I have this Mastiff mix (thinking either Labrador or Redbone Coonhound... I'll post some pictures!) and he is very protective. His name is Tanner and I looooove him to death! What a great dog. He is very active, for a Mastiff and for his size! Tanner is about seven months old, maybe a little older... I "rescued" him in May, and he was born in March. He was about 26 lbs when I got him, and now he weighs in a little over 90 lbs!! Wheeww.
He's awesome, very friendly with women. But men? He doesn't like the sight of them. Or, well, shouldn't say that... he likes boys and men that look decent (I know it sounds silly, but still) he will growl at a scruffy, old, dark looking man but will go over and greet a tidy and well kept one! He is okay with "feminine" looking men, but real big men intimidate him. It's silly I know!!! But that is how he behaves. I've got a biggg brother, a big dad and he is fine with them. My boss is a big guy, a vet, and Tanner doesn't like him! Which makes me look pretty bad, needless to day :(
Now I say that he doesn't like these specific types of men... but he does warm up to them!! After a treat, a couple of sniffs and a pat on the head and my pup is totally relaxed! He lets out a low rumble growl, just very short. He backs up into me, too. Really this has been happening since the week I brought him home. I would bring him to the pet store (gross place, we never went back) and a big, husky girl walked up to us and Tanner growled, I could feel it in the leash, and squeezed between my feet!! At another place he did a similar thing, but warmed up to the staff very quickly and he was right at home.
After that, I would take him to baseball games through the summer and he LOVED it. Tanners "high" is any kind of ball you could name... tennis and baseballs being his favorite. He just goes nuts! So that was fun, and let me tell you he had more people coming over and patting him, little toddlers and babies coming over and hugging him. I totally trust this dog with children, no doubt. He had the neighborhood children around him everyday, so that was good! Definitely a great dog, but a little sassy with the men!
He's awesome with cats, just ignores them for the most part. I have three ferrets and he has this totaly drive to chase them but he can't catch them, but we still have to supervise, regardless. Tanner plays so well with dog, or, the dogs that want to be played with. He gets lots of socializing with dogs and people and I continue to practice this.
I guess I should tell you where he came from, to maybe paint the picture a little better! I work at a veterinary hospital, and I'm an 18 year old girl in my first year of university. Woo. Anyway, I got a call one day at work from a young woman who wanted to get this pup vaccinate. I got her an appointment and just out of curiosity asked what kind of pup it was, how old, etc. Small talk, you know! Anyway, she goes on to say that it wasn't her puppy, and it was some sort of Mastiff mix. She told me that she had heard, from a friend or such, that this pup was being mistreated in a dingey apartment in the "lower" part of downtown. Don't want to be mean, but think of that place in the city where no one likes to go, and has a bad reputation. That's the place. Well, she goes on to say that this puppy was having its whiskers pulled out and cut off, was going to have his tail docked (at two months of age!!!) was being tied up, left, not being fed. In my books thats pretty well abusing a puppy, if you ask me. Didn't hear anything about hitting it, but he was not being treated well just the same. I guess the "friend" said that these owners had some pretty bad plans for him, which would be typical for that part of town... They knew he was going to grow up to be a big, tough looking dog, so I'm sure those owners were going to utilize those qualities.
So she came in with the puppy, the day I booked em in, and I fell in love! In my mind I had pictured your average "black" lab cross, not really excited. But in walked this THING with a red coat, black eyes and nose!!!!! What a beauty! Anyway, we were chatting with the girl and she forgot to mention that she was looking for a home for this puppy... and before she could hardly finish I told her I would take him. I was sold. He was so calm, quiet... just very mild-mannered. He was like that for a looong time, and them my brother started rough-housing with him which pretty much turned him into another dog. Don't get me wrong, he's still the best thing that's happened to me but he has a lot more spunk!! Which is good, in a lot of ways!
So knowing his history, and the mischief he's been getting up to... should I be worried? I mean, at 7 months and 90 lbs, I am going to assume he will be getting a little bigger. Last night, actually, someone was walking around inside of the house with shoes on and making a lot of noise. Tanner sleeps on my bed, and when he was stirred by the noise he lifted his head and let go a little growl. Other times, and not often, when he is really suprised or offended he lets go this HOWL like you wouldn't believe, a huge baaarrrruuuu. Hound dog, for sure, no doubt!!
I know it's in the mastiff's nature to be protective and a guard dog, so is this what it sounds like to you? He is a tad fearful, but is working out of that quite well. I really don't have any complaints, just a great dog.
I guess I am just wondering if there are any exercises I should do to prevent his protective behavior from reaching too far, like being totally aggressive to anything that moves, which he isn't, for sure! I am also wondering if he is being protective or if he is already just aggressive and totally fearful. I don't want him to turn into a monster, and I doubt he will, but it's hard to reverse once we get there!
We did to training, and he did awesome. Probably the best in his class. This dog is very smart, and has a lot of potential to really be able to do anything!! Hah, he's like my wonder dog. All I have to do is show him once or twice and BAM new trick. It's great for novelty for sure, but let's look after this growling!!!
Thanks for much for any feedback! I really appreciate it, and Tanner does too! Sorry about the length, maybe I will try and keep it down for next time..
Jenna