Why did you choose a Mastiff?

[Tailcreek]

What qualities attracted you to the breed?

I have english mastiff's and some of the things that attracted me to the breed were: their calm and gentle dispositions, low prey drive, medium/low energy, short bursts of energy/giddyness for entertainment and humor to spectators lol, tend to become protective only in extreme and warranted situations, otherwise are generally quite friendly, short coat for easy grooming, fairly quick learners, easy to housetrain, I love their XL size. A well bred mastiff is a beautiful sight to behold.

Jennifer
www.tailcreekmastiffs.com

 

[filas931]

I have a fila. I choose this breed due to its fierce loyalty to its family, to the exclusion of all others, jumbo size, low/medium energy, laid-back (unless a stranger visits, LOL), goofy and clownish!

 

[Renee]

It started because I was with a guy who raised cattle and needed a cattle dog. We also have a lot of coyotes around here -- and coyotes that have interbred with dogs. Big dogs. I've seen coyotes the size of large German Shepherds. He wanted dogs that could deal with the cattle and coyotes if necessary. A lot of research later and we found Filas.

Never thought I would fall so in love with big, jowly creatures . . .

And now there is nothing about this breed I don't adore. Their downright eerie intelligence, ability to reason and adapt, the scheming, stealth, athleticism, determination, strength, feline agility, the "off" switch when they morph into lounge dogs, the beautiful lion gait and stalking, their vocalizations, their intense love and loyalty, gentleness and ferocity, warped sense of humor, ego, their attention to detail, their suspicion at anything out of the ordinary, sense of drama, the fact that they could survive and even thrive without our assistance, but they CHOOSE to live with us, that they aren't completely domesticated, that they are fierce, but not savage and have the concept of "sufficient force," oh, just everything about them.

 

[Mdawn]

Honestly, I actually didn't want a Mastiff at first. My boyfriend had always wanted one and tried unsuccessfully to convince me that I wanted one as well. lol I thought that they were just too big of a dog to have in the house and I wanted a Lab instead. (I actually got my Lab but he came to me as a stray right when I was getting started to look actively for one.) Eventually, I caved as I'm sure my boyfriend knew I would with enough nagging because I am a massive dog lover (obsessed is probably a better word )...show me some puppy pictures and I'm a goner. I started researching and really liked what I was learning. I met a few and LOVED the ones I met. I loved the looks, the calm demeanor, their dedication to the their "people" is UNREAL and I'm convinced can't be matched by any other breed of dog. I love their strength and the way the move. I like the way they think. For example, with my Lab, who is wickedly smart BTW, it seems like his willingness to please overrides everything else. With Uallis, that isn't the case. He has to think about everything first. I love how sensitive they are to their surroundings. I love how insightful they are, Uallis seems to "know" what people's intentions are...if they are good or bad. He's very good at 'reading' people and has shown that on several occasions. I think that they are beautiful animals in general. I love how big they are but at the same time they can be graceful. I love just watching Uallis walk out in the fields; it's absolutely beautiful to me.

But the thing that just hooks me onto the breed...really is the devotion and dedication. Like I said, its UNREAL. I've had other dogs in the past and ones that I've been very attached too. I've had bonds with these dogs that I still value to this day and will always. But I've never had a dog, that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, LOVED me to this degree. I've never had a dog that was so attuned to my moods and actually sought to comfort me as he does. I remember the day I found out my father passed away...I was actually worried that something was wrong with Uallis because he almost acted sick with how mellow he was acting. It was the first and only time that he willingly cuddled with me and was so gentle acting and I felt so connected to him...I will never forget the solace he gave me. It was exactly what I needed.

 

[filas931]

Hey Renee, a question-- in what sense is the fila not completely domesticated? Is it their ferocity with strangers? I've also heard the fila described as a "primitive breed" in this sense....

 

[spiderbitten]

Well, I have two Corsos (Corsi?).

I am a crazy dog-lady-in-training, and love to research breeds and look at pictures of pretty pretty puppies, so I had long thought the Cane Corso a simply beautiful breed and hoped to own one someday. I adored their protective qualities, their loyalty and devotion and gentleness with loved ones, their athleticism, size, and build, as well as their coloring.

