Mastiffs are some of the largest dogs in existence. If you want a gentle giant that will scare people away due to its size alone, then a Mastiff may be the right dog for you.
There are four common breeds of Mastiffs. Regardless of their personalities and other characteristics, they all have a common need for two things: early training and early socialization.
With dogs this big and strong, it’s critical to address any behavior issues early. You don’t want to be in the position of having to train a dog that may weigh more than you – a lot more!
Mastiff
The Mastiff is often described as colossal! This male of this breed stands at least 30 inches high at the shoulder and can weigh in at a massive 230 pounds, more than many humans! The females aren’t a whole lot smaller and can reach up to 27.5 inches at the shoulder and weigh in at up to 170 pounds.
That’s a whole lot of dog!
Luckily, Mastiffs are gentle dogs. They are extremely affectionate with family and love small children, but are only moderately good with other dogs.
They have short coats and massive, broad heads. If you’ve never met a Mastiff in person your first encounter can be startling due to the sheer size of this breed.
Mastiffs require a gentle hand when training. They guard over their loved ones with a sense of dignity and gentleness. Early socialization is a requirement for this breed because they are naturally wary of strangers.
And, as you can imagine, the impressive size of the Mastiff makes strangers naturally wary of them!
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff is smaller than its mastiff cousin, but still a very large dog. Males get to be 27 inches at the shoulder, while females can grow to 26 inches. These dogs can weigh up to 130 pounds.
Bullmastiffs have the typically short lifespan of giant breeds and only live 7 to 9 years.
This breed has a large, broad head and their expression shows confidence, intelligence, and alertness. These dogs make excellent family companions and are easy to train and reliable. They make excellent family dogs and are good with children and with other dogs.
As with all Mastiffs, Because of their size and strength, early training and socialization are extremely important. They must be trained while they are easy to control. And while they weigh less than you do!
Neopolitan Mastiff
The Neopolitan Mastiff has an appearance that is often described as “astounding.” This huge animal can grow to 31 inches at the shoulder for males and 29 inches at the shoulder for females.
Weighing up to 150 pounds this dog can be larger than you…and is almost certainly stronger.
Neopolitan Mastiffs have huge heads with deep wrinkles and are guard dogs by nature. They intimidate intruders by sheer size alone!
This breed is sweet and gentle with their loved ones, including children, but can be wary of strangers. Early socialization and training are a must.
Tibetan Mastiff
This dog is the ancient grandfather of all Mastiffs and has a long fluffy coat and a big fluffy tail. This is a breed that was developed as a guardian of sheep and people.
Adult males can grow to 26 inches and the shoulder and females can reach up to 24 inches at the shoulder. The full-grown Tibetan Mastiff can weigh up to 150 pounds, while appearing even larger due to their thick coats.
These dogs are very independent, extremely protective of their pack, and may not let strangers into your home. These dogs are also substantial, powerful, massive, and muscular.
These dogs do well with cats and small dogs but need early socialization and training to be good pets.