Mastiff

Mastiffs are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a big dog that is low-energy, sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. The big catch is running cost — this is one of the pricier dogs to keep well.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

The Mastiff is one of the oldest dog types in Britain — Caesar's troops reportedly met them in 55 BC — and it was a guardian rather than a hunter, which shows in the temperament. A well-bred Mastiff is placid to the point of laziness, tolerant, and quiet, and it will simply place itself between its family and anything unfamiliar without much fuss. Everything about ownership scales with the weight. Food costs scale, medication and anaesthetic costs scale, a wagging tail clears a coffee table, and the drool is not a joke — Mastiff households keep towels in every room. The life expectancy of 6–10 years is the shortest on this whole list, and it is the thing to think hardest about.

Day to day. Low-energy — short walks and a warm spot to sleep suit this breed fine, which makes it one of the easier dogs to fit around a busy family. On noise, it is quiet.

The coat, honestly. This breed sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Copes with a working day. That makes it one of the more realistic choices for a family where everyone is out during the day, as long as the walks still happen.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Consistent, reward-based training from day one does most of the work.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• Your idea of a walk is twenty gentle minutes, not five miles
• You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
• You have room for a big dog and a car it actually fits in
• Your house is empty for part of the working day

• A surprise vet bill would be a real problem this year
• Drool on your trousers would bother you every single day
• You are in a flat, or nobody can physically hold this dog on a lead

Every animal is an individual, and plenty of Mastiffs live long, healthy lives. This is here so nobody is surprised — ask a vet, and ask whoever you get the dog from what they have tested for.

Rough running cost: $$$ (one of the pricier dogs on our list) — because it is a big dog, so food, medicines and anaesthetics all cost more, and the breed has known health issues that can mean extra vet visits.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Mastiffs and Mastiff crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.