# Newfie or Mastiff?!?!?!?



## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 25, 2011)

I absolutely love both breeds and can't decide which i am going to get. Now that we have a house and should be moved in the next 6-8 weeks i will have the room for 1. I love all coloured newfies but landseers are my fav. Black brindle and the really light fawn are my fav mastiffs (english).

Gah! I can't decide. >.<


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## Nancy McClelland (Sep 25, 2011)

We have a red and black Bull Mastiff. Very smart and huge.


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## AeroGoes Thump (Sep 25, 2011)

Well me being an avid dog lover and knowledge.
Newfie are beautiful loving dogs but they drool and will not love walks.
Bull Mastifs are very beautiful too and they love going on walks but they require a lot of food and training them can be very hard because they are snippy and sometimes mean.
Jj


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## I_heart_Fraggles (Sep 25, 2011)

Newfie for sure. Beautiful and gentle. The best family dog!


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## plasticbunny (Sep 25, 2011)

I LOVE Newfies! LOTS of drool, and LOTS of hair, but if you can get over that, they're one of the best dogs.

If you're experience with dogs is limited, get a Newfie. Mastiffs can be stubborn and challanging, and need a heavier hand.


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Sep 25, 2011)

It really depends on what you can handle. 
Newfoundlands are big, but not as big as a mastiff. They drool a lot, so you need to be prepared for that. They have a thick coat the needs to be brushed several times a week and will shed a ton. They love water, so it can be a challenge to keep them away from it, if you do take them swimming you will need to brush them before and after and make sure they are well dried. They are a more gentle breed, but still require consistent training and rules, they are still a big dogs and could hurt someone if they were to jump up or pull on the leash. They aren't that active compated to other breeds, but still need regular excercsie. Like most large and giant breeds, they do have joint problems as well as the risk of bloat so do your research on breeders and have a good vet fund available. 
Mastiffs are also large. Some will drool, but it should not be as much as a newfie. They have a short coat, so still need some grooming but not much. They can be intimidating to look at, so make sure it is well trained and socialized and don't do things that can make it look worse (like a spike collar). Again, not that active but still need excercise to stay healthy. Joint and other issues as also there. 

The main difference would be the coat care needed, the size and what they have been bred for (newfies for pulling in fishing nets, carts and such; mastiffs to protect the property). 

Personally, I want a Newfoundland. You need to decide what is right for you though.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 25, 2011)

I must admit that although i really love both breeds, my absolute fav are newfies. But i am leaning towards a mastiff because i partly want a guard dog in the house. Some nights i will be home alone and it gets very dark and scary in the mountains at night. So whatever i get, i want it to be friendly and social with people we invite over or when were out, but i also want it to let intruders know that they're not welcome! I basically want its bark to be worse than its bite because i feel that if an intruder sees a big dog with a low growl they'll think twice before trying to enter. I don't want a vicious guard dog but i guess that partly comes down to training.


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## Watermelons (Sep 25, 2011)

IMO, Newfie all the way. They may have more fur and be harder to groom but are well worth it. Friendly smart dogs. Most mastiffs ive met well... Not the sharpest crayons *stares at neighbours dog* and HOLEY DROOL! Ive never met a newfie that drools as much as a mastiff. All the newfies i have met have been amazing dogs, great with the family, some have done dog sports. All around great dogs


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## plasticbunny (Sep 25, 2011)

Newfies actually do make really good protectors because, although they won't attack an intruder, they will see them as uninvited and often back them into a corner and stand as a wall between them and the household. I'd rather a dog that intimidates than one that will act.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 25, 2011)

*plasticbunny wrote: *


> Newfies actually do make really good protectors because, although they won't attack an intruder, they will see them as uninvited and often back them into a corner and stand as a wall between them and the household. I'd rather a dog that intimidates than one that will act.


Oh wow! I would much rather that as well, last thing i want is to have a vicious dog even if its only vicious towards intruders because even if it attacks and injures the intruder to protect us, it will likely be put down. At the end of the day i want a dog that will make me feel safe at home alone and it just so happens that i love big dogs (newfies and mastiffs being my fav) so it's a great excuse to get one anyhow. ^.^

I'm swinging back towards a newfie again. lol


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## Sweetie (Sep 25, 2011)

Have you considered if a newfie or a mastiff would be right for being around your rabbits? Most dog breeds are not good with small animals, like rabbits.

