North American Mastiff - TOP 10 Interesting Facts

1) Origin
The first Mastiffs came to North America with the colonists and they have long presence in this region. But due to a lot of interbreeding, they had a lot of health issues. That is why, several decades ago, few breeders decided to develop a new, healthier Mastiff dog breed, that would make excellent family and property protector, but also good family companion. The North American Mastiff was developed by crossing different mastiff types dogs.
2) Size
The first thing you will notice about the North American Mastiff is definitely its size. This is a very powerful, heavy boned and giant dog breed, but it is also quite agile and well balanced dog breed. The average height is typically between 90-180 pounds, which is 40-81 kg and height should be somewhere between 26-36 inch, which is 66-90 cm. Females are naturally slightly shorter and lighter than males.
3) Guards
Mastiffs in general are known for big courage, devotion to its owners and dignity. And the North American Mastiff is no exception. These dogs, especially if trained for it, can make just amazing family and property guards and protectors. They have big strength and power combined with extreme loyalty, alertness and natural protective instinct. They are naturally suspicious towards strangers, but they should never be agressive without a reason.
4) Companions
These dogs are not only protectors, but also quite gentle and friendly family companions. These dogs were bred to be good family companions and indeed, they are. They are known to be even good with kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. And even though they are suspicious around strangers, once you show them that the stranger is your friend, they will most likely accept the stranger and be friendly towards them as well.
5) Adaptability
Of course, most of the dogs prefer if they have access to a bigger yard or garden where they can stretch their legs, and the North American Mastiff is no different. But they can happily live in apartment as well and when they are indoors, they are relatively calm and laid back. Of course, they do need daily outdoor walks, playtime and some fun training sessions to keep their mind and body stimulated. But overall, this is very adaptable dog breed.
6) Coat
The coat of American Mastiff is typical mastiff like – which is short and smooth – and easy for maintenance. These dogs comes in several colors and color combinations, which include black, fawn, tawny, chocolate, blue, apricot or red and you can find these dogs in single color, piebald, brindle or merle.
7) Not for everyone
Even though these dogs tend to be gentle and friendly towards its owners, it is still not a dog for everyone. It is mostly due to their enormous strength and size combined with the protective nature. These dogs are also kind of dignified and proud, which can make the training little bit challenging, The North American Mastiff definitely needs an experienced dog owner who knows how to properly socialize and train a dog from early puppyhood with consistency and patience, firmly, but kindly.
8) Drooling
All the Mastiff breeds drool and you should be prepared for it! But it is said, that this North American Mastiff drools considerably less than other breeds of this type, for example the English Mastiff. But even though they drool less, it is still something you should be prepared for.
9) Maintenance
As you can probably expect, the maintenance and grooming of North American Mastiff is very easy. Even without any grooming their coat will still look good. They do shed some deal and if you want to minimize the shedding plus keep the coat in best possible condition, regular brushing is very beneficial. No other grooming needs are necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clean them or clip them if needed.
10) Health
Just like with all giant dog breeds, even the lifespan of American Mastiff is not the longest and it is typically around 10 years. These dogs may suffer from some health issues, typically from hip dysplasia and some other skeletal and joint problems, hypothyroidism or entropion.