about them and mastiffs in general. I knew I wanted a dog that was a bit more protective and...just bigger.

When Luke died at 12.5 years, I was beyond devastated. So much so, that as much as I loved having a dog, I was not ready to bring another one into my life...I waited three years before I was able to do so.

I started looking at breeders of DDBs and found one that I was happy with---and I like the pairing of the parents that would be happening soon. I chose Mateo and life has never been the same.

With the DDB I love the size (very large, but not enourmous); temperament (stable, protective, generally friendly and trainable); short coat, and of course, their huge wrinkly face.

Yeah, they can be stubborn and willful. But they wouldn't be who thay are without those traits...
They are also sensitive, and want nothing more than to be close and bond with their person. Since having Mateo, my world has opened up in a way that is difficult to describe. I love his confidence, his lack of fear towards anything new or strange-- and he has such curiousity! Just experiencing life through him makes me laugh and be a stronger, more inspired person.

His name "Mateo" is Spanish/Italian ("Matteo") for Matthew meaning "Gift of God." He truly is...

BTW, it wasn't until after I brought Mateo home when I kept hearing people saying "It's the Hooch dog'-- that I finally watched the movie, "Turner and Hooch,"- a little late to the party....

 

[Iymala]

Whoops I forgot to add Cons to my post.

The negatives of owning an English Mastiff:
1. Cost... vet care, food, medication(heartworm/flea), toys, treats. Bigger dogs have bigger bills.
2. Some people are afraid of your dogs meerly because they are so large and often make snarky, rude commends about them or you. Who really likes rude people anyhow tho.
3. Renting. If you do not own your house it can be difficult to find places to live that will accept a dog as large as a Mastiff.
4. Poop. There is a lot of it, and part of being a responsible pet owner is picking up your pet's mess.
5. Destruction ability. A giant dog can destroy anything item in your home that you hold dear. They are able to accomplish this with world record breaking speed and accuracy.
6. Behavior Issues. A giant dog is a giant responsibility. If you have a chiuahua that is a fear biter and bites you are looking at a bandaid. If you have a Mastiff that bites you are looking at hospital bills, lawsuits, and losing your dog. I hate to say that trianing is so much more important with our big guys than little dogs, but in a way it is. A rude, agressive, or mis-behaving small dog is an annoyance.... a mis-behaving giant dog is a danger to people and itself as well as a huge liability.
7. Waiting to Neuter/Spay. This is in the best interest of our giant breed friends, but often times this excludes them from doggie daycare or playgroups when boarding. It can hinder their socialization if you do not have a lot of free time to spend socializing your dogs.
8.Dog Bullying. No idea how to word the name... but oftem times our big guys do not only intimidate people but other dogs. Their size, energy(especially as a puppy) and sometimes hormones will cause some dogs to react very poorly towards your dogs to no fault of yourown or your dogs.
9.Grass Burns. Big dogs +big pees = large burn spots in your grass. Not a huge deal but it could be to some people.

 

[pfeliciano]

I choose our mastiff because my husband was deployed I had a 18 month old and a 2month old and we had a string of break ins and a peeping tom. So I wanted a dog thats looks said don't think about it and personality that would be great with my babies. After doing my research mastiff really fit the part. The breeder I got her from was retiring her from the breeding program and was selling her as a family pet. When she came home I was a bit nervous because she was a lot larger than I anticipated. But She was/is AMAZING!! She watched/watches my babies where ever they were/are. My son who was 2-3 months when we got her learned to walk by holding onto her collar and she'd slowly walk him around the house. She has always treated them like they were her puppies. And she has also done a great job at letting people know that we are her people. A week after we got her someone tired to break into our house and she shut that idea down. Two months after owning her I took her outside at night to go potty and I was messing with something in the yard when I heard her growl at me. She was creeping quickly towards me teeth bared and growling fiercely. Then I heard it, behind me was a large german shepherd sized coyote before i could even run she was there chasing it down the reveen(spelling?) behind our house. We were living in Missouri on a base that is partly in the black forest. And do to boar hunting and dear hunting the coyotes were being drove into the base and attacking whatever they could for food. Brandy has been a friend, protector, comforter, babysitter, play toy, foot stole(lol) snuggle buddy list goes on. She is ten now and still if not more active. She still mothers my kids who are now 7, and 5 1/2. And we have recently added Sampson who is 8 weeks and loads of fun! He is already loyal and loves the kids and grandma Brandy. He has also already started to let other dogs no we are his humans. Yesterday while at the vet a dog was barking at us and he barked right back and puffed up like he was 240 instead of 13! lol!!
Yes mastiffs are expensive however so are children and husbands and whoever else you have in your family that you love. My husband and I joke that its like we have a newborn, with all the checkups and shots and no sleep. But just like you want the best for you're kids/ Family you would also want for your dog.
Also I enjoy there low maintenance i.e. their lazy! I think of it this way I feed my kids organic or from the farm fresh and teach them that that stuff is important. And they exercise and see the Dr. on their scheduled checkup times. So why wouldn't I pour the same effort into a dog that I a. spent a lot of money and time to get and b. want it to be with me as long as possible.
We will not own any other dog. Why would you? A mastiff was breed to love its people and be loyal to them what more could you want in a dog?

