Hug-a-mugs Here Comes the Judge  "Sugar"

A massive dog, the Mastiff stands at least 30 inches at the shoulder and is the picture of dignity and strength. Grooming is minimal as the coat is short and dense. The Mastiff's coat comes in all shades of apricot, silver fawn, or dark fawn-brindle. His muzzle, nose, and ears are black.

The Mastiff is a compact and powerful dog. His fearsome appearance hides a gentle, loving family dog who prefers to remain around his home rather than roam. Loyal and alert, he makes a wonderful watch and guard dog as he is very protective of his family. He needs an owner who is strong, confident, and patient, and he should be put in obedience training and socialized early on. Although he is good-natured, he is going to grow into a very large dog. You need to have him under control before he reaches his full maturity! He does best with consistent, and firm but gentle training.

Courage and dignity seem to define this breed. He distinguished himself in two World Wars but those conflicts had devastating effects. Today, there are more Mastiffs in the USA than there are in Britain, his country of origin.

Due to his size, the Mastiff does best when living in a larger home with a good amount of fenced property attached. Although he is not a high activity dog, he does need regular exercise (one to two miles per day) to keep his muscles toned.