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Doberman Mastiff Mix: Will Make a Good Pet for Your Family?

Doberman Mastiff Mix

Doberman Mastiff Mix is also known as the Mastiffman. These dogs are excellent companions, as well as protectors.

Will a Doberman Mastiff Mix make a good pet for your family? If you’re in the market for an excellent watchdog and have the experience to manage this powerful canine, the Mastiffman can be a perfect choice. Read on to learn more:

Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get a Doberman Mastiff Mix

Doberman Mastiff Mixes are great dogs that have a lot to offer for families. However, there are some things that you should know about before bringing one of these dogs home.

Some of these things that you need to know include:

  • Being poorly suited to owners with minimal dog experience
  • Somewhat shorter lifespan than many other dogs
  • May have separation anxiety issues if left alone
  • Susceptible to several health conditions inherited from either breed
  • Sometimes becomes difficult to manage without regular exercise
  • Requires a lot of food

Reasons Why You Should Get a Doberman Mastiff Mix

Despite being somewhat challenging sometimes, Doberman Mastiff Mixes have wonderful personalities that make them ideal family dogs. The right type of household and owners will ensure that these dogs are always happy.

These benefits include:

  • Usually, an excellent watchdog that is very protective
  • Good with other animals when properly socialized
  • Openly affectionate and willing to spend time with their families
  • Minimal grooming needs in most cases
  • The energy level is more likely moderate than high
  • Positive training methods are highly effective with these designer crossbreeds

Appearance, Personality, Coat and Colors, Lifespan, and Traits of the Doberman Mastiff Mix

A Doberman Mastiff Mix is a large, powerfully built dog. There are variations in size depending on which of the two breeds is dominant. Most of these dogs will be 24 to 27″ tall and weigh 60 to 160 lbs. These dogs also have muscular builds.

Dobermans and Mastiffs as Molossers, which are primarily guardians. These dogs have sweet personalities with their families while being aloof with strangers.

Mastiffmans can have a broad range of potential coat colors. Variations of the brown, tan, and black colors of Mastiffs are possible, along with the black and tan Doberman colors. Brindle coat patterns are also possible, along with black muzzles.

The lifespan of these dogs is average for a canine of its size, however short compared to most dog breeds. Most of these dogs live eight to ten years; however, depending on the breeding, some may live a few years longer.

The traits that these designer dogs have are in keeping with the long history of both breeds being guardians and protectors. As these breeds have evolved over the years, they have adopted traits that are perfect for family dogs.

Doberman Mastiff Mix Puppies for Sale

Doberman Mastiff Mix puppies are somewhat rare. With breeders offering these dogs in short supply, your best chances might be getting a referral from a vet.

If you opt to get your dog from a breeder, here are some things that you should look for:

  • Does the breeder allow prospective owners to visit with their dogs?
  • Are health guarantees available, or has the breeder had health certifications done?
  • Do the puppies stay with their mothers until at least eight weeks old?
  • Is any type of support available if something goes wrong?

Being able to see where the puppies and their parents live can tell you a lot about the breeder’s quality.

Breeders who raise healthy animals have no problem with allowing buyers to visit with their puppies and see their living conditions.

Despite not being an AKC-recognized breed, many breeders who raise Mastiffmans will offer health guarantees.

These guarantees cover health issues that are common, such as orthopedic and cardiac issues. You’ll have a better chance of your dog remaining healthy.

Puppies that stay with their mothers until eight weeks are usually better-adjusted. When puppies are separated from their mothers too early, they will miss some important milestones for socialization. Separation age will play a role in overall development.

One of the things that you will want to look for is whether the breeder provides help if anything goes wrong.

Many breeders have a policy of taking back dogs at any age if the owner cannot keep them. These circumstances include owner death or hardship.

Grooming Your Doberman Mastiff Mix

Doberman Mastiff Mixes are light shedders, seldom requiring brushing more often than once or twice a week.

Dog brushes intended for use on short-coated breeds will work best to help remove dead hairs and get rid of mats that may attract pests.

After you’ve brushed, consider using a polishing cloth or mitt for extra shine. If your dog has markings that resemble a Doberman’s coat, polishing is particularly recommended. Dogs with Doberman markings often have shinier coats than some dogs.

When you bathe your dog, you’ll want to consider a shampoo that helps replenish the coat’s natural oils. Pet shampoos containing natural ingredients will fit this requirement best. For the best results, bathe the dog every six to eight weeks.

Air-drying can be a good idea during warmer weather. You’ll be able to avoid damaging your dog’s hair with blow-drying.

Quick towel drying is also a good idea. One thing to avoid in colder weather is having your dog outside with a wet coat for too long.

If your dog’s gone for a romp through the mud or into something oily, a mixture of Dawn dishwashing soap and water will get the worst off. When the messy stuff is off, a bath with your dog’s usual shampoo will help its coat look good as new.

