Mastiffs are docile, dignified and patient, lovable companions. Dogs known as mastiffs have been known around the world for thousands of years. Surviving evidence from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, and Tibet all bear traces of ferocious giant canines classified as mastiffs. (The American Kennel Club)
I love dogs. I like big dogs too, but I’ve never wanted a huge dog. My daughter-in-law had a different idea. She always wanted an English Mastiff and when a friend needed a new home for his beautiful Mastiff, she got her wish. Waylon was about three when he joined the family. I think at the time, that made their dog count three. They had an Australian shepherd mix and a wirehaired dachshund. Waylon fit right in and didn’t let the Australian shepherd’s less than thrilled welcome bother him. The little dachshund loved him. And of course all the kids loved him. Since the youngest child was past crib age, they gave Waylon the baby bed mattress. He had lived in a barn up until they adopted him. So, he was more than happy to take up space in their living room and be part of the action.
He was big. And lovable. And dignified, just like the AKC said. He lumbered when he walked, but he could run when he wanted to. I kept him when his family went on trips and if he saw a rabbit, he wasn’t above chasing after it. Once a poor little fawn got caught in our fence when it tried to run away from the dogs. I had Oscar at the time and I shoved him in the house not sure what I would find when I went back out to see about the little deer and Waylon. He was standing there watching it. I think if he had been able he would have helped me work the fawn free of the fence. He seemed satisfied when he ran off.
I kept Waylon for months once when my son was selling his house and then remodeling their new house. My daughter-in-law said there was no way they could show their house to potential buyers with Waylon there. Most people like dogs, but a dog the size of a small horse can make you take a step back. Plus, as lovable as he was, he did shed copiously and he had a way of shaking his head after he got a drink and distributing his saliva on the ceiling. Somebody once told me that was called slingers. A perfect word for them.
Darrell grew up with hunting dogs and he’s not a big fan of dogs in the house. But he’s been a good sport about how I do like my furry buddies in the house with me. And of course, Waylon when he came to visit wouldn’t have understood if we’d shoved him outside. However, he did have a way of taking up floor space. This picture was Darrell’s idea. Not Waylon’s or mine. But we’ve gotten a lot of smiles out of it.
Waylon loved the kids and the kids loved him. He made a good pillow for television watching time and a great lion to compliment my granddaughter’s Dorothy costume one Halloween. I’m sure she got extra candy that night and Waylon got a few doggie treats.
Waylon was always nicely behaved when he came to visit whether it was for a day, a week or a month. But he did look at you when you asked him to come or do whatever as if he knew you couldn’t make him do it. But then you could almost see his doggie sigh as he would come back to you. He also had a way of trying to keep you close. When I would visit at his house and get up to go home, he would move in front of me and just stand there. Well, he might push a little to urge me back toward my chair to stay a little longer.
Last summer was the last time I kept him when his family was on a trip. He lay down and didn’t move for a whole day. Wouldn’t eat. Wouldn’t drink. Wouldn’t go outside. Let me and Frankie and Marley step over and around him. All day long. The poor dear was grieving for his family. But the second morning, he got up, shook off his stiff joints, ate his kibble and was ready to be my dog for a few days.
But as someone once said, the only fault a dog has is not living very long. Waylon made it to around eleven which isn’t bad for a big dog like him, but then he started losing weight. They fed him his favorite foods and still he lost weight. Cancer had found a foothold in him. Eventually he was falling when he tried to stand up and they made the difficult decision to stop his suffering and let him go on over the rainbow bridge. I went to see him on that last day. He was glad to see me, wagged his tail and listened to me tell him that he was a very good dog. He, of course, already knew that was true.
Look at this face. You had to love him and everybody who met him did.
Here’s an interesting fact about Mastiffs I found on the AKC site. At the end of World War II, England stood victorious but depleted. It was estimated that only 14 Mastiffs survived in the entire country. The Mastiff population was rebuilt with the help of U.S. breeders who exported specimens from good British stock back to the mother country. Today’s Mastiff is more docile and friendly than his ancient forebears, but no less courageous. If you’re intereseted you can find out more about their history here.
Have you ever known a really big dog like Waylon?
Comments 18
What a great tribute to Waylon and terrific pictures-thank you for sharing! I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing a Mastiff in person. Largest dog I’ve been around was my brother in law’s Great Dane-that was a big dog but short haired so I don’t think he shed if at all. Thank you for sharing. 😊
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I’ve seen Great Danes in pictures and in cars. They are huge, but huge in a different way than Waylon or Mastiffs. But aren’t dogs the most wonderful animals that go from teacup size to extra extra large? And each breed has special good parts.
When my son got his Mastiff I was a little bit leery of her she was so big, but now I love her she always has to have her paw on me. The only drawback is the drool and it seems like I always have on black pants when I see her, they don’t look to good with shiny drool on them, but I still love her.
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I always tried to remember to pass on the black pants when I was going to be around Waylon and cared about how I looked, Donna Jean. The drool happens. LOL. Sometimes the girls would get a paper towel and mop up Waylon’s mouth after he got a drink when they had company who cringed at the sight of drool. As I said in a comment earlier about a neighbor’s St. Bernard that liked to share some drool with me, I decided I could wash my jeans. Having Roxie as a friend was worth a little extra laundry. So was Waylon, and I’m sure you think the same about your Mastiff friend.
