Which mastiff breeds are protective, but can be trained to accept visitors?

[Rugers-Kris]

Hey, Madmidget...Glad to see you doing your research. It is always great to research, research, research but in the end, all of the research can't tell you some of the things you are asking. I have read up on BM's but haven't owned one (I have a 2.2.5 year old English Mastiff and a 1.2 year old Great Dane), however, you can find them as total guardians all the way to scared of their own shadows. Going to a reputable breeder is definitely a plus...make sure to tell them what you are looking for and they will try to match you with the puppy that best suits your needs but keep in mind.....Your puppy could still end up being more protective than what you are looking for and if you aren't in a position to roll with those changes and live accordingly, you might want to rethink it. Please don't think I am saying you shouldn't get one because that is not what I am saying at all. I see a lot o people that get different Mastiff's and 6 months to a year later are unable to handle them and are looking to rehome. Socialization is key.....Every chance you get, get your puppy out to different places and situations to build his/her confidence and train him what is expected of him. Training is so important...start it immediately and never stop.....There is always more to earn for both you and the dog. Training with a Mastiff (any breed of dog in my opinion) should be Calm, constant and rewarding.

I do not buy into the aggressiveness between male dogs. In my opinion, if you brought a male bull Mastiff home as a puppy everything should be fine as long as you monitor the dogs and teach them what is appropriate and again...Train, Train, Train. That doesn't mean that you might not have an issue but you could end up with issues regardless of breed or sex. As a rule, what you put in is what you get out so dedicate yourself to your dogs and you will get paid back a thousand times over. I raised pit bulls for years and always had at least two males living with me at a time and never had an issue.....And they are supposedly SO dog aggressive.

My only suggestion is that you make sure you understand that you could end up with a dog that is more protective than what you are looking for. You say you don't want your BM to bark at, threaten or try to keep your guest out of the house but there is no way a breeder can promise that your dog won't do that. When they come into their temperament, they are what they are....Are you ready to handle that?

I have an English Mastiff who is absolutely perfect in my opinion. I had no requirements when I got him, I just wanted a giant best friend and I got that 10 times over BUT he is not friendly with strangers AT ALL. I leash him and he stays with me when anyone is in my home and I have worked hard to be sure that he is controlled and trained but if someone came at me, he would attack them immediately. Again, I think he is amazing and I wouldn't change him if I could but he isn't what most expect to get when they shop for an EM. I brought him home at 6 weeks...he has went to work with me everyday since he came home, I take him everywhere I can possibly take him, I walk him, he has been to the gun range, he is very confident and has been socialized more than most but he is who he is, ya know?

I wish you the best in your search and hope that you keep us updated.

 

[danielleconn]

Hey, Madmidget...Glad to see you doing your research. It is always great to research, research, research but in the end, all of the research can't tell you some of the things you are asking. I have read up on BM's but haven't owned one (I have a 2.2.5 year old English Mastiff and a 1.2 year old Great Dane), however, you can find them as total guardians all the way to scared of their own shadows. Going to a reputable breeder is definitely a plus...make sure to tell them what you are looking for and they will try to match you with the puppy that best suits your needs but keep in mind.....Your puppy could still end up being more protective than what you are looking for and if you aren't in a position to roll with those changes and live accordingly, you might want to rethink it. Please don't think I am saying you shouldn't get one because that is not what I am saying at all. I see a lot o people that get different Mastiff's and 6 months to a year later are unable to handle them and are looking to rehome. Socialization is key.....Every chance you get, get your puppy out to different places and situations to build his/her confidence and train him what is expected of him. Training is so important...start it immediately and never stop.....There is always more to earn for both you and the dog. Training with a Mastiff (any breed of dog in my opinion) should be Calm, constant and rewarding.