Doberman Mastiff Mix Health Problems

Although most Doberman Mastiff Mixes are healthy dogs, there are some potential health problems owners need to think about. These health issues include:

  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Elbow or hip dysplasia
  • Von Willebrand’s Disease
  • Gastric torsion

According to Upstate Veterinary Specialties, cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle function that may lead to heart chamber dilation and congestive heart failure in large or giant dogs.

Although treatable, this condition is not curable and causes death in most dogs diagnosed with the disease.

Genetics are believed to be the most decisive risk factor. This disease is known in some Doberman lines, possibly affecting mixes.

Because they are large or giant dogs, these mixes may develop hip or elbow dysplasia. These conditions affect the joints, causing pain at the very least. A balanced diet and supplements, when necessary, can help prevent these conditions.

Von Willebrand’s Disease, according to Dr. Krista Williams, is the most common bleeding disorder. Dobermans and mixes have the highest incidence of this condition.

If a dog has been diagnosed with this condition, your veterinarian will perform regular screening. Blood transfusions are often used to bring bleeding under control. Extra precautions may also be necessary when the dog undergoes surgery.

Gastric torsion or bloat is a condition common in larger, deep-chested dogs. This condition may lead to life-threatening situations where the dog’s stomach twists. Feeding smaller meals and waiting after eating before allowing exercise is helpful.

Doberman Mastiff Mix Food Requirements

You’re unlikely to find commercial foods on the market specifically designed for Doberman Mastiff Mixes. However, foods that offer the best benefits for both breeds are often the best choice. You’ll need to adjust the amounts fed as your dog ages.

One of the most important things that owners will need to remember when feeding these dogs is that multiple meals daily are best. Feeding your Mastiffman more than once a day reduces the risk of bloat, as well as digestive upsets like vomiting.

Many of these dogs are sensitive to certain ingredients common in commercial food.

The ingredients that you want to make sure are not present include:

  • Wheat
  • Corn
  • Soy
  • No fillers

In addition to common allergens and fillers, owners may want to avoid ingredients that trigger sensitivities or are detrimental to some large breeds’ health.

These ingredients include:

  • Gluten
  • Chicken
  • Peameal

You will likely want to avoid foods that list fats or oils in the first four ingredients. Otherwise, you have a broad range to choose from.

In the absence of food specifically for this designer mix, a large-breed kibble with high protein content is an excellent choice. Whether you feed grain-free or not is a personal decision that may depend on whether your dog has sensitivities.

Doberman Mastiff Mix Exercise Requirements

A Doberman Mastiff Mix is a dog that is usually reasonably quiet around the house after passing the puppy stage.

However, like all dogs, these pups require regular daily exercise. Dogs that get enough exercise as less likely to end up being destructive.

Activities that are beneficial for Dobermans or Mastiffs will easily meet the needs of Mastiffmans. John Walter recommends increasing endurance gradually.

Some activities worth considering include:

  • Walks or runs, especially over a longer distance
  • Long-distance ball tosses to increase endurance
  • Uphill running, especially in sand
  • Agility courses using small jumps
  • Hiking while using weights or a backpack

Doberman Mastiff Mix Training

The Mastiff blood helps keep Doberman Mastiff Mixes fairly calm. However, socialization is essential for bigger dogs. Poorly socialized large dogs often become aggressive.

Another reason that proper training is essential is to have better control over the dog when leashed. Dogs capable of exceeding 100 lbs. can pull, sometimes causing injury. When a dog is poorly restrained during walks, there is a risk of the dog getting away.

In addition to the nightmare of having a dog get into traffic, dogs that get loose with poor recall skills may not return to their owners quickly or may get into confrontations with other dogs. Owners will do better making sure their dogs have leash training.

Obedience classes can play an essential role in making sure your dog understands what you expect of it. Learning basic commands like “sit” and “stay” benefits dogs inside and outside the home. These classes are also excellent for socialization.

These dogs have excellent guarding abilities because of their breed mixes. However, if you are interested in training one of these dogs as a guard dog, professional training is a good idea. The wrong training may result in too much aggression.

Doberman Mastiff Mix and Families

Doberman Mastiff Mixes are people-centric dogs. They are also protective. A combination of loving people and being protective is winning for families.

If your family enjoys outdoor activities, these dogs are likely to be at the center of the action. Regardless of whether it’s weekends on a nature trail or evenings at the park, your dog will be ready for fun.

Your family, including any children, will have a willing protector in one of these dogs. Although these dogs adapt to strangers once properly introduced, they maintain a degree of aloofness until they are sure somebody is safe.

Doberman Mastiff Mix and Other Pets

There are no behavior guarantees for mixes. Either of the two breeds may be dominant, possibly influencing how well the dog accepts other pets.

Males may be somewhat aggressive with other large males if their introductions aren’t handled well. If you allow the dogs to adjust to each other correctly, there will be less chance of fighting.

Many of these dogs will get along with cats if they can see that the cats are a part of the family to accept. Owners may need to supervise the animals as they get used to each other. However, the pets will usually get along well.