All About English Mastiffs Puppies

This hub will be a general overview of each topic of all you need to know about English Mastiff Puppies. There are so many interesting facts and helpful tips available, there is no way to fit it all into one hub. We want to at least start with some of the basics you may need to know before welcoming your English mastiff puppy into your home. There will be more hubs on the way that will cover each topic in-depth, so stay tuned for more information and tips on English Mastiff Puppies.

The first topic will be some helpful hints about raising your English mastiff puppy. Naturally you will need a shopping list of some of the basic items your new puppy will need:

• Collar- an adjustable, flat buckle style is best since it can be adjusted as puppy grows. And remember to use the two-finger rule when testing to make sue it is not to tight or to loose.

• ID Tag & Leash- An engrave-able tag and a nylon, reflective leash are good. Remember even if you have not decided on a puppy name to get the ID tag engraved with your name, address and phone number. TIP-It would be a really good idea to put the collar and ID tag on your English mastiff puppy before you leave the breeders home.

• Food- Be sure to ask the breeder what brand of puppy food your mastiff puppy has been eating. You may not want to continue with this kind, so if making a switch, do it gradually. Otherwise your puppy could get a little sick.

• Food & Water Bowls- Ideally they need to be raised to help prevent your puppy from getting bloat, just be sure your puppy can reach it easy enough. And remember they will grow very quickly! Another tip: A metal food bowl is a good choice to help prevent bacteria growth and a heavy ceramic bowl for water is good since they will not tip over as easily.

• Crate- These are great for traveling, house training or even for a sleeping area. This purchase will really depend on a couple of things. Puppies feel more secure in a plastic enclosed crate but adult male dogs can hardly fit into the largest wire ones. So this may have to be upgraded as you go and may also depend on if your English mastiff puppy will be living indoors or outdoors.

• Toys- This is surely to be one of the more fun purchases, if not for you at least for your new puppy. Toys are not just for playtime but actually help in teaching and prevention of chewing up your furniture among other tings.... Alright, here are a few to consider:

1. Large nylabones
2. Large Kong toys
3. Rope bones( always throw away when they start unraveling)
4. Balls- preferably a basketball or soccer ball not tennis balls as they are too small
5. As your English Mastiff puppy gets larger, some great outside toys might also include an old tire or even just a log to push and pull around the yard!

Remember there is much more to cover on this topic including things like Puppy-proofing,Outdoor shelters, House-training,Leash training just to name a few. As well as more in-depth coverage on everything we mentioned here!

Remember, we are just hitting a few of the basics with more to come in future hubs. Hopefully you will find some helpful tips you can use after you bring your English mastiff puppy home. Maintenance of your English Mastiff is really just basic grooming and this usually consist of coat care(brushing), nail trimming, ear cleaning, dental care and bathing. We will touch on coat care and bathing in this hub with more to come about the following:Coat and Skin problems, Nail trimming, Eyes & Ear Care and also Dental Care.

• Coat care- English mastiffs have short hair which is the easiest to take care of but they still need to be groomed. You should start grooming as soon as possible to help prevent issues as your puppy gets older (and bigger). Brushing can be done daily or weekly depending on your schedule. You should avoid using wire or pin brushes and use a rubber hound glove (found at a pet supply store). English Mastiffs have two shedding seasons, spring & fall, a terrier stripping blade is great for removing their loose hair during this time.

• Giving A Bath- English mastiffs rarely "need" a bath and really only have to be bathed when dirty or if you are getting ready for a show. For puppies a bathtub will do but as they grow... you will want to carry this party outside with a hose and maybe a large rubber or galvanized tub that you can find at most farm supply stores. Be sure to wear old clothing always expecting to get wet or maybe even in the tub yourself! TIP: cotton balls in puppy's ears will help prevent water from getting in. Use a good dog shampoo, a good rinse for a shiny coat is 1pt cider vinegar and 1 pt water, and remember to keep puppy out of cold drafty areas until dry.

Remember if you have a specific question or would like to add comments on anything we have covered, please do so! We can all learn more by sharing our experiences with English Mastiff puppies.

• Training Equipment- whether you are doing the training or you sign up for a Puppy-K class you will need some basic training equipment.
  

Here are the basic training equipment you will need when starting Puppy kindergarten but it might be a good idea if you are attending a class to ask if they have any additional training equipment they like to use.

1. Flat collar- it should be either nylon or leather. Just remember to use the 2-finger rule for fitting on puppy's neck.
2. Leash- this could also be leather or nylon, 3/4" wide and at least 5-6 feet in length. It should be lightweight but well made and try to avoid chain leashes. Chain leashes tend to be heavy and noisy which will hinder when training.

TIP: When it comes time for the next level after your mastiff puppy finishes kindergarten, a choke collar can be used to get their attention but may not be necessary depending on how well you puppy is responding.

• Should you let your puppy on the furniture?- Although as cute as an English mastiff puppy may be, just remember do you really want your 200 lb. mastiff in your bed? on the couch? These are some of the options you can use during the training of your puppy about the furniture:

1. Not at all
2. Only when invited
3. Only on certain pieces of furniture

Again you need to take your puppy's temperament into account when making this decision. If your puppy shows dominance or aggression, letting them on the furniture might not be a good idea because once they realize you will give a little they may take a lot! Remember not to underestimate the intelligence of your English Mastiff puppy in learning the difference of what your rules are about the furniture.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg on behavior and training your mastiff puppy. We will cover more in our next hubs with more tips on training like how firm to be, consistency, patience, good manners and so on. There will also be more information on behavioral problems like aggression, barking, chewing, jumping up and house training. Please stay tuned for more articles and tips as there is really a wealth of information available and I hope you found at least one tip you found helpful about owning and raising your English Mastiff puppy.