Anyone ever owned a mastiff?

Drool is definitely an issue. Also, arthritis can be a problem down the road. My uncle raises them.

They can have joint problems and drool is a big issue. Great dogs though they are great with children and love being around people.

We had an English Mastiff. My kids poked,kicked,pulled,and pinched every inch of that poor bastard, and he would lay there and take it like a champ. However gentle he was with the kids, just let a stranger come near the yard and he would try his best to get at them. At damn near 170 pounds, he still thought he was a lap dog. Never failed, you get dressed to go out, and he'd find a way to put a stripe of drool on your leg before you got out the door. Good dogs.

I had one until I was 12. Big, dumb, and friendly. As others said, major drool. He ate three pots of rice mixed with three of the large cans of dog food a day. Oh, and he was a bitch to walk when he decided to chase something.

I always wanted one. That or a Saint Dane.

Great dogs - really friendly.

Big dogs bring big expenses though. This probably seems like a no brainer but you'd be surprised hwo many people are floored at how much more it costs to treat a 200lb dog. A giant breed dog requires a lot more per month in heartworm prevention too- which if your friend lives in the south he is asking for it if his dog isn't on it. Dog food isn't cheap these days either.