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GCmastiffs@WorkingMastiffs.com |
We are seeing some breeders choosing dominant temperaments simply because
they "show" better, although such Mastiffs can be difficult to live with.
Shyness, as always, is still common in the breed. An aggressive Mastiff
should never be bred.
Please be very, very careful about purchasing a Mastiff, or breeding your
own dog.
If winning at shows is your goal, then go to a show breeder that wins a
lot, and do not be surprised at short lifespans or dominant temperaments.
Selecting for "show winning" traits does not automatically include
screening for health issues or longevity. Some show breeders are doing a good job at
breeding healthy dogs, but most are not. Verify testing prior to spending
your hard earned dollars.
If you want true working dogs, find a breeder who has titled many dogs in
Obedience or other "working" events. If you want health and longevity,
search out a breeder who tests for everything that can be screened for, who
breeds older dogs instead of two-year-olds and who has lots of old dogs that
still compete and are healthy.
Be aware that many breeders claim that their dogs
are "tested" when in fact, they are not being honest with you! Some have
gone so far as to advertise a "tested" dog, but don't mention that the dog
failed the testing.. An OFA prelim at 6 months does not equal an OFA
number. X-rays screened by a local vet are usually useless as far as accuracy.
PennHip seems to be used most by those who cannot pass OFA. You cannot
verify PennHip info in a pedigree - there is no Pass or Fail rating, or
any way to look it up. I see lots of websites that indicate that their dogs
are CERFed, and OFA certified, yet these dogs do not show up on the OFA and
CERF sites. Ask those breeders why, and do not accept excuses. A CERF exam on a
puppy is not valid for a 6 year old dog. When people skimp on health
tests, it really makes me wonder... Why?
Be an informed buyer- check out all health claims before you fall in love
with a cute face!
We choose our breeding dogs carefully, do *complete* testing and require
testing on all puppies sold. Our Mastiffs are first and foremost our
companions and house pets. We feel Mastiffs as working dogs, should be
sound, athletic and easily trained. We have no interest in producing the
"biggest, tallest, heaviest" Mastiffs that are promoted as being desirable by some
breeders. We prefer medium sized Mastiffs, that are well muscled and move
with power and grace. We expect them to be good jumpers and to be able to
trot for miles, even into old age.
Soundness and health (OFA Hips/elbows/cardiac/patellas/ CERF/vWD/thyroid/
cystinuria/PRA DNA normal) are required in our breeding program. As new
tests become available we plan to include them as well. Our dogs must pass all
the screening tests prior to being considered for breeding. We do not allow
our studs to be used on untested bitches, although that practice seems
acceptable to some.
Our goal is to produce beautiful, long-lived, sound Mastiffs who win in
the breed and obedience rings and make wonderful companions. We expect them to
live at least a decade, most live longer. Our Mastiffs routinely compete
successfully at what some may consider "old ages" such as 8 to 9 years
old.
Diet makes a big difference. We feed a raw, fresh food diet and require our
puppy buyers to do the same. Changing to a diet of fresh, unprocessed
species-appropriate foods was the best choice I ever made for my dogs to
improve their health. They thrive on raw foods!
Our puppies are born and raised in the house, with plenty of
socialization.
We vWD test, CERF, cystinuria test, microchip, and minimally vaccinate
pups prior to placement. All breeding dogs are PRA DNA tested and proven free
of the disease, so all puppies are clear as well. We use Dr Dodd's
vaccination schedule. Puppies are Aptitude Tested at 49 days with written scores and a
video taken of the entire litter testing. Our puppies are parasite free, and
started on basic obedience and house training. Pet quality puppies are
sold on Limited Registration and must be spayed/neutered. Gold Coast Mastiffs
are dual registered with both AKC and UKC. All adults are DNA profiled.
Upcoming Breedings (Sire not chosen yet) X Raven
UKC Ch. Gold Coasts Raven
Raven is a "Gold" Health Award Winner
OFA Good Hips MF-3969G26F-T (Sire not chosen yet) X Lorena
Mackeson X Breaker
Dam: UKC Grand Ch. Gold Coasts DeVine Heartbreaker
Sire: Am.Intl.UKC.Ch. Gold Coasts Mackeson Stout, TDI,CGC
Mackeson Stout has a MCOA Gold Health Award
Cystinuria normal, OFA fair/OFEL/OFPA/OFCA/CERF(2002)
See the Pedigree for this breeding
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