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TxMex

Oct 31, 2011, 5:55 PM

Post #1 of 6 (1243 views)

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Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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I'm going to be coming down to Mexico some time in December or January. I'm thinking about bringing my big dog with me. She is an Italian Mastiff, She is still growing and weighs about 95 pounds. She is a dark brindle color. She's been spayed and is the biggest, gentlest wanna-be lap dog you are ever likely to meet. However, she looks like she might rip your head off and then disassemble the rest of you at her leisure. Absolutely the most obedient dog I've ever had....even under stressful/tempting situations.

I know that most folks in Mexico will be afraid of her. Heck most people here NOB are afraid of her. I'd like to hear from others that have taken GRANDE dogs into Mexico. What have been your experiences?

And yes, the fact that I'm going to be a woman traveling by myself....I'm hoping she will make potential trouble makers think twice. I'd miss her terribly if I left her behind, but will do so if it will be best for her.

chinagringo

Oct 31, 2011, 6:10 PM

Post #2 of 6 (1234 views)

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Re: [TxMex] Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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You should contact "Vichil" on this forum. They had more than one Mastiff and should be able to provide advice.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Vichil

Oct 31, 2011, 8:51 PM

Post #3 of 6 (1208 views)

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Re: [TxMex] Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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When we came to Mexico with a Neapolitan mastiff that did not like people and two Bordeaux´s. The first thing that happened in Nogales is that we got several offers to buy our dogs to fight them. The guys that approached us were nice to us but not the type you would have wanted to meet on a dark street. Then in Culiuacan the same thing happened. These dogs attracts people who are not part of the nicest group I have ever met.
The rest of the population was very afraid of them except for one foreigner who decided they were beautiful and tried to pet the Neapolitano by putting his hand inside the car, he almost lost his hand...
Make sure you have a kennel with you when you try to get into a hotel to reassure the hotel staff that no one will be attacked. People wer scared of coming into the room even when the dogs were caged up.
The appearance of the dog protects you against people in general but the dog will also attract the attention of people who like to fight dogs, not the best crowd in general.

TxMex

Nov 1, 2011, 5:40 AM

Post #4 of 6 (1185 views)

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Re: [Vichil] Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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I hadn't thought about the dog fighting thing. That is one of the things that I find reprehensible about Mexico is the dog and rooster fighting. Do you think someone would try to steal her? Here NOB I had 2 staffordshire terriers stolen for fighting.

I'll be renting a place when I get there. Any problems with renting with a big dog? Thanks for the info!

Vichil

Nov 1, 2011, 4:16 PM

Post #5 of 6 (1120 views)

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Re: [TxMex] Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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There are places that accept pets but not nearly as many as places that do not. We had bought a house when we arrived with the gang so I never looked for rentals. I would think you stand a better chance if you look for an unfurnished place. It also depends on where you are looking.
No one ever tried to steal our dogs, we were offered money but no one ever tried to steal them. They were not puppies and were not friendly to strangers so it probably protected them. Most people stayed at a respectful distance from them and that was ok with us.

Grieger-Lods

Nov 3, 2011, 10:44 AM

Post #6 of 6 (1032 views)

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Re: [TxMex] Anybody travel with a Mastiff?

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We live in the southeast section of Puebla, Puebla. We moved here over a year ago with a dog and three cats. In our section of the city we see many different types and sizes of dogs. One of our neighbors has a Great Dane. Some yards are large and we were fortunate to rent a home surrounded by a tall hedge with a cyclone fence embedded in it. We, too, were worried about the reception of our pets. Our landlord assured us that we would not have any problems. He was right. Most of our neighbors have dogs and a few have cats, too. They are either walked on leash or kept in fenced yards. Our colonia also includes several very well maintained parks. Houses to rent are available throughout the city and there are a few available here also. We found our house on
www.vivastreet.com We also bought our car from that site. To learn more about Puebla you can go to www.allaboutpuebla.com The author is an American married to a Mexican and she does a remarkable job of writing the blog. This is a big city with many universities and schools. The state just declared that every child will be bilingual in English by 2020. The program starts next year in kindergarten. So, for native English speakers who can teach English, there may be more opportunities here. Puebla has a lot of industry including VW and several other auto manufacturers. People who live here come from all over the world. We have an ex-pat group group and have made some nice friends from among the members as well our neighbors. I rarely see Americans during my daily travels. Good luck in your search!