The Rottweiler Mastiff mix or Mastweiler is a GIANT of a dog breed. It clocks at around 145 to 165 pounds with an expected height of at least 32 to 34 inches.
The Mastweiler is a combination of intelligence, courage, protectiveness, and playfulness. In order to own the Rottweiler Mastiff Mix, you must be an experienced alpha dog breed owner! If you’ve successfully owned other powerful breeds like a Rottie, Caucasian shepherd, Alabai, Cane Corso, or Chow Chow, then you may be ready.
Challenges of Owning a Rottweiler Mastiff Mix
You must know how to be the pack leader. You need to quickly and firmly control any situation your dogs will put you into because the Rottweiler Mastiff mix will constantly test you for the position of pack leader.
How do you know if your dog is testing you?
Signs of Alpha Dog Behavior
They will not follow your commands, they may pull on their leash, and push you about. If you go near their food or toys they may growl. The best way to get this out of their system is to train, train, train consistently and daily until obedience is embedded without challenge.
If your dog does what you command, immediately give him/her great praise and/or a treat. If your dog has decided that today was the day for an uprising make him work for everything!
This article will go through the most important things to teach to your new family member. And remember, this breed is for those who have had several alpha-driven dogs before getting this breed.
If I sound redundant here, it’s intentional because it’s SUPER IMPORTANT. If you don’t dedicate enough time to consistent and rigorous training, they will run you over and leave you in the dust.
Are You Interested in a Family Guard Dog?
Are you interested in a family guard dog breed? But don’t know where to start to find a perfect fit for your needs? Well, we have an article for you! We have 20 Best Guard Dog Breeds, that may be a great fit for you and your family.
The Rottweiler
- Weight – 80 – 130 pounds
- Height – 24 – 27 inches
- Lifespan – 10 – 12 years
- Major Health Concerns – Cataracts, Hip dysplasia, arthritis, bloat, bone cancer, Von Willebrand Disease (VWD), and seizures.
- Grooming – Brush once or twice a week
- Fur or Hair? – Rotties have fur and yes, they shed a lot!
- Colors – Black and tan
- Eye Color – brown
- Exercise – 35 – 50 minutes
- Training – 1 hour daily more if you can
- Socialization – the Rottweiler must be socialized at a very young age
- Temperament – Aloof, confident, loving, protective, loyal, family oriented, playful, and caring
- Good in apartments? – No, the Rottie needs a house with a medium to large yard, unless you can give them lots of daily exercise.
Family Dogs
Rottweilers love the family and are calm and stable around familiar family members, but they are always on the lookout for people and animals who do not belong in or around the house. They need to be socialized and trained at an early age. This is not a matter of the “Oh, I’ll train and socialize with him/her later.” It’s essential for a healthy, happy, and safe Rottie.
When training the Rottweiler, always make sure that he/she knows that you are the alpha of the pack and not him or her. Be firm yet gentle in your training, and Rottweilers do not react kindly to harsh treatment. If push comes to shove, the Rottweiler will not be afraid to stand up for him/herself.
The Mastiff
- Weight – 120 – 230 pounds
- Height – 27 – 30 inches
- Lifespan – 6 – 10 years
- Major Health Concerns – Urinary infections, bloat, canine cancer, heart disease, & hip dysplasia
- Grooming – two to three times a week
- Fur or Hair – has short double coat fur, and they shed
- Colors – Brindle stripes, fawn, or apricot
- Eye Color – brown
- Exercise – 45 – 60 minutes/day minimum
- Training – 1 hour daily
- Socialization – Taking your Mastiff out on a daily basis is extremely important
- Temperament – Courageous, loving, dignified, good natured, loyal, and protective
- Good in apartments? – No! The Mastiff if built for roaming and protecting of properties!
The Mastiff origins date back to Caesar’s invasion into Britannia in 55 BC. Caesar was impressed with the mastiff so much that he wrote about them in his journal and eventually shipped some back to Rome where they became popular with everyone wanting them!
An encounter with a black-masked mastiff can be pretty startling if you are not prepared for them. Their main purpose was as guard dogs and arena fights with animals and men. To the family the Mastiff presents a totally different side.
Mastiffs are kind, loving, and gentle and funny in their clumsiness. As a puppy, the Mastiff will be happy and affable which age is always the best time to introduce any dog breed to family and friends, and especially big and powerful breeds.
