Lynai

I'm excited too...gonna be some long days ahead, yikes! Leanne, how many does your breed typically have?

thanks, its been a long time coming.

mine confirmed today! Four maybe five in there, but personally I think there may have been one or two hiding behind her tummy, she just seems so big

Thanks Justice, I love the snow speckling the face Rocco, lol, change of plans, but Wowsa is the sire of the upcoming litter. Long story, but ultimately I was out of town when prime time came for Xia to be bred, I didn't want to leave her open on more season and risk infection, so Wowsa was dah man I think it will be a fabulous litter. My new girl Selah is by Roady (Pallones Road to Glory), who is a Hall of Fame recipient, he died back in 2004 so this is one of his last breedings from stored semen a.i. He is just a gorgeous boy (you can google) and Lucy (Pallones Soulshine)..I'm excited to have had a chance to aquire her ;) Pics to come, hubby wants my pc right now to watch football (American)

Well a year has come and gone since the inseption of this thread. Thanks to all for indulging me during this past year, chronicling his growth. Time flies, I have another new showgirl puppy and my girl Xia is pregnant and bringing more puppies in Life is good. This is Wowsa now @ 16 mos. and then, at the begining of this thread @ 3 mos.

Well I didn't have an Ultra Sound done, but I'm going with the notion my girl Xia, is indeed pregnant and is due Dec. 3rd. I will get a semi-accurate head count next week with x-rays. What do you all think, does this look a bit prego, day 51 (Mastiff)

You should post a photo of your wonderful Mini and Bo. :rolleyes: Hannah, PRA probably never got a foot hold due to the low Mastiff numbers down there and when importing pups and semen became more common, well PRA testing was probably already in full swing..so it never really took off there, of course this is PURE speculation on my part . I'm sure most people importing are going to make sure the dog is clear by parentage or tested, since your right, who would want to be the breeder to bring that mess to Australia or NZ.

QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) My first mastiff came into my life in 1992 as a rescue, we used to visit schools and meet the breed days. I now show and breed, but keep only 3 to 4 max, so they can all be in the house and be part of the family. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? This breed, as it stands today was developed in England. Its roots trace back even further, but the Mastiff we all know and love today was developed in England. Mainly as a guard dog on estates in England. It is now prized as a family dog, but does keep its protective instincts without being viscious. 3. How common is it in Australia? I'm sorry, I don't live in Australia..but it has been gaining in popularity in the states. 4. What is the average lifespan? A shorter lived breed, 8-10 years average, with some leaving sooner and some leaving much later. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Gentle, Kind and Dignified. Capable of guarding and protecting the family, but not prone to visciousness. They dote on their families and thrive when raised indoors as part of that family. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Nice 30 minute walk or an hour or two of free play in a yard. Much like humans, some want and desire more excersize than others. Overall, not a high excersize dog. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Only if you are purchasing one with some guidance from other Mastiff or working dog owners readily available. This is still a working/utility breed, it was bred to guard. If it feels like the owner is weak, many of these dogs may become over protective of the household, causing a problem. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? I have not had an issue with this, a nice bone or toy to chew on, in the crate, adults do fine...left to roam, well, just like any dog, young ones can become destructive and a mastiff being destructive usually means a room renovation. 9. How much grooming is required? Minimal, but they do shed out much like a labrador does, so a good brushing helps a lot with hair control 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? It is a big dog and when young and more prone to being goofy, it can accidentally knock someone over. All my children were raised around mastiffs, but none were left alone, nor would I let them walk them unsupervised..never let them wrap a leash around a hand. Other than that, they were gentle, kind and great with everyone. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Hips and elbows, cancer and thyroids can be issues. there are others as well, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) testing should be done on both parents so you know the pups are clear. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be)...Parents should be tested for hips, elbows and PRA at a bare minimum. Even then the only guarentee is the PRA, as that has a genetic marker that can be tested for and eliminated from a breeding program. With hips and elbows, well at least you know what the breeder was working with. There are more tests, Thyroid and heart..more the merrier. I personally would avoid untested parents unless you know for certain the people will stand behind their dogs and have a long, and reputable history in the breed.

While Brutus will always remain my first choice, this boy is by no means sloppy seconds. The picture doesn't do they boy justice, he is one solid boy. I saw him at a dog show before the class and I was just drawn to his overall balance combined with substance. This is him taking first at the Mastiff Nationals this summer. He is a love bug and very athletic, he is an obedience and Rally dog as well. Thanks Lilly!!! I want to get a camera in the worst way, but we just spend loads of money repairing our boat and getting ready to go up north for our vacation, I don't think I can put a camera, a decent one anyway, on that pile Perahps for Christmas.. Here is my boy "Sirious" that I will be using

Nope ;) she did not take...sighhhhh. I'm going to try a live cover with a nice stud in a neighboring state and see if she takes there..if she does, it will prove that her plumbing is all working, then I'll try surgical insemination with Brutus next time.

thanks Cassie Ari, he is definitely still a dorky puppy all full of piss and vinegar one moment and getting all tangled up on himself, going down in a big heap.

