mastiffs......

[daybreamer]

do any of you guys keep mastiffs as pets/home protectors? im particularly interested in cane corso's and presa canarias? it took me a year of research to choose my first dog and first hand stories are real not just what a book tells me, thanks guys

 

[wco68]

Mastiffe are gentail giants very mellow.the ones I've seen.I peronally like germon shepards for protection.but the maifftive is very intemataing .

 

[Sam the Caveman]

mastiffs are very good at noticing anything out of the ordinary, so coupled with a german shepard would be a good guard/protection dog couple.

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[supermanlives]

i got to babysit one for 3 weeks. had to keep its water in 5 gal bucket to keep up.it ate eggs whole and would steal your beer right out of your hand open or not. chug chug chug. it also ate a few ping pong balls while i was playing the game.when it shook its head you could almost hear its spit fly by .other than that very friendly great dog . but my dog ran circles around it. glad i got to play with one tho instead of buying one. if i had a bigass yard i would get 2

 

[Bobby Stainless]

A Cane Corso is a bit different then a regular English Mastiff or even a Bull Mastiff.

Cane Corsos are bad with kids, they are bad with strangers. I don't know if you remember, but a couple of Cane Corsos mauled a woman to death in San Francisco awhile back.

They need lots of structure and discipline. If you don't put the work, the thing will probably eat you and your friends/family.

If you are a single, and have a dominant way about you, then I say go for it. There isn't a badder dog on the planet IMO.

I chose to go with the Saint Bernard. They are a lot easier to keep, still very intimidating, and no lawsuits.

 

[supermanlives]

does yours have a mini keg too LOL that would be cool at parties

 

[Tuggo]

I remember those attacks in SF some years back. Those were presa's that were horribly inbred by some people using breeding as a front for some people locked up or some shit. Gimme a few and I'll see if I can find links.

But Bobby's right Presa's and Cane Corso's are in the Mastiff family, but a bit different than the English or Bull Mastiff that most are used to.

They are closer to bulldogs than mastiffs, but bulldogs are considered in the mastiff family as well. Corso's and Presa's are very similar. IMHO same dog, different location,(one Canary Islands, one Italy) lines taken in similar directions. One the butcher's dog, and the presa for guarding livestock. Both very dominant usually as Bobby stated.

To answer your question though, yes they make excellent guard/protection dogs but are kinda challenging for some as they are powerful breeds and they tend to know it. Also do tons of research and look for breeders with verifiable working lines for best results. Good luck on your search.

 

[rives]

Cane Corsos are bad with kids, they are bad with strangers. I don't know if you remember, but a couple of Cane Corsos mauled a woman to death in San Francisco awhile back.

I think that you are referring to a pair of Presa Cannarios, not Cane Corsos. "Bane" and "Hera", mauled a female coach to death outside her apartment door. They were being kept by a couple of nutcase lawyers for a guy who was in the pen.

 

[Tuggo]

 

[MOneYMiKe]

i got to babysit one for 3 weeks. had to keep its water in 5 gal bucket to keep up.it ate eggs whole and would steal your beer right out of your hand open or not. chug chug chug. it also ate a few ping pong balls while i was playing the game.when it shook its head you could almost hear its spit fly by .other than that very friendly great dog . but my dog ran circles around it. glad i got to play with one tho instead of buying one. if i had a bigass yard i would get 2

too funny...lot's and lot's of water...cinder block's paper towels anything close enough for him to get to.......good as gone.....dribble towel's are a must...and forget about having clean clothes.....pphhhhh.......but yes best friend i could eva ask for.....love ya bubb's!........

 

[resinryder]

I've decided I'm not going to replace my carpets until both of my English mastiff's die.
Another thing to consider is if you own your home, will your homeowners insurance continue to cover you if you get a Cane Corso or Presa Canario. Many won't. For the ultimate in stealth, go with a dark brindle colored one. I have a brindle English and you can't see her in the dark unless she shows her teeth. And like Sam the Caveman said above, they do notice anything out of the ordinary. My girls know every square inch of what they can see from my front yard. They will bark like all hell is breaking loose if so much as a plastic grocery bag is floating down the street. They don't miss a thing.

