I have always enjoyed the faces of people lighting up when I take my Dane on a walk lol. It's funny also how used to their size we get and how we forget that for most people, it's not really normal to live side by side with an indoor beast hahaha. I wish I had a tally for how many times I get some of the same comments. Like "do you have a saddle for that horse?" and "Is he walking you or are you walking him?" lol. I will never forget the time Thor, our last Dane who was a Harlequin and extremely tall and broad, saw his neighbor dog buddy being walked down the sidewalk at the end of our driveway and literally took my wife for a ride belly first down to his friend!!! Once I knew she was ok and laughing too....it was set in stone as one of our best memories with Thor even to this day.
I have always had a place in my heart for Mastiffs. At one point, I considered having a second Giant breed dog and getting a Daniff. I always regretted not getting him because a friend of ours got one from the litter and you wouldn't belive without seeing yourself how perfect those pups were. He grew just as tall as Thor if not a tad bit taller by 2 years old and he outweighed Thor by a solid 58lbs. He basically looked like a Great Dane but with the mass of a Mastiff! Still very tall and extremely lean with veins everywhere! You could only slightly see the Mastiff in him by his cheeks and face.
Only issue when getting a Daniff as a pup is you NEVER really know what they are going to look like or winch breed they will take after most. I have seen a few that just didn't look rite. Less than 30 inches tall with Dane legs and a massive Mastiff body lol. I would love to see some of your early and late pics of Your Mastiff and Your friends Danes if you find the time. Here is a picture of Thor, my previous Dane at about 2yrs old. Miss him so much. And another of Jax.