Wowsa turns 1 year old! He is still a water hound, so I took him to the lake for his birthday! All pictures taken with a crappy Blackberry Camera Phone..my camera died a tragic death. Which is a good as excuse as any to upgrade

If your only going to visit, I would, as other's have said, just be yourself. Find out if you are comforatable with this person, is this the kind of person you can imagine calling if you have a problem with one of their pups? I like to like the breeder i choose, and form a partnership, it doesn't have to be a super close partnership, but one that is still built on respect and trust. So, I'd be getting to know them, what their philosophy is regarding breeding..look around and see their dogs and enjoy. If you feel uncomfortable with them, then move on. Best of luck

Thanks!! I will know about Xia on her 28th day, keeping my fingers crossed.

Wowsa's show win photos...my little puppy is a growing!!

Well the weather warmed up from a low of -32C to a high the other day of 37C lol Bought the dogs a couple kiddie pools, put one out and Wowsa destroyed it with in the hour!

I agree, she was beautiful and I am sorry for your loss

Awww thanks all..it has been really fun for me to document his growth here in photos...I'm glad some other people are enjoying the documentation too Sorry for the redundancy here, these pics are also posted in the Mastiff thread, but I thought I would throw them here as well. Wowsa the water hound!! Should I go in or not? Go in!!!

I love the name Mortimer, and "Mort" just fits him to a T Rocco, no he never has gone through a true gangly stage, more like stages of awkwardness, where his body parts dont seem to belong, a funky head, more like a teenager whos nose appears too big for their face or, well, they just seem a bit odd, not bad, but you know they are immature...does that make sense. I think it is Wowsa Greiner Hall lines that have kept him pretty bulky. BDL, don't you find Claude no longer looks big, just other dogs look smaller, lol. I was shocked at the scale too, as my Girl Xia, who is only a smidge smaller and much more heavy boned, looks like a tank at the same weight, Wowsa looks pretty lean. I think its a male/female thing, males get away with a lot more weight without looking fat. Seems mastiffs are no exception Cassie, good to see you, thanks, he is a sweetheart to boot..and the lovely Zephyr and Hudson are as fine as always. raz, you should see our leather couch, I swear it lost 6 inches in height over the years from all the sitting on it.

ari, he weighed at 77kg last week. I don't expect him to gain weight as fast now and he will probably be around 85 or so at a year, probably 95-100 at two and max weight should be around his daddy's weight 110-115 ish. raz, you should see that poor couch when all of them want to crowd up on it

On my side of the hemisphere, the weather is warming up, the grass is turning green and summer is around the corner!!! Yeee Ha!! :thumbsup: Wowsa at 9 mos. has found laying on the front steps is nice and cool.

Not so much with Wowsa, he stays pretty solid even during his spurts..but most of my other mastiffs when going through a growth spurt would get a bit ribby, so I would think mastiffs like Wowsa are more of the exception than the rule. I think getting a bit ribby is normal.

Thanks all, he is such a sweetheart of a dog, I just love him. BDL, I have my giant breed eyesight anymore, so I don't see any of my dogs as big, just other dogs as smaller. Well, males of this breed are quite a bit heavier than the females..so I'll go off his sires and his full uncle's weight. His full uncle (full brother to Wowsa's mother) weighs in at 240 (108kg) and Wowsa's sire, weighs in at 278lbs (126kg) His sire is uncommonly large and one of the larger mastiffs in the states, but that isn't why I picked one of his sons, it was the combination of being both large and keeping the mass at the same time and not too fat. Most dogs at that weight are fat.. So I'm thinking He should be around 250 at 3 years old perhaps a bit lighter or a bit heavier. I wanted to bring Wowsa into my breeding program for his potential to pass on both mass and heigth, he shouldnt' be overly tall, but still not a shorter mastiff either. Its hard not to sacrifice bone with heigth and it is a balancing act...I'm learning and it is an adventure

Well, I have been gone for a while, busy busy... Clanboar, I just love you puppy looks so darned cute, what nice pigment Edit: I checked out your boys pedigree and he is related to my boy Wowsa thru Jed (Greiner Hall Jedediah) who is in Wowsa's pedigree a few times. Here is Wowsa, his growth has been pretty fast. All of my previous mastiffs grew much slower and did not really start to fill out until around 18-24 mos. Wowsa on the other hand, is staying pretty filled out even for a youngster. While he is gangly as a teenager, he still maintains a whopping chest and bone structure...I'm looking forward to seeing him mature more. Here is Wowsa, 8 mos. old, 74kg (his new favorite spot, staring out the window at squirrels)

We are a bit shy of his 7 mos. birthday, Wowsa is growing and growing!! Here he is at 127lbs/57kg. He has his first AKC show this weekend. and a body shot, he is pretty gangly, but not as bad as he could be