How come people are so concerned with their dog's size?

[Duetsche_Doggen]

I've been wondering this for a while. It seems like every I meet someone interested in the mastiff breed they are seemingly obsessed with size. A man and woman were having their dane pup check up at Banfield in Petsmart. Since I rarely see danes at all I had to say hello with Thor. The kept saying how impressed he was with Thor's size. The woman kept assuring him that their puppy would be like Thor but guy was adamant that there was something wrong with their pup. At one point they started arguing about it. I just stood there kind of confused and said it was nice to meet them, continued shopping

However they aren't the first people I've encountered like that though. I'm sorry I just don't understand. Don't get me wrong I like for a dog to be within standard but that doesn't make the dog any less loved. I met people with puppies who are so concerned that they pup is skinny when in fact they were quite hardy, or because they don't understand the puppy growth stages.

Below are photos of Thor when I got him at 8 months and now at 6 years. I know the puppy photos may look shocking to some, but that's just how these guys are, at least with my experience.

Here he is when I first got him at 8 months: I got a lot of grief for this but I have no control over his growth.



Here is is at about a year or so:




Now:

 

[Smart_Family]

I think many people, mostly people who have never had experience with giant breeds, expect the dogs to grow from little puppy to full grown adult overnight. They don't know that they should grow slowly over the first couple years. I've met more than a few people who were so proud that their puppy was gaining 10lbs a week. Then there's the people who see these 10lb a week pups and automatically assume something's wrong with their puppy.

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

This is him at 6 years:




I thought this could be an informative post and we could show people our dogs growth stages Anyone else have any photos to share?

 

[AKBull]

I've encountered people like that before. I think they might be the same type of people who have to have the biggest, loudest, /whatever vehicle. It's like want to show the world how big they are. And if something they've got isn't living up to the "hype", then something must be wrong.
Had a guy burst into a convenience store I was shopping at last night.
"Who owns that truck outside!?" ... "The one with the Bullmastiff in it!"
Me.
"Oh man, I want to pet your dog!"
Ok, wait just a minute and I'll let you meet him. (So I roll down the drivers side window and let the guy pet Junior.)
"Do you know what a Neapolitan Mastiff is?"
You could say that.
"That what I really want! Just this massive dog! Bulls are my second favorite though. How much does he weigh?"
130
"Wow... He's tiny!"
He just turned a year old.
"Still though, isn't that small?"
Uh, no. We gotta go.

Small? Sheesh, I got him because he's the monster truck of dogs! Now I'll have to feed him some protein shakes or something to bulk him up! (kidding)

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

I think many people, mostly people who have never had experience with giant breeds, expect the dogs to grow from little puppy to full grown adult overnight. They don't know that they should grow slowly over the first couple years. I've met more than a few people who were so proud that their puppy was gaining 10lbs a week. Then there's the people who see these 10lb a week pups and automatically assume something's wrong with their puppy.

So true.....and sad. I feel bad for the dogs.

I've encountered people like that before. I think they might be the same type of people who have to have the biggest, loudest, /whatever vehicle. It's like want to show the world how big they are. And if something they've got isn't living up to the "hype", then something must be wrong.
Had a guy burst into a convenience store I was shopping at last night.
"Who owns that truck outside!?" ... "The one with the Bullmastiff in it!"
Me.
"Oh man, I want to pet your dog!"
Ok, wait just a minute and I'll let you meet him. (So I roll down the drivers side window and let the guy pet Junior.)
"Do you know what a Neapolitan Mastiff is?"
You could say that.
"That what I really want! Just this massive dog! Bulls are my second favorite though. How much does he weigh?"
130
"Wow... He's tiny!"
He just turned a year old.
"Still though, isn't that small?"
Uh, no. We gotta go.

Small? Sheesh, I got him because he's the monster truck of dogs! Now I'll have to feed him some protein shakes or something to bulk him up! (kidding)

LOL AKBull! I get people like that too, the priorites of some people......

 

[OdeMX]

Beautiful pics, Duetsche_Doggen, do you have any with a person or a complete car to get an idea of the scale?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AKBull]

Missed the picks when I posted.
Great looking Dane!

 

[Smart_Family]

I'll have to try and get some recent pics of Azzy. I either never have my camera or my phone on me or she won't sit still long enough for me to take a pic!

