The Neapolitan Mastiff is a powerful dog with a large head and nose, heavy lips, deep set eyes and loose skin. It is a very intelligent, easy-going and loyal breed of dog. The mastiff rarely barks, loves human companionship and is gentle with family members and children. The dogs do have natural protective instincts, and are wary of strangers. The mastiff may be aggressive toward other dogs; it should be well socialized and raised with other dogs from puppyhood. Early training is imperative if you wish your Neapolitan Mastiff to be a well-mannered member of the family.
Training your Neapolitan mastiff should begin with housebreaking and basic obedience. Housebreak your Neapolitan mastiff through crate training. Provide a crate just large enough for your puppy to sleep in, with a little room for growth; this is a quick-growing, large breed of dog. The puppy will not normally soil where it sleeps. Place a blanket or dog bed for comfort inside the crate. It is best to place the crate in an area around the family, but away from vents and drafts.
Walk the puppy as soon as you arise each morning, after each feeding, before bedtime, before leaving your dog alone and whenever the puppy seems restless or bored. This intelligent breed will quickly understand that it should only urinate and defecate outside.
Begin basic commands with your puppy on a leash. Keep the leash loose while standing in front of your puppy with a treat. Enticing with a treat and saying the command “come” while slightly tugging on the leash should get your puppy to walk to you. Along with handing the treat to your pup, be sure to use a lot of praise. This breed loves to please its owner.
Use a clicker for basic commands, and use one-word commands. Start with the “sit” command. Hold the clicker in your hand behind your back; hold a treat in the other hand. Tell the puppy to sit, and pull up slightly on the leash. You may need to use a hand to push down on your pup’s rump while giving the command. Immediately click the clicker, and give the treat and praise (in that order) when the puppy sits. This confirms the appropriate behavior. Repetition and consistency are crucial.
Keep training sessions short, about 15 minutes at a time. Alternate commands to keep the sessions fun and varied. To teach your dog the “down” command, begin with your dog while in the “sit” position. Continue to gently pull down on the leash while your dog is sitting until you get your dog completely down. When the puppy lies down on all fours, again click, treat and praise. Continue the training with other commands such as “stay,” “stand” and the basic “no.”
Final training tips - Always use one word commands. Be consistent with your choice of words. Too many words can confuse the dog. It is better to just say “sit” or “down” rather than “sit down” or “lay down.”