Mastiff
The Mastiff is a huge giant-like dog that originated in Britain where they fought in the arena. They since have been bred for courage as well as gentleness making them the perfect combination watchdog and pet for children. The appearance of the Mastiff dogs is one of royalty and pride. The Mastiff breeds, coming from different countries, consist of more than just one type of Mastiff.
The American Mastiff came because of breeding the English Mastiff with the Anatolian Shepherd. Some of the original English Mastiffs had some health disorders such as hip Dysplasia, excessive drooling and a short life span. With research and special care in breeding, the American Mastiff was developed with similarities to the English Mastiff only without the excessive drooling. The American Mastiffs make wonderful pets for children with their calm loving manner.
The Tibetan Mastiff is one of the largest breeds standing around 30” tall with weight ranging from 100 to 180 pounds. The female is generally smaller than the male but still very large. The Tibetan Mastiffs come in two groups. The Lion head is the smaller with very long hair from the head to the withers (hence the name) and the Tiger head, which is larger with shorter hair, some with tiger stripes.
The Bull Mastiff is also a large dog of the breed weighing 90 to 125 pounds or more. They make great watchdogs and will guard their home with their lives, but extremely love their family members. They need minimal care but require exercise, brushing and nail clipping. Bull Mastiffs were nicknamed “gamekeeper’s dog” because they originally were bred to help gamekeepers by tracking and catching poachers.
The Neapolitan Mastiff (also known as Italian Mastiff) is part of a working breed of the Mastiff. They are a large menacing looking dog weighing 140 to 170 pounds. The Neapolitan Mastiff is bred to be a guard dog for many Italian homes. It is important to socialize the dog so he is not shy as they have a tendency to be. Many people misspell their name and mistakenly call them Neopolitan Mastiffs. One of their worst faults is the constant drooling.
The French Mastiff is the only Mastiff of French origin. Originally, the French Mastiff was bred for fighting and hunting and still make excellent guard dogs now. They, like the rest of the Mastiff breeds, are large and come in a variety of colors like fawn, dark auburn, or brown. The French Mastiff does not make a good housedog, as they require lots of space.
If you are interested in owning one of these huge dogs for yourself or your family, there are Mastiff rescue groups trying to find homes for them. There is a combination Mastiff rescue and Mastiff adoption in Texas. You just need to fill out a form with your name and location and they will attempt to locate a Mastiff near you. It would be a rewarding experience to be able to give a Mastiff a loving home.
