Hi all!
I'm hoping for some advice, my girlfriend and I have been concidering getting a dog (well actually she has been trying to persuade me to) :-) and we have been offered a pup from somebody that's expecting a litter.
Here's the dilemma:
The bitch is a Doberman and the dog is a French bullmastiff.

I would like some advice from experienced breeders/handlers/owners etc to let me know your thoughts on temperament etc that can be expected from these pups. Anyone come across this mix before?
We have a 10 month old girl so this is where my main concern lies.

From asking around I think we can expect a nice looking, friendly family orientated large dog?
Any thoughts appreciated

Ps please do not give me abuse regarding breeding ethics or for crossing these two breeds I do understand this but please remember- I have been offered a pup (for free) and am not responsible for the breeding :-)

Thanks
Gazz

I only have experiences with dobes, never met a French bull mastiff. IMO, they can be the best dog in the world, or the worst.

Pros:
Very smart and trainable (eager to please)
Athletic
Barley shed
Beautiful to look at
Couch potatoes in the house
Medium size
Great at working sports/agillty
Very playful

Cons
Can't be left alone for long periods of time
Need constant stimulation and training
High energy
Need LOTS of socialisation early on
Prone to temperament/health issues from bad breeding
Require a firm but fair hand
Not good first time dog
Play rough wih other dogs

I would say its really important everyone in the house is 100% on board with getting the dog, as they take alot of work. I would also go for a male, as same sex aggression is a problem in the breed.

My own personal preference, but I would wait until you 10 month is older too.

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I personally wouldn't take the pup, because you just don't know what to expect and I wouldn't want the heartbreak in a couple of years time ending up with a dog that I maybe couldn't cope with and just didn't want. That probably sounds awful, but if you're first time dog owners, you maybe won't be quite as prepared for training as you think you are, I know I wasn't, and if you read through the training section, you'll see plenty of other puppy owners who weren't, and struggle with *known* quantities

If you do decide to go for it, I'd suggest you get good insurance, and find a good dog trainer to help you learn the handling skills you'll need for such a big dog.

I know you said you didn't want to hear this, but I am going to say this anyway:
I wouldn't take the pup because of its background. The cross is unpredictable in the sense that you have no idea what you are getting. You could get a pup with the best of the 2 breeds, in which case you'll end up with a fabulous dog. Similarly, you could end up with a dog that is hard to handle for a first-time dog owner.
Also, I find it irresponsible to let a Dobe bitch have Mastiff X pups, so anybody who'd put their bitch in danger like that, I wouldn't touch with a barge pole (I hope they have the emergency vets number at hand, should the bitch need a c section).
DON'T be tempted because the puppy is free. You might well end up spending the prize of a good puppy at the vet's for health problems the pup might have inherited. (I'm assuming no health testing has been done)
Furthermore, since you need persuading, DON'T do it. Both your hearts need to be in it, especially for a pup of that size.
Re the baby thing: I've done it with a smaller puppy (Staffie) and it is doable, but it is VERY hard!

My advice: Wait, do your research and good luck finding the right dog for you.

There's no such breed as a French Bullmastiff. If the breeder doesn't even know the correct names of the breeds involved then that does not bode well IMO. Personally I would avoid completely.

Avoid. You cannot know the health background of the pup as it is cross and God only knows what will be thrown up in the future-there are no certainties. With a very young child, I'd be tempted to advise that you look for something later and something smaller-it sounds like it's going to be very big very quickly.

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Transplanted Geordie
RIP Jake, my best dog. 10.8.10
RIP Boomerang, beautiful horse. 27.5.08

Nobody is going to give you abuse; you are not the one breeding them are you?

I am glad you said that - I have never heard of such a breed either. I have heard of a French bulldog, perhaps that is the breed.

My own personal opinion is that this is not a dog for a first time owner, especially not one with a baby to consider. A good breeder will maintain the health of the line and breed for temperament - that should be your priority when you have a young child in the house, temperament.

Also, as said, you are talking about two breeds with known susceptibility to health issues. You could end up spending a fortune on vet bills, not to mention the heartache that goes with debilitating illnesses.

If you really want a dog, look for a breed with a good temperament, one that is well known to love kids. Newfoundlands love kids, but they are much too big and hairy for most people's taste. A non working golden retriever or labrador would be good so long as you have the time for it. Or a smaller dog like a Bichon.

In your position, I would not touch these puppies.

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I didn't even see the "French" bit. I am assuming we are talking DDB in this cross?

If you google french bullmastiff it comes up as an alternative name for the DDB.

I wouldn`t advise getting such a large x - of unknown quantities with a 10 month old either.

The free price tag means nothing when it could be at the cost of your child - just wouldn`t take the chance at this point. This however is just my personal opinion as I don`t particularly know either of these breeds well enough to guess at the potential temperament of any offspring

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I thought French bullmastiff is another name for Dogue de Bordeaux, much like Alsation being the no-longer correct name for German Shepherd? I don't know though, no experience with the breed

If the breeder if irresponsible enough to breed ther two dogs anyway, I certainly wouldnt expect them to get the correct name for the dog!

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