English Mastiff Temperament and Personality Traits – What’s This Breed Really Like?
Are you considering the English Mastiff as your next pet? Established hundreds of years ago, this ancient and loyal breed is adored the world over. So much so that many owners find it hard to move onto another breed.
Once you’re first introduced to the breed, you’ll be taken back at the sheer size of their head and body, but don’t let that frighten you as the Mastiff is typically known as a gentle giant. They are recognised as one of the largest dogs in the world, with record holders such as Zorba reaching a ginormous 343 lbs.
Are you sure you have enough room in your home?
In this post, we’ll address the traits of the English Mastiff temperament and personality, as well as talking through its suitability as a family dog, and how males and females mature from puppies into adulthood.
English Mastiff Puppy Temperament and Personality Traits
The Old English Mastiff is generally a loving and affectionate dog. It has a calm but confident presence which experienced owners enjoy. The dog enjoys cuddle time and will often sit near you for a stroke and a pat.
Overall, this pooch responds very well to human interaction and affection. Owners should be sure to use this as positive reinforcement when it comes to longer term training.
A non-negotiable with this animal is to make sure you have enough space in your house to cater for such a large dog. The English Mastiff does enjoy lounging and being cosy. This means, it’s partial to climbing on sofas and chairs so you need to be prepared mentally for this.
The breed does enjoy human companionship and would love nothing more than to hang-out with you all day. Hanging out typically comes in the form of them lazing around and you occasionally stroking and petting them.
The English Mastiff enjoys human attention, but is prone to suffering from separation anxiety. Although they are likely fine with being alone for a couple of hours, extensive separation from their humans can be a struggle. Similar to other Mastiff breeds such as the Dogue de Bordeaux, the English Mastiff is a lot more sensitive than people realise.
In a nutshell, the key characteristics of the English Mastiff temperament and personality are:
- Generally friendly & docile
- Patience of a saint, which makes them a great family dog
- Affectionate and enjoy company (both human and other animals)
- Protective & loyal
- Sensitive
- Stubborn, at least early on
- Typically low in aggression
- Slow to mature
Is the English Mastiff friendly?
The English Mastiff is friendly, good natured and dignified towards its humans. The breed has an affectionate and loving attitude towards its family and will even indulge in cuddle time. It has a calm, even docile demeanour that lends itself well to being good with children and other animals.
Is the English Mastiff a good family dog?
The English Mastiff is a good family dog, providing it is well trained and socialised. The calm and patient mannerisms of their personality lends itself very well to being surrounded by kids and other animals. Great Mastiff owners ensure kids are also considerate of the Mastiffs boundaries, ensuring that they do not over-aggravate or provoke such a large dog.
At the end of the day, training and socialisation is essential. This also goes for any kids…
Is the English Mastiff affectionate?
The English Mastiff is affectionate towards its humans. They adore the company of their family and even other pets. The Mastiff is known to enjoy cuddle time.
This typically takes many in-experienced dog owners by surprise, but is exactly the reason why experienced owners of large dogs love the breed so much!
However, owners need to be aware that the Mastiff needs to be in a good place mentally and physically, which is why responsible and dedicated care are so essential.
Is the English Mastiff protective and loyal?
The English Mastiff is protective, just like many other members of the Mastiff family. However, it has often been described as a “watchdog” rather than a “guard dog”.
The Mastiff has a calm but alert temperament. Although docile, it isn’t afraid to use force if it senses its humans are in danger. And when it comes to the physicality of the breed, this is something that any aggressor will likely come to regret.
Is the English Mastiff sensitive?
Yes, the English Mastiff is a sensitive breed. This isn’t uncommon for those in the Mastiff family. Many dogs in this family suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for extensive periods of time, frequently.
This area of their temperament or personality can often become a cause for concern and lead to a host of health issues such as overheating. A key indicator is excessive drooling which may be triggered by stress.
Is the English Mastiff stubborn?
The English Mastiff is stubborn. Typically it’s a lot more stubborn as a puppy, which is nurtured out of them with solid, consistent training and socialisation.
Due to its size and power, the English Mastiff is not lacking in confidence. This confidence is what underpins their early stubbornness. Owners of the Mastiff breed need to take a leadership role early on, otherwise the Mastiff will assume that role.
Is the English Mastiff aggressive?
The English Mastiff is not generally aggressive. It’s calm, docile and affectionate nature is typically reserved for those close to the dog. As mentioned, it can make a great family dog due to its high patience and low aggression.
That said, the English Mastiff may have a reserved nature when it comes to strangers, although this can be handled with good socialisation skills.
As above, the Mastiff certainly has the capacity for aggression if danger is present. Its loyal nature will mean that it won’t think twice when it comes to protecting loved ones.
The English Mastiff is slow to mature
Many of those experienced in the ownership of Mastiffs will often comment on how slow the breed is to mature. Did you know that this dog often doesn’t hit full maturity (mentally & physically) until the age of 3?
For this reason alone, the Mastiff giant can often be a bit goofy, clumsy and stubborn in its early life. It requires consistent training throughout its entire life.
