I have a four month old English Mastiff. We live in a neighborhood that includes many tiny dogs, mini pinchers and tiny little shaggy dogs that are very cute, but too small for my boy to even consider playing with. We live just outside of Fayetteville, NC and there are no dog parks, or play centers or such for dogs. We had doggy play centers and parks in Mobile, Al. I've checked with the local pet stores and no one has ideas or suggestions for finding a playmate. What I want to find is someone with another large breed male for occasional playdates to help socialize. I've also checked and there are few obedience training facilities. Petsmart offers a class, but it is held in the center of the store during business hours. We love to take Buddy in the store, he gets tons of attention, but it is not the atmosphere I would find condusive to training. He knows the basic commands, but needs correction by his peers to help with nipping and to teach him to be a little more conscious of his power! Any ideas on how to find a playmate?

Thanks!

your dog is still a puppy ,these smaller breeds should be able to look after themselves if playing with your dog.
your right to ask for advice on getting your dog active with larger breeds,for me this is a very important socialise stage for your mastiff .the more your dog mixes with large dogs ,the more he will accept them in his future life.

At your pup's age, any dog will do. Just bond with him and make him understand that all dogs are good. Good Luck!

Many dog owners are under the impression that their dogs should only be socializing with dogs of the same size. This couldn't be more untrue! It is so important to have your mastiff learn to get along with dogs of all sizes. Of course, all play should be supervised and if things appear to be getting out of hand the dogs should be seperated, but most wee dogs I know run the show! My Dogue De Bordeaux (French Mastiff) plays extremely well with his 4.5 lb Chihuahua friend and has since he was a puppy.
Craigslist is a great place to post to find other puppy owners and work on getting playgroups together.
Good Luck!

I have one friend who has a rotty and his best friend and playmate is a chihuahua. I have another friend that has a great dane who also has a chihuahua as a playmate. I have a 120lb GSD and a 60lb border collie/golden retriever who are best friends. Size is not always an issue.

Jihad
and the pound puppy crew.