 

[LizB]

I love this thread! It is so interesting to hear the stories of how others got into this!

About 23 years ago my husband and I got our first dog, a bulldog/chihuahua mix, and he was a nasty fellow! We loved him, but he was very much wanting to be in charge of the household, and we learned everything we know about stubborn dogs with him. We moved out to a remote area with a huge wetland and beaver pond, and some area youths would walk through our property uninvited and unannounced, and they were not afraid of our little dog, though they SHOULD HAVE BEEN, lol.

I was at home alone during the day with my toddler daughter, and we decided we wanted a dog that was scary looking and intimidating, but NOT DANGEROUS or a liability. We were immediately drawn to the rottweiler, since I used to know one that I really liked. We could not find a breeder that we liked, and we actually felt that, at that time (early 90s) the breed was going in a direction we didn't like, so we did more research.

We settled on the BM and we realized that this was exactly what we needed. A stable protector that would not look for trouble, but if trouble came along they would handle it. They also looked intimidating and we felt they would do exactly what we wanted. They had low grooming requirements and did not require a great deal of exercise or special jobs to do to keep them from being destructive or neurotic. Their JOB is to hang out and guard the place - sleeping on the sofa is actually doing their job, lol.

Once we got our first one we never looked back, and we never want to be without at least one. They are quiet, large, independent thinkers that protect the house and grounds without being a nuisance or overreacting. They know what real trouble is versus innocent visitor, and they have always made me feel safe. We may have other breeds too, but we never want to be without a BM.

 

[goetsch4]

I ended up with Zoe after two years of reading about the breed. I have always had Beagle/Basset Mixes and wanted something larger. I came across an English Mastiff during my online search and just fell in love! I loved their temperments, big blocky heads, and huge paws. I never liked little dogs or skinny ones. My husband was not on the same page and didn't want such a huge dog so I comprismised and said we'd adopt an adult Lab. I wanted an adult "English" Lab since I had read they weren't as hyper and were more blocky then a regular lab. We looked and looked at all different rescues. I just didn't feel connected with any of them and I found that English Labs were not as readily available in our area. My husband finally said I should just get a Mastiff since I will never be happy with this other dog just settling and he thought Labs are boring, everyone has labs. My kids and I were so excited. The next day I looked online and came across a breeder that I had liked 2 years ago when researching and they had puppies available - Even had an apricot Girl, which is what I wanted. It was fate!! So far I can't imagine my life without Zoe - she is a pain in the butt sometimes but so loving and goofy. It's been 2 Months since we picked her up and I am looking forward to seeing her grow up. My 10y old tells Zoe all the time while hugging her that "she loves her sooo much."

 

[AKBull]

I knew I wanted an EM since I first saw the Sand Lot... Honestly, I didn't do any homework on them, and I wasn't in the market to get one when the opportunity presented itself. I was in Arizona for my Grandfather's funeral. My ex wife and I had gone to the mall across from our hotel where we came across a pet store... yeah. Puppies, puppies, pu... "HONEY!! LOOK!!" *sighs* Now, I tried to be reasonable here. I did. In Arizona, staying in a hotel, that whole funeral thing going on. Probably not a good time to get a dog. What's that? I can play with him in an enclosed room? Well hell, I test drive cars all the time without any intention of buying them. So that's how I got my first EM...

