Mastiff Breed Magazine - Showsight

MASTIFF Q&A

Soundness is imperative in a giant breed as weight plays a significant role in the cost of healthcare.

SHERRY BROWN Just a short note on our beginnings: My mother, Mary LuMur- phy (at that time), bought our first Mastiff, Willowledge North- starVenus, from Willowledge Kennels when there were only 240 Mastiffs registered in North America. I live in Duluth, Minnesota, and spend winters in Texas on the Gulf. I am retired and enjoy our country lake home. I have been in Mastiffs for over 50 years and am a member of the MCOA, Honor- ary Lifetime Member of the Midwest Mastiff Fanciers, and Life- time Honorary Member of the Duluth Kennel Club. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from breeding and showing dogs? I dabble in stained glass work, crochet, cross stitch and collecting and reading books. How did I first become involved with the Mastiff? My mother read about them while a teenager and made it her life’s dream to own and breed them. Are there any special requirements for breeding and showing such a large breed? It is important to get your Mastiff socialized from a very early age. Never force a Mastiff, you must finesse them. When a Mastiff understands what you are asking of them they want to please, albeit they do have their moments of stubbornness. You can hurt a Mastiff’s feelings quite easily. At what age do I start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? I feel you can see definite signs of soundness, topline and head type at eight weeks. Can I speak to the importance of soundness in the breed? Soundness is imperative in a giant breed as weight plays a significant role in the cost of healthcare. In the show ring, is the Mastiff a “showy” dog? The Mastiff is not a showy breed as our standard states, “Dignity rather than gaiety is the Mastiff’s correct demeanor.” At home, does the breed make a good family pet? The Mastiff makes an excellent family pet. They are generally fond of children, are very loyal, are great watch dogs as they use their common sense as to who is friend or foe and, except for bouts of energetic play, are usually quiet house guests that don’t bark needlessly. What are my hopes for the future of the breed and the sport? I am excited for the future of the Mastiff because of the wonderful, healthy Mastiffs the breeders are producing, They are using tools such as genetic testing to be able to produce sound puppies as well as beautiful representatives of my breed. Do I have a funny story I can share about showing Mastiffs? There are a few, such as the first-time Mastiff show owner who missed her dog’s big, important win because she had to use the ring- side commode and came out screaming that she missed it! GLORIA CUTHBERT I live with my husband, Chuck, a Pug and a three-year-old Mas- tiff (I owned the father) on eleven acres of woods in Concord, Ohio, east of Cleveland. I am retired after 30+ years working in finance and have owned and have shown only Mastiffs for 38 years. My Mastiffs have been my primary interest for those 38 years, though during that time I was very active with the Mastiff Club of America. I was the National Rescue Director, a show chair and, as is true of so many who are deeply involved with their breed, I was never able to say “no” when it came to a Mastiff in need. That is my way of saying we were deeply involved in Mastiff rescue through all

of our years with the breed. I also collect Mastiff memorabilia and have an extensive collection of Mastiff-related art. My involvement with the breed started with our search for a dog. My husband had just read about the English Mastiff–had never seen one other than a picture–and we did what no one should do to obtain one: We looked in the classified ads, picked one and bought our puppy. We were very lucky. We’d picked from a good line, were encouraged to show him, and that was that. Are there any special requirements for breeding such a large breed? There is no doubt that research needs to be extensive when considering breeding. There needs to be testing to eliminate any genetic issues and the reputation of the breeder carries throughout the breed community and not just the casual friend’s recommenda- tion. Always keep in mind that you have taken responsibility for a very large dog and the cost of veterinary care is proportional to the size of the dog. As far as showing a Mastiff, if you have a dog that meets the standard, they are a wash and dry show dog. Add to that a competent handler (or you paying attention in classes) and you are good to go. At what age do I start to see definite signs of show-worthiness? In any litter there always seems that there is one or two, maybe three, that stand out by eight weeks and, unless there is a regression, that little extra should allow you to really know by the first birthday. Can I speak to the importance of soundness in the breed? I am not sure what to say here. By definition, soundness means free from injury, damage and defect or disease. Is the Mastiff a “showy” dog in the show ring? The Mastiff does not present as “showy.” The Mastiff is a “what you see is what you get” type dog. The picture is one of might and strength and dignity coupled with unencumbered drive and smooth movement. Does the breed make a good family pet? The Mastiff is a wash, dry, trim toenails kind of dog. In the home they are easily adapted to where they can or cannot tread. They do take up space, but as is true of all breeds, they are what you make them. That being said you need to know that they are smart—do not let them fool you. If you allow bad habits or lack of restraint they take that to be approval and like children, once spolied, a behavior is very difficult to undo. The Mastiff is a very loyal family dog and will return the care and love you give with undying loyalty. Do not let the size fool you, they are not an outside dog. They need you and you will know it. Lastly, the biggest decision they have to make is where to lay down next. What are my hopes for the future of the breed? When you use the word hope, I can, in a perfect world, hope that Mastiff owners will breed to the standard, test to eliminate genetic issues, place their puppies responsibly, and pass on the love for the breed that the Mastiff has earned. “Grand” and “good-natured” have been used over the years to describe the breed and that has been earned and is fitting. Do I have a funny story to share about showing Mastiffs? The following could be true in the case of many breeds, but it was observed at one of the Mastiff Club of America’s national special- ties. At an obedience demonstration, seven or eight Mastiffs were lined in a row by their owners and given the “Down Stay” com- mand. The owners then went to the opposite end, faced their Mas- tiffs, and gave the command, “Come.” Not one moved, but after a few long moments, the one on the end looked at the next and slowly, one by one, they got up and went to their owners. That is a true story!

214 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020

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