It also has higher energy levels in early life. Owners need to be aware that the breed has physical limits and should only have moderate exercise due to limb and joint issues that can occur later in life. This means, don’t go over-exercising your Mastiff so that you can tire him out!
The Impact of training and socialisation on English Mastiff Temperament
You may have gathered already that the English Mastiff needs a fair degree of training. The training should be from an early age and importantly, the training must be consistent.
The Mastiff breed isn’t stupid, but it is stubborn. This may vary throughout the Mastiff family, but one underlying factor here is … they’re very aware of their size. This means they often exude confidence.
Owners should train in areas such as reducing mouthiness, barking/howling, no lunging or jumping up.
Consistent training from puppyhood is essential to controlling your dog as an adult. It’s important to train good behaviours into your dog from an early age, because the bigger it gets, the harder it will become.
Secondly, English Mastiffs have the potential for medium aggression towards strangers if not well socialised. Obviously a hint of aggression from a dog this size is enough to scare even the most hardy of individuals.
Early socialisation as soon as you get your puppy home should nurture your Mastiff into a loving and docile pup. Try introducing it to handfuls of people a day as well as other pets and dogs. Over the course of a couple of months, you should have a wonderfully socialised pup.
English Mastiff Temperament as a puppy
An English Mastiff typically grows up to be exceptionally well natured, never shy or viscous. Of course, how your Mastiff eventually turns out has a lot to do with how well trained and socialised it is.
As a puppy, the English Mastiff should be playful, curious and approachable. You can get a feel for your puppy’s personality by visiting the litter. How does it interact with the others? Is it social? Does it sit in the corner in solitude? Is it dominant?
Of course, all dogs are unique and have their individual quirks. But for the most part, Mastiff puppies should be playful, energetic and likely a bit clumsy as they start to adapt to the life of a giant.
A note on stubbornness. We’ve mentioned this before, but Mastiffs are typically stubborn (more so as a puppy). Don’t let this deter you, it’s common! That’s why good training comes in.
Female English Mastiff Temperament As an Adult
Both genders make great companions, their loving and gentle giant nature is warming. As they age, it’s sometimes the case that female English Mastiffs remain more active and energetic than their male counterparts. The reason for this is that they’re typically a bit smaller and agile.
Female English Mastiffs are also very protective of their pups should you choose to breed them. As an owner of the Mastiff, you should give the female the space it needs to raise its pups in a loving atmosphere.
Female Mastiffs may also be less territorial than their male counterparts, although they still have good watchdog tendencies within their personality.
English Mastiff Male Temperament As an Adult
Male English Mastiffs are more territorial and have been known to have disagreements with other male dogs within the same household.
It’s often recommended that you should not house two male mastiffs in the same house together, however there are also many cases where this has been absolutely fine. Again good training and socialisation can go a long way to limiting this sort of behaviour. Alongside that, strong leadership skills from the owners also helps keep things in check.
Due to being larger in size compared to females, the Male English Mastiff may become slower and more docile as it ages.
English Mastiff Dog Temperament and Personality Traits FAQs
Are English mastiffs easy to train?
English mastiffs are not known for having excellent obedience. However their urge to please owners can help them learn commands and become a trainable breed.
Do English mastiffs bark a lot?
English Mastiffs do not bark a lot unless for a good reason such as present danger or aggression from a stranger or other animal.
Are English mastiffs calm?
The English Mastiff is calm and docile, especially as they mature. Many large dog owners love the English Mastiff for this very reason. They have a stoic but confident presence, alongside a patient virtue.
Are English mastiffs cuddly?
The English Mastiff is cuddly and has an affectionate temperament. Mastiffs love the company of their humans and will often come nearby for a stroke and a cuddle. Beware, they’re heavy!
Is the English Mastiff a dangerous dog?
Generally speaking, the English Mastiff is not a dangerous dog. It has a good mannered nature. However, the English Mastiff certainly has the capacity to be dangerous if not trained & socialised. Alongside this, stress and anxiety can also cause the Mastiff to become destructive.
Are English Mastiffs Messy Dogs?
The English Mastiff can be a messy dog. They have a tendency to belch, fart and snore. They can also be quite clumsy and are very prone to excess drool. That said, they’re surprisingly hygienic.
Can you keep an English Mastiff in an apartment?
You should not keep an English Mastiff in an apartment. The sheer size of the animal is too large for most if not all apartments. The English Mastiff needs space to roam and relax.
Closing Thoughts On English Mastiff Dog Temperament And Personality Traits
The Old English Mastiff is one of the all-time massive breeds, full of charm and character. The Mastiff is loved for its calm, affectionate, loyal and protective nature. The breed can make for a wonderful family dog so long as you have the space for it.
For the Mastiff breed to thrive, owners need to invest time in training, socialisation and daily stimulation in the form of companionship, exercise and tasks. As a member of the working breed, the Mastiff loves the odd job here and there.
Owners should pay attention to the emotional needs of the Mastiff by ensuring it’s not left alone for long periods of time. Key warning signs are destructive behaviour and heavy panting and drooling.
As far as large dog breeds go, the English Mastiff is hard to beat. It’s a friend for life. So is the English Mastiff the one for you? If so, read all of our English Mastiff guides here.