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

I've been wondering this for a while. It seems like every I meet someone interested in the mastiff breed they are seemingly obsessed with size. A man and woman were having their dane pup check up at Banfield in Petsmart. Since I rarely see danes at all I had to say hello with Thor. The kept saying how impressed he was with Thor's size. The woman kept assuring him that their puppy would be like Thor but guy was adamant that there was something wrong with their pup. At one point they started arguing about it. I just stood there kind of confused and said it was nice to meet them, continued shopping

However they aren't the first people I've encountered like that though. I'm sorry I just don't understand. Don't get me wrong I like for a dog to be within standard but that doesn't make the dog any less loved. I met people with puppies who are so concerned that they pup is skinny when in fact they were quite hardy, or because they don't understand the puppy growth stages.

Below are photos of Thor when I got him at 8 months and now at 6 years. I know the puppy photos may look shocking to some, but that's just how these guys are, at least with my experience.

Here he is when I first got him at 8 months: I got a lot of grief for this but I have no control over his growth.

We call this little man syndrome or penis envy I have to admit that my boyfriend is one of those guys who have to have a big sooped up truck that you can't use most of the time because it is too high, the tires are no good in the winter, can't take it most places, etc. But he will tell you it is his little man syndrome... luckily it doesn't extend to our dogs.

 

[angelbears]

I have a major dog crush. Would love to see even more pics when you get a chance. Just can't get me enough Thor!

 

[Duetsche_Doggen]

OdeMX, sorry I don't think I do. I would love to get one of Thor and myself since I only have very few like 2 or 3.....Again I live by myself so its hard to get a picture.

Thank you all for the nice comments about Thor, however I would love to see all of your babies growing up as well I just thought I would lead off. I think is fascinating with the than and now with our mastiffs.

---------- Post added at 08:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

We call this little man syndrome or penis envy I have to admit that my boyfriend is one of those guys who have to have a big sooped up truck that you can't use most of the time because it is too high, the tires are no good in the winter, can't take it most places, etc. But he will tell you it is his little man syndrome... luckily it doesn't extend to our dogs.

LOL! Could be...but I've seen females do it too.

My friend has a truck like that it is nice but its a killer in gas.....ugh.

 

[stephanieb]

Thor is a great looking guy!

We do get a lot of questions about how big they are and their coloring and "OMG, You mean he's only 11 months??? He's going to get bigger?? So then if she is only 6 months how big is SHE going to be?" At 11 months Stonewall was between 29 - 30" and about 145 pounds. Ren at almost 7 months is almost 80 pounds and I can't get her to stand still for her height but she is quite tall. What we do get that makes me smile on a regular basis is people stopping us to comment on how big they have gotten. Because it's very much a walking neighbourhood and we are out with them a lot there are a lot of people that know who they are and apparently are enjoying watching the babies grow.

 

[aphayes96]

I've often wondered the same too! Here's my chuckle and perhaps I'm off base... but I giggle at the posts that say "Is my baby too small???" and then post their 25lb (or more) 8 week old puppy. It would seem that they are just looking for attention and a pat on the back to say "WOW! No! That pup is HUGE!", when clearly they already know it. Cracks me up. Of course we want our babies to grow up big and healthy like the standard says... but it's complete attention whoring for some.

 

[Cody]

"That what I really want! Just this massive dog! Bulls are my second favorite though. How much does he weigh?"
130
"Wow... He's tiny!"
He just turned a year old.
"Still though, isn't that small?"
)

Lol, we get that all the time. Aurora is at the small end of the standard. She is 23.5" and around 90lbs, very lean. I get comments all the time about how how so and so's buddy has "one of them who's like 160-180 lbs" weight varies according to time of day and the need to go bigger.
I usually just smile. Sometimes add a "wow" with a nod
I find it amusing as those weights are so far out of the standard (Canada and Europe) and even in the AKC where there is no weight limit(there is height limit w/ weight proportional)a dog of those weights would stick out and look absurd.
Don't get me wrong, I love giant dogs, and at some point will have a larger male, but it is just the constant need to have the biggest out there that annoys me.

 

[GavTheMighty]

LOL I have to admit this thread made me chuckle as I have a mix mutt I have never been too sure about his growth my main concern was his weight seemed low when I first had him due to the runs etc his poo and diet were not right. But more often than not I read those posts of my puppy has just been born and weighs 3000 lbs is that small and thought................your such a C**K.

