Mastiff dogs, surprisingly, don't need much more than the average dog but just like any other breed of dog, they want and need lots of love and patience. Mastiffs, whether they are the English, the Magnificent American Bandogge or even the Brazilian are loving and trustworthy companions. They are "inside the home" dogs, not backyard dogs. They need social companionship, and want to be treated as members of the house. Without this social interaction with family members, they can be prone to social problems. A big household is best, but they can be happy and healthy in a smaller home as long as they can get out for enough exercise. They tend to be very well behaved in the home, but you need to lookout for the wagging tail that seems to be at just the perfect height to bash over the can of soda that just happens to be on the nightstand or table. Generally, fully-grown Mastiffs are not prone to stealing food off the table or other such indiscretions; although you may need to pay attention while they are motionless .

Overall, Mastiffs do not bark a lot. They frequently seem totally unaware of what is going on around
them, however they are in fact paying close attention to what is typical and what is not. When they
notice something not quite well, they will sit up at attention to check stuff out. They may bark if
they hear an something strange from outside, or if someone comes to the door. Once you acknowledge the person as being friendly, your Mastiff will as well. If your Mastiff is apprehensive around someone, there may be a good cause for it that your dog can sense. Mastiffs are not purely guard dogs, but they do pay attention to their environment. When let outside, they will frequently make their rounds around the yard to make sure everything is OK.

They become somewhat protective, and defensive of their people and home. Mastiffs are excellent dogs around kids, and seem to have an exceptional feeling of the fragility of young children. They are very tolerant of the abuse that young ones can inflict upon them, including ears, riding on them, tugging at the tails, etc. They will become protective of kids in the home; regularly wanting to put themselves between offspring and strangers that may come to visit. They will never deliberately hurt a child, but because of size you do need to be cautious with little ones that may get bumped by a Mastiff walking by, or swatted by a Mastiff's wagging tail.

Mastiffs are expensive to raise and maintain. While they don't eat as much as you may believe for such a great dog, they do eat a lot of food, usually because they are gaining up to five of mass per week. A Mastiff may go through 40 to 80 lbs of dog food in a month. Mastiffs are also more expensive when it comes to and health costs. Most treatment and dosages are based on the mass of the dog, and Mastiff's are the heaviest type of dog. Also, not everyone is equipped to treat a Mastiff. You need to take into account the size of medical gear, understanding of giant breeds expressly in regards to anesthesia, and even the requirements for sufficient personnel to move a wounded 200 lb Mastiff onto a surgical or x-ray table.

A Mastiff is not for just anyone, due both to its size and its need to be an active member of your household. Owning a Mastiff is a big responsibility, but it will reward you a million times over with its love and affection.