As Mastiffs mature, they become suspicious and aloof with strangers, but still loving, playfully gentle, and respectful of everyone who lives in the same home. If they feel that you or another family member is threatened then they will come out as a fierce guard dog.
If you are interested we have an article with 20 of the best guard dog breeds.
The Rottweiler Mastiff Mix
- Weight – 145 – 165 pounds
- Height – 32 – 34 inches
- Lifespan – 7 – 10 years
- Major Health Concerns – Bloat, arthritis, heart disease, bone cancer, hip dysplasia, UTI, & seizers
- Exercise – 30 – 45 minutes when fully grown
- Grooming – Brush 20 – 30 minutes every week.
- Fur or Hair – Hair
- Colors – Black, Brindle & Brown
- Eye Color – Brown or black
- Training – Train them for more than thirty minutes each day if you can.
- Socialization – Take him/her everywhere you go the younger you get him/her out of the house the more positive impact you will have on the baby.
- Temperament – Kind, Gentle, Watchful, Funny, & Protective
- Good in an apartment? – No, they need a house with a large yard
- Guard dog capabilities – Both parent breeds are ancient breeds and were used as guard dog breeds. So yes the Rottweiler Mastiff Mix certainly does have the ability to be a fantastic guard dog
The Rottweiler Mastiff Mix is a great dog for experienced big-breed dog owners! They are strong, protective, playful, loyal, obedient, and gentle. The owner must know how to earn the dog’s respect and leadership by being consistent and assertive — yet gentle — throughout the dog’s life.
There can be no off days for this breed, and they are very active in mind and body, so constant training and exercise (through rain, sleight, snow, or sunshine). You will also get a continuous push of the boundaries to check and make sure that you still want to be the alpha/leader of the pack. If not, they are MORE than willing to take over from a weak pack leader.
So train, socialize, and exercise your Mastiff Mix daily! If you do not keep them on their toes, they will not respect you or your leadership, which can be dangerous to everyone.
In this last part of the article, we will split it into six different sections, and talk about training, socialization, exercise, temperament, and health of the Rottweiler Mastiff mix.
Rottweiler Mastiff Mix Training
As I have said in several places in this article, training must start when you get your cute puppy. The sooner you get the little puppy to realize that you are the pack leader the better life you will have! The Rottie and the Mastiff are both alpha dog breeds that will become pack leaders over the family and you!
Constant training is the key to keeping the Rottweiler Mastiff mix happy and content in its place throughout its lifespan. As a puppy, train him/her 15 to 20 minutes daily to start off in the beginning, with a few minute play-breaks in-between the sessions.
In training, always have the puppy complete the instruction no matter how many times it takes. They will test you and your resolve in training throughout their life.
One key to making the dog comply with your commands is to keep switching up the training habits. Make them fun and entertaining, Rottweilers and Mastiffs are extremely smart dog breeds, and they need constant stimulation throughout their life.
Rottweiler Mastiff Socialization Needs
In the very beginning, take your puppy out wherever you go. Allow the Rottweiler Mastiff to get new smells, sites, people, and animals into their brains. The more they see and experience the better the Rottweiler Mastiff reacts to strange and uncertain circumstances. You want them to be more comfortable no matter the environment.
The less you socialize your pup, the more aggressive or territorial they’re likely to become. So, socialization is an important fundamental step to have a fantastic and upstanding citizen of the dog world.
The one place you should never go when your dog is still a puppy is to the dog park! Your puppy is still very young. If things get out of control with an ill-behaved dog it could scar your puppy for the life. Also, they shouldn’t socialize with other puppies and dogs before they’re vaccinated in order to avoid disease.
Never take your puppy to the dog park!
Rottweiler Mastiff Mix Exercise Requirements
The daily exercise of the Mastiff Rottweiler Mix breed is essential. If you’re a couch potato, please get another dog breed that loves to laze about with you!
If you are an active and energetic person who is often outdoors, then the Rottweiler Mastiff Mix is probably a good choice. However if you are a busy person and/or someone who is gone from the house for long stretches of time, you can still own them, but they will need lots of exercise.