Now that I keep a much tighter control of his food and have switched to RAW I have stopped weighing to be honest because I can see he is healthy and doing well, I mean I will check it out at some point just out of curiosity but not something I am concerned about these days. If anything after reading so much on these forums and other sites I am pleased with the fact Marley is on the lean side and growing at a decent pace it will make me worry less about hip problems etc.

And yeah I get the same old thing all the time wow he is big, oh he is a bull mastiff isnt he........NO...........Ridgeback.........NO............part rhino............f**k off.

he is already 28" at the shoulder at 8 months old what kind of bullmastiff is that ffs........and a lot more slimline than a bull but hey ho trying to explain things to people.....

One neighbor of mine first thing she said when she saw Marley at 8 weeks old, Oh he is big is he a mastiff..........I'm like yeah, Oh they are vicious and attack people and other dogs one killed my daughters jack russel. I mean what do you even say to that? Apart from the fact that she has sentanced a whole breed due to the actions of one dog and the fact that she is obviously ignorant especially for someone that owns two dogs herself..............Only good thing is these days she tells me how lovely Marley is and how gentle so I guess I managed to make her see the light.

 

[Kelly]

Admittedly I used to want a Great Dane or an English Mastiff cus they were the biggest dogs out there. Now that I know a little more than I did then, I appreciate what really makes them great breeds. And the corso...I want the smaller type, so Cody I'd be drooling all over Aurora for her size.

 

[Smart_Family]

We weigh Azzy once a week but that's going to end soon because I don't know how much longer my husband will be able to pick her up. I still see her as my little 11 lb baby we got at 7 weeks instead of the 82lb 7.5 month old!

 

[Aplatitsin]

I know absolutely nothing about GD when I saw the first pic I was like that dog must have health problems then I continued reading the thread ohhhh sound normal

 

[Mamie2shoes]

Our only concern was the attitude and character of the pup we got. I have always loved the breed from the first EM I met years ago, gentle giants was the perfect description. Our sweet girl is growing nice and slow, only 12lbs in the past month. We are hoping for a healthy girl and don't want her too big for health reasons. I want her to be happy and active and move easily for as long as possible. I wouldn't mind if she were petite, for a mastiff. lol. I know that when we go out and people comment/ask about her size, we just tell them she is exactly where she needs to be and she is happy. It almost reminds me of when I was pregnant and people used to tell me how "HUGE" I was that I must be having twins. Why do people feel the need to inform you that your dog is big? I feed her daily, I am well aware.

But speaking of big dogs, can anyone recommend a good loading ramp for suv's?? Mamie is already 60lbs and I can't lift her safely anymore into my suburban, she isn't able to jump. I want the folding portable ones that holds atleast a few hundred pounds. Thanks

 

[ruby55]

One neighbor of mine first thing she said when she saw Marley at 8 weeks old, Oh he is big is he a mastiff..........I'm like yeah, Oh they are vicious and attack people and other dogs one killed my daughters jack russel. I mean what do you even say to that? Apart from the fact that she has sentanced a whole breed due to the actions of one dog and the fact that she is obviously ignorant especially for someone that owns two dogs herself..............Only good thing is these days she tells me how lovely Marley is and how gentle so I guess I managed to make her see the light.

Imagine how amstaff, APBT, & American bulldog owners feel. Makes me absolutely crazy.

---------- Post added at 11:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 PM ----------

I for one am concerned with weight & size because these guys are AKC; I know the breeders & littermates. If our dogs are off as they grow, there might be something wrong. Sunny didn't really start to fill out until he was about 4 years old. His littermate was neutered at 12 months, & looks like a brindle deer. And Sunny is still on the lean side for a bullmastiff. I'll try to get pics of him in the sun tomorrow.
As for Thor, he was all skin & bones when he was young, as a dane should be. Especially an American dane. I've never seen a chunky young great dane. It's just not how they're built, or how they grow. He still on the slender side now, as he should be.
AKBull: That joker was probably thinking of an EM. Whenever I get that "Isn't he/she pretty small?" I ask the poor ignoramus "Are you thinking of the dog that weighs about 200 lbs & comes up to here(gesturing to my hip)?" I get "Yeah; THAT'S IT!" Doh. :banghead: