Celebrating the Mastiff’s strength, heart, and versatility! Learn how #MastiffsCan honors these gentle giants through training and teamwork.
Giselle Nevada, MCOA Obedience Statistician & Working Dog Committee Member
The Weekly Brief
The best of SHOWSIGHT editorials, weekly wins, and breeder commentary — delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning.
Mastiffs are among the most ancient and noble of dog breeds—guardians, companions, and beloved family members whose loyalty and stoicism are unmatched. While their imposing size often captures attention first, it is their gentle soul and willing heart that endear them most to those who know them well.
Today, the Mastiff is stepping into a new spotlight. With the launch of the #MastiffsCan initiative by the Mastiff Club of America (MCOA), the breed is being celebrated not just for its history or stature but for its versatility, willingness, and capability in a wide range of modern canine pursuits.
In 2025, the MCOA Working Dog Committee introduced #MastiffsCan as a rallying call to celebrate and expand the public’s understanding of what Mastiffs can do. From virtual walks to scent detection, therapy visits to trick routines, Mastiffs across the country are proving they’re more than just gentle giants—they’re capable, active, and
engaged companions.
The program is all about participation and encouragement. Whether your dog is new to training or a seasoned competitor, #MastiffsCan invites everyone to try something new. Events like the Howl-o-Ween Stroll and the Winter Waltz encourage owners to log miles toward AKC FIT DOG titles—accessible and inclusive goals that promote health and teamwork.
Even more exciting: many participants are now earning their first Performance and Companion titles through fun, community-led challenges. Sharing these achievements on social media with the hashtag #MastiffsCan is helping to shift the narrative and inspire others.
While the #MastiffsCan movement encourages Mastiff owners to explore new activities and share their successes, the MCOA Working Dog Program offers a structured and breed-specific way to celebrate those accomplishments. Developed to reflect the Mastiff’s traditional working spirit and modern potential, the program provides a flexible framework where every dog’s unique strengths and interests are recognized.
What makes the MCOA Working Dog Program distinct is that it’s built specifically for Mastiffs—with their temperament, pace, and natural aptitude in mind. It’s one of the few breed club programs that accepts achievements from multiple venues—including AKC (American Kennel Club), UKC (United Kennel Club), DMWYD (Do More With Your Dog!), NASDA (North American Sport Dog Association), NACSW (National Association of Canine Scent Work), IDPA (International Dog Parkour Association), and others—and allows dogs to earn titles by accumulating points across multiple activities over time.
Rather than focusing on a single skill set, the program encourages engagement in four areas:
Lower levels of Working Dog awards initially require accumulating a number of points across three or four of these categories (depending on level) and earning an AKC obedience title. After the minimum requirements are met, handlers can tailor their journey based on their Mastiff’s strengths and their own interests. Love Scent Work? You can focus there. Prefer community service? That counts too.
The titles range from Novice Working Dog (NWD) to Platinum Working Dog (PWD) for continued excellence and commitment. Points are cumulative and titles build on each other, acknowledging not only progress but persistence.
The program welcomes both in-person and virtual accomplishments, making it accessible regardless of location or competition opportunities. Whether your dog is showing in the ring, solving scent puzzles in your backyard, or visiting a local school as a therapy dog, their work counts.
Above all, it’s designed to be inclusive and rewarding, whether you’re working toward a Beginner Novice title or collecting dozens of advanced titles. Every level tells a story of commitment and connection.
This is more than a title system. It’s a way to celebrate the evolving role of the Mastiff—as a companion who can succeed in sports, service, and public life—and to show the world that, yes, #MastiffsCan.
As of this writing, only two Mastiffs have earned the Platinum Working Dog title, the highest recognition in the MCOA Working Dog Program: Pebbles and Waylon. Both dogs have built remarkable records across multiple disciplines and serve as inspiring examples of what’s possible when we give our Mastiffs the chance to thrive.
