First dog - mastiff?

[PetIndi]

I know they're meant to be decent for a first but just want some perspectives on it.

I live in a big flat and the area around me is perfect for walking dogs so that's not an issue (unless the flat is.).

My favourite thing daily is to go a long slow walk, stopping and relaxing on benches I approach along the way, is this type of walking suitable?

Not currently employed, but once I am I'm looking for around 3 full days a week. Don't currently have any partners or friends nearby. Does that schedule sound like it would work?

This isn't an immediate thing but I would be looking for within a year maybe a little bit longer so don't worry about money and things.

From a zoo perspective how are they? I guess they're typically very loving affectionate dogs. I'd be looking for a male, how is it being mounted by a dog that size? Is it unrealistic?

 

[Daedalus]

3x12 compressed schedules (12h shifts x 3 days/nights a week) are excellent all-around for animal ownership or farm, ranch, homestead life. It minimizes the hours wasted on commuting and keeps you at home with your animals or farm projects more days out of the week. So long as you can endure the 12 hours, they're great. Be ready to kill a day in recovery tho. That attractive 4d "weekend" often ends up being more like a 3. But its still better than the traditional 5x8 M-F grind.

Yes, the giant breeds do tend to be lazier, particularly if the walk is both 1) long enough to tire them and 2) routine enough (ie. every night without fail even in light rain) that they expect it -- then its still a treat but not a rare treat that they have to savor the fuck out of by racing thru it. A trained, basic-obedient, leash-respecting dane, saint, mastiff etc. won't likely be pulling that lead as hard and dragging you through the whole route as much as a smaller, overzealous, high-output breed, say a pit or a lab. My pit keeps that lead taut for the first 2 miles like I'm a loaded trailer he has to haul, then slackens the remaining 5mi unless something in the ditch compels him to yank us over into it. My giant pyr/saint cross and my older chunky mastiff girl are done pulling after the first 0.5mi.

For mounting, think equal parts training your butt for his penis size and training your lower extremities for a dog of that weight class. Don't neglect the latter -- you're going to be holding an all-fours position for a long, possibly uncomfortable time. If your daily walks are already a few miles long, you should be good. Especially if he ends up being a stay-in-place sort, not a hop-down and turn-caudal guy. Or even moreso if you intend on training him to be the former for the sake of saving your poor ass some hard, gaping, tormenting tug-of-war. Knees, back, hips -- yours, I mean. How are they? If you're young with no lasting injuries or ailments you should be golden. So long as, of course, you practiced that aforementioned anus. You did put the time into streeeeeeeeeetch training with a proper inflatable, like a good boy ought to, yes? Good. You're gonna need it when a mastiff or saint plugs you up with a baseball or small grapefruit, lol.

So if you and your ass survive the inevitable train he's gonna run on you, come back and tell us all about it ? But yeah. Can't go wrong with Elypse Art vixen or whatever their largest is now. Pump that 10-12x and hold 1 hour. If you can keep up a weekly routine with that, you can keep a mastiff happy. Ammo-shell style anal dilators in graduated sizes work well too.

 

[Blowme]

I love mine he is technically my second. I dont think ive ever heard someone say a mastiff is a good first. I would definitely join some facbook pages and ask questions on temperment behavior health. they are generally stubborn and sensitive. If not socialized correctly they can be scared of aggressive to people and animals. Also as a puppy stairs are extremely bad for their joints. Mine has never been interested in humping he'll let me do oral but that's about it.

 

[justadsmguy]

I can’t comment on a male, but I had a girl Neopolitan years ago and she was an amazingly loyal companion.

We never played but she was the best dog and protector/companion to my kids.

 

[OutFarming]

Imo giant breeds are not a good pick for first timers.

Also most giant breeds require a yard. They all go through what I call the velociraptor phase between 8 and 16-24 months. Maximum energy packed into a 100-160 pound dog that has a genetic predisposition to tearing things apart, things like pillows, matresses and books when not supervised. They will be hyper active and destructive during this period.

People tend to forget that mastiffs, Danes, boar hounds, etc are hunting dogs and guardian dogs and that has not been fully breed out. If it runs they will chase. "OHMYGODSQUIREL" You need to be able to control your gentle giant or they will get out of hand. This isn't just physical, most people have little hope of physically controlling dogs in this weight class. Start obedience training immediately and work on it frequently.

Socialization is also key. Once your pup has full vaccine protection, especially from parvo, start taking them to dog parks and out to meet people. It's important for them to learn how to interact and behave when you can still physically control them. Don't know how to do that? Join a service dog group on Facebook and train your pup that way, not to exploit service dog exemptions but because a giant breed scares people and if they behave like a service dog this is greatly reduced.

I know people do keep them in apartments and crate train them I don't like this at all.

These dogs are also EXPENSIVE, they eat a lot, make massive piles of poo, have expensive vet bills and will drink a stupendous amount of water as puppies. How much food? 3 Danes will easily consume $20 in dog food per Day. Mind you that's good dog food but feeding a giant breed cheap dogfood is a recipe for disaster as it can exacerbate many of their potential health issues and reduce their already far to short lifespan.

Good luck

 

[junglist]

Mastiffs are the BEST of all dogs. Unfortunately their lifespan sucks. Definitely get pet insurance BEFORE you get your mastiff. That way the coverage will kick in when you get it. There is a time period where a pre-existing condition won’t be covered if you take it to the vet and they find something. If you get the insurance before the dog, the condition isn’t pre-existing. Look to budget at least $150 a month for food, free feed them. Give it as much raw meat as you can afford, I worked in a restaurant when I got mine so I’d take home strip loin scraps and trim them up further and give him a huge bowl of meat daily. They can destroy a lot of shit in a short amount of time quickly when 0-2, after that they’re pretty good usually. If you’re not very tall, it’s hard to connect so a Boerbel might be better than an English in that regard. Learn to become zen with drool. It will be everywhere, walls, ceilings, clothes. They also power eat rocks as young puppies, totally normal.