The mastiff is an ancient breed of dog that has existed for thousands of years. One of the giant breeds, mastiffs were historically bred as guard dogs and for hunting. Nowadays, they are more likely to be found as a pet rather than as a working dog. If you are considering taking on one of these dogs, there are several things to consider.
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What is a mastiff?
Mastiffs, also known as the English mastiff, are large and stocky dogs with a deep chest. They are closely related to the bullmastiff, although they are larger, heavier and longer than that breed. An adult is as tall as an average person’s waist. As a brachycephalic breed, they have a relatively short muzzle and a broad head. This conformation creates pronounced folds of facial skin, especially across the bridge of the nose.
Mastiffs as pets
Despite their large size, mastiffs are considered a gentle breed and are usually very loyal to their owners. They can be a good breed to have as a family pet, although as with any dog, young children should be supervised when around them and older children should be educated on safe dog interactions. As mature adults weigh between 60 – 100 kilograms, even a gentle giant needs to have its size considered in a family setting. In fact, an English mastiff holds the Guiness World Record for the World’s heaviest dog.
Their large size means they suit a large property, especially with regards to outdoor space
During growth, they need to eat a lot of food that is nutritionally balanced, and their exercise needs to be controlled to allow proper bone and muscle development. As an adult, they do require exercise, however they are considered less driven to exercise than other breeds.
As a house dog, they are typically quite calm but can be vocal and prone to drool
They also tend to love company. Their coat doesn’t require too much maintenance aside from cleaning of the facial folds; however, the breed is well known for being slobbery. Their saliva can drool quite thickly from their mouth or be flung around a room when they shake their head.
Health Considerations
Giant breeds tend to have shorter lifespans than small breed dogs, and mastiffs are no exception. They usually live less than 10 years, and the breed is prone to several health conditions, both externally and internally. These can have a range of health impacts on an individual.
Skin issues
Their facial skin folds can lead to sores and infections if these are excessive or not maintained well. Excess skin around the eye can lead to infolding (entropion) or out-folding (ectropion) of the eyelids which can lead to dryness or irritation around or on the eye itself. Fur rolling into the eye can also cause painful ulcerations on the cornea. Additionally, mastiffs have a predisposition for ‘cherry eye’ which is the term given to a prolapsed third eyelid gland. Entropion, ectropion and cherry eye can be corrected, but require surgery to do so.
Airway problems
As a brachycephalic breed, they are at risk of symptoms associated with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). These relate to compromised breathing that results from a shortened upper airway, narrower passageways through the nose, and can include abnormally shaped structures around the larynx at the back of the throat. The severity of BOAS varies, with some dogs requiring surgery to improve breathing, and others requiring lifestyle and weight management.
Other health risks
As a giant breed, they are more at risk of developing a life-threatening condition resulting from a twisted stomach, known as a gastric dilatation-volvulus. Heart, joint and back problems are also more likely in their lifetime, especially if they are fed an inadequate diet or over-exercised when they are young. Other conditions seen at an increased frequency in mastiffs include an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), epilepsy and some types of cancer, especially bone cancer.
Assessing your mastiff’s health
Regular vet visits during growth and adulthood can help keep on top of any emerging health conditions and are a good chance to discuss any concerns you have with your veterinary team. Some breed-prone conditions can be screened for through the Kennel Club and British Veterinary Association’s Canine Health Schemes (CHS). This allows individuals to be assessed for certain diseases prior to breeding.
Progressive retinal atrophy is a hereditary condition of the eye which leads to developmental or degenerative vision loss. Some mastiffs carry a genetic mutation that can lead to this disease. Hip and elbow dysplasia are two hereditary joint conditions involving a malformation of the named joint. This affects weight distribution (loading) on the joint during standing and movement. Dysplasia can cause pain, lameness and early-onset osteoarthritis. All three conditions can be screened for but require a CHS-registered veterinarian to perform the assessment. Your vet can advise on where these tests can be performed and the best age to do them.
Conclusion
Mastiffs have several desirable traits that make them great family pets. Although large, they are typically calm, gentle and loyal. However, their size and body conformation makes them prone to several health conditions that can have major impacts on both their quality and quantity of life. Before getting any dog breed, consider your property and lifestyle and how that breed will fit into it, as well as how well you could manage breed-specific health issues that may arise.
Further Reading:
- Mastiff | Breeds A to Z | The Kennel Club
- BVA – Canine Health Schemes
- BVA policy – Brachycephalic dogs
- The importance of eye testing in brachycephalic breeds
- Bell, L., and Hesketh, S. (2021) ‘Mastiff breed mortality: A study of owner experience, dog age and longevity’ Veterinary and animal science, 13, p.e. 100194.
- Kijas, J.W., Miller, B.J., Pearce-Kelling, S.E., Aguirre, G.D., and Acland, G.M. (2003) ‘Canine models of ocular disease: Outcross breedings define a dominant disorder present in the English Mastiff and Bull Mastiff dog breeds’ The Journal of Heredity, 94(1), pp. 27–30.
- O’Neill, D.G., Yin, Y., Pont, R.T., Brodbelt, D.C., Church, D.B., Pegram, C., and Mustikka, M. (2022) ‘Breed and conformational predispositions for prolapsed nictitating membrane gland (PNMG) in dogs in the UK: A VetCompass study’PloS One, 17(1), p.e. e0260538.