My Dog Spike.

    My dog Spike, is a 2 year old Mastiff. We have owned him for about 7-8 months now. He weighs 150 pounds and when he stands on his back legs, measures to 6 feet. He is a minature horse. We have 5 small children from the ages of 3 to 8 and he adores all of them. He allows our kids to climb on him, try to "ride" him, and he just accepts it. In fact, he loves it!  He is a sweet, lovable, very playful dog. He loves our cat and is always trying to play with her.
    I wouldn;t trade my dog for anything or anyone. He is a great watch dog. Always lets us know if someone is in the yard or at the front door. He's never hurt anyone although there has been a few kid's toys that have been maimed on account of Spike!
For anyone who is looking for a big dog to add as a family pet, I would definitly reccomend a Mastiff. You need to have the room for them as they need a lot of exercise and room to play. They are far from "small - medium dog". They are an extra large breed for sure. They are very loyal to their owners and Spike seems to know when it's time to settle not and just relax for the night. He dosen't always demand attention, and is content to play by himself at times. They do get a little anxious being alone, they'd be best in a kennel or closed off area of your house when you leave home. Or maybe that's just how my dog is because we got him as a older dog and not a puppy, maybe he just wasn't trained to be alone.