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        Mooch's Mastiff Rescue

Dedicated to the rescue of the Neapolitan Mastiff and other Mastiff breeds.

THANK YOU PAGE    SURRENDER FORM    IN MEMORY OF    PRODUCTS    COOL DOGS

This site is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of Mastiffs from animal shelters, found stray, abandoned, neglected and abused.  These gentle giants crave human companionship and research should be done on the breed prior to adopting.  

The adoption process is simple.    Fill out the Adoption Form and once it is received, I will contact you.  A home visit will then be scheduled to see that the dog will live in a good, loving environment and will also determine who the dog will be interacting with (i.e., children, other animals, etc.) in order to determine which dog is right for you.  Once you are approved, you are ready for a mastiff of your very own!  I do ask for a $350 donation, which barely covers the cost of getting a displaced mastiff ready for his/her new home (i.e., vet checks, medications, shots, spay/neuter, food, etc.).  

If you have a Mastiff that you need to surrender to the rescue program, please complete the Surrender Form in its entirety.   I will contact you and the mastiff will be evaluated prior to placement in the program.  If a mastiff is surrendered unaltered or not up-to-date on it's shots or heartworm prevention, I will ask that the alteration and health check is performed prior to surrender or a donation is made to help defray these costs.  

The rescue runs solely on personal funds, donations and help received from the special people listed in Mooch's Thank You's,  Please help me help a mastiff in need.  Any donation is greatly appreciated.  

Thank you for taking the time to view my  site.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail me.   

The rescue began as a tribute to Mooch (aka Moochie Pooch), who I lost in June, 2001.  The rescue continued because of Rocky (aka Rockaman, The Rock Man) who I lost in April, 2005.  They are sadly missed. 

God and Dog - Watch the Video Here! 

The Mastiff is a member of the Working Group and are large, powerful dogs with a serious demeanor.  Mastiffs are generally peaceful, steady dogs with even temperaments.  They are wonderful with their families but can be wary of strangers.  If they have a personality flaw, they can be stubborn or shy.  It is important to socialize the Mastiff when it is young to get it accustomed to people and places.  It is also critical to never forget the instinctive protective nature of the breed.  Raising a mastiff requires an awareness of how giant guard dogs think and behave, and a consistent and sensible discipline.  Most mastiffs are excellent with children they know and would never hurt them purposely.  At the same time, it is vital to remember that these are huge dogs and the often forget how big they are.  This can result in a Mastiff unintentionally knocking a child down.  They will often instinctively chase people running or bicycling past and playfully knock them down.  Their size and natural exuberance means they should never be unsupervised around small children even in play.  Most Mastiffs are tolerant and good-natured.  If they are raised with other animals they are often best friends.  However, two adult dogs of the same sex cannot always be expected to get along.  Most will chase cats.  While most adult Mastiffs are calm animals who sleep a lot, it is important to train the Mastiff when it is young, so that when dealing with the strong, stubborn teenage personality stage, the appropriate ruling structure is already in place.  Mastiffs are messy dogs.  A pristine house with many precious or breakable items is not the ideal environment for a young Mastiff and anyone in such a house should think twice before getting the breed.  By age 6 months, a clumsy young Mastiff can be 100 pounds or more.  Most mastiffs snore, quite loudly.  Mastiffs drool, but not all of the time.  Usually when they are hot, nervous or after eating and especially after drinking water.  Mastiff owners learn to carry towels and are deft in mopping Mastiff chins.  They are not tidy eaters.  The big, loose lips scatter kibble all over.  They have big feet too, so a dog outside in the mud can bring a large amount in.  Mastiffs are generally hardy dogs.  One minor problem that often occurs is “cherry eye”.  Tissue in the corner of the eye becomes red and inflamed.  This looks terrible but can be cured with a minor surgical procedure and leaves no permanent damage.  There are some other health problems that are common in giant breed dogs and the Mastiff is not immune.  Bloat is a mysterious problem of the giant breed and must be treated immediately.  It can be avoided sometimes by not exercising 45 minutes prior to and after eating and elevated feeding and drinking bowls.  The Mastiff can develop hip displaysia.  Mastiffs may not be suitable for everyone.  They are not the sort of dog, (as no dog should be) to be put in a yard with food and water and expected to be cheery, friendly and ready to play with the kids when the kids think of it.  They demand attention.  They need discipline.  They yearn for human companionship.  If you are ready to own a family guardian, a friend and true companion, and only if you know your own capabilities for handling giant breed dogs, and furthermore, if you are ready and able to supply the necessary time, energy, attention and money, than a Mastiff may be the dog for you. 

(Special thanks to Sam Bennett for the awesome graphics!!)

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