Virginia English mastiff

Here is a picture of our big Englsih mastiff Yogi. He is around 1 1/2 years old and between 175 and 200 lbs. We were just out playing around in the yard and I wanted to get this shot to give an idea of how big he is already. He still has some growing to do. He is a very good dog though and has a good temperment, as most English mastiffs do. Admittedly, he does drive us crazy sometimes, but only because he wants to be right on top of us all the time. That also is a trait of mastiffs. They like to be with their family all the time and don't do well if left penned up alone all the time.

We also have a brindle female as well and were just blessed with 5 healthy brindle puppies. Hopefully they will all be going to good homes soon. They make excellent family pets as long as you have the time to spend with them and train them well. The last thing you want is an unruly 200lb dog. We have 2 children and they are fine with them as well. You do have to watch them closely around small children simply because they do not realise how big and strong they are and could accidently hurt a small child by simply stepping on them or knocking them down accidently.

As far as guard dogs go they are great as well. They do not need to be trained to be guard dogs, they pretty much are instinctively. They will definately let you know when something is around and go investigate. Their size alone is plenty to disuade a stranger from coming around. Do not ever attempt to train one to be aggressive. They would just be too dangerous and it isn't necessary. Generally when someone new comes around our house, they wait for me to let him know it's ok, and they are known for just standing between their owners and a stranger, just to keep an eye out.

All in all very good dogs for the right owners. They are a big responsibility and require some special attention. Do your research if you are unfamiliar with the breed before just up and buying one. They can be quite expensive to maintain, not only in food, but in vet bills. Remember almost everything medecine wise at the vet is done by weight. Heartworm pills, flea and tick control, everything is quite a bit more expensive than your average size dog.