All About Mastiffs

History and Origin of the Cane Corso

The Cane Corso, or Italian Mastiff, is a Molosser type of dog that was originally created from canis pugnax, which were used during times of war for the Roman army. For years now this breed has been kept for guarding purposes, as well as hunting and acting as a companion.

In the past, the Cane Corso was commonly used as catch dogs. In other words, the breed was used in the hunting and capturing of large game such as boar, swine, and cattle. The dogs have also been commonly used as night watchdogs, and also as drovers by carters.

Before 1970 the breed almost succumbed to extinction. That is until Cane Corso enthusiasts began mixing appropriate mastiffs to re-create the breed. Since enthusiasts remade the breed, the current Cane Corso breed looks much different than its forefathers looked during the pre-1980s. For example, the breed’s drive has been reduced, the bodies have more bulk, and the way the skull was remade caused the breed to lose the scissor-bite that it once had. The breed has finally gained global popularity, including in the United States where it became known in 1987. However, the breed was not accepted Continue reading “Cane Corso AKA Italian Mastiff” »

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History and Origin of the Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff is a large breed of domestic dog that is of the Molosser type. The breed originated in the early 19^th century by gamekeepers or English wardens to protect estates. As a result, the breed gained the nickname of “Gamekeeper’s Night Dog” because they do a very good job immobilizing poachers. It is widely accepted that the Bullmastiff was created by mixing the Olde English Bulldog with the English mastiff.

The dog was officially recognized as a purebred dog by the American Kennel Club in 1933; although the breed had been accepted earlier in Europe around 1924. The breed standard was officially written in 1935 but has undergone several changes since the original creation.

Appearance

The Bullmastiff is a large dog with an appearance similar to that of an English Mastiff, although the Bullmastiff comes in multiple coat patterns. Male Bullmastiffs will reach heights of 25 to 27 inches while weighing between 110 to 130 pounds. The females, on the other hand, are 24 to 26 inches tall and weigh between 100 and 120 pounds. Dogs that exceed these measurements are not encouraged by reputable breeders.

The Bullmastiff coat is short and comes in shades of red, fawn, and brindle. The fawn will range from light brown to a reddish brown. The brindle coats are always stripes overlaying a red or fawn coat. The Bullmastiff is only allowed to have a small marking of white on the chest; any markings of white found on the body other than the chest are considered a fault by the AKC. The dogs have a similar Continue reading “Bullmastiff” »

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History and Origin of the Fila Brasileiro

The Fila Brasileiro, or Brazilian Mastiff, is a large and powerful breed of working dog developed in Brazil. It is believed that the breed was created by a mixture of the Bloodhound, Bulldog, Mastiff, and Rafeiro. The breed originated on cattle farms and large plantations where they were bred.

The breed was taught to chase cattle, jaguars, other animals, and even runaway slaves much like the Cuban Mastiff. In fact, the dogs were taught to grab the escapee by the neck and hold them down until the farmer arrived. This instinct is still visible today if you observe a bunch of Fila puppies playing with each other.

The first standards for the breed were written in 1946 and the Paulistas are credited with beginning a breeding program. Today, there are many laws regarding this breed. For example, places such as Malta, Israel, Denmark, Cyprus, Norway, and the United Kingdom have laws that make it illegal to own a Fila Brasileiro without a court-ordered exemption. Other places such as Australia have many restrictions on the breed and it is illegal to import the dogs into the country. Tobago, Trinidad, and New Zealand automatically label these dogs as dangerous; this means that importing the breed is illegal and all males must be neutered.

Appearance

The Fila Brasileiro is a very large, Molosser breed of dog that features loose skin and large bones. The males are between 25 and a half and 29 and a half inches tall at the withers while weighing at least 110 pounds. The females tend to be slightly smaller standing 23 and a half to 27 and a half inches tall while weighing at least 90 pounds.

These dogs are massive with very heavy bodies that are rectangular in shape. The breed has a large, heavy head and a deep muzzle. Continue reading “Fila Brasileiro AKA Brazilian Mastiff” »

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History and Origin of the Dogue de Bordeaux

The Dogue de Bordeaux, or French Mastiff, is an imposing breed of dog that is very strong and powerful. The French Mastiff is one of the oldest breeds of dog originating in France. The Dogue is a very powerful breed that is usually of the brachycephalic molossoid type which has a muscular body but is very harmonious by nature.