Some months later I knew he needed a buddy, and I was fortunate to find a young, female BM in our local paper. I had no clue what a BM was at the time, but I knew it said Mastiff in there, so I knew she should be sturdy enough to hang with my boy. So we took the trip to a neighboring city to check her out... Wow! She was only 6 months old at the time, but what a looker... Big old muscled hammies, brick head. It was love at first sight really. So the ex drove us home, while "Sadie" sat in my lap, giving me kisses the whole way. ... Now I'm all bummed out... Thanks!

Fast forward some years. They are both now "middle age". I'd grown accustomed to owning giants and couldn't image anything else. The drool, the hair, the flat spots on the couches. That's part of life now, and I wouldn't change it for the world. Everyone in the neighborhood knows who you are, "You own those big ass dogs, right?". Sounds weird to say, but it's almost like a status symbol? Suppose it is. I own a Mastiff. Ohhh, awww. I'll save myself and not go into the ending of their being. These dogs are large, and take up a huge amount of space in your heart.

And here we are, a little over 2 years ago. My life had changed. I'd finally gotten to a place in time where I could look for another pup. What to get? No question, the Bull. I loved my EM, he was a great dog, but my girl... she was something else for me. Muscled physique, very athletic for her build, etc, etc. The BM, for me, was just easier to deal with day to day. So it's settled, time to do my homework on breeders. I had learned a LOT from owning my previous kids, and I knew what I needed to look for. And now I have it.

What was the original question? LOL
I wanted a Mastiff that looks good. Has the potential to scare the hell out of someone should they come in unannounced. Is an independent thinker (I don't mind the stubbornness most of the time). And one that can be a couch potato.

The downside to owning him... I don't trust people to watch him if I need to take an extended trip. So I pretty much don't take trips where he can't go. Health expenses of course. Food costs. Wife's shoe inventory has gone down. Hell, my shoe inventory has gone down. I can't sleep in. Can't leave the spare bedroom door open that has the cat box in it. Can't rescue/foster any other male Mastiff.

 

[voidecho]

I wanted a big lazy dog cause I'm big and lazy.

 

[2nd Chance]

I have 2 high octaine breeds, i wanted a break!
and i saw a badly spelt advert, advertising a GRATE GARD DOG! The photo showed a dog chained up, underweight with a skin condition with broken cars all around it. The address was an industrial estate. I went to rescue, rescued and now here i am with my own cuddly loving dog who doesnt hassle the crap out of me at 0600hrs for training sessions! But will come along for a plod anyhow.

 

[ChangshaNotes]

Do you mind me asking which breeder you got your dog from back in the '90s? There are so few people with old time experience (especially here in Canada) it would be nice to see if she is still active in the breed.

I don't remember. There wasn't a kennel name. She didn't advertise. I was put on to her when I was visiting a Rottweiler breeder and another visitor I was chatting with told me about her and the breed. I had never heard of Cane Corsi before and was intrigued. He gave me her phone number and away I went.

I'm sure I have her information in a box full of Echo's stuff in storage back in Ontario but I won't be back there until the beginning of next year. I will definitely check when I go back as I want to see if I have things I can use with Yingzi here. Her dogs were not as big as they seem to be now. Height-wise similar but not as heavy. They all moved like cats and had that confident way of standing. This is what struck me first.

I had a spay contract (pet class) and I was required to contact her first, if for any reason I wanted to re-home the pup. I wish I could remember her name. She was a little different. Not very friendly at all, quite abrupt and not interested in people, but with her dogs she was gentle and patient. She called me every week for a few months to check on Echo. I suppose she was worried about how I would handle training but to be honest Echo was very easy. Learned everything quickly and so willing to learn. Echo had free reign of the house when we were out and we never had any issues. Yingzi is certainly not ready for that as a couple of dead sofa cushions have taught me but he is also very clever (mores maybe) and learns quickly.

In China they seem to breed similarly to what I remember and tend to the smaller scale of what is accepted.

So many things are drastically different here. I see so many mentions Chow problems on this board but here Chows are great dogs. stable, aloof with strangers but not aggressive, great with children they don't know (very important because their looks attract kids). Chows are very popular here. I would have probably chosen a Chow, if I couldn't find a good Cane Corso breeder. Now Shar-pei's are another story. Not popular and not trusted to be stable.

The comment about Rottweilers in the 90's was interesting. I had the same experience. It seemed that there were too many health concerns with them back then. Better off with a Rott X really. I wonder if it has been cleaned up now.