 

[Bobby Stainless]

Thanks Tuggo and rives, I always thought they were Canes.

 

[pearlemae]

I have a German Mastiff, also known as a Great Dane. They really aren't from Denmark. Danes are an ancient breed, carvings from the middle east, depict dogs that look just like the danes of today. My girl is 33 inches at the shoulder and weighs 140/150. Her size is intimidating, everyone crosses the street when we go for a walk. My daughter has a male that is 37 inches and goes 185. Nobody fucks with our stuff, yards, house etc. But danes are one of the sweetest dogs ever. They make a lot of noise and look scary but have been bred not to be aggresive. Imagine a dog whose head comes up to your mid chest being aggressive. When a dog can almost look you in the eye the don't have to be aggressive.

 

[rives]

When I was in college my next door neighbor had a Great Dane. Once I got to know the dog, he was indeed a gentle giant with a wonderful personality. The only downside that I see to them (aside from the food bill!) is that they seem to have very short lives.

 

[pearlemae]

Actually the food bill for both dogs, the Dane and my Standard Poodle, ( Another really great dog, super smart easy to train and every bit as watchful as the Dane) is about 150.00 / month.
True, Danes unfortunately aren't generally long lived 7-9 yrs, I do have a buddy and his old Dane girl is 11, but she is showing her age.
Still all in all Danes make a great dog she sleeps lots and most of the time on the sofa as a couch potato. But at least once a day she has to run, we go out every day and she tears up the field next door,watching her run is poetry in motion.

 

[daybreamer]

thanks for all the replys guys- alot of reading up to do, in no rush to pick another life long friend

 

[resinryder]

Actually the food bill for both dogs, the Dane and my Standard Poodle, ( Another really great dog, super smart easy to train and every bit as watchful as the Dane) is about 150.00 / month..

I agree. I feed 2 English Mastiff's and a little runt of a yapping reminder that my word doesn't mean shit everyday. They go through 120.00 worth of food about every 5 weeks. So not as bad as you would think.
My oldest is 9, 190 lbs, and the younger one is 6, 200lbs. The older one is going to have to be put down soon. Her rear legs are giving out and she seems to age more by the month. Even though she always had perfect hips it doesn't seem to matter at this point. It's really tearing my heart out knowing what I'm gonna have to do with her soon. I love this girl more than any other companion I've ever had. She was born an old soul.
Their life span is 7 to 10 years depending on their life style. Mine have had it easy. The only exercise they are interested in is slowly walking back and forth from the food bowl to the front of the couch where they energetically sleep the day away. Or going out to pee n poop, grab a drink of water and heading back to the couch, hehe Real fire balls they are. But walk in the house or yard and let them think you're a threat to my family and it won't end well.

 

[stickey fingers]

LUV'N GENTLE GIANTS

LUV'N GENTLE GIANTS

the gentle giants are amazeing !!! i had a bullmastiff grandma called him "sweetie"
beacause he was a sweetie a big lover!!! best friend i ever had... in the 9 1/2 years he was alive he was
never aggressive towards any dogs, humans or any thing, and he was never nuttered,
although he never showed aggersion towards anything or anyone there was never
a dought that he could have killed anything he wanted when ever he wanted and
there is nothing that could have stoped him(no need for that)
i could never thank him a enough for keeping watch over me
and my family

RIP MAX

 

[MJBadger]

Personally i`d leave Corsos & Canarias alone , there are better Mastiffs than those .
I believe the Canarias are banned as a breed in UK because of the unpredictability of the breed .
We have an English mastiff near us not quite 2yr old & massive , on his way to 250lb & as soft as butter & uses kids as pillows .
Nobody has mentioned Douge de Bordeaux , HOOCH made them famous , our favorite dog , we had a x of this breed & one of the loveliest dogs we`ve ever owned .

 

[Critter]

Cane Corso's get huge and are very unpredictable in some instances. Almost killed my friend who had been around her for the two years of her life. Great dogs very loyal but dont underestimate them treat em like a loaded weapon. Given a chance they will eat other dogs like a snack,(Pitt) seen it not pretty. Great guard dog but sometimes its alittle hairy coming home until she knows its me