Preparation is everything. I hope that was a misprint about "I don't what (sic) to prepare." These are large dogs, they need a strong, but fair master/mistress. They need training and guidance, without which they can become problem dogs....Very large, potentially dangerous, problem dogs.
Mastiffs can bring in hefty vet bills, they are prone to hip and knee problems, eye problems, stomach/bloat problems. They only live, with a good home and good food and good vet care, about 10 years...12 if you are very lucky. They need to be walked, which means, you need to have control of the walk, otherwise you'll be dragged down the street by a 120-220 lb dog depending on which Mastiff you choose.
Mastiffs consume a lot of food and water, and it has to be good food, not cheap food full of dyes and chemicals. They are generally quite heat sensitive and can become sick very quickly if there is no shade and air conditioning. They are very independent and stubborn animals and you have to establish being their absolute leader or they will run YOU.
Even flea and tick treatments come at a much larger expense. My 6 month flea treatment is around $120, and then the tick treatment is less, but has to be given more frequently because of her size.
If you have children, it requires real consideration because the Mastiff will be bigger and stronger than the kids. Mine knocks the neighbour kids over constantly and she's not trying to hurt them, she's just big and bumps into them. Thankfully, my neighbour has a large dog, too, and the kids just ricochet off the two of them when they are playing. But, this could pose a real danger to small/medium children.
Every day this dog is going to want to be walked...good long walks in the cool of the day, either morning or night or both. You have to carry water for them when it's hot out because they can succumb easily to being too hot.
Basically, this type of dog is a major commitment in time, money, effort, love, training. This is not the dog I would suggest for a neophyte, a person who has limited money or time or housing or skill level.
And, let me share this from my personal experience. Back in the 80's I went with my then husband to view Bull mastiffs at a breeder outside of our city. We both got the bug about Mastiffs after seeing the movie Hooch with Tom Hanks. And we were thrilled about the potential for getting one of these ultra-cute puppies. But reality bit when we were told that the cost for the pup was the smallest part of the fee; at that time, from a champion line, around $1,500. The rest of the cost was for training. Training that was mandatory. It cost more than the pup. The breeder wasn't going to give a pup to just anyone, he wanted to know they were both emotionally equipped to handle a 130+ lb dog, but that we had the skill set to be good owners. It was a further commitment in time because we'd have to drive there once a week for intense training. Well, we demurred...said we'd consider it. We were both very busy (bad sign), upwardly mobile, young professionals. Back then people like us were called "Yuppies." But, the breeder was right, we didn't have the right stuff. We weren't what the breed needed. ARE YOU?
In the case of a marriage break-up who would get the dog? Who would take care of the training? Who would pay for the vet? Would we do it like the dog was a human kid and pay dog-support? Hey, stuff happens. Life changes. Even for us now, it is the constant worry about who will look after our dog if we both pass away suddenly.
And, believe me, when you look at the candidates, you have to consider the stability of their families, their health, their ability to provide a healthy, happy home.
And, finally, these dogs are very dependent on their owners...they are klingons, they like to be touching you, sleeping with you, going where you go. It can be stifling, at times when they are being needy, it can make you feel claustrophobic. You just can't drop them off at the pound when they become too much of an inconvenience.
I would personally relate the decision to get a Mastiff to be as important a decision as deciding who to marry, or which house to buy. A decision that is not to be taken lightly. You need to know who you are and what you are capable of handling, and, if you can honestly say, "Yes, I'm a person of stability and ability and I can provide a healthy, happy home to this animal", then I would say, "Welcome to the family...to our pack."
