#1: Mary (BigBensMom) Author: BigBensMom,
You have posted in this forum: Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:44 pm
* How would your best friend describe you? (if you don't know --- ask them! )
A nonjudgmental Christian woman with a good sense of humor that loves her friends and family and is very organized and fiercely loyal. An animal lover who spends more time with animals than with humans and cannot stand to see an animal hurt or neglected.
* Please tell us about your family and/or those that participate in your daily life (including your furkids).
I am married to my high school sweetheart, Richard (BigBensDad) and we have two grown boys, Russell and Garrick. We share our home and hearts with six dogs.... 2 Labs, Bo and Bubba... 2 fufu dogs, Keyco (Silky Terrier) and Phoebe (Maltese),.... and 2 Mastiffs, Big Ben and Gus~Gus. We are a close family and spend a lot of time together. The guys are always playing pranks and cracking each other up.
* What is one or two of your "passions" in life? (besides Mastiffs... we all have that at the top of our list )
My passion is my faith in Christ. That is what motivates most of my decisions. I no longer belong to any particular group of organized religion, but just want to share my life with Jesus and do my best to show others His love. Richard is also my passion... he's my best friend and enjoy spending time with him and taking care of him. I've recently become very passionate about Mastiff rescue. I see such a need out there and want to do more to help.
* What is something that very few (if any) of your online friends know about you?
I think I talk so much that people know about everything about me.  I'm pretty much an "open book".... some might not know that I am pretty tall... I have an elementary teaching degree and love to teach, although I've never worked professionally in that field..... and I'm a big time fan of the late 80's / early 90's Guns n Roses music. 
* What is your dream vacation?
I really really really really want to go on an Alaskan Cruise. I want to see a whale... and glaciers. I love cold weather - the more snow the better. Log cabins, moose, bears, ...I'm really drawn to the whole "lodge theme" and would love to visit Alaska.
* How did you become involved in Mastiffs? and how many have you owned (so far )
We decided to add another dog to our family.... we wanted a "big dog" and started researching different breeds online. I fell in love with the Mastiff. We were referred to a breeder in Arkansas and went to visit. When we walked in the house and was greeted by this gigantic big loveable boy, I knew I had to have a Mastiff in my home. We currently are blessed to have Big Ben and Gus~Gus in our family. I would love to "some day" open our home to a Mastiff in need of rescue.
* In your experiences, what is one way Mastiffs differ from other breeds?
The first and most obvious that comes to mind is their strong emotional attachment. They LOVE to LOVE you. They depend so much on your presence and relationship.... more so than any other breed I've known. They almost require the same amount of attention as a human child, and it really does take a lot of time and effort to properly care for a Mastiff.... but, they heap on complete unconditional love and loyalty in return. The other thing I feel really stands out with a Mastiff is their controlled power. I sometimes feel like I have brought a tiger and a lion into my home. You see their physical strength and size and realize they possess a great amount of power --- but, they choose to not use it. It's like they have no idea.... my 10 lbs fufu dogs can boss them around and they "mind". ha!
* What is your FAVORITE thing about your Mastiff(s)? and what is your LEAST FAVORITE thing about your Mastiff(s)?
There are so many things I love about them, but the "snuggle time" is the BEST!!! When you are snuggled by a Mastiff you KNOW what love feels like.
Big Ben is completely devoted to me. He and I have a deep bond. Gus is just a joy. He's a goof ball and makes me smile daily.
My least favorite thing would be the hair. My house is FULL of hair despite cleaning efforts. Due to my allergies, this is a problem that I would love to solve. ha! Big Ben has fear aggression and for his sake, I really wish he didn't have to live with that issue.
* Briefly describe some of the things you have learned by participating as a member of MOC.
I have learned that it really is possible for a diverse group of individuals to come together over a common interest and form a community. I've felt so blessed to be part of this group and have the opportunity to form friendships with people I may never meet in person due to geographical location.
I've also learned the it's normal for Mastiff feet to smell like Fritos, and their ears smell like buttered popcorn.  And that I am not the only crazy dog lady... there are many of you out there.
Most importantly, belonging to MOC has allowed me the chance to become aware of Mastiff Rescue organizations and the effort going on sometimes "behind the scenes" to save these beautiful creatures that are sometimes neglected and tossed aside to be forgotten. ALL animals deserve love and kindness, but something about a neglected Mastiff tugs at my heart even more. This breed is so sensitive emotionally and I want to do all I can to help those that have fallen into unfortunate situations. MOC has allowed me to "see" what is going on and the need that exists and also given me an avenue to try to participate in helping and encouraging others to get involved in Mastiff rescue.
* What role do you play on the MOC Staff Team?
Richard and I are considered the "owners" of MOC, but I really dislike that term. A community cannot really be "owned".... we just try to provide a stable secure location where people can come together and help each other, or just hang out and have fun.
I am involved in many things behind the scenes required to keep MOC up and going. I also activate new memberships, update the home page every month, create themed slide shows to showcase our babies, keep the puzzle up to date, help lead the MOC Staff Team, and basically work along with the other admins and staff to do whatever is needed at the time to keep MOC growing and a benefit to the greater Mastiff community. My "main" job, and probably the most important  is to keep a close eye on Richard and his odd sense of humor, and translate when needed.
****EDITED TO SAY: This interview was "lost" in the Great Server Crash of '08, and rewritten since I have no clue what I said the first time
Last edited by BigBensMom on Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:34 am; edited 6 times in total
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