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Boston Mastiff (Boston Terrier & Mastiff Mix): Pictures, Info, Temperament & Traits

Bynewsmagzines

Jun 1, 2023
Parent breeds of Boston Mastiff - Featured Image


 

The Boston Mastiff is a mix between the English Mastiff and the Boston Terrier, a cross that creates friendly, loyal, courageous, and intelligent puppies.

Since their crossbreeding is the main cause for people to take an interest in this mix, it can be quite difficult to determine the temperament and physical traits of the Boston Mastiff puppy. However, they are generally easy to train and make good watchdogs due to their overly protective personality.

In this article, we will discuss the Boston Mastiff’s temperament, intelligence, care requirements, and whether they make good family pets. Read on to learn more

Breed Overview

Colors:

Fawn, black, white, black, and white, apricot, brindle

Suitable for:

Experienced owners and families with an active lifestyle

Temperament:

Playful, protective, alert, courageous, intelligent, friendly, affectionate

When the English Mastiff, which is one of the largest dog breeds in the world,1 is crossed with the relatively smaller Boston Terrier,2 the resulting mix is an affectionate dog breed that can fill a home with excitement and laughter.

The Boston Mastiff is highly energetic and always up for adventure and exploring. They may be better suited for a compound with a yard, but they also make wonderful urban companions, ready to accompany you for your daily errands to the grocery shop or even a hike. Being social, they simply don’t do well when left to their own devices for long.

And as an intelligent breed, they learn basic commands fast, thus easy to train.

Boston Mastiff Characteristics

Energy:

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High-energy dogs will need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to stay happy and healthy, while low-energy dogs require minimal physical activity. It’s important when choosing a dog to make sure their energy levels match your lifestyle or vice versa.

Trainability:

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Easy-to-train dogs are more skilled at learning prompts and actions quickly with minimal training. Dogs that are harder to train will require a bit more patience and practice.

Health:

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Some dog breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every dog will have these issues, but they have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.

Lifespan:

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Some breeds, due to their size or their breeds potential genetic health issues, have shorter lifespans than others. Proper exercise, nutrition, and hygiene also play an important role in the lifespan of your pet.

Sociability:

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Some dog breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other dogs. More social dogs have a tendency to run up to strangers for pets and scratches, while less social dogs shy away and are more cautious, even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed, it’s important to socialize your dog and expose them to lots of different situations.

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Boston Mastiff Breed Puppies

It is hard to determine the cost of this mixed breed because they are very uncommon. A Mastiff puppy will cost around $1,300, and a Boston Terrier puppy will cost about the same price. Both dogs can be more expensive, depending on the breeder and lineage. The best guess for the price of a Boston Mastiff puppy would be around $1,000.

If you want to buy a dog from a breeder, do your research. Ask questions to ensure they are reputable. Besides asking the breeder about the parent breeds, you should also ask to meet the mother dog in person. This will give you a unique opportunity to gauge her temperament and the behavior she models for her young ones.

While it may be the breeder’s responsibility to socialize the puppies while still under his care, it is your sole duty to socialize and train them as soon as they get home.

Parent breeds of the Boston Mastiff
Image Credit: Left – Waldemar Dabrowski, Shutterstock | Right – SHVETS production, Pexels

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Temperament & Intelligence of the Boston Mastiff

The intelligence of a Boston Mastiff is ranked average in the dog intelligence rankings. This is perhaps why this breed is relatively easier to train. They can understand and remember new commands and instructions after about 25–40 repetitions.

Though easy to train, sometimes it can be challenging to train them, but with patience and consistency, the effort would be worth it.

Many people opt to keep the Boston Mastiff as watchdogs. They are very alert and observant of their surroundings, and once they detect a potential threat, they are not shy about vocalizing their opinions. Their good sense of hearing, coupled with their strong vocal cords and territorial nature, makes them great at protecting property.

Even though most people believe this dog can attack potential intruders, they are also okay with simply alerting the owners of any danger lurking outside their property without necessarily attacking.

Are These Dogs Good for Families?👪

Boston Mastiffs are truly soft, loyal, loving, gentle, and affectionate dogs towards their owners. They enjoy spending time with their families and are even considered therapy dogs in some circles.

This breed is also great at responding to its owner’s emotions, especially if they have created a tight bond over the years. When you are happy, your Boston Mastiff will be happy as well.

They are also apartment friendly. Sure, it might be helpful and easier if you had a small garden for the dog to handle its nature calls, but it is not a major consideration for this breed. With enough exercise, your dog will be happy to lounge around in your house until you come back at the end of the day.

If you happen to keep this breed in a house with a yard, you should be careful because it is considered to have a wanderlust potential. It might sneak out regularly to explore the grounds.

Overall, the Boston Mastiff can make a good family companion, even for families with young kids. However, it would be best to supervise playtime in case of accidents when the dog is excited.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

Boston Mastiffs are some of the friendliest dogs you can own. As a social breed, they enjoy being surrounded by pets, including other dogs.  This can be attributed to the fact that they feature a low to medium impulse to chase after smaller animals.

So, if you want to bring a new dog to a home with other pets or want to join dog meet-up groups, the Boston Mastiff would be your best bet. But make sure the dog is socialized from an early age so that the animals can get used to living comfortably under the same roof.

