Buying a Puppy

Puppy Buyers' Guide

DISCLAIMER

This guide is designed to help you select a good puppy and to that end tries to point out some of the items you should consider when purchasing.

ARE YOU SURE THIS IS THE BREED FOR YOU ?

The Mastiff is a "very" large dog, it may look cute and cuddly as a pup but it will grow into a very large and powerful dog (they hold the Guinness book of records for the heaviest dog in the world). They have hereditary faults and can cost a lot in veterinary bills if problems arise. A vets bill for $1000 is not unknown. The general running costs of any large breed is considerably higher than you may expect (e.g. worming, heart worm, food supplements). Although not a large eater for its size, some can be very picky and hence expensive to feed. In other words, if you can only just afford the purchase of a puppy, you can’t afford to keep it.

A FEW GENERAL POINTS

Never buy from a pet shop, only from a registered breeder.
Evaluating a Mastiff puppy is difficult: even the most experienced breeders will acknowledge this point. So instead of trying to judge the puppy, judge the person who is selling the puppy. The Victorian Canine Association states that a breeder should only breed for the betterment of the breed. Anyone you feel is not doing this should not be purchased from. The first question you should always ask a breeder is "Why are you breeding this litter". If the answer is not the above, then look elsewhere. There are unfortunately breeders who do not have the dog’s best intentions at heart and who are only interested in the money generated from selling the pups.
Mastiff puppies from reputable breeders are few and far between, Many of the bad breeders know that having puppies readily available is to their selling advantage. It is not abnormal to wait 6 - 12 months for a good litter of pups.
The vast majority of good breeders are concerned that their dogs will have a good home, and so will go to great lengths to vet a potential puppy owner. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions and even a visit of the breeder to your home.
Familiarise yourself with the problems in the breed and discuss them with your vet and other authorities.
Always remember a Mastiff is a very powerful dog and as such temperament is vital. A bad tempered Mastiff could be dangerous.

KNOWING THE BREED STANDARD

Obtain a copy of the breed standard and go through it carefully. Get a general idea of what is expected of a good quality Mastiff. Once you have studied the standard, see as many dogs as you can. Visit shows and contact as many breeders as possible.

Quoting the renowned Mastiff judge and breeder, Betty Baxter, from the book "The Complete Mastiff", the type of puppy you should be looking for " should have a good square and heavy head. The body should be quite heavy and tends to be rather short in the young, lengthening out as the dog develops in later months to the correct proportions. Beware of a heavy coat which range from slightly heavy coated to absolute balls of fluff".

SELECTING A BREEDER

The first mistake people commonly make is rushing into things and dealing with the first breeder they find. Impulse buying can end in disaster!

There is no such thing as the perfect dog and no-one has perfect lines. The breeder should be willing to discuss the problems in their dogs and what they are doing to eliminate them. If a breeder is telling you they have no problems and their dogs are the best - be careful!

Don’t be offended if the breeder asks for references, or asks as many questions of you as you ask of them. They don’t care about the type of home their puppies are going to, they likely don’t care about the quality they are producing.

Be suspicious if the breeders aren’t interested in keeping anything out of their dog’s breeding - why not ?

Try to see both the Sire and Dam, other relatives and progeny. If they won’t allow you to be suspicious. Paying top dollar does not ensure getting the best dog.

Are there discrepancies between how they want you to treat the dogs and how they treat their own?

They should provide you with a copy of the Hip Scores of both the Sire and Dam. If you are unsure of how to read these have your vet explain them to you.

There are other hereditary diseases in the breed and some breeders may test for these. These include, Elbow Dysplasia, eye and thyroid problems. In Australia, very few breeders test for these. The more tests that are done and show clear results, the greater the chances of obtaining a sound dog. Enquire as to what clubs the breeder belongs to. Call those clubs and confirm their membership.

Contact one of the Mastiff Clubs, they can provide details of reputable breeders and lots of useful information.

