I am referring to the dog breed developed by Fredericka Wagner in Ohio at Flying W Farms.
It is an English Mastiff crossed with an Anatolian Shepherd for a dry mouth. The Wagner’s website obviously extols the virtues of these dogs, but since the breed is very new and not yet recognized by the AKC (although it is by the CKC), I was wondering if anyone has first-hand knowledge of these dogs.
We are very experienced with giant breeds and are thinking about getting one of these, but not if we can’t get some “real” information, as in not straight from the breeder’s mouth!
I’m not familiar with that particular breed, but it sounds like it’s not very common. I’d tend to stay away from dog breeds of which there are few animals due to inbreeding and genetic problems.
Have worked in vet medicine for 12 years, and I can count the # of times a Mastiff (of any kind) has darkened our doors on one hand. Just not a popular breed in the SouthEast. The ones I have seen have had a wonderful temperament, and overall, have been great family dogs.
The problem is, I’m not sure exactly what you mean by an “American” Mastiff. Like you said, they’re not defined by the AKC, and if you do a search, you will find that people’s definition of an American Mastiff will vary with some significant degree. Having said that, I will continue with the assumption that the Mastiff you’ve got your eye on is a “large-breed”. In a nutshell, you should probably follow these guidelines:
while their temperament is usually pretty good, you should ask to meet the dog’s parents (if you’re getting a puppy) to determine their own temperament. Many times, disposition can be passed down to the offspring (genetic or learned?–who’s to say?)
Ask if the parent’s are OFA (Orthopedic Foundation of America or an equivalent) if they are certified free of hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is the bane of many a large-breed dog, and is a genetic problem which can lead to a painful existence for the dog, and very high vet bills for you. I’ve seen some cases of dyplasia that were so bad the dogs couldn’t move without yelping in pain, and eventually had to be euthanized. To make matters worse, many times dyspasia doesn’t fully manifest itself until they are older and have grown into their permanent skeleton. So, asking about the parents with any large breed dog is a must.
Also, check other problems with the parents (once again, genetics). Ask about skin conditions, heart conditions, ear problems, etc. Furthermore, GET A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!
Get a guarantee. Any reputable breeder will offer, at a minimum, a 72 hour guarantee, giving you an opportunity to take it to a vet and have a thourough physical examination. I recommend going straight from the breeder to the vet. That way, you don’t form an immediate attachment to the dog and if there is a problem, you can return it with as little emotional pain as possible.
We have two English Mastiffs, and have seen ‘American Mastiff’ pop into various Mastiff message boards. It actually sounds like the Anatolian and the English Mastiff originally came from the same ancestor, but each breed was developed for different purposes.
From what I have heard, the Anatolian (which, in coloration, somewhat resembles the English Mastiff) is an aloof, independent sort, which had been used to guard livestock. Have heard that they can have a tendency to wander off, which would be the opposite of an English Mastiff, who is devoted to his people.
Our Mastiff male is drooly, the female not nearly so. Agree with GuyMontag’s advice.
My only point was that if there are few individuals of that breed, then you KNOW that they’re grossly inbred. Whereas a dalmation, or what have you, might have been bred from two cousins, a dog of which there are only a few might well have been produced from a brother and sister, which is somewhat worse, genetically speaking.