I remember when I saw my first mastiff. I was walking through the park, and this huge, massive brown dog was walking with his owner beside him. I was a bit wary and guarded at first. As we cross paths, I stopped, and they also stopped, and I couldn’t help but admire this great dog.
The dog owner must have seen the awe on my face that he gave me a chance to meet his dog. I introduced myself, and he said his name is Dan and his mastiff, Joe. I asked him if I can pet Joe. He told the dog to sit, and after a few minutes after talking to Dan, I knelt, and Joe allowed me to pet him. He was so docile and friendly.
I was just transfixed and kept staring at his broad, wrinkled forehead, with his alert, kind, expressive eyes.
His owner then told me that a typical male mastiff could stand at least 30 inches at the shoulder and outweigh a full-grown man.
As I ran my hands from his head down to his body, I can feel the deep and thickly muscled rectangular body of Joe, covered by a short double coat.
Dan shares that mastiffs are patient, lovable companions, and guardians who do best to gentle training. They are protective of family, ever loyal, and have a natural wariness of strangers, making early training and socialization essential, which I said is understandable, especially with such a huge dog. I wouldn’t want to be underneath such an enormous dog.
I then asked him “why this breed”, and Dan said that his family had always had a mastiff. He loves the breed and how they can be gentle giants. He then asked me if I would want to have one in the future.
I said I would have to really think hard and then rethink again because mastiffs have impressive and majestic statures that to bring this powerful giant-breed dog as a pet in my family needs to be considered seriously.
As Joe, the great mastiff stands up, I can see this large, massive dog exuding grandeur and dignity. I continued to watch both of them as they both continued their walk into the park.
After a while, I went on my way, smiled, and said to myself that this was a good walk after all.