I haven’t known any huge dogs like Waylon, but he looks like he was a great dog. I’m glad he got to have the love from you and his family for the greater part of his life. He was a lucky dog.
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He was a lucky dog, Connie, and very happy with his family and all their friends. Waylon is the only English mastiff I’ve ever met. Frankie is big enough. Well, a little too big. When I got Frankie at the humane shelter they told me he was 2 years old. He weighed in at 55 pounds. About the size I wanted. Now he weighs 100 pounds. He obviously was still a pup when I got him, but that’s okay. He can be a rascal but he’s here to stay.
I would have loved to meet Waylon. Our dog was Bear. He looked so much like a little bear cub when we got him so his name came easily. He left us last December. In his prime he weighed about a hundred pounds. He was Newfoundland and Black Lab with something else mixed in, most possibly mule. From day one at our house, even though he was the litter runt, he decided he was in charge. He lived nearly sixteen years and will live on in our memories much longer than that.
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I liked that part mule, Susan. LOL. Bear sounds like he was a great dog and sixteen years is a ripe old age for any dog and especially a big boy like him. I almost got a Newfoundland once. Someone was looking for a home for him, but they decided to give him to someone else. So I missed out. They are such pretty dogs.
I sometimes think I should have named Frankie Bear since he sometimes masquerades as one and gives people a start when he charges out of the bushes in front of them in the woods. He did that to our neighbor once and to the guy who has the cows here on the farm. Luckily, they saw he was just friendly Frankie and didn’t go into cardiac arrest. LOL. Frankie weighs a hundred pounds now although I’m trying to get him to lose down to his fighting weight of 94 or so.
Our sweet buddies do live on in our memories, for sure.
Years ago a beautiful part collie St Bernard showed up at our house. Finally found where he came from but to make a long story short he had found his new forever home.
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I’ve got a feeling from that long story made short, Janice, that your collie St Bernard found a great place to be.
Starting a Monday almost in tears! I remember you posting the picture with Waylon and your husband. I think we all wish our fur babies would live a lot longer than they do. I have all cats now but have loved some sweet dogs over the years too. Growing up we had a Great Dane named Magoo. He was so sweet but his size and probably the fact that he was all black with one white patch at his chest, scared people and we had more than one person bolt back out the door when they saw him. He never would have hurt anyone unless they tried to hurt one of us. I remember going to the library as a kid and reading the Marmaduke books and laughing when I would see things that Magoo actually had done. One of his funniest though was when he tried to sit on the couch with his hips sideways and all four paws on the floor. The first time he did that, my grandparents were visiting, and my mom told him to sit, and he did—right between them on the couch! 🙂
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That’s funny, Hope. I guess your grandparents had to make room. LOL.
I’ve had to say goodbye to many sweet pets. Some of my own and some that belonged to my kids and grandkids and sometimes the neighbors’ dogs too. I do get attached to those furry guys. But while we would have loved for Waylon to live a little longer, the same as I really wised for more years with Oscar a few years back, both Waylon and Oscar had good lives and were well loved. Waylon couldn’t have landed in a better place. In fact, the family missed him so much, they found an English mastiff pup to bring home. You can’t replace a beloved dog, but you can start loving a new one.
What a great story! Waylon was indeed a good ole boy! Furbabies surely are family members and claim a chunk of our hearts. I love that picture of Darrel with Waylon…cute!
My sister’s grandson rescued a pup a few years ago. They thought he was mostly chocolate lab. But as Charlie grew, they realized he was even bigger than most Labradors. Turns out he’s part Mastiff. He’s a gentle giant too.
Have a great week, Ann 🙂
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Sometimes when you rescue a pup you can get a surprise, Lavon. And maybe a blessing too. That happened when I found Frankie at the Humane Shelter. They thought he was grown. But he added on 40 more pounds after I brought him home. He was still a pup. Well, a teenage pup. But I wouldn’t change him for anything now even if he has been a challenge at times.
What a beautiful dog! It is a happy story. My parents adopted a grown Great Dane. Yep, I sat many a time on the couch with Ben seated right beside me, his backside on the seat of the couch and his feet on the ground!
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Waylon couldn’t do that, Karen. His legs weren’t as long as a Great Dane. Those guys are tall as well as big. But that is some picture, your dog sitting beside you and not stretched out on the couch. I’ve never been around a Great Dane although my son-in-law talked about how having one might be fun. So, who knows? Maybe I’ll get to know a Great Dane someday.
I LOVED your dog story. I have only had big dogs, not little dogs. Of course, I haven’t had a dog as big as this. Thanks for the memories.
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I’m like you, Susan. All my dogs have been bigger breeds, but nothing as big as Waylon or a St. Bernard. I did have a neighbor St. Bernard that love to go walking with me. I learned about slingers with him and finally decided I had a washing machine. I could wash my jeans. So, I just let her come close. Loved Roxie. She died on one of our walks. Must have had a heart attack.