I do not buy into the aggressiveness between male dogs. In my opinion, if you brought a male bull Mastiff home as a puppy everything should be fine as long as you monitor the dogs and teach them what is appropriate and again...Train, Train, Train. That doesn't mean that you might not have an issue but you could end up with issues regardless of breed or sex. As a rule, what you put in is what you get out so dedicate yourself to your dogs and you will get paid back a thousand times over. I raised pit bulls for years and always had at least two males living with me at a time and never had an issue.....And they are supposedly SO dog aggressive.

My only suggestion is that you make sure you understand that you could end up with a dog that is more protective than what you are looking for. You say you don't want your BM to bark at, threaten or try to keep your guest out of the house but there is no way a breeder can promise that your dog won't do that. When they come into their temperament, they are what they are....Are you ready to handle that?

I have an English Mastiff who is absolutely perfect in my opinion. I had no requirements when I got him, I just wanted a giant best friend and I got that 10 times over BUT he is not friendly with strangers AT ALL. I leash him and he stays with me when anyone is in my home and I have worked hard to be sure that he is controlled and trained but if someone came at me, he would attack them immediately. Again, I think he is amazing and I wouldn't change him if I could but he isn't what most expect to get when they shop for an EM. I brought him home at 6 weeks...he has went to work with me everyday since he came home, I take him everywhere I can possibly take him, I walk him, he has been to the gun range, he is very confident and has been socialized more than most but he is who he is, ya know?

I wish you the best in your search and hope that you keep us updated.

I am so glad you posted! I know you had an EM that was more stranger weary than most would think of an EM. And my CC is not what one would expect of a CC. Glad to give the reader/researcher more of the what-if's of the breed!! And I love your pictures of your dogs...they are so handsome!

 

[Rugers-Kris]

Thank you, danielle. These boys are my everything. Yes, I think that is one of the most important things to know about getting a puppy. There are many extremes you could end up with and I have seen many situations that people wanted exactly what they wanted and were unable to "want" the dog once it ended up being not exactly that. Research is a necessity but there are so many things you cannot fully understand/appreciate until you have the puppy at home. The biting stage (Sounds so much cuter when you are only reading about it), The Drool (There is no way you can understand until it is hanging off of your ceiling and staining your walls, The shedding (Oh the never ending.....piles of hair big enough to start a build a mastiff program) and the biggest Temperament.... There are so many possibilities and choosing a puppy or having one chosen for you at 8 weeks does not guarantee that your puppy will still be "like" that when they are older.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Define "accepting of visitors".

A dog who'll allow visitors in the house if he see's you let them in is not necessarily the same as a dog who'll be thrilled to meet new people.

MOST of the mastiffs will (with training, socialization, IN GENERAL) allow visitors into the house, if they see you let the visitors in, with little additional barking, though some will still keep a suspicious eye on the visitors.

FEWER of the mastiffs (IN GENERAL, even with training and socialization) will be thrilled to meet new people and be thrilled to be petted by said new people.

MOST of the mastiff breeds are described as "aloof" to varying degrees, which means that in general those breeds aren't going to be thrilled to meet new people and be happy to be petted by said new people. Tolerant yes, with proper training and socialization, but thats not the same thing.

And as was pointed out above, though the breeds have their general temperament types, individual dogs vary ALOT. So if you're getting a puppy from a breeder you also need to have an in-depth discussion with the breeder about the temperament of the parents, and what you want out of the dog so that they can help you pick the right temperament of pup.

 

[Smokeycat]

I've found with Kryten (2.5y EM) that how I approach a situation affects how he behaves. If I am relaxed around someone he typically just wants them to pet him. If I'm not completely relaxed he is at my side watching them. In terms of people entering the house if they are welcomed in its ok but anybody just walking in gets a first hand view of how intimidating a mastiff can be. And he only stands down when I give the ok.
I have 2 males, neither of which I would call submissive nor are they highly dominate. They get along just like human brothers complete with the occasional spat. I think a lot of getting dogs to live together peacefully depends on the personalities and the subsequent training of both dogs.

