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As with any purebred dog, we recommend you buy a
Mastiff puppy only from a reputable breeder, for
several reasons. The most important reason is that
you are more likely to get a healthy young Mastiff
from a good breeder and your pet will experience
fewer health and behavior problems, as it grows and
becomes part of your family. Another good reason to
buy from a reputable breeder – you will most likely
get all the information you need about the parents
of the puppy, about the proper diet, and exercise.
Because of this information, you will have a better
experience with your new dog.
You could buy from a retail store or a backyard
breeder, but this will probably limit the amount of
information you are able to obtain. Instead, a
reputable breeder would be open to questions about
the parents, as well as the time spent with young
dogs to socialize them. The socialization process
takes place in the first eight weeks or so of a
dog’s life, going a long way to ensuring that the
young dog is comfortable around people and other
dogs. In fact, good socialization at a young age
makes training a dog much easier overall.
Once you have located at least three reputable
breeders, take your time when visiting them. You
should prepare yourself by doing your homework,
reading all you can about the Mastiff, and talking
with anyone who has had experience with the breed.
Ask to see both parents of the litter and ask to see
any documentation on their bloodlines and health.
One thing you may want to avoid is choosing the
first puppy that seems attracted to you. Instead,
look at several puppies and be ready to make some
comparisons. Often the puppy that is a bit less
forward or seems to be less “cute” and “adorable”
make the best pets.
Ask your breeder about the diet of a Mastiff. Many
times, you would be able to follow the
recommendations and continue the healthy diet that
the puppy started with while it was with the
breeder. A good breeder would also be open to
questions about the required vaccinations and other
health-related questions. Be sure to arm yourself
with information so you can ask questions to help
clear up doubts you may have, as well as prepare you
and your family for the arrival of your newest
family member.
With larger dogs, it is always a good idea to ask
about hip dysplasia. For this, ask the breeder if
the parents of the breeder’s puppies have any
history of this disease. Additionally, you want to
ask about the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
test that can detect this condition in a young dog.
The key is making sure you puppy is OFA certified.
It is important to ask about such conditions as eye
disease and skin allergies as well, which could also
be part of the parents’ bloodlines.
It is never easy to think about losing a pet, but
you should be prepared to clear up any questions
about this when visiting a breeder. For instance, if
the puppy should become seriously ill right away,
would you be offered a replacement or be entitled to
your money back? If the dog should die within a
specified timeframe, would a replacement puppy be
provided? You should have all of these situations
covered in a written contract with the breeder. It
is very important that you have too much information
rather than not enough when considering adding a
Mastiff, or any other purebred dog, to your family.
Often, just asking a few of the right questions, and
taking your time when visiting breeders, would make
a huge difference in the experience you have with
your new pet.
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