Mastiffs are dogs that make wonderful companions for people who love animals. If you wish to keep a Mastiff in your home, you have to be prepared to put in valuable time and effort to make it feel comfortable. A Mastiff needs constant human contact and it feels as if it is part of the family. Other than just a companion, a Mastiff is also an ideal house guard as it is a fearsome presence that will keep intruders at bay.
If Mastiffs sense a suspicious person or the presence of an intruder, they will head to the door to start barking. When alarmed, their hackles tend to stand up and they start looking formidable. Anyone who sees a Mastiff in this light will surely get frightened, because of its size and ferocity. However, though it has a huge size, the Mastiff as a breed, is not a trigger happy dog and it is more of a gentle and less aggressive dog under normal circumstances.
A happy and well adjusted Mastiff is always ready to protect its family, if and when the need arises. You will only understand the temperament of the Mastiff when its house guard temperament is brought to light. Ordinarily, it is a gentle giant that shows no signs of aggression.
Since the Mastiff needs more human attention than other dogs, it is advisable that it lives inside the house with you. If you leave it alone, tied outside or in a fenced yard with minimal human company, your Mastiff tends to pine away and develop destructive behavior because of loneliness and anxiety. And with the absence of true time with the family, it is likely that the Mastiff becomes less protective as it feels it is not part of the family.
As a guard dog, the Mastiff tends to bark to let intruders know they are not welcomed in the house. But if you accept guests in front of the Mastiff, it will return to its normal self. The mere presence and bark of the Mastiff is more than sufficient to scare the bravest of burglars away! Being territorial dogs, Mastiffs will instinctively protect their yards, house, car and family from other dogs and people. Mastiffs are good with other dogs and cats as long as they have good experiences with these animals
Mastiffs tend to love children and are quite gentle and tolerant to ear and tail pulls, and even with children sitting on their backs. They also love licking children's faces and will always protect your children. However, as the swinging tail of a Mastiff can knock small children over, it is always better to wait till the children are older before you leave a Mastiff alone with them; whether it is a puppy or an adult dog. With the right training, you can very well say that your home will be safe with a Mastiff around.
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