 

[Jakesmum]

I have a 3 year old male Bullmastiff. I spent pretty much the first year we had him taking him to training classes and socializing him, we even hired a private trainer for a few sessions last year just to get him over some of his fear issues with strange objects (hats, wheelchairs, crutches etc) as he is now a therapy dog and I take him to the hospital to visit the patients. He loves people and if we allow them into our house he doesn't blink an eye. I have had a couple of instances where sketchy strangers come to the door and he just makes his presence known by quietly sitting in front of me to put a barrier between me and the stranger. I don't know what he would do if someone tried to hurt me though and I don't think I want to find out. He is a true gentle giant, but I have a feeling he would probably hurt someone if it meant protecting his mom. We also have 2 cats (one is 15 and the other is 2) and he is best buddies with the younger cat, they sleep together and groom each other, he will assert his dominance over the cat by pinning the cat with his mouth and holding the cat down, but as soon as the cat relaxes and submits he lets go (he also will cover his teeth with his jowl's when he does this so he doesn't hurt the cat). We don't have another dog in the house, but he does have play dates with our friends dogs and I haven't seen any signs of aggression between him and other male dogs whether he knows them or just meeting them for the first time.

 

[alejandro]

I think(mostly for reserch) most mastiff breeds would be "accepting of visitors" if properly socialiced and you are fjne with them. But like Ruth said most wont be trill about it. I'm a presa canario guy and i can say that they might met new people and even grow to like them but it takes time and courage from the person. My past presa loved everyone, stranger or not and loved to be pet, but the present one doesn't even likes to ear about meeting new people, still se now likes a few guys she didn't want to have anything to do with before. So my point is that it's just not a sure shot and the way they are raised have a lot to do with it.

 

[henri]

We have a male bullmastiff and a male rottweiler, they get along famously! We got the rottweiler as a puppy and the bullmastiff was about 3 years old and they have never had a problem. The bullmastiff is very protective (without any training); he barks when a stranger first comes to the door, but then just keeps his eye on them until they leave. He will often sit between us and the visitor. The older rottweiler mix in the left photo was about 12 when we got the bullmastiff and they got along fine as well.

Unfortunately, we had to put our old jasper (the older rottie mix) down three weeks ago at the age of 15.

 

[Doggyhelpplease]

Do you mean you dont want them to bark at them when they come in the house or bark at the door while they walk up...because I don't think the barking at the door when someone first comes is something that is easy to change. They are alerting you to the door.

 

[swanguy7]

Well I guess there's a lot of mixed reviews with everyone above a post on having 2 male dogs living in the same house . But didn't notice if any of which had been snipped ?? This could make a difference . But surely if you have 2 non submissive males of mastiff or several other strong willed guard protective type dogs there has to be issues between them you would think ? I mean dogs like this generally like to be top dog which is surely going to mean them fighting ? I guess its a high risk but not impossible for 2 dominate male breeds to live together bit is it worth the risk of finding out they are going to constantly be fighting and hurting each other .

 

[TWW]

Know several male pairs that are fine with each other. A pair of females on the other hand, I have seen far more, who is boss bitch issues. Though I know 1 person with 5 females, who says they have never had issues.

Well I guess there's a lot of mixed reviews with everyone above a post on having 2 male dogs living in the same house . But didn't notice if any of which had been snipped ?? This could make a difference . But surely if you have 2 non submissive males of mastiff or several other strong willed guard protective type dogs there has to be issues between them you would think ? I mean dogs like this generally like to be top dog which is surely going to mean them fighting ? I guess its a high risk but not impossible for 2 dominate male breeds to live together bit is it worth the risk of finding out they are going to constantly be fighting and hurting each other .

