Tips to Find Mastiff Puppies For Sale

You were helpless, you saw one and now you are hooked. The mastiff has to be the best looking dog you have ever layed eyes on (and to be honest, we're not going to disagree with you!). What that now means is that your quest for a purebred mastiff puppy of your own is about to begin.

The thing is: Just where do you start?

Your initial thought, is of course to try searching locally. And there's nothing wrong with that. By all means look around for a mastiff locally.But don't let the nearness of breeder be the reason behind your adopting your new friend. A good dog is definitely worth traveling for.

So even before you look through the adverts in your local newspaper, try visiting some dog shows. Those who are there to show their dogs at the show might well be breeders or know of good breeders. Go ahead, take your time. These "dog folk" will be only to happy to usher you in the right direction of a quality breeder, whilst chewing the fat about the "mastiff".

Why should they be so helpful? First, they love dogs  and obviously mastiffs in particular. And they show mastiffs. They would not want any second rate or substandard breeder to be perpetuating inferior dogs. So you can count on these folks being fairly candid about the good and bad breeders they've encountered. As you chat with the people that you meet, it is inevitable that you will collect several business cards from different breeders. You should follow up on these, just give them a call and chat for a while about the breed, your likes and dislikes etc. This doesn't mean you are commiting to anything, it's just fact finding.

What should you aiming for from this conversation? You're aquiring a feel for the breeder's "dog ethics" as well as his or her commitment to the mastiff as a breed. Don't worry to much that you may not be 100% clear what answers you're looking for  or even what questions to ask. At this point you will have to trust your intuition, and in most of us this is better than we realise.

If the breeder is too worried about the monetary value of the dog, then perhaps his commitment and love of the breed isn't quite strong enough. But if there's no way you can stop the breeder from bragging about the bloodline, or how "adorable" or smart or "picture perfect" his puppies are . . . well, maybe you just hit upon a good/high-quality breeder. You will also get a sense for their quality by the way they answer your questions, and the way in which they put any of your fears or doubts to rest.

Make as many phone calls as is necessary. This is not a decision to be made on a whim. When you finally locate a breeder that you're comfortable with, who either has a litter available or whose dog is expecting, make an appointment with him. But be prepared for them to ask you at least as many questions as you plan to ask them, this may seem a bit intimidating, but take my word for it, this is a good sign- it means they love and care for the dogs they breed.

Here though are a few tips in the way you might want to steer the conversation. You will want to ask why he/she owns them. Are his/her mastiffs house pets or show dogs, and of course you'll want to ask how long they have been breeding. Don't be scared to ask about the health issues associated with the breed. Every breed has some distinguishing health concerns. It's always a good idea to know what the issues are before adopting. Ask the breeder what the mastiff's most important single characteristic is. This alone will give you an insight into their thinking and views on the breed.

As you fine tune your choices in the way of possible breeders, do not narrow it to just the one. Make a list of several and then prioritize that list by your initial preferences. You may also need to wait until other potential owners have made their adoption selections. After all, it's a first-come, first-serve in the world of dog breeding. Once you've found the breeder and the "mother dog" that you are happy with, you will probably be put on a waiting list for the pups. Although this can be a little irritating, you should view this as a good thing, it's a great signal that you've chosen a good breeder. if you feel it is too long to wait  and only you can decide that  you can always decide to adopt from your second choice of mastiff breeders

At last, you get that call you've been longing for. The babies are ready for viewing. By the time you get a chance to view your potential new baby, he'll probably be eight to ten weeks old. At this age, the puppies will easily display their various personalities. You'll also be able to observe how these little guys (relatively speaking) interact with you and your family.

Oh, yes, completely, you should take the whole family along for this viewing session. It is absolutely core to the happiness of the dog and your family that everyone gets a chance to participate in the decision.

The pup you eventually choose reflects, by the way, why precisely you want a mastiff to start with. If you have hopes on showing him at dog shows or you have ideas on breeding yourself, then you must have a dog who physically meets all the requirements of the breed.

On the other hand, if it's a loyal family pet that you're looking for, then its not as important that the dog meets all the physical conditions of the breed. You are just looking for the most lovable pup in the litter.

Ok, you've chosen your dog, the only things left to do now are make the final arrangements on price, and take him home. But you should be aware to the fact that depending on the age of your pup, you may not be able to take him home on this visit. However don't get too down about this after all you've waited this long to get you ideal puppy so a little longer will be worth it, besides it gives you a bit of time to get the house ready for your new family member.

I wish you well and have a wonderful time with your new "baby"!
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Steve Peters is a caring and loving dog owner and owns a number of animal related websites. For more information about Mastiff Pups for Sale check out: www.mastiffmaster.net

Article submitted Thursday, June 19, 2008
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