Too bad we already had dogs and my parents were not keen on adding another to the mixture.
Cut to about 8 or 9 years later.
My mama and I were headed to Yazoo City to buy a new/used car for her, with $1,000 in our pockets.
We picked up the classifieds and searched and searched for a car. They were all too pricey :(
I continued to entertain myself (before cellphones were super prominent) by thumbing through the classifieds and just happened upon the dogs page.
There, in large bold print, MASTIFF PUPPIES $1000.
We had the money. And I had the dream.
So, what do you think happened?
We got a puppy!
He was beautiful and fluffy and everything I had ever imagined a big ole dog to be.
Dudley was the first Mastiff I loved (he's no longer here, and I don't want to talk about it!), and he's led me to getting more Mastiffs.
Moses was the next Mastiff.
We adopted him from Southern States Mastiff Rescue.
Visit their site and please consider adoption.
http://www.southernstatesmastiffrescue.org/
We loved him dearly. For years. But then, as what happens with most of our 4 legged creatures, he went over the Rainbow Bridge.
Since Tay and I have been married, he's known that we would have a Mastiff or two or 12.
I let him know up front that I wanted to be a crazy Mastiff lady - similar to a crazy cat lady - but a little more socially acceptable.
Now, we are the proud owners of Norman. Click the side label: Adventures from Norman to see more of his antics!
Things you need to know about getting a large dog:
- Most people think that large breeds means more space. That is not true. Mastiffs are content in small spaces - wide open spaces are not necessary.
- They require exercise, but a very little amount. I used to take Norman on daily walks, but then I realized that he was losing weight. Now we go the park once a week, but we do play in the backyard and/or living room daily.
- They will not eat you out of house and home. People always say, "I'd get a mastiff, if I could afford to feed it." Guess how much money we spend in one month for Norman's food? $20. That's it! We buy Pedigree Large Breed Dog Food in the thirty pound bag for about $20 a month.
See? Not expensive.
- They have no concept of personal space. If you are cooking in the kitchen; he'll prop up against you in the hopes that you'll love on him and/or drop food his way.
- They think they are lap dogs. If you are sitting on the couch, floor, or laying in bed, they will be directly next to you or on top of you. Mastiffs have a thing for always touching their people. I think it's their security blanket. If you don't like your personal space invaded, don't get a mastiff.
- They will destroy things (while in the puppy stage.) All dogs do, but when your beast is only a pup, be careful about what you let him chew on. Chewing on shoes as a puppy is cute - as an adult dog, not so much. When we HAVE to leave Norman all day - which breaks my heart - I'll come home to him laying on the couch; with my pajama pants next to him and my shoes under his jowls. He never chews, just using them for the smell I assume.
- Food training is important. Large dogs need to know where their food comes from. You.
When Norman was a little pup, we would put food down, let him eat a little, and then take it back up.
Why? We were teaching him that WE feed him and training him to not bite our hands off. It worked!
- Crate training will save your life. Crate training is amazing. Norman was the first dog we crate trained. It cut down on the potty training time, and now, as an adult dog, he knows that the crate is his safe place. He still sleeps in his crate, only because it's in our room and he can't stand to sleep alone. We tried letting him sleep alone on the couch at night - he would end up at our door in thirty minutes scratching and crying to get in :( The magic words for getting Norman in his crate? "Norman, let's go night night." Done.
- They are protective. Not of food. Not of toys. But of you, their person. Their human. They will be loyal to you until they die. Remember that.
- They are subject to bloat. This is an issue with large breeds. Sometimes, when large breeds eat too much or too fast and then decide to play, their stomach will twist. It will cause them immense pain and you some exorbitant vet bills. To cull this, we feed Norman a small meal in the morning (after he's played a bit) and then a small meal in the evening. Our personal rule is no hard/rough play 30 minutes after eating.
- They sleep. A lot. No, he's not sick. He's just fine. He just likes to sleep a lot. There is nothing wrong with that or him. If you are looking for a hyper or active breed, this is not the dog for you.
- They have gas. Bad. And can clear a room in no time. And it scares them, which is utterly hysterical!
- Remember, he's bigger than you. And could hurt you with one single bite. But he doesn't. Why? Because he loves and respects you. You should treat him the same way. Hitting a dog will not teach him a lesson. What's effective with Norman is a loud, "NO." Then we looks at you with sad eyes, wanders over, and wants to know you still love him. And of course, we do.
- Their average life span is about 10 years. Some last longer, some a lot shorter. When you are thinking of getting a mastiff, be sure that you can devote 10 years of your life to make his something special. If you don't have the time, don't waste his. When we got Norman, Tay asked me if I was prepared to let him go (since their lifespans vary). I told Tay that my goal for our pup was to give him the best life possible. If that's only one year or 12, my dog will have lived his life to the fullest in a house full of love and play and naps.
Having a dog is a wonderful thing. If you can't commit to a dog, then please do not get one.
You will continue with your life, while surrending your dog to a shelter. To me, that means you are careless and mean - and I have no tolerance for that. There are no excuses.
If you are considering getting a dog, please look at adoption first. Adopting a dog has some awesome benefits and opposed to buying a puppy. Most dogs from shelters/kennels are already potty trained, some have been fixed, and most are even socialized. Plus no puppy whining or gnawing!
Rant over.
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