 

[ruthcatrin]

Well I guess there's a lot of mixed reviews with everyone above a post on having 2 male dogs living in the same house . But didn't notice if any of which had been snipped ?? This could make a difference . But surely if you have 2 non submissive males of mastiff or several other strong willed guard protective type dogs there has to be issues between them you would think ? I mean dogs like this generally like to be top dog which is surely going to mean them fighting ? I guess its a high risk but not impossible for 2 dominate male breeds to live together bit is it worth the risk of finding out they are going to constantly be fighting and hurting each other .

Like with anything else individual dogs vary.

I have two males, Apollo's intact, Arty was neutered at 9 months. They get along wonderfully. Apollo has never had an issue with any other male dog, including other large intact males on our property. The woman who owns Apollo's sister has two females and two males, all intact, and says that they get along very well.

On the other hand there's a reason same sex aggression is an issue for the TM as a breed, and I'm very carefull to recommend that people NOT get two of the same sex and most good breeders do the same unless the person proves capable of handling a crate and rotate sort of household.

 

[swanguy7]

I guess it's the luck of the draw . I have 2 f bm and my 12 month old has been trying to take top dog for last few months she ended in the vets last week $$$$$$$ she's ok tho but very expensive . I've been trying everything to avoid crate them as I really don't want to have to do this . This week has been better touch wood . But I guess time will tell . They do love each other soo much but just both want to be boss and my mistake may have been getting first pick from each there litters ?

 

[swanguy7]

Interesting I guess so many different experiences . I think 2 m bullmastiffs may be higher risk than some other mastiff breeds ? Or no ? I'm not sure I've never seen an em around here that I've met or got to know so I don't really know much about them except they are big and beautiful etc but obviously been mastiff they are going to all mostly have some similar traits etc

 

[ruthcatrin]

Interesting I guess so many different experiences . I think 2 m bullmastiffs may be higher risk than some other mastiff breeds ? Or no ? I'm not sure I've never seen an em around here that I've met or got to know so I don't really know much about them except they are big and beautiful etc but obviously been mastiff they are going to all mostly have some similar traits etc

how much experience with different mastiff breeds do you have to make that generalization?

 

[swanguy7]

Only bm and both counts the males were to dominate etc (I stay with females lol. Just my experiences and what I've seen is all . As I said I don't know a lot about other mastiff types tho this forum has been a great insight and I've been enjoying looking up recently on mastiffs and I mean only just recently .

 

[ruthcatrin]

Well, I've got quite a bit more experience with a wider selection of breeds and I'm going to very very very definitely disagree.....BMs are very much on the lower end of the scale when it comes to aggression issues.

 

[swanguy7]

Well I'm glad to hear that well it doesn't seem fair than for them to have such a bad name in the media and some people in the public I guess bit unfair for bm if this is the case .

 

[ruthcatrin]

They're a fairly popular breed, which is a large part of the media problem. You don't hear as much in the media about the TM's aggressive side, because they're not as popular (ThankYouGod). And as always media has a HUGE tendency to get things wrong, and write things as sensationally as possible.....I pretty much always take the media reports with a grain of salt, cause I've seen to many cases where they screwed up the facts massively.

 

[broccolini]

I'm going to jump on the 'you just don't know until you get the dog' bandwagon. And even then, you don't really know until the dog is about 2 years old.

I have 2 TMs and they are as opposite as you can get. One is only 8 months old though, so I don't know how he'll turn out. My female thinks she's a Fila and the male is just super indifferent about people. That might turn into dislike as he gets older. My female was very friendly as a puppy. She liked just about all people she met. Now I have to walk her with a vest that says "DO NOT PET" because she is not tolerant of anyone trying to touch her, or talk to her, or even look at her too much.

Both were very well socialized and both will allow people into the house. I have to tell people to pretend the female does not exist or she will treat them like they are a threat. If they ignore her, she will just lay down but she is always watching them.

Male puppy just lays on the floor like a big rug.

So anyway, you should just pick a breed that you like and understand that their behavior falls on a spectrum and you need to be prepared to deal with either end. Good luck.