Dog Door advice for Shih Tzu/Bullmastiff

Det Somerset

Hello,

I'm moving into a new house in a few weeks. We have three shih tzus and want to install a dog door in the rear (pvc) door of the house so they can go in and out to do their business. However we are also planning to get a Bullmastiff in the foreseeable future for additional security, so I'm trying to find out if there is a door size/type suitable for the shih tzus now but wouldn't be too small or weak for a Bullmastiff in the future.

Any suggestions or similar experiences of doors for different sized dogs?

Thanks in advance

Inexile

At first I thought you had a crossbreed

Think you will have to go with a dog door suitable for the mastiff unless you have room for two. The actual doors are light enough so the Shih tzus should be able to go through them easily enough.

If you are going with a large dog door you may need to check your insurance policy as if its big enough for a mastiff to go through its big enough for a person. But maybe no one would want to meet a bullmastiff while crawling on their hands and knees!

btw - not sure what you mean by security and I don't know much about the breed but are bullmastiffs good guard dogs or just look it?

Det Somerset

Inexile wrote: »

At first I thought you had a crossbreed

Think you will have to go with a dog door suitable for the mastiff unless you have room for two. The actual doors are light enough so the Shih tzus should be able to go through them easily enough.

If you are going with a large dog door you may need to check your insurance policy as if its big enough for a mastiff to go through its big enough for a person. But maybe no one would want to meet a bullmastiff while crawling on their hands and knees!

btw - not sure what you mean by security and I don't know much about the breed but are bullmastiffs good guard dogs or just look it?

Thanks for your thoughts

The aspect of having a door big enough for someone to crawl through is a concern alright. I don't see it as problem if we have the Bullmastiff, but if we don't initially it is a security risk, so maybe that's the answer I need for now ... ie stick with a small door until it's time to 'upgrade'.

As for Bullmastiffs, my understanding is that they are excellent house protectors, as they are relatively docile until they perceive a threat and then they will be very aggressive which sounds exactly like what we'd want.

ShaShaBear

Det Somerset wrote: »

Thanks for your thoughts

The aspect of having a door big enough for someone to crawl through is a concern alright. I don't see it as problem if we have the Bullmastiff, but if we don't initially it is a security risk, so maybe that's the answer I need for now ... ie stick with a small door until it's time to 'upgrade'.

As for Bullmastiffs, my understanding is that they are excellent house protectors, as they are relatively docile until they perceive a threat and then they will be very aggressive which sounds exactly like what we'd want.

The trick there is making sure they correctly percieve a threat, and don't just get aggressive for the sake of it.
I've always been skeptical of any protective dog, as I feel if someone managed to get into my house, they'd be equipped to take out a dog that appeared aggressive. And I would rather they empty the house than touch my dog.

DBB

I'm not saying this'll work for you op, but I will tell you what happens here with the dog flap.
I had it installed for the two dogs I had at the time: a Westie and a Cocker x Shih Tsu, who is the size of a small Cocker. The flap is recommended for dogs up to Cocker size, and is big enough for a small child to climb through.
But then I got a young adult GSD. And she learned to get through it by perfecting a hilarious series of contortions... It's quite genius actually! She's pretty big at 40kg.
So, it's possible that your Mastiff pup would learn to do it when he's still small, and continue to do it, albeit using a higher form of gymnastics, when he gets bigger :-D

jimf

a friend of mine has 2 bullmastiffs you would be more likely licked to death that bitten their the most docile dogs ive ever met

TooManyDogs

I have a dog flap to fit a labrador and my 3 kg terrier also has to use the same door. The difficulty we had in fitting it was deciding what height to put it in at so the big dogs didn't have to crawl through. In the end we put the height to suit the labrador and put in a step in on either side for the terrier to use to get in and out

bluecherry74

DBB wrote: »

The flap is recommended for dogs up to Cocker size, and is big enough for a small child to climb through.
But then I got a young adult GSD. And she learned to get through it by perfecting a hilarious series of contortions... It's quite genius actually! She's pretty big at 40kg.

