English Mastiff

What usually comes to mind when most people think of a mastiff, the English Mastiff has a large body and a large, square face with dark brown eyes with a dark mask around their eyes. They're built with a lot of muscle and bulk, but nevertheless their face is said to appear to have a wrinkled, and kindly impression.

Other Names
English Mastiff, Old English Mastiff
Country of Origin
England
Colour

Golden fawn, light fawn, apricot or even silver, tiger or brindle.

Size
Large
Height / Weight
The standard height of dogs from 76cm and bitches from 69cm and weigh about 72kg foe dogs and bitches about 68kg
Health
As with many other athletic and large dogs the English Mastiff can be prone to hip dysplasia and bloat. You should also watch out for cardiomyopathy, gastric torsion and in females vaginal hyperplasia.
Life Span

10-12 years

Intelligence
The English Mastiff can be hard to train due to their size. They are intelligent and will respond well to firm and gentle training which starts young. Treat them and lead them right and your English Mastiff will be eager to please.
Exercise
Medium
Suitability (Children)
Low
Feeding

This English Mastiffis susceptible to bloat so care must be taken with feeding, two smaller meals are ideal and not within an hour of exercising.

Feeding Cost
$10-$15 p/w
Other Cost
Excercise
Despite their size the English Mastiff can be lazy, it's best for their health and physique if they are given regular exercise.
Hair Shed
Little
Ailments
As with many other athletic and large dogs the English Mastiff can be prone to hip dysplasia and bloat. You should also watch out for cardiomyopathy, gastric torsion and in females vaginal hyperplasia.
Grooming
The smooth, short-haired coat of the English Mastiff easy to groom and maintain. Brush with a firm bristle brush and wipe over with a piece of toweling or chamois for a smooth and shiny coat. The English Mastiff will shed, though not a huge amount.
Grooming Frequency
Once a week
Trimming
Moderate
Unsurprisingly the English Mastiff was founded in Britain but also appears in Egyptian monuments dating back to 3000 BC. They even fought alongside British soldiers in 55B C. It is believed Caesar took some Mastiff's to Rome, using them to fight with lions, human gladiators, bull and bear baiting. The English Mastiff was used by peasants as a body guard and protector by peasants but by World War II it was almost extinct due to it's use as War Dog. The English Mastiff is still used today as a Guard dog, police dog, watch dog, military dog, search and rescue and even pulling weights.


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