Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO Introduction Forum => Introduce Yourself to the Forum => : kodo20 November 03, 2008, 08:54:01 AM
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Hi all,
About two months ago I brought home a mastiff puppy and I have lots to learn about these gentle giants!
I can't tell you much about Shandi's lines as she's sort of a rescue... my neighbor's son just decided to breed his mastiff and then he got divorced and things got messy at home and he suddenly just had to find homes for the two pups. He keeps saying he's going to register the litter, but so far I still haven't seen any papers or anything.
I can tell you that Shandi is a brindle female and she's about 5 1/2 months old and she's just the sweetest thing. I love her very much. ; )
I'm hoping she'll keep this great personality I'm seeing now and will turn out to be a good candidate to work as a therapy dog when she's old enough. Also, the other day, I saw some info on the web about carting so I think I might look into that for her...not so much for competing in how much she could pull, but just for helping to carry things around our big yard and for taking my neices and nephews for short rides... just pleasure stuff.
Right now I'm looking to learn all I can from as many credible sources as I can, so if there are any mastiff owners, breeders, carters, or therapy dog owners on this forum from southeastern Massachusetts or northern Rhode Island that would like to help mentor a newbie, please let me know... I would love to connect with you in person! : )
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Hello and welcome! Shandi sure is a cutie! Of course I am partial to the brindles...... .....lol.
I've been considering therapy work for mine as well but have yet to get serious about it. My concerns are that most therapy groups require the Canine Good Citizen test and for the dog to pass. My dogs would be great therapy dogs, but I have conerns that they wouldn't pass the test, each for a different reason.
As for carting, I had keiko (husky mix) try out weight pulling at a dog event. She wasn't all that into it but it looked interesting. If you do decide to try out carting (there are a few members with carts) it is advised to wait until the dog is over 2 yrs old before bearing any weight. that way you can be sure their muscles and joints are developed enough to handle the strain.
My name is Chris, and my crew is listed below. Hope you enjoy it here.
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Carrie, this board is a GREAT place to ask questions and learn about giant breeds. I'm nowhere near you, but I'm happy to answer questions (I grew up with Newfs, Danes and Irish Wolfhouds, and I currently have two blended mastiff pups).
You can PM me, or email me at hoyden_ish@hotmail.com
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Awwww...I remember when Roscoe was that "little"! hehehe Shandi is lovely! I looove brindles ;)
Hellooo, welcome! I'm Audrey, and my crew is in my sig...
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Hello..and Welcome to Big Paws.
I'm sorry for the situation that brought Shandi to you :(
She looks like an awesome beautiful girl..I'd take her in a heartbeat ;D but I can see that you love her. :-*
In addition to those already replying, there are many intelligent, very helpful mastiff owners on BPO--"2Criminals" is one that comes immediately to mind. I love Mastiffs, and was actually looking for one when this Pyrenees pup (in my siggy) called my name.
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Welcome, welcome!!! She's soooo cute, definitely another to add to the list!! You'll definitely get a lot of info here!
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Welcome! I rescued my dog Tink from a local shelter and she is now 10 months old and over 100lbs! She is a komondor mix so we are not real sure what we will end up with coat and size wise. I am assuming eventually she will stop growing but who knows ! lol. She recently passed her CGC and I am also thinking of training and registering her as a therapy dog. The organizations I have contacted all require the CGC before enrollment and the dogs have to be at least 1 year old, so we have a few more months yet before we can start. I may wait a little longer till she works out some of her "puppiness". We go to advanced off leash obedience twice a week and it sure has helped! With a large breed you have to have control of your dog (even if they are not aggresive) especially in a "away from home" environment. She is excellent in the car, the vets, or anywhere we travel. She has been in obedience classes since she was 10 weeks old. It has made all the difference and it is never too early to start so I would defineatly be looking in to classes for your LB pup! She is gorgeous!
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Shandi is a cutie! I wouldn't worry too much about her keeping her loving personality, it's pretty much a given as long as you continue to socialize her and introduce her to lots of new situations. Obedience class is a great way to socialize and will get you on the right track for your CGC test! You will want to wait until she is fully matured (2+) and has her joints evaluated until you try the carting ;)
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You may also check if there is a local Delta Society chapter in your area. They do their own certification - on you and the dog - and, if you both pass, the certification and membership includes an insurance policy in case anything unexpected happens during one of your therapy visits and even if you get in an accident on the way to a visit (or so I understand).
I don't think the CGC is a prerequisite for Delta, either. I spoke with our local chapter recently and they didn't mention anything about that.
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Thanks, I'll look for a local chapter of the Delta Society to get more info!
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Shandi is a cutie! I wouldn't worry too much about her keeping her loving personality, it's pretty much a given as long as you continue to socialize her and introduce her to lots of new situations.
Yep.
I was horrified to see an article in DogFancy about Bullmastiffs that quoted a 30-year breeder/owner as saying that Bulls are unsuitable for dog parks and should never be allowed off leash around other dogs. WTF? Where do they FIND these people? I see lovely, social, friendly mastiffs of all type ALL THE TIME at the dog park. They’re dogs first, breed temperament “problems” really only kick in if you don’t socialize them properly IME.
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Hi,
I myself just recently got an English Mastiff... He's now just over 7 months old, and so far has kept his loving personality, and I have no worries that it is going to go away. Obviously I don't consider myself to be anywhere near an expert on the breed, but I did quite a bit of talking with Marley's [my Mastiff] breeder and asked many questions. I would be happy to attempt to answer any questions you may have in the coming while, and It's possible [especially given the circumstances that brought you your dog] Marley's breeder would be happy to answer any questions you may have. The breeder's company name is Beowulf Mastiffs, and they do have a website of the same name.
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Awwww such a cute puppy!! :)
And Welcome to the BP!! :)
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Oh, I had seen that in the rules, but didn't think that that was advertising, but I read the rules again and I see that that was definitely against them :-\. Won't be doing that again...