Raising an American Bandog Mastiff Puppy

It is very important to consider the breeding of the puppy, no matter how cute he might be. With a pure bred puppy, you can be confident that the mature dog will be a certain size and body shape, and have a known temperament.

This is due to years of selection by the breeder, based on promoting desirable qualities and traits, and avoiding undesirable features. When you opt for a cross-breed, you are effectively taking a chance - you can not be certain which characteristics your mature dog will develop.

The American Bandog Mastiff is part American Pit Bull Terrier, part Neapolitan Mastiff. The most reputable breed is the Swinford, named after the vetenarian who "developed" the strain - these are noted for possessing a good temperament and high intelligence. The Swinford is loving and extremely loyal, and is highly valued as a guardian dog.

Even the smallest Mastiff puppy is going to be a large dog, and probably much sooner than you think. And you really have to bear this fact in mind when rearing it.

From the outset, you will want to get him a course in basic obedience training. You will also have to exercise strict discipline, not allowing any behavior in the puppy that you would forbid in the adult dog. It's too easy to spoil the puppy and treat him as you might a cat, giving him free reign in the home. It's very difficult to change these early patterns of behavior when the puppy has shot up to 200 pounds. And it is very difficult to "reason" with an animal who is much heavier and stronger than yourself!

Like most puppies of whatever breed, the young mastiff loves to chew, but the mastiff has extremely strong jaws, so he can easily destroy many normal dog toys. If you do not provide these, you will find that he will chew on sticks or stones or anything he can find, and swallowing chunks of these will lead to intestinal problems. You want to get advice from your vetenarian, breeder, or a good pet store on suitable toys for your young mastiff.

The mastiff is genetically programmed to grow and develop at a remarkable rate, so the diet should simply be good quality dog food. Avoid artificial supplements and vitamin shots, he will achieve his full healthy potential with the basic feed. The mastiff has a seemingly unquenchable thirst, so always ensure that there is a readily available source of clean drinking water. The mastiff can soon contaminate his drinking water with his own drool, so be prepared to wash his bowl and replenish his water at least daily.

Good early training and discipline will ensure that your American bandog mastiff puppy grows into a fine loving and healthy companion for the family, and a reliable guardian for your home.

Check out my "Mastiffs' Bible" book for all the facts, tips and techniques on raising and caring for your American Bandog Mastiff - Quickly grow from a novice to a Mastiff expert - available from http://www.mastiffsbible.com/ Or sign up for my free Mastiff reports .