Finding Reputable American Mastiff Breeders

In the beginning of your search for a good mastiff, you will have to search for breeder. A word of caution, however, you must search for the right breeder because there are a good number from the advertisements that you see nearly everywhere, even online, that are only out to make a quick buck.

It is important that you chose only from reputable American mastiff breeders so that you're sure you're getting a quality 100% pure-bred mastiff.

A good place to start would be local pet communities, kennel clubs, or other mastiff owners that you might know. If they can't introduce you to a reputable breeder, then they can at least introduce you to their trusted veterinarians, groomers, and boarding kennels which might be connected some reputable American mastiff breeders.

From there, you should still remain cautious. After all, it is you who will decide if the breeder is someone who you can trust.

There are a couple of signs which will help you decide if the breeder you've met is indeed one who knows what he is doing.

House Visit

The first thing you should do is ask to visit the breeder's home, or where he keeps the pups.

Proper American mastiff breeders keep their kennels clean and the premises will be free of smell. Otherwise, you'll be able to tell that they don't really care for their dogs.

If the place stinks like an unwashed dog, they you probably can't trust that person to have taken care of the puppy properly.

Puppy Background Check

As you know, the state of the puppy's parents and how it was raised will affect the temperament of your puppy as it matures. Knowing this, you should ask to see at least one of the puppy's parents or other puppies.

With this you can tell how the other puppies were treated - do they appear sick? Do they appear undernourished? Do they seem to have affinity with the breeder or are they fearful of him? Are the puppies sociable and outgoing?

You should also be aware that backyard and puppy mill breeders - If he keeps a lot of different kind of breeds and puppies in the kennel, chances are it's a puppy mill.

Don't Rely Only on Credentials

Also, American mastiff breeders who have been USDA inspected, are not necessarily good breeders since the USDA certification only requires adherence to the minimum standards of animal welfare.

Some may keep the puppies in good condition but know next to nothing about proper breeding methods.

Finally, you should not only rely on a guarantee that the puppy you're getting is purebred. Even if the dog is registered and comes with proof, this is not a guarantee that the puppy is going to be healthy and will live a long life.

Reputable American mastiff breeders know what the weaknesses of the mastiff breed are and they've taken steps to reduce chances that your dog inherited these weak traits of the breed.

Good Luck!