THE CONTRACT AND PEDIGREE

The aim of a contract is to protect both the purchaser, the breeder, the dog and the breed. All responsible breeders will supply one. Make sure you take it away and read it thoroughly before signing. There is no standard for these contracts and they may contain some or all of the following:

Whether the pup is sold as show/breeding quality or pet quality.
Tests that are required to be performed on the dog during its life (e.g., Hip scoring, eye tests, elbow scoring, desexing, etc.).
What happens should the dog be need to be rehoused.
Guarantee on quality and subsequent actions (e.g., full or part refunds and replacement).
Control of breeding.
Requirement to show by breeder or owner.
A 3 generation pedigree is required by the Victorian Canine Association for registration. You should check with your own states requirements if outside Victoria. However, most Mastiff owners are keen to know the lines of their dogs and can usually supply further ancestry.

SELECTING YOUR PUPPY

The first question to ask is Show or Pet quality. To explain the difference: A show quality dog is one which is classed as suitable for continued breeding. A Pet quality, does not conform to the breed standard and is classed not .suitable for continued breeding. A pet quality dog should still be a sound dog, hence the need for buying even a pet quality from a reputable breeder. It is normal for breeders to insist that a pet quality dog is desexed at the earliest appropriate age. A pet quality dog should not be supplied with registration papers. Most breeders will have graded the pups in a litter; they generally have more experience than you and if you have taken time to select your breeder, you will feel confident in their selection.

The second question is Bitch or Dog. A bitch will need to be contained (confined) in season, she will reach a weight of between 60 and 90 kg’s. A dog can reach a weight of over 100 kg’s. Remember that if you are an aspiring new breeder, the bitch normally travels to the dog for mating and in Australia this can mean excessive and expensive travel to find a suitable mate.

If possible, do try to visit the bitch before she whelps to assess her temperament. Temperament is a very important part of a any dog, particularly a large Mastiff. Try to ascertain the temperaments of both the parents before selecting a pup.

VISITING YOUR PUPPY

The Victorian Canine Association requires that all pups remain with the breeder for a period of no less than eight weeks. During this time, you should visit your prospective puppy as regularly as the breeder allows. Note: most breeders will insist you remove your shoes before entering the house and wash your hands before touching the pups. Whilst on these visits the following points should be observed and taken into consideration. Check:

That the surroundings are clean.
That any excrement is relatively firm (unless the puppies have been wormed shortly beforehand).
That the puppies are alert and bright, not dull and lethargic (although most pups are pretty sleepy after a feed).
That the puppies are relatively fat and the skin clean, loose and pliable.
That the pups are free of fleas or lice.
That the eyes are clear and free from any discharge (beware of stains at the side of the eyes nearest the nose).
That the eyelids tightly fit the eyeball and are darkly pigmented, not pink.
That the ears are clean. An offensive smell could indicate an ear infection or ear mites. The puppy shaking its head could be an indication of this.
That the nose is moist in appearance.
That the gums are a healthy pink colour.
The puppies bite.
That the anal area appears clean.
That the belly is not pot shaped as this can indicate a heavy parasitic worm infestation.
That there is no swelling in the midline (underneath the puppy) as this can indicate an umbilical hernia.
That there is no swelling around the groin as this can indicate an inguinal hernia. Hernias can be treated surgically but it needs to be established who (breeder or buyer) is to bear the cost of the operation.
That there are no signs of lameness.
That the puppy responds to noise.
That the puppy is gentle, not aggressive towards human or litter mates.
That the puppy is not frightened or cowering away from you but willing to come to you.

COLLECTING YOUR PUPPY

Be prepared. Take a warm lined box or crate with spare dry material for the journey home. Depending on the length of the trip, you may need to take a water container.

DO NOT take a puppy home if it shows any signs of illness. It is better left with the breeder.

The breeder should supply you with a full diet sheet giving details of the food the puppy has been eating. Try to keep to this regime for the first few days after collecting your puppy to minimise the risk of digestive upsets, and for the same reason, if necessary, carry out any dietary changes gradually.

The breeder should have all the necessary paperwork ready, including registration (if applicable), inoculation and worming details. Also details of any additional medication previously administered.

ONE FINAL NOTE

Don’t forget to pay them and always say thank you.

Good luck and don’t forget to hug your Mastiff every day.

(Text taken from a pamphlet produced by the Mastiff Club of Victoria)

All Pictures on this page are Marstenmoor Mastiffs and permission should be gained before reusing.