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Things to Know When Owning a Boston Mastiff:

Food & Diet Requirements🦴

When it comes to Boston Mastiffs’ food and diet requirements, there are three factors that you have to keep in mind: size, age, and lifestyle.

In terms of age, puppies will thrive with high-calorie puppy food brands to help in their development. Older dogs will require high-fiber protein-filled senior dry dog food brands.

This breed is susceptible to indeterminate weight gain and obesity. So, in terms of food quantity, reach out to your vet about how much food your Boston Mastiff should get. Since this is a mixed breed, their overall size will vary, resulting in how much food they need daily.

Also, the diet should be coupled with an active lifestyle such as daily walks to prevent weight gain. If you notice significant weight gain in your dog, consult your local vet to make a suitable diet plan.

Exercise🐕

Boston Mastiffs are considered to have an average to high energy level and are best suited for owners with a very active lifestyle. Therefore, ensure that your pups receive plenty of exercise. This breed will typically be satisfied with short walks every day, preferably for about 30 minutes. But you can take him for longer walks during the weekend or when you have some free time off your busy schedule.

Training🎾

Just like the Boston Terrier parent lineage, the Boston Mastiffs make excellent companion dogs because of their sociability and friendliness, which also makes their training easier. However, they can be obstinate, requiring a firm hand during the training sessions.

To end up with a controlled and well-behaved dog, you must train your Boston Mastiff to be safe around other people and animals. It is considered to have an average likelihood of biting someone. Some of the main reasons it might choose to attack include excitement, pain, protection, provocation, or even their herding instinct. So, it needs to be trained to have a positive attitude from the word go.

The best way to train it is by using positive reinforcement during the sessions. This not only helps the dog to learn commands faster, but it also helps prevent trust issues later in life. Either way, avoid giving him too many treats as that may lead to obesity in the future.

Grooming✂️

The Boston Mastiff is relatively easy to groom, thus the ideal breed, especially if you don’t have the resources, skill, and money to keep up with your dog’s grooming needs. In fact, using a professional groomer to keep your dog’s coat clean may not be necessary with the Boston Mastiff.

Since they are moderate shedders, they will only need brushing at least once a week to reduce the amount of fur shed, a task you can undertake by yourself. But this will depend on the dog’s general health status.

The bathing frequency can be 4 to 6 weeks. Studies have shown that 56% of pet owners do not wash their dogs as required, while 50% only use the sniff test to decide the appropriate time for bathing their dogs.

However, bathing your dog offers a myriad of benefits. Not only will it give you the chance to get rid of dander and debris from your dog’s coat, but it will also give you a chance to check for fleas, bumps, unusual scratches, and any other irregularities on your pooch. This is because all the details in your dog’s body are more visible when the coat is wet and sticking to its body.

Also, your dog’s eyes and ears should be cleaned regularly to minimize the likelihood of infections.

Health and Conditions🏥

Although considered a healthy breed, it is still susceptible to some common health issues, partly because of puppy mills and irresponsible breeders. Here are some of the most common health issues you can expect from the Boston Mastiff.

Minor Conditions

  • Cherry eye
  • Luxating patella

Serious Conditions

  • Heart murmurs
  • Cataracts
  • Corneal abrasions or ulcers
  • Brachycephalic syndrome

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Male vs Female

Just like the Boston Terrier lineage, the Boston Mastiff female is known to be less sociable, less dedicated, and less friendly to strangers compared to their male counterparts. The female is also known to feature an aloof personality and barely forms close bonds with their family as much as the males.

Females are also known to be quite boisterous than males and may require high activity levels to release pent-up energy. Moreover, the females might share the standard intelligent and affectionate personality expected in Boston Mastiffs, but they can be more subdued than their male counterparts.


3 Little-Known Facts About the Boston Mastiff

1. The Boston Mastiff could have a biting force of above 400 PSI.

Because of their parent breeds, the Boston Mastiff has the potential to have a strong bite force, probably around or above 400 PSI.


2. The Boston Mastiff is not recognized by the AKC and the FCI.

The Boston Mastiff might be a friendly breed, but it is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as well as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).


3. Mastiffs descended from Molosser and ancient Alaunt dogs.

The origins of the Mastiff dog breed can be traced back to the mountains of Asia, which date back as far back as 4500 years to 2500 BC. The British Museum features bas-reliefs from the palace of Ashurbanipal that showcase Mastiff-type dog breeds. These Mastiff-looking breeds are almost similar to modern-day Mastiffs and can be seen hunting big prey like lions in the desert.

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Final Thoughts

Affectionate, brilliant, easygoing, and sweet are just some of the adjectives that come to mind when you describe the Boston Mastiff. It is a worthwhile family companion that can get along with everyone in your household, other pets included.

Most people opt to keep this breed because of its protective nature and trainability, qualities that make the breed great as watch dogs. Owners also enjoy the fact that it has minimal care needs when compared to the parent lineage.

Unfortunately, just like the parents, it is susceptible to some health issues. But other health problems can be prevented with proper dieting, exercise, and responsible breeding practices.

Overall, this designer dog is suitable for families with an active lifestyle and can thrive in both a suburban or urban setting. Just make sure you are adequately prepared with all the care requirements, and you will have a forever friend in the Boston Mastiff.


Featured Image Credit: Left – Olga Aniven, Shutterstock | Right – Sarahshowell, Pixabay

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