Overview
The Mastiff has guarded English homes since medieval times and has changed little in purpose: a huge, calm presence that puts itself between its family and trouble without much drama. Adults can weigh as much as a person, and a few weigh considerably more.
Most Mastiffs are placid, affectionate and quiet. They are not aggressive by nature, but their size means a walker has to think ahead about everything: gates, narrow paths, other dogs, and what happens if the dog decides to stop.
Exercise and walking needs
Two short walks a day totalling forty-five minutes or so is plenty for an adult. They tire quickly, overheat easily and gain nothing from being pushed.
Puppies and young adults must not be over-exercised. The breed grows until well past two years, and long walks on hard ground in that period can damage joints for life.
On the walk
- Weight: The lead is a formality; if a Mastiff wants to go somewhere, it goes. Rely on training and calm handling, not strength.
- Heat: Serious risk in warm weather. Walk early, keep to shade, carry water, and cancel if the day is genuinely hot.
- Other dogs: Usually tolerant, sometimes indifferent, occasionally a little territorial with strange males. Greetings on a short lead.
- Pace: Very slow. Stopping to look at things is part of the walk. Do not try to hurry a Mastiff along.
- Drool: Constant and copious. Keep a cloth to hand and expect it on your trousers.
Tips for professional walkers
- Walk the dog alone or with other slow companions; it cannot keep up with a group.
- Choose flat routes with soft going; slopes and kerbs are hard work for a body this size.
- Rest the dog for an hour after feeding before any exercise, and let it settle after the walk too.
What to ask the owner
- Does the dog have any bloat, heart or joint history, and are there vet limits on walking?
- How does the dog behave with strangers and other dogs on the lead?
- Where does the owner want the dog toileted, and how do you get it back into the house if it lies down?