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Simple Checks To Ensure Your Mastiff Gets Along With Other Dogs And Animals?
Just what checks can you do before purchase to ensure your new Mastiff will not be a danger to other dogs or animals or to the public?
Experience tells us that if he has been well socialized when a puppy, the adult Mastiff will have no problems getting along with other dogs and animals. He will be as gentle and loving with ant other dogs as he is with any children he encounters. As a rule, the well socialized mature Mastiff enjoys the company of other dogs. It is in his nature for the Mastiff to be gentle and tolerant, and seems to want to avoid trouble or confrontation if at all possible. The exception is where he perceives a threat to his owner’s family, or to himself.
If your Mastiff was unlucky and not well socialized as a puppy, then it may be aggressive toward other dogs. In this case, it is best not to place such a dog in the same family as another dog of the same sex. When your puppy matures, the two dogs will fight for dominance - it is just in their nature to behave this way.
If you are find that your Mastiff is overly aggressive, you have several options:
- Check with a dog trainer if your mastiff can be retrained - Have your vetenarian check for physical problems that could affect his behavior - If he/she is constantly fighting other dogs, consider getting the dog spayed or neutered - Try a lower protein diet no more than 18% protein
One thing you should never do is get between fighting dogs. If your Mastiff does get into a fight, the best option is for the respective owners to grab each dog by the rear legs and drag them away from each other. Do not try this with any large dog you do not know. Where you have managed to separate two fighting dogs, turn your dog’s face away from the other dog ‘ if they catch sight of each other, the fight will flare up again.
The Mastiff dog breed will normally will live peaceably with other animals, even though his ancestors may have been hunters. That’s not to say that your Mastiff won’t chase a rabbit, squirrel, or cat if given the chance. However, it will quickly learn the difference and distinguish between a squirrel in the back yard and a fellow pet in its own household.
As is the case with other dogs, how your Mastiff reacts to other animals depends almost entirely on how well socialized he was as a youngster. You will soon find that you Mastiff has a unique personality, and that two puppies given similar backgrounds will still show different levels of tolerance towards other animals - some may love to chase cats; others tolerate or ignore them. A Mastiff who grows up around other animals, whether a cat in an apartment or a chicken on a farm, will likely get along well with all other animals.
So if you are bringing a Mastiff puppy into a household where there are no other animals, you should make extra efforts to visit friends and locations where you know he will meet a variety of dogs and animals. When you are looking to acquire a mature Mastiff, from a Mastiff rescue, perhaps, or a Mastiff kennels, you must verify for yourself that he knows how to behave in the company of other strange dogs and animals. Good Mastiff breeders will understand your concern.
You simply cannot afford risks to the public or other animals when you take him out in public, so before you purchase be absolutely certain that your Mastiff can behave in public.