Dog
Mastiff Champions
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Pronunciation:
mahs-tif
Breed Description:
The Mastiff breed of dog is a giant sized breed that should be massive in size and appearance. The body should be symmetrical in shape and they should be slightly longer than they are tall. The Mastiff is the largest breed in the world and they are very massive from their head to their tail, which is long and tapering. The ears should hang down the side of the head and there should be ample wrinkles around the face and dewlaps.
The coat of the Mastiff should be a short, hard textured coat that is dense and covers the dog completely. There should be an obvious undercoat and dense topcoat. The color of the Mastiff can either be fawn or apricot and they can be found in brindle with either the fawn or apricot covered with dark stripes. There is usually a dark mask of black on the muzzle, ears, around the eyes and on the nose.
Temperament:
The Mastiff breed of dog is a lovable and gentle breed that is often described as being a "gentle giant." They are generally very good-natured dogs and tend to be a sensitive breed. This is not a dog that can be treated harshly or corrected strongly. They do need a firm owner who knows how to be gentle as well and they do better in calm households since they tend to get upset when there is a lot of conflict in the home. The Mastiff does very well with other pets and dogs and are usually very gentle and patient with children.
Height:
The average height for a Mastiff is between 27 to 30 inches for a female and 30 to 32 inches for a male.
Weight:
The average weight for a Mastiff is between 120 to 200 pounds for a female and 130 to 220 pounds for a male.
Health Problems:
The Mastiff breed of dog is not considered to be the healthiest of breeds and they can suffer from a large range of health problems. These include Cherry Eye, Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, Pyometra, Macroblepharon, Allergies, Entropion, Ectropion, Osteochondrosis Dissecans, Pulmonic Stenosis, Cataracts, von Willebrand's Disease, Hypothyroidism, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Epilepsy, Retinal Dysplasia, Wobbler’s Syndrome, Cystinuria, Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy, Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament,Sub-Aortic Stenosis, Persistent Pupillary Membranes, Distichiasis, Panosteitis, Demodectic Mange and Gastric Torsion, which is also known as Bloat.
Living Conditions:
The Mastiff breed of dog can do very well in apartments if they are exercised properly, however, the ideal living condition is a home with a large fenced yard. In addition, while they do enjoy being outside, they should not be an outdoor dog; this is a breed that loves being with their owners.
Exercise:
The Mastiff breed of dog can be a lazy dog when it comes to exercise but they should receive between 30 to 45 minutes per day to keep them at a healthy weight.
Life Expectancy:
10 to 12 years
Grooming:
The Mastiff breed of dog is a very easy breed to groom and they require little maintenance to keep their coats healthy. On average, you should expect to brush your dog on a weekly basis to remove dead hairs and dirt. A wipe down with a damp cloth will keep them clean and they should only be bathed when it is absolutely necessary. Ears should be cleaned on a regular basis and nails should be clipped once or twice a week. If your dog has a lot of wrinkles, it is important to wash them several times per week and to make sure that the wrinkles are dry and free of infection.
Origin:
The Mastiff breed of dog is an ancient breed that can be traced back to the Molossoid breeds that were used to fight lions in 2500BC. However, the breed as we know it today was developed in England and is the descendants of the dogs that were brought to England in the 6th Century BC. The Mastiff was cherished for both their hunting and fighting abilities and when Romans invaded England, they brought many of the dogs back to Rome to fight. From there the breed branched out throughout Europe and even into Asia, and has been linked to the First Emperor of China in the Yuan Dynasty, 1215 to 1294, and to Hannibal in 247 to 183 BC. In addition, the Mastiff was the foundation breed for many other mastiff type breeds that we know today. In England, their place of origin, the Mastiff was known as a Butcher's Dog due to the high cost of feeding the breed. They were commonly used for animal baiting and blood sports and eventually became a popular fighting dog. The breed was imported to the United States in the late 1800's but it faced extinction when fighting and animal baiting became illegal, however, the efforts of a few breeders kept the Mastiff alive. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