I found my first CC quite by accident, in a shelter while looking for a sturdy companion for my large pittie boy, and was told he was a 10 month old Neo/pit bull mix. As it turns out, the shelter was wrong on both counts and he was actually a 5 month old Cane Corso. It took me about a week to figure it out, but I was beyond thrilled when I realized how lucky I was.

I came to realize how much I love the breed in actuality, not just in theory. So when the time came for me to bring in dog #3, I eventually decided to go with another Corso and ended up with my girly-girl, who has the most wonderful personality.

I (hopefully) have many years ahead of me to experience many other breeds of mastiff...on the list is at least one Neo (preferably non-typy and drivey), and possibly a Fila. I do love my Corsos (Corsi?), though.

 

[redog]

I didnt choose them, they chose me! I have 6 rescue dogs and the only requirement is that they need me more than I need them.

 

[Renee]

Hey Renee, a question-- in what sense is the fila not completely domesticated? Is it their ferocity with strangers? I've also heard the fila described as a "primitive breed" in this sense....

It's hard to define . . . they are incompletely domesticated in the same way as a cat is, is the nearest I've found.

They are ferocious in all their emotions -- their protectiveness, their loyalty, their love.

As far as being a primitive breed, they are. They are relatively (so far) unadulterated and adjusted to arbitrary standards. They haven't been tinkered with like most of the other breeds. They still retain that ability to live primitively, with or without our help. They don't feel the need to run to us to solve their problems. Kharma illustrated that to me when she was barely three months old and got herself into the electric cattle fence. Every other dog I've ever seen yelps and runs when they get zapped like that -- Kharma turned around and attacked it. I had to pull her off of it or she'd have kept on biting it for every time it bit her. It was first really brought home to me when she killed -- and ate -- her first groundhog when she was five months old.

I knew I had the perfect dog for me

 

[Miakoda]

My first mastiff was a Shar Pei/Cane Corso mix that I adopted and brought home from work while I was temporarily working at a shelter. Wrigley's momma was a beautiful sable brushcoat Pei and it seems his daddy was a sable Cane Corso that had an ugly temperament thanks to being owned by some crappy bybs. Wrigley was definitely a handful throughout his life and the most dominant dog I've ever met. Every day was a new day of "Who's the Boss?". LOL But he stole my heart and to date he is still my favorite dog I've ever owned.

My 2nd mastiff was a Dogo Argentino that was brought into our clinic with a horrific leg injury. Upon informing the owner the leg was dead and bloodflow could not be restored, he opted to euthanize the dog versus amputating the leg. In the owner's "defense", this dog was a hunting dog and not a pet to him although he did love him in his own way. Well, by the end of the day I had gotten the owner to sign over ownership to me on the basis that I neuter him at the time of the amputation. Butch recently died of a sudden heart attack, but again, he taught me a lot about love and having to earn the respect of a dog (unlike my APBTs who view the UPS as their "owner" and would go home with the garbage man if he would let them ). LOL.

And then came the Fila. I have to thank Renee for my love of this great breed. My first encounter with Filas came from a school visit to Angola State Pen where it seems some Filas work hand-in-hand with the local Bloodhounds in the hunting down and capture of [attempted] escapees. When I first saw those dogs, I realize they were looking at me with some serious eyes that basically said, "Turn and run. I dare you." Let's just say there was absolutely NO WAY I was going to risk going head-to-head with those dogs.

Then I met Renee on another forum and through her writings and descriptions and pictures of these dogs, I fell in love. After losing Wrigley, I felt the need to have another challenge in my life and it seems fate stepped in and someone informed us on the forum of a Fila needing rescuing in north MS (up near Memphis, TN). I made contact with the dog's owner, and sadly stories weren't adding up and I was getting the runaround in terms of getting the dog. In the end, I made the drive and picked her up.

