[Swen-977]

To make this clear, i have not had a dog. I was wondering if dog bredds like Rotweillers, Cane corsos and american mastiffs are a good choice for me i have not had a dog in my life, but i want to get one. But i'am unsure if it's a good choice for me because of my inexperince with handling and training dogs. At first i wanted to get the rotweiller but alot of people said that it was a bad dog for first time owners. After that i found the Cane carso which i did some research on, some people told me that Cane carso was a good option for inexperienced owners and some told me the opposite. After that i started to look at other mastiffs for example the english, american and south african mastiff but same their people keep saying that does dogs are for more experinced dog owners. So what are my options if i want a mastiff or a big dog in general?

 

[Mad Murphy]

Everyone has to start somewhere . Some dogs are more difficult to train than others which is why people say these are not good for a first-time owner it's not just big dogs. I have a beagle and I certainly would not recommend beagles as a first-time dog they're very stubborn , they are quite difficult to train, they have their own way of doing things which doesn't suit everyone and if you're not consequent it can lead to trouble.

If you have found the dog breed that you really feel drawn to, do some research go and speak to some breeders , speak to some owners , take time to get to know the breed then decide (and be honest ) if you can really offer the dog what the dog is going to need..

 

[Swen-977]

Everyone has to start somewhere . Some dogs are more difficult to train than others which is why people say these are not good for a first-time owner it's not just big dogs. I have a beagle and I certainly would not recommend beagles as a first-time dog they're very stubborn , they are quite difficult to train, they have their own way of doing things which doesn't suit everyone and if you're not consequent it can lead to trouble.

If you have found the dog breed that you really feel drawn to, do some research go and speak to some breeders , speak to some owners , take time to get to know the breed then decide (and be honest ) if you can really offer the dog what the dog is going to need..

So what you're saying is, that i should just pick the breed i want as long as i can give it the training and offer it what it needs despite the breed?

 

[Mad Murphy]

not exactly ...what I'm saying is if you are really attracted to a particular breed do everything you can to find out what that kind of dog needs. you can do this by reading books but you can also do this by talking to trusted breeders and good owners , go to dog shows look at how this dog reacts and behaves, ask the owners what the dog needs, how much exercise , how much grooming, what does it cost to feed the dog , how hard was the dog to train..Then when you've done all this kind of research you can then ask yourself am I the right kind of person to own this type of dog? if you can say yes then go ahead but make sure you have good backup and a good training plan .

 

[Swen-977]

not exactly ...what I'm saying is if you are really attracted to a particular breed do everything you can to find out what that kind of dog needs. you can do this by reading books but you can also do this by talking to trusted breeders and good owners , go to dog shows look at how this dog reacts and behaves, ask the owners what the dog needs, how much exercise , how much grooming, what does it cost to feed the dog , how hard was the dog to train..Then when you've done all this kind of research you can then ask yourself am I the right kind of person to own this type of dog? if you can say yes then go ahead but make sure you have good backup and a good training plan .

Thank you for your time and help!

 

[JudyN]

One advantage of having a big dog is that you are very motivate to train them properly. I hate seeing people drag little dogs along on lead, practically strangling them - you're not going to be doing that with a mastiff or rottie! Similarly, you're not going to be sweeping it up into your arms for convenience sake, and when some people might laugh at a badly socialised teeny terrier or chihuahua who is snarling and snapping, you're not going to be able to overlook that in a large dog.

Also, in my opinion, when you have a large dog with large teeth, you can really understand that the best way to train a dog is by getting them on your side, to want to cooperate, because confrontational methods could end really badly...

Think very hard about why you are drawn to a particular type of dog and whether it really will fit your lifestyle. It's very easy to think that love will overcome all, but if you don't have enough room, or sufficient area to exercise the dog, or the local park is also full of small children your pup could send flying... it doesn't.

 

[Mad Murphy]

@JudyN good point thinking about the size of the dog when we had Max our cross st. Bernard , Bouvier des Flanders 60 kilos and 72 cm at the shoulder we had to really think about what walks and activities were suitable to take him on. I was actually asked not to walk him with the children to school because some of the parents was scared at the sight of him..

 

[JudyN]

Actually that's another advantage of large dogs - you're less likely to get kids running up, squealing, and throwing their arms round your dog's neck!

 

[Swen-977]

Actually that's another advantage of large dogs - you're less likely to get kids running up, squealing, and throwing their arms round your dog's neck!

That's a good point.

 

[SusanLynn]

Welcome to the Dog Forum! I think it's wonderful you're doing a lot of research before you bring home a new dog. There is much to consider. I'd like to suggest that you start by carefully reading this thread:

Dog Breeds

Discuss specific dog breeds including their appearance, dispositions and other characteristics.

www.dogforum.com

 

[Teaswizzler]

If you aren’t set on a puppy then adopting an older dog when you know their temperament might be a way of having a larger dog that is still manageable


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[zeedre]

Theres some other factors with huge dogs - they dont last as long (8-10 vs 10-14). Most of the breeds you noted are on the hard to insure lists so learn about that. Huge poops - you still have to pick them up. Food! dog food isnt very expensive but those 150lb+ breeds eat a lot of it! The huge breeds are cool tho.

 

[KodaKeet]

All of the advice above is great.

I see questions like this asked a lot in FB groups. One of the members is pretty well-known in the borzoi community and generally gives the same advice each time. If you have a breed that you are drawn to, focus on learning as much about it as possible. You may run into some "gate keepers" who try to steer new/inexperienced people away, but just take the time to find one who is willing to mentor you. Even if it's just answering questions and giving you some guidance. (This is what I did with Borzoi). If possible, travel to some sporting events or conformation shows. These are great places to meet the dogs in person AND their breed community (owners, handlers, breeders). Do as much networking as you can. I (personally) feel that if someone is passionate enough about a particular breed, is willing to do the research and spend money on training and such, then they should have a chance to work with one.

 

[agility collie mom]

Have you considered a boxer?