GCH Mountainview Pebbles RockintheWorld At Stonesedge VDD NDD CS CA CD RE FDC DCAT SWN SIA SEA SBA SIE SHDN THDN CGCA CGCU TKE TKE-NC #1 Mastiff-23 ATT BN-V CD-V VHMA VSWE FITG FTI ORT NSAM-23,24 LI-II UL-II TL-I SD-II LIO-III NTD UKC-NC FIT GWD
Pebbles is a shining example of Mastiff versatility, with accomplishments spanning Obedience, Rally, Therapy Work, and Scent Work detection. While she excels in many areas, her current passion lies in sports that allow her to fully engage her powerful nose. She is actively training and competing in both AKC Scent Work and NASDA, which offers real-world scent-based challenges like locating hidden people in urban settings, finding lost items, trailing specific scent paths, and combining obedience with advanced scent work.
These activities are helping Pebbles build strong scent discrimination skills, environmental confidence, and independent problem-solving—traits that highlight the working potential of the Mastiff in thoughtful, methodical tasks.
In addition to her scent work and therapy visits, Pebbles sets an example for what the breed can achieve when given the opportunity to explore meaningful, mentally engaging work. Her dedication and success continue to inspire those pursuing performance paths with their own Mastiffs.
AKC GCHS, UKC CH, IABCA IntCH Gatehouse LP Look’N For A Feeling CD BN RA FDC CAX7 DCAT ACT2 ACT2J TT DD VDD THD RATI RATNX RATSX RATCHX15 REMX CZ8P7B DNX4 CGCA CGCU TKE ATT BN-V4 CD-V2 VHMA VSWE FITG FTI SD-IX SD-II TL-I UL-I LIO-I ITD-M ETD SSH SOR VD25 SS25 BTC48 A+ D=OG2 DO-24 O-P5 CCF1 2K9 T3 AA2 CAL25 BR3K EQ25 REXS HRBR3 HRERB HRPC HRDM HRSSSH HRRR HRMZ2 RUV XRV HRALA PRCL PRSL PRU2 PLSB RACEA PKD-N PKD-TF3 PKD-FF3 PKD-UN3 PKD-EXP3 PKD-AR BARK-B BARK-EXP1 NWDS PWD5
If Mastiff versatility had a face, it would be Waylon’s. With over 233 titles, he holds more records than any Mastiff in history:
His achievements span a wide range of venues—from AKC virtual programs in Trick, Obedience, Rally, and Scent Work, to alternative titling through NASDA, IDPA, DMWYD, and Barkour Canine Fitness. He is the first Mastiff to earn the MCOA Platinum Working Dog title, and currently holds the Platinum 5 designation.
But Waylon’s true love is Barn Hunt. He holds 41 titles in the sport that no other Mastiff has achieved and is one of the a few dogs of any breed to reach CZ8P7 —a milestone requiring consistency, instinct, and drive.
*as of September 30, 2025
The beauty of #MastiffsCan is that it’s about celebrating progress, not comparing achievements. The MCOA wants to show the world that there’s more to this breed than meets the eye, and to support every handler, whether they’re teaching their first trick or competing at the highest levels.
And it’s working.
The momentum is growing. More Mastiffs are out in the community, on the training field, and on the trail. Every virtual walk logged, every trick captured on video, and every scent work pass is another chapter in a new narrative: The Mastiff is not just a relic of history but a relevant, responsive, and remarkable companion.
The Mastiff has always been a breed of strength, loyalty, and quiet dignity. Now we’re adding new chapters to that legacy, filled with teamwork, purpose, and pride.
Whether you’re just starting out with a virtual walk or reaching for your next performance title, your journey matters. Every step forward reflects what our dogs are capable of when given the chance.
And that’s the heart of #MastiffsCan—a movement built on encouragement, celebration, and the belief that every Mastiff deserves the opportunity to shine. From backyards to trial rings, from novice efforts to elite accomplishments, we’re proving—together—that our gentle giants can do more than anyone ever imagined.
Want to join us? Visit the Facebook group “MCOA Working Dog Committee Presents #MastiffsCan” at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mastiffscan to connect with other Mastiff handlers, get inspired, and start your own working dog journey.
#MastiffsCan—and they are.
Dog Show Candids
Scent Work Trial photos from the Bristle Nose Scent Work Club of Utah, which was held on September 22 – 24, 2023, at the Salt Lake, Utah.
