I feed a raw diet and a firm
believer that Mastiffs in particular thrive on this diet. I think
they reach their full potential with size and substance by being fed
what they would naturally in the wild be consuming. I also feel they
age slower and grey later in life on the Raw diet. Raw is a great
way to keep allergies down and help alleviate arthritis pain. They
keep healthy white teeth that have very little bad breath, less
shedding but most of all they smell so much better on Raw. Dog food
fed mastiffs smell like they are rotting from the inside out to me.
I didn't quite realize the major odor difference until recently.
Their stools are tiny and very firm because they actually use almost
all of what they eat so therefore they don't pass horse size stools.
Magi Mastiffs considers itself to be a new age breeder. By this I
mean that I have breeding philosophies that are not the typical
breeder’s way of thought. I have done a lot of research on genetics
and believe strongly in trying to produce a mastiff with a long life
span. Size is extremely important to me and is hopefully going to be
my signature. I believe a mastiff is massive and powerful with a
personality that is confident yet cautious and would defend his
family at any cost. I want my mastiffs to exude strength and
soundness. I have incorporated what I believe are the strongest and
best American and English lines. I have strong Iron Hills, Greiner
Hall, Lionhearted and WileyWays lines. I have picked each line
carefully and hopefully they will blend the best of each one's line
to make what I believe a True English Mastiff should be. There is a
lot of health testing behind all of these lines and I hope that I
will also be incorporating longevity in my breeding program. I will
be doing mostly outcrosses in the next couple of years. By this I
mean that you can have two completely different lines that have
similar phenotype so that you know what you will produce. People
line breed because they like the known factor and consistency in a
litter is always nice. With my research I have come to be a firm
believer that line breeding is not the healthiest way to breed. You
double on all your faults as well as weakness and sometimes your
faults lay hidden and are only exposed when it is too late. For this
reason I am a very firm believer that outcrosses produce healthier,
sounder, longer living mastiffs and this is my focus. I hopefully
will also have consistency because all of my foundation lines are
similar in type. This is the phenotype that I will be incorporating.
I hope to make a genuine positive difference in the mastiff breed.
They are my passion in life and the 7 years that I have been
involved in the breed has been full of sorrow and disappointment.
Most breeders would have skipped out with all the things that have
gone wrong but my pure heart has kept me striving to learn more and
drive me to devote my life to these awesome guys. Once you are owned
by a mastiff you will never be without one. I warn those of you who
are not yet mastiff owners that they are addicting. I want to have a
very open and honest relationship with the families that are getting
a mastiff from me and I want to let you know all the bad things
first and if you are still interested than I probably can help you
out. Mastiffs shed 365 days a year and they are a very smelly breed.
They fart and slobber and have nasty googly eye boogers that get on
your hands, face and clothes. They have horrible farts and if fed
dog food have massive poops. They often suffer from separation
anxiety and can be pretty destructive. They can eat your bed, car
seats, doors, sofas and more or less anything. Vet bills are always
triple the amount because you weigh a lot and need extra antibiotics
and anesthesia because of your weight. Finding a vet that is
knowledgeable in mastiffs is very tricky because they are really an
altogether different species. You need to a lot of research
regarding anesthesia because some can be deadly. Mastiffs have a
much slower heartbeat and metabolism so certain things affect this
and can have massive effects. Their weight does not dictate the
amount of drugs needed so they can be overdosed easily. It is
important to feed your mastiff a correct amount of fat and protein
and certain supplements should be completely avoided. If you grow a
mastiff to fast you will damage the skeletal structure and if you
deprive him of needed fat you could also hurt him. Mastiffs are the
Ferrari of the dog breed, they are not for everyone. Not all
mastiffs love children and are gentle. Socialization and proper
training are essential in getting a well mannered gentle and
trustworthy mastiff. I can not stress the importance on thorough
research and really getting to know your breeder and how they raise
the pups and how they will stand behind their puppies. Do not rush
out and impulsively buy a mastiff because of how cute they are. A
cheap mastiff is usually a bad sign, this breed is very expensive
and needs a breeder who does health testing of PRA, Hips and Elbows
at a minimum. A cheap puppy today can end up with a lot of vet bills
down the road and therefore not be a bargain at all.
I believe breeding a well balanced mastiff takes using all available
tools and resources. I do a minimum of PRA, OFA and OFEL plus
regularly do much more testing but do not let this be my primary way
of selecting breeding stock. Many mastiffs can pass OFA and OFEL but
have no business being bred because they do not represent the breed
correctly. If a mastiff exhibits extremely great size and type and
temperament but doesn't pass all tests I will not eliminate him or
her. I will let that be a guide and make sure I use them with a mate
that is extra sound and compliments them in all other areas. I will
also follow their offspring closely to make sure this is not being
passed on.
I take breeding very seriously and spend countless hours studying
pedigrees and looking to see what lines consistently produce well
together. I am hear if you need a few questions answered or just
want to chat. I am a breeder of quality not quantity and breed to
better the breed. I want my puppies in family homes and select show
homes. Hopefully I will do this wonderful breed proud and make a
lasting difference