Here at CMA's we have a passion for watching and documenting the dramatic changes the breed goes through as they grow. Notice the changes weekly, at a young age and on the 3 month intervals as they get older. Each growth spurt is specific to certain traits. Example the 2 year old growth spurt is the most significant height growth spurt, while the 5 year old growth spurt is more specific to their weight/mass coming on. Average Grow Chart of heights and weights, for our line Coming Soon!

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Did you Know?
English Mastiffs go through growing spurts every three months until they are 6 years old?
From their date of birth, a week and half before and week and half after, their three month mark, you can see significant growth spurt indicators. A Proportionate bone protrusion, we call a “predominate knot on top of the head” towards the back of the head, as well as higher hips then shoulders. These growth spurt indicators tell us we should make sure to RESTRICT ACTIVITY LEVELS (no hard running, tight circles or stairs) and offer  food with something enticing on top, to Maximize longevity as well as maximum heights and weights, without fat patches at maturity. ( something to encourage minimum amounts of food , even if free food offered, they are hurting, so commonly, they eat less, when they need to eat more) See Examples of growth spurt indicators in Roxy’s pictures shown at 6 months and 9 months old

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Did you know Retracting Activity Levels, During Growth Spurts can Help Extend Longevity!

Do you know what to watch for to avoid Injury?

Front Ankles (Pasterns) & Back Knees (Stifles) will feel hot to the touch if they are strained and show weakness, we call Rubber Leg preliminary signs, shown by rolling in the ankle or sitting with back legs sprawled out instead of under themselves.

Just like every athlete we want to build them up, not break them down. Too much activity can strain tendons and ligaments during growth spurts, this strain can affect your puppies longevity.

Best practices to avoid a strain or tear: Retract activity levels by time not distance. Example;(Retract a 10 min play or walk time  to 5 min play or walk ) No rough housing, tight circle, stairs or jumping out of pick ups to avoid the strain and possible tears.

Areas to watch for first signs of strain or weakness show in pictures below. This is prone to happen at each 3 month growth spurt until they are 6 years old if activity is not reduced due to their rapid growth. .

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Encourage Food During Growth Spurts, Anything to glaze the food with flavor to serve the purpose of getting that minimum 6 to 8 cups of food, a day, when they need it the most, will work. Below are some suggestions, we and our customers have tried with the best success and encourage our puppy parents to try..

Feeding Tips for Maximum Heights & Weights without fat patches, Add these items to encourage eating during the three week growth spurts, during a time they commonly do not feel well, from growing pains and do not eat well, when they need to the most.

Bulk Recipe to Pack & Freeze pics shown below, Recipe click link_________________

Per Dog amounts listed here.

Meats–1 cup beef, chicken,duck, turkey, pork, deer, OR buffalo COOKED! DO NOT BONES! 

Rice-1 to 3 Cups cooked rice
Vegetables-2 Cups broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, peas, &/ or sweat potatoes
1 egg, (TBSP bacon Grease only once a week)

NO pastas or breads, potatoes other then sweat potatoes are great. These items build fat around the heart.
Do not feed table scraps or anything else accept at feeding time to avoid bad manners.

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Making Changes to your environment, to help avoid tearing a tendon or ligament in their extraordinarily fast growth spurts is critical, to their longevity. Once they get injured, that can take years off their life. The idea is to treat them like an athlete and avoid injuries with safety and environment changes. Retracting the rough housing during growth spurts and avoiding injury with a few changes to your place, is the most loving thing you can do for your baby and these simple changes have been know to add an extra 10 years to their longevity .

Avoiding Stairs, Use Baby Gates or Use Ramps Best,

Example: Every time their back knee (stifle) pushes the dogs full body weight up and front ankle pulls all the body weight up, it is  causing stress & possible damage during a growth spurt, they are most susceptible to tearing and taking years off their longevity with the injuries.

Avoiding slipping & sliding on slick surfaces,

Imagine walking on a sheet of ice for 30 min and the muscles you didn't know you had, hurt the next day. This is what it is like for a dog to walk on slick surfaces. Example  linoleum, hard wood, concrete. 

We have found the best success, is with Rubber Matts or Non Slip Carpet /Runners, in walk ways and sleeping areas. These Surface assistance pieces of thick rubber, can save bursas on the elbows,  or tears to the tendons and ligaments from slipping, during  growth spurt. Avoiding injury extends Longevity.

Avoid worries about bed or blanket stuffing ingestion causing a bloat/ twisted gut/death with this financially savvy change of environment.

Benefits of a 35$ matt from a farm store (usually used for bottom of a horse stall) These Matts are thick not only great to avoid bursas, joint issues but also great for the first 2 years of teething phases as the pups don't chew them up,

Checking the weather & knowing the temps the ground will be is critical to longevity as well. Tooo HOt or Cold Damaging Pups Pads can  long term effects and shorten quality of life for sure

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