My Mastiff, Bella, ALWAYS looked to where I was pointing. Other dogs just looked at my hand.
My dog is part lab, part pointer, and all stupid. When I point he just licks my finger. He is like Odie from Garfield. Very lovable, but dumb as rocks.
My golden, when out on the trails hiking, would run like hell up to the next fork in the trail, and wait. I would simply point the direction I wanted him to go, and off he went.
I’d call him a golden retriever, but more accurately he would be called a golden retrie.
You know, swim like crazy to get the stick, and bring it back just far enough out of reach in the water that I couldn’t get it. God I loved that dog. Only made to 5 before cancer got him.
The Chinese say “When the finger points at the moon, the fool looks at the finger”.
Looks like your Bella is no fool! ;)
I have one of those dry-mouth American Mastiffs that Flying W Farms developed, smartest dog I ever owned. Click on my screen name to see a photo of him 2-3 years ago. He’s much larger now, still slim though, for a mastiff. 225 pounds of slim.
He took to hand gestures right away, seldom any need to speak to him, although he does try to “talk” when he wants something. He’ll toss his head toward what he wants—leash walk, treat, supper, outside in the back yard, whatever. I follow, he indicates. We trained each other.
One person dog, though. Won’t eat when I’m not there, or even drink water. After I got out of the hospital once, I had to feed him with a spoon to get him started up again.
I am heading out of the office in a couple of minutes to go pick up my new Mastiff puppy. Got about a 4 hour drive to get there.
My wife and I are really excited about getting our new baby. We did alot of research about breeds and I think she is gonna fit in great. We have an English Bulldog now who we love dearly and their temperament and energy level seem very similar. We wanted a dog with that disposition but that would also be a good guard dog and I think we made the right choice.
Any advice you have for a first time Mastiff owner would be greatly appreciated. Big Red Clay