I had a catflap on the door of my old shed and when I first got Jess, my English Setter pup, she could squeeze through it - she weighed about 10kg at the time! I remember coming home from work and going into a blind panic when she wasn't in the garden. I eventually looked at the cat flap and thought 'nah... there's no way'. But she'd squeezed in there somehow and was fast asleep, oblivious to the fact that I'd been running round the garden shrieking (she's deaf).

Don't let the slobber fool ye;), bullmastiffs are big cuddly fantastic pets and companions but with the added ability of taking cars of business (in a style unmatched by any other guarding breeds) which should be respected and never be underestimated.

Although not known as biters(only breed i'v had that didn't mouth me as pups) they are very powerful and will launch themselves through the air at any perceived threat, this is a inherent ability they have and I can only describe it as them throwing a switch from soft fluffy pet to powerful protector.

Anyone thinking of getting a bullmastiff will need to socialise their puppy bullmastiff as much as possible to desensitise the guarding instinct(there's nothing more embarrassing than having your bully jump in front of you to protect you from a angry salt bin)

Quick storys, I had sheep come through my front door(uninvited) my big fella ran from the kitchen flew through the air and barrelled the sheep out the door and shouldered them out the drive, not once did he bite them.

My reflection in the French window caused my big fella to fly through the air passing me at high speed to deal with my pesky reflection, DOH...

As for a dog flap, you must take into account their lack of flexibility in later life and fitting a flap is one thing getting them to use it is another, they have their own minds and I have often stood in the street beside a sitting lazy bullmastiff waiting for them to decide when they want to continue with our walk.

Det Somerset

Det Somerset wrote: »

Thanks for your thoughts

The aspect of having a door big enough for someone to crawl through is a concern alright. I don't see it as problem if we have the Bullmastiff, but if we don't initially it is a security risk, so maybe that's the answer I need for now ... ie stick with a small door until it's time to 'upgrade'.

As for Bullmastiffs, my understanding is that they are excellent house protectors, as they are relatively docile until they perceive a threat and then they will be very aggressive which sounds exactly like what we'd want.

I would not describe them as aggressive they're more like bouncers with a job to do and their very mission focused and will stand down very quickly once things have been delt with.

Have a look at the link for further breed info:http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/login.php?redirect=viewforum.php&f=2&start=0&sid=c72445a5dd5eed204651fe5fe62fd54f&mforum=bullmastiffforu

Det Somerset

gary71 wrote: »

I would not describe them as aggressive they're more like bouncers with a job to do and their very mission focused and will stand down very quickly once things have been delt with.

Have a look at the link for further breed info:http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/login.php?redirect=viewforum.php&f=2&start=0&sid=c72445a5dd5eed204651fe5fe62fd54f&mforum=bullmastiffforu

*very* aggressive is probably the wrong term to use, but it is my understanding that if an intruder broke in to the house, the bullmastiff would instinctively attack them with force without hesitation if it was allowed to. To me that's very aggressive, but I appreciate it may not be in the wider world of attack breeds.

Going off the original point somewhat, would you foresee any difficulties with bringing a BM pup into a house of three shih tzus? I presume the usual care when introducing new dogs into a house of existing dogs would be sufficient but would greater efforts be required when a BM is involved?

Det Somerset

Det Somerset wrote: »

Going off the original point somewhat, would you foresee any difficulties with bringing a BM pup into a house of three shih tzus? I presume the usual care when introducing new dogs into a house of existing dogs would be sufficient but would greater efforts be required when a BM is involved?

My sister has a Yorkie who bosses(terrorises) my two bullies, bullies are quite laid back dogs and tend to lie down to do a bit of pondering when things get to busy for them.

They are big powerful dogs but they don't know they are big and powerful(my bitch snapped my ankle causing me to have the shortest police career in history) having such a big dog around smaller dogs I would think it would be handy to have a place (couch)for the bully to go to get away from it all.

unlike a lot of dogs bully's can be alert at night, my two liked to patrol at night leading to quite a few power naps during the day.

If you check out the link in my last post you will find a lot of bully owners who could give you more varied experiences than my own, Gary.