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GiantWorking Group

Mastiff

The Mastiff (or Old English Mastiff) is among the oldest British breeds, documented in Roman accounts of British war dogs.

Calculate Mastiff age
Lifespan9 yrrange 8–10
SizeGiantWorking Group
Weight120–230 lb54.4–104.3 kg
Senior at5 yrgeriatric at 8

Gallery (3)

About

About the Mastiff

The Mastiff (or Old English Mastiff) is among the oldest British breeds, documented in Roman accounts of British war dogs. The breed nearly disappeared after World War II and was reconstituted from a small founder population that concentrated certain recessives.

Aging

How Mastiffs age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 9.0 years (n=3,259). Gastric dilatation-volvulus is the defining late-life concern in this deep-chested breed; elbow dysplasia (OFA moderate) and progressive retinal atrophy round out major findings.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 9 yr · range 8–10Senior careSenior at 5 · geriatric at 8Common health issues9 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
120–230 lb(54.4–104.3 kg)
Height
27.5–30 in(69.8–76.2 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
ApricotBrindleFawn
Temperament

Temperament

How Mastiffs tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

dignifiedgood-naturedcourageousdocile
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~2 yr

    Patellar Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Patellar Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
45min
per day

Mastiffs are satisfied by around 45 minutes of daily activity (energy level 3/5). Short, regular outings beat one long session.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.