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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Its time to purchase my pup :)

Its either a gsd, the shedding is putting me off due to my mums allery conditions, shes a bit worried about the hair, so i choose to opt for either a bullmastiff or French mastiff.

A few question

Can bullmastiffs survive extreme conditions, i live in UK, it tends to get cold here sometimes, I may have to keep the dog outside sometimes, thats why im asking.

Please help....

I got a trainer sorted and everything, just choosing the breed now:)
 

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BullMastiffs were developed in the UK, DDB are also great dogs, why specifically are you looking at these breeds? Remember you can ALWAYS purchase a coat for the more 'surly' conditions in your area.
 

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Bull Mastiffs and DDBs are not know for being hypoallergenic. If your mom having allergies is a major concern then I would sugest that you & your mom meet the parents and relatives of any potential pup to see if her allergies will flare up. It would be a shame for your new best friend to have to spend most or all of it's time outside because a family member has allergies.
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Hey people thanks for the feedback and help.
I know quite a bit about the gsd breed, but not much about the mastiff breeds, i would love to changed from the gsd to the mastiff, they seem less active, am i right? I love the look also, very muscular etc, but how are they as far as training is concerned? Dog will live inside and out by the way.
 

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I would do a lot more researching before just jumping in and buying a breed. Personally that is what stuck out to me the most; you're picking breeds, but the questions you're asking are simple research questions that you really need to know before settling on a breed.

Also what kind of breeders are you looking into?
 

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
The dog is going to be a family dog.
Companion....also my house has been burgaled once, so it could be a good guard dog, but that is not the main reason.

I work 4 days and am off for 4 days and my dad works 4 days and is off 4 days on the opposite shift, so some is always home, also my mum and sister are usually home, everyone in the family is looking forward to introducing a puppy in to family.

What else do people need to know?
 

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The dog is going to be a family dog.
Companion....also my house has been burgaled once, so it could be a good guard dog, but that is not the main reason.

I work 4 days and am off for 4 days and my dad works 4 days and is off 4 days on the opposite shift, so some is always home, also my mum and sister are usually home, everyone in the family is looking forward to introducing a puppy in to family.

What else do people need to know?
How are you selecting the breeder. Again have you looked into a rescue group or shelter? Why buy when you can adopt?.

By reading your posts you seem to be really anxious about getting this dog but as others have said you need to do some research first and by all means DO NOT BUY the puppy from a pet store no matter what the store tells you the puppy would have come from a puppy mill. If you buy from a pet store you are not rescuing the puppy, you are making room for another one from a puppy mill.
 

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The dog is going to be a family dog.
Companion....also my house has been burgaled once, so it could be a good guard dog, but that is not the main reason.

I work 4 days and am off for 4 days and my dad works 4 days and is off 4 days on the opposite shift, so some is always home, also my mum and sister are usually home, everyone in the family is looking forward to introducing a puppy in to family.

What else do people need to know?
It's not wht we need to know. It's what you need to know, this is going to be your dog and not ours.

My only concern is that you want a dog of a certain breed yet you're asking "us" questions about energy level, shedding, how stubborn, but you like that the dog is muscular. These are all simple questions that you can type into goodle and have 100 links pop up.

I guess my question to everyone that makes posts like these are why aren't you doing the research? If you are those questions wouldn't even be a concern. However we are here to help, I don't see why more people don't do more research on their own. :confused:

There are just so many sites out there filled with wonderful infrmation.
 

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Choosing a dog breed can be very tricky. Yes, there are things to consider such as the basic temperment of the dog, but there are also questions such as:
How much shedding can you handle?
Do you want a dog you have to have groomed?
Do you want a dog that is good with kids?
Can you afford a giant breed of dog? (Not only is just the purchase price expensive, owning a giant breed dog is like owning two large breed dogs in terms of everyday expenses.)
Do you want a dog that is good with other animals?
Have you had any dog experience, or dog training experience before?
How much exercise can you provide?
Do you want a dog that is friendly, or more reserved?
Do you want a playful dog?

Both Bullmastiffs and Dogue de Bordeauxs are great dogs, but require a handler who knows what they are doing. They shed and not only do they shed, but they also drool. So you will have a lovely hair and drool mixture. They are giant breed dogs that will be very expensive. Finding a good breeder is mandatory to avoid health and temperment problems. They aren't the most obedience savvy dogs in the world - definitally not a push button breed. Both breeds can be same sex aggressive towards other dogs. They are fairly easy going dogs and definitally won't need as much exercise as a GSD would, but they will still need exercise to stay in physical and mental shape.

I would check out this website http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/dogbreeds/index.html to find more information about a particular breed of dog. Then if you are still interested, check out the national breed clubs and rescues. Get in contact with breeders and ask them about the breed. Meet various dogs from the breeders to make sure you are up to the sheer size of a giant breed, as well as the drooling and other issues. Have your mom get up close and personal with the dogs to see if the drooling or shedding will trigger her allergies. Then after all that you should make your decision on what breed you want. :)
 

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A couple of points: Bull Mastiffs tend to be moderate-to-low energy dogs. I've known a mere handful but two specimens were pretty rambunctious. As pups, they were hellions. Don't know about French Mastiffs.

How much a dog sheds is not a good predictor of how much suffering an allergic person will experience. It is dog dander--not hair--that causes the reaction in an allergic person. There are no truly hypoallergenic dogs, but allergy sufferers seem to have the best luck with Poodles and a few other breeds (mostly small breeds like Lhasas and Shih Tzus, IIRC).

Also, short haired breeds shed plenty.
 

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Short hair DOES NOT mean low shedding, my PUG sheds as much as nay GSD as does my Dobe. Mastiffs have a double coat, they shed HORRIBLY. Bull mastiffs and DDB Both can be moderate energy dogs and they require consistant training just as a GSD does. The are VERY large and VERY strong dogs, all the more reason training MUST be started as soon as you get them home. They also do NOT respond well to dominance based training methods, but do better with a good positive reinforcement regimen. The main reason they are known as stubborn is that they are often not motivatd by the same things as other dogs and they tend to think for themselves.

Here are some valuble links you need for more information.

British Bullmastiff Association

Dogue de Bordeaux Club of Great Britain

They will gove you all the information you need about the breeds, temperment and possible health issues that reputable breeders will be testing for.
 
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