The name "Mastiff" is used both for a specific breed registry, and as a category for a group of breeds. At dog shows this distinction matters. At animal shelters dogs are described in terms of breed traits rather than actual pedigrees. It can be hard to tell whether a dog's ancestors were Mastiffs or mastiffs. In any case the dog is large.
Mastiffs are oversized dogs. They stand higher than humans, weigh as much or more (show quality Mastiffs weigh 120 to 230 pounds), and would be dangerous if they hadn't been trained to love and serve us. Undoubtedly more mastiffs have saved human lives than have harmed humans. Still, owning a mastiff is a substantial responsibility. Not only can you reasonably be asked how you plan to feed, shelter, and care for the giant dog; you can reasonably be subjected to a police background check and required to take out liability insurance.
Most mastiffs are gentle giants with calm dispositions, sometimes trained to guard little children. It takes a lot to scare them. Still, a frightened mastiff--say, frightened by the house being on fire--can do a lot of damage just by running. And you can't say he could kill a man in a fair fight, because between a man and a full-sized Mastiff there's no such thing as a fair fight.
Dogs in the Mastiff registry (as distinct from the Great Dane, St Bernard, Dogue de Bordeaux, etc., registries) are brown with black faces. Their humans would not agree that they're ugly but they are a startling sight to people who aren't accustomed to looking at them. They are a very old established breed, into which many weaknesses have accidentally been bred, back when people didn't know about DNA but just wanted to see how big it's possible for a dog to be. Breeders now have about a dozen genetic problems to screen for and breed out. A purebred Mastiff found at a shelter is likely to have one or more of the problem genes, which may shorten the dog's life and complicate its old age.
Most people don't want to live with dogs who are bigger than they are, and shouldn't try. The market for Mastiffs is tiny. Some think we should just stop breeding them altogether. Others say the breed deserves preservation, but its actual population should stay small. Probably it shouldn't be possible to find a mastiff at a shelter. In reality, large dogs often appeal to people who are not up to the work of keeping them; there are hundreds of Mastiff mixes in shelters.
The American Kennel Club's notes on the Mastiff breed mention that it's normal for these giant dogs to form "cushions" on their elbow joints. Fluid inside these cushions should not be drained. At least ten tests for genetic diseases should be taken before a Mastiff is purchased. The dog's diet should be monitored carefully since large dogs can die of "bloat" after eating things they shouldn't. The coat needs relatively litle brushing, but the ears and skin folds on the face need cleaning and drying. Mastiffs drool heavily; most owners keep absorbent cloth handy to mop up dribbles.
Adult Mastiffs can walk a mile or two a day, but letting puppies run, jump, or take long walks can damage their growing bones. If these dogs become hot or tired they are known for a tendency to plop down and silently demand that their humans carry them home.
Typically these dogs learn simple commands quickly and want to please. If they become bored by repetitious training they may lie down and snore. They don't like being shouted at, either. They can hold eye contact with humans and "say" many things with their eyes.
Giant dogs are "still growing" for the first two years of their lives and need a good diet with adequate calcium and phosphorus. Muscular and skeletal defects are guaranteed, and can be considered environmental more than hereditary disease conditions, if they don't get enough of the right nutrients. A mature, show-quality male Mastiff can weigh up to 230 pounds.
Since giantism is a pathological genetic condition I'm glad that there's no true giant cat breed. Our pet cats have been systematically bred to the small end of their size range. Their wild ancestors weighed up to 30 pounds. We're accustomed to seeing cats whose healthy weight is between 5 and 15 pounds and the 15-pound individuals look big to us. (In fact they are the biggest cats likely to be found in shelters.) Once in a while, not always even in larger breeds like the Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest cats, an individual kitten just keeps growing. to wild cat size. It's still a domestic cat, usually socialized as a house pet, only it's twice the size its mother was. It can be a good pet if kept indoors. If it's outdoors, someone may mistake it for a wild cat and shoot it.
The important thing about extra-large pets is your relationship with them. If they are loved and well treated, they won't intentionally harm people and the risk of property damage is relatively low. (Many of us learned the word "mastiff" from biographies of Helen Keller, whose best known dog was a mastiff she called Lioness.) If mistreated, or allowed to stray to where someone may attack them out of fear, their stories are likely to end badly.
Zipcode 10101: Louie from NYC
With a healthy weight of not quite 80 pounds, Louie is obviously not a purebred Mastiff, but he has more traits of that breed than of others. He's a big, calm, mellow dog whose favorite thing is to curl up beside a couch-potato-type human on the couch. He's available as a foster pet. You can find out whether you really want to live with even an (almost) 80-pound dog.
Chester from NYC
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/chester-a5e49c6d-5d1f-47c8-b9b5-d5070995ffe2/ny/new-york/anjellicle-cats-rescue-ny488/details/
In size, color, and purrsonality Chester sounds similar to our Drudge--big but not gigantic, gentle, and a lap cat who loves attention and affection.
Zipcode 20202: Jafar from South Carolina by way of DC
He weighs over 80 pounds and is still growing. He can meet you at any of several points along Route 1 from South Carolina to DC or NYC. Jafar is a great goofy pup who likes to run around the yard and play. He needs loving, gentle, tactful discipline before he gets big enough to do major damage. You might want to send them photos of the high, solid fence around the big yard you're offering for him to claim as home.
Moonie from DC
Moonie outlived his first human, took some time grieving and getting to know the people who took him in temporarily, and may take some time before he decides your home is his home, but he's a sweet purry pet once he decides to be. (Cameras do funny things. His fore legs look normal in other photos.)
Zipcode 30303: Ridley from East Point
He was adopted from the shelter as a puppy, then brought back as a middle-aged dog because his human could no longer keep him. He is available as a foster dog. He's over 80 pounds and is most comfortable in a home where everyone else weighs over 80 pounds too--no young children, small dogs, or cats please. He's not a show quality Mastiff; in fact his known ancestors include terriers. He is available as a foster dog. You can find out whether you want to live with him before making the commitment.
Vin from Atlanta
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/vin-76af5f8d-c861-4c5b-9c14-cb99802b2f00/ga/atlanta/joyful-pets-animal-rescue-ma499/details/
In the 12-16-pound range, Vin looks as if she weighs 16 pounds and would be happier if allowed to shrink gradually back to 12...as if she's been getting treats when she needed affection or entertainment. She is a Queen Cat who prefers to own her humans--more than one at a time--without sharing them with other animals,though at least she won't be having kittens.
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