The Rottweiler Mastiff is an all-weather type of dog, which means you must exercise them even if it is freezing rain, snow, raining cats and dogs, or extremely hot. They need long jogs, runs, and walks, to keep off extra weight and work out their energy.
Exercise is not optional but mandatory for a happy and balanced Rottweiler Mastiff mix. Mastweilers have high energy that requires a lot of exercise and training. If they don’t reach their minimum needs they will become frustrated. If you want this dog, he needs to be well trained, disciplined, and exercised.
How Frustrated Mastadors May Act Out
- digging holes
- aggressive/territorial to anyone
- protecting everyone in the house
- escaping for long journeys by him/herself or traveling with other packs
Rottweiler Mastiff Mix Temperament
The Rottweiler Mastiff Mix makes for an excellent guard dog because the mixed-breed parents were originally made for guarding. If you’re an active person who wishes to have a dog that is very active and playful yet protective of you and your loved ones, then this dog may be for you!
The Mastweiler is a family guardian, which means they do best living integrated with the family and not in a kennel in the backyard.
5 Ingredients for a fantastic dog:
- a great home
- good and ongoing training
- socialization
- exercise
- family – most important
A Happy, Well Socialized Mastweiler Will Be
- Loyal
- Loving
- Alert
- Protective
- Gentle (to familiar people)
- Playful
- Eager to please
- Agreeable to all of the family
The Health of the Rottweiler Mastiff Mix
The Rottweiler Mastiff cross is very prone to cancer, and so they need frequent health screening twice a year if you can do it. Both parents are extremely prone to bone and/or marrow cancer which can be very difficult to overcome.
Bone cancer in a dog can be very hard to detect until it has had a large foothold in the dog’s bone. Early detection can make all the difference in survival.
Common Mastweiler Health Issues
- Bloat – Bloat is when the dogs stomach starts to twist and turn trapping blood and lethal gasses in little pockets of air. Bloat is caused by too much exercise right after eating or drinking to much water. It can also be caused by overeating, eating just one meal a day, and even raised food bowls. If caught in time your vet can knock your dog out and perform some lifesaving surgery upon your dog’s intestines.
- Signs of Bloat – Pale gums, heavy panting, unsuccessful attempts to throw up, an inflated belly that looks like a spare tire, painful stomach, pacing, restlessness, excessive drooling, collapsing and/or an inability to stand. Any signs of these drop everything and take your dog to the vet, the earlier you catch it the more successful the treatment will be.
- Arthritis – Some Rotties can get arthritis at an early age, and pass this along to their mixed breed babies.
- Heart Disease – this is a massive problem for Mastiffs and may be passed on.
- Bone cancer – Sadly the Rottie has one of the highest rates of bone cancer, and this may be carried down into the Rottie Mastiff Mix.
- Hip and Elbow Dysplasia – A lot of purebred dogs get hip and elbow dysplasia due to overbreeding
- UTI – Urinary tract infection
- Seizures – Rottweilers are particularly prone to having seizures.
Contributions To This Article Was Made By Jessie M. And Her Rottweiler Mastiff Mix Named Tucker!
We adopted Tucker a (Mastweiler) from a local SPCA. He’s 75 pounds at almost 11 months old and is adjusting well to his new family! By Jessie M.
The Conclusion of the Rottweiler Mastiff Mix
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We here at Labrottie give the Mastiff Rottweiler Mix 4 stars!
Due to their ability to be a multi-use dog and still be the family’s friendly pet, with proper training, socialization, and exercise, this is a great dog for the right families.
Pros and Cons of Mastiff Rottweiler Mix Dogs
CONS
- Require consistent positive training sessions reinforced daily
- They have a short life expectancy
- Frequent health screening is needed
- Likes to take over as alpha if you show weakness
PROS
- Protective of the family
- Mellow (if well exercised)
- Playful with the family
- Eager to please the pack leader
- Gentle with young and old
The Mastiff Rottweiler mix without the proper training, socialization, and exercise, may become unstable and unresponsive to you or anybody else. With proper time and care, this breed will be the best dog in the neighborhood!
Not what you are looking for?
If the Mastrottie seems a little too much for your taste, don’t worry! We have several articles that offer dog breeds that are less extreme alpha guard dogs, less active and less time to train as well such as the:
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Happy Tails
The Labrottie Nation Team