Havanese vs Mastiff (English Mastiff): Which Suits Your Home?

Weight alone tells the story: a Havanese tops out around 13 lbs, while a Mastiff starts where the Havanese ends and climbs to 250 lbs. Height follows suit, 8-11 inches versus 27-32 inches at the shoulder. This isn't really a size comparison so much as two different categories of dog sharing a page. One you can carry through an airport; the other needs a car with a low step-in height and a couch built to hold it.

Both breeds score Low (2/5) on exercise need, so neither demands daily runs. The Havanese's Moderate (3/5) energy level shows up as apartment zoomies and constant underfoot presence rather than a craving for acreage. A Mastiff's Low (2/5) energy is closer to true couch-potato territory once past puppyhood, though its bulk means even gentle activity takes more physical management on a leash.

The coats flip the usual small-dog assumption. Havanese grooming sits at High (4/5) thanks to a long silky coat that needs regular brushing to avoid mats, while shedding stays Low (2/5). The Mastiff is the opposite: Low (2/5) grooming effort from a short dense coat, but Moderate (3/5) shedding plus drool that the grooming score doesn't capture. Pick your maintenance type: brushing time or towel duty.

Apartment suitability isn't close: Havanese Very High (5/5), Mastiff Low (2/5) — a 250-lb dog needs floor space a one-bedroom rarely offers. Barking runs the opposite direction, with the Havanese at Moderate (3/5) and the Mastiff at Very Low (1/5), one of the quietest scores on this site. Neither dog handles alone time well by breed standards, though the Mastiff's Moderate (3/5) tolerance beats the Havanese's Very Low (1/5).

Both breeds score well or moderately for first-time owners, but with an asterisk for the Mastiff at Low (2/5) — its trainability (Moderate 3/5) is fine, the issue is physically managing that much dog during the training window. The Havanese rates High (4/5) trainability and Very High (5/5) for first-timers, making it the lower-risk pick if this is your first dog rather than your fifth.

Kids tip toward the Mastiff at Very High (5/5) versus the Havanese's still-solid High (4/5) — size doesn't stop it from being gentle, per the data. Everything else favors the Havanese: Very High (5/5) with other dogs against the Mastiff's Moderate (3/5), and High (4/5) with strangers against Moderate (3/5). A Mastiff's protective streak, listed in its temperament, likely explains some of that gap with visitors.

Lifespan is the sharpest divide in this comparison: 13-16 years for the Havanese against 9-11 for the Mastiff, a gap of up to seven years typical of small-versus-giant breeds. They share three conditions — hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and hypothyroidism — worth screening for regardless of which you choose. The Mastiff's list adds cancer, bloat, and heart disease, risks tied to its size and deep chest.

Cost level favors the Havanese (High 4/5) over the Mastiff (Very High 5/5), and the dollar figures back it up: $80-160 a month against $150-350, roughly double. First-year costs run $1,200-2,300 for the Havanese versus $2,200-4,500 for the Mastiff — food volume alone for a 200-lb dog changes the math on every recurring expense.