I really thought this would be a forever dog, one that the boys would love and one that would protect the boys. It seemed a perfect fit from the start as Jazz really took to me and to the boys. Bu sadly, as time went on, she begin to show anxiety and nervousness and became extremely overprotective of me and that including protecting me from Carson. In the end and after many tears and much heartache, I made the decision to have her put down. She was yet another vicitim of irresponsible backyard breeders who cared nothing of temperament or health when breeding and only on the name itself. We miss her greatly and Cole still asks about her.

Although we are mastiff-less at this time, one day we will own another. And it will be a Fila.

 

[filarotten]

We had lost our Dane because of bone cancer. My husband refused to let me get another Gd because of so many expensive health problems we encountered while Duke was alive.
While looking for another dog, my #1 concern was my granddaughter, it had to be a dog that would love kids, not be DA because we also had a female rottie. It needed to be loyal, smart, protective, yet a big pussy cat. I narrowed it down to the Fila and I have never regretted that decision.
Brutus has been an amazing dog. Especially with McKinley, she practiced the art of alpha rolling him at a very young age...he didn't care. He is everything I could ever ask for and more.
Cleo, in the month we have had her, is becoming more confident in her Fila abilities and has carved her own special spot in our hearts. She is also starting to show her teenage demon fila side...( god help us) LOL

 

[Renee]

Linda, I wonder if Cleo will go joyriding like Brutie did . . . :faint: :lolbangtable:

 

[Zoom]

I don't have one yet, but a Fila is in my near future. I can thank Renee and Kharma for turning me to the Animal Cracker side; Renee's stories and then meeting Kharma have me hooked. I've always liked the mastiffs but they seemed to riddled with health issues and short lives--Filas seem to have escaped all that for now.

 

[filarotten]

Linda, I wonder if Cleo will go joyriding like Brutie did . . . :faint: :lolbangtable:

Lol I may have to charge up the battery one day and see what she does. She's afraid of the vacuum though so she may not like it yet

Hopefully she won't be a horn honker like he was. ray:

 

[pitbullpony]

My first own dog was an APBT; Indy was just an awesome dog; definitely byb; one testicle, stone-cold (which was fine) oversize, seasonally hypothyroid; but seriously; couldn't want a funner dog!

This is my sweet boy (RIP)

Then when he passed on from kidney failure I started researching what I wanted; Kim's breed; the Central Asian Shepherd, came up when I plugged in the criteria of long-coat (Indy wore a blanky in the winter), defensive; not offensive, family oriented, and then I phoned a few breeders about the CAS -- one breeder told me I wasn't enough Russian and too female to own one; but fortunately I found Jeannine DePalma of FoxFire Farms and her dogs.

Kim came into my life about 1 year after Indy had passed. The CAS is a very primitive breed also.

Dora came into my life because I needed another Indy; and she is it; I have never had the bond with another dog that I have with Dora; I "get" every expression she has; and she is THE QUEEN; SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED; YOU ARE NOT WORTHY. She makes me laugh. She was given to me by her breeder; to develop her into a dog that is worthy of the breed and worthy to carry on her bloodlines.

Kim is about 120? Dora is about 130/140 - not sure; haven't weighed either for a long time; both go to a homeopathic vet; no scales there.

 

[spiderbitten]

Pitbullpony ~

What gorgeous dogs! I think my next dog is going to be a CAS...far in the future, of course.

 

[Renee]

PBP, we need to get Jeannine over here I do love her dogs!

 

[Mdawn]

Kim came into my life about 1 year after Indy had passed. The CAS is a very primitive breed also.

I think I'm in love...:aww: BEAUTIFUL eyes...

 

[2Mastiffsowner]

Actually my aunt had an Old English Mastiff name Zues and before he died she got a Neopolitan Mastiff that i started showing. Now she has a Tibetan Mastiff that i am starting to show. I am the co-owner/breeder/handler of these two.

 

[boerboeler]

I've always been in awe of the breed, so big and gentle, had to have one.

 

[2Mastiffsowner]

i can't help but love all Mastiff and Mastiff-type breeds. My aunts Old English was the first one i met and i fell in love with these dogs. Tyson the Tibetan has a broken right hind leg. Both bones are broken. 8 weeks in a cast.