Mastiff Zone
Posted by Kristen King on August 2
meow/bark/blog Mastiff Zone
Advice & Resources for Mastiff Owners
The English Mastiff — If there was ever a gentle giant, this dog is it. The Mastiff loves everybody and everything, especially his family. They are an especially good dog with children and make an excellent dog breed for a family. Read more.
The Bullmastiff — The Bullmastiff origin and history display a great example of a purpose-bred dog with a lineage that can be easily traced and understood. The Bullmastiff dog breed history originates from England and while its history is not as long and storied as other breeds, it is a close descendant of one of the oldest breed of dogs in England, the Mastiff. The Mastiff, a giant dog breed that descended from the Alaunt and the Molosser, is believed to have been introduced into ancient Britain more than 2000 years ago. Read more.
The Spanish Mastiff — The Spanish Mastiff (also called the Mastin de Espanol) is recognized by the F.C.I. and the Kennel Club of Great Britain. At the present time there is an active parent club in the United States which is working towards recognition of the breed in the Foundation Stud Service. The Foundation Stud Service has several requirements for membership and this breed does not yet qualify. He is being promoted as a guard dog and companion of exceptional gentleness and strong working ability. He is popular at European dog shows but is not often found as a pet except in his native country. Read more.
The Tibetan Mastiff — The Tibetan Mastiff is considered to be the original dog from which most of the “Molosser breeds” of today have descended. The high and forbidding mountains of Tibet is the environment which produced this fierce and protective guarding dog. The unforgiving climate and mountainous terrain demanded an animal with endurance, a coat that possessed natural protection against the elements and courage and fearlessness to fight off predator animals. The Tibetan Mastiff was used by the wandering shepherds and nomadic tribes and later by the Monks of Tibet as a protective dog which would effectively give warning of strangers and would guard the sheep. Mention of the large black dog with a fearsome bark can be found in Chinese documents as early as 1100 B.C. Read more.
The Neapolitan Mastiff — The Neapolitan mastiff has been recognized as a breed in the modern world only since 1949. However through bas reliefs, paintings and statues dating from 3000 years before Christ, we can trace his roots to the giant war dogs of Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Asia. Even as historical a figure as Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) was instrumental in creating the Neapolitan Mastiff. Alexander is known to have crossed the giant Macedonian and Epirian war dogs with the short-haired “Indian” dogs to create the Molossus. The Molossus was a dog characterized by having a wide, short muzzle and a heavy dewlap and was used to fight tigers, lions, elephants, and men in battle. This animal is easily recognized as the great forefather of the Neapolitan Mastiff. Read more.
The French Mastiff (Dogue de Bordeaux) — The Dogue de Bordeaux’s origin dates back to the time when English Kings ruled over Aquitaine between 1203 and 1453 (the year when Aquitaine was finally annexed to France). The Dogue de Bordeaux is said to be the result of crossbreeding the English Mastiff with large Aquitainian guard dogs. Later on Spanish mastiff blood was probably infused to give the breed a more ferocious look. Read more.
AKC Breed Info
Online Mastiff Resources
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