You might want to google the dog breeds that you have mentioned and see if they are good with small animals. Although most dog breeds when introduced to small animals will do pretty well with them.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 26, 2011)

I have wanted newfies and mastiffs since i was a kid and have done a lot of research between then and now (im 31 in november), so well before i got my rabbits. From what i know they are much like other dogs. If trained and socialised from a young age they will get on well with other people/dogs/pets. 

The nature of a modern day mastiff is very different from their ancient ancestor, who was bred to accompany soldiers into battle. Todays mastiffs are bred for temperament and to be gentle, loving companions. 

Unlike breeds like pit bulls, mastiffs were not bred as fighting dogs and so it's not in their nature to want to attack other animals. They still need to be trained and socialised none the less.

And newfies apparently also do very well with other people/animals. They are gentle giants and would sooner slobber you to death than attack you or other animals. 

Of course there are always exceptions just as wth any other breed (not to mention people!) but i intend to train and socialise it from a young age and is also the reason i don't want to adopt an older one, much as i would like to.


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## MarisaAndToby (Sep 26, 2011)

Wasn't it you that said Newfies were hard to find in Aussie? 

Personally I would love a newfie OR a mastiff, I'm a sucker for giant dogs.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 26, 2011)

Yep, they're not the kind of dog you will ever find in places like trading posts or where people advertise things for sale. You have to track down breeders and go through them directly (which i would do anyway) and they don't breed very often. Some only breed once a year, some twice, some once every few years and most don't breed more than 1 or 2 bitches. Because there aren't many newfie breeders around there is usually a waiting list as well so even if a breeder has a litter due there may be several people ahead of me on the list, so i may be out of luck and have to wait for another 12 months. >.<


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## juliew19673 (Oct 30, 2011)

I've met/knew 2 mastiffs in my life and they were gentle giants (ok, kinda pushed through everything because of their size, but no drool); actually met a third but it was rescue of a mix of a greant dane and mastiff (seriously looked like a small quarter horse) but was super sweet as well.


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## Yield (Oct 30, 2011)

Newfoundlands. We almost got one. They're great and friendly dogs. Love swimming and fun to be around. There are such things as "tight-lipped" Newfies and they tend to drool less than your typical Newfie. Good luck in finding whatever dog you choose


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## Nancy McClelland (Oct 30, 2011)

Having had canines from small to "Oh my God is that a dog or a horse" we prefer the larger ones. They seem to be mellower. Our dogs and rabbits never interact so we don't really worry about that. The Bull Mastiff we now have is the largest dog ever and very smart--easy to train and not snippy at all. She's also very much like a child in that she always tries to get a little extra if you aren't watching and is absolutely the best guard dog ever. Just as smart as any of the 7 doberman's we've had but twice as large.


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## Bunnylova4eva (Oct 31, 2011)

I'd go for the Newfie, but I just thought I'd throw that out there. lol I've always wanted one of those or a Bernese Mountain dog. Those are my top two dogs *EVER*


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## LaylaLop (Oct 31, 2011)

I had a lab/bernese mt dog and she was a hunter.. She always wanted to kill my bunnies and rodents and caught birds/mice in the yard ALL the time. She was super sweet and defensive when need be (like when creepy people would pass me out on walks she'd get between us and growl). Buuut she did listen when I said no and was very bright. I LOVE berners and want one, but their high cancer rates deter me.. I lost Tika to cancer at age 5 which was way too short of a lifespan. Even great danes tend to live longer than that and they have one of the shorter lifespans of dogs. It was just so unexpected...

Find a newfie/mastiff mix! Then you don't have to decide  I love big dogs.. My bf saw a great dane/mastiff mix on petfinder and really wanted to adopt him, lol. I want to rescue a large breed dog from a rescue as a companion for my dog since he LOVES big female dogs. Probably good I'm not allowed a second dog in my apartment


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