Breed trainability
Are Mastiffs hard to train?
We get asked this both ways, whether a Mastiff is easy to train or hard, and our answer is the same. In our experience, many Mastiffs will learn sit, down and place readily, and some will lie down on the sidewalk once they have decided the walk is over. That is a lot of dog to persuade. What follows is where the size changes the job, and what we suggest doing about it early.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
Size and certainty
Easy to teach a cue, hard to move a decision.
Start with what often goes right. Many Mastiffs are settled indoors, slow to react, and not looking for a job. Many pick up a cue without endless repetition, and bolting is not the usual complaint. The hard part is the same temperament pointed the other way. When a Mastiff decides the vet's parking lot is a bad idea, the handler is negotiating with a dog nobody can lift, and negotiation is not training. None of that is a rule for every dog.
Two traits shape the timeline for many Mastiffs. Maturity tends to be slow, so the goofy adolescent phase can run long, and the guarding side often shows up later than owners expect, sometimes after habits with strangers have set. The planting is real in many individuals, though we see it as a decision already made, not a fight. What we would not claim is that a cue taught once stays for life, or that a calm puppy settles the question of the adult.
- Often settled indoors, slow to react
- Planting on walks, not fighting
- Guarding may arrive with maturity
- Leash manners before full size
Leash and doorway
Loose leash before full weight, a door plan before winter guests.
The first project we suggest is the leash, and in Calgary it is about safety. A giant dog leaning into the lead on an icy sidewalk can pull a person off their feet, so loose-leash walking is worth teaching while the puppy weighs less than the handler. The second project is the front door, where winter visitors arrive after dark and a guardian breed tends to notice. Teaching the dog to wait on a mat while guests come in builds the habit early.
Puppy Fundamentals is a three-week board and train at $2,775 plus GST, working on crate comfort, leash manners and structured socialization. On-Leash Foundations is a two-week board and train at $1,865 plus GST for loose-leash walking, heel and place around everyday distractions. Growling at guests does not automatically mean Behaviour Rehab; that program begins with a full assessment and is customized from there. The recommendation comes out of the consultation, and when a smaller program is enough, that is the one we suggest.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Are Mastiffs easy to train?
In the sense of learning cues, many are, though no two dogs learn at the same rate. The difficulty we see more often is physical and situational: getting a dog that size to go where it has decided not to go. That is why we treat the leash as the first project.
Are English Mastiffs stubborn?
Many show it in a specific way, as planting rather than fighting, and we take that as a decision made before the handler made one. We would not call it defiance. Clear, early, rewarded practice gives the dog a better decision to make, at its own pace.
Are Mastiffs good first dogs?
They can be, for a first-time owner who is realistic about strength and space. We find the temperament of many Mastiffs forgiving, but the size means leash and door manners cannot wait for the dog to grow. Puppy training is a start, not a promise about the adult.
Can Mastiffs be trained?
Yes, and in our experience often more readily than the reputation suggests. Everything at Northline K9 is one-on-one, which suits a breed that does not need group energy to learn. Adults with established habits can still learn, and we simply plan for the strength involved and the dog's own pace.
How do I stop my Mastiff pulling on the leash?
We suggest starting loose-leash work while the dog is still small enough to manage, on short routes with rewards for slack in the lead. For an adult that already drags, On-Leash Foundations is our two-week board and train at $1,865 plus GST, and the consultation is where we decide whether it fits.
Keep reading
Big dog, early start.
Puppy or already pulling, the next step is the same. Book a consultation and we will recommend what fits, or something smaller.
From real owners
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