There have been many theories as to the origin of the breed. It has very commonly been said that the Bordeaux was created from the Tibetan Mastiff, the Roman and Greek Molossus, and the Bulldog. On the other hand, the Alans brought mastiffs to Europe that was descendants of the Spanish dogs from Bugos or the dogs of Aquitaine. This is a very old breed that acted as both body guards and cattle drivers toward the end of the Middle Ages. Over the years the breed has held many duties including cattle herder, war dog, guard dog, flock guardian, and has been trained to bait bulls, jaguars, bears, and to hunt boars.

A more sad part of Dogue history is that many Dogue de Bordeaux were killed during the French Revolution. Following the war the number of Dogues rose. In fact, a man named Raymond Triquet began a Dogue de Bordeaux club which was credited with saving the Continue reading “Dogue de Bordeaux AKA French Mastiff” »

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History and Origin of the Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff’s history remains partially unclear, but it is widely believed that the dogs appeared somewhere around 1100 BC in China. The breed was developed into what we know today by being isolated in the Himalayan Mountains. This dog has always been bred and kept for protecting the home and family. In the dog’s native region, it is customary for the dogs to be confined (i.e. tied to a gate) during the day and allowed to run free at night to patrol the property. In addition, the dogs were commonly used to guard campsites when the families had to relocate to higher ground.

Over the past several years the breed has gained increased popularity throughout the United States and England. The Tibetan Mastiff was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2006 which makes this the AKCs 155^th breed. Continue reading “Tibetan Mastiff” »

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History and Origin of the Spanish Mastiff

The Spanish Mastiff is an ancient breed of dog though to have descended from Greek dogs that were brought to Spain to explorers around 1000 BC. The breed was officially developed in the Estremadura region of Spain. It is widely accepted that the Spanish Mastiff was introduced to not only Spain, but also the Iberian Peninsula by Maritime traders who brought the dog’s ancestors from India or Syria.

The dog was created over many centuries, from many other lesser known dog breeds. The breed has been bred over the years for guarding purposes, both of the home and flocks of livestock. The bulky breed makes an excellent livestock guardian, protecting the flock from both wolves and other large predatory animals. The Spanish Mastiff is the official dog of Spain where you will find at least 24,000 of the dogs. This breed of Mastiff is also considered an ancestor to many modern-day dog breeds such as the Asian Shepherd, St Bernard, and Dogo Argentino. Continue reading “Spanish Mastiff AKA Mastin Espanol” »

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History and Origin of the Puerto Rican Mastiff

The Puerto Rican Mastiff is an ancient breed of dog dating back to at least the 1500s. This breed is native to the island of Puerto Rico and known by many names; the names include El Gran Mastin de Borinquen, Mastin Borincano, Perro Barsino de Hacienda, and Becerillo de Borinquen. The Puerto Rican Mastiff is considered to be a mix of different breeds including: Latin American Molossers, Perros Jibaros (native island dogs), and other Spanish War Mastiffs.

These dogs were brought to the island during the 20^th century to aid in protection. The dogs were used to guard precious crops and farmland such as tobacco, coffee, and sugar cane. These dogs are considered “Old Country” dogs that were able to adapt to different regions like the hot “campo” hills, tropical valley lands, or the cold rain forest mountain region of Puerto Rico. People would come from far and wide to trade chickens, goats, hogs, or even produce in exchange for a Puerto Rican Mastiff puppy. Continue reading “Puerto Rican Mastiff AKA Gran Mastin de Borinquen” »

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History and Origin of the Korean Mastiff

Little information is available on the Korean Mastiff’s history outside of its native home of Korea. From the little information that is known, it is evident the breed was probably created over 200 years ago. Aside from being called a Korean Mastiff, the breed is known by several other names including Dosa Gae, Mee-Kyun Dosa, and Dosa Inu.

Sources say the breed was developed sometime during the 19^th century from breeds such as the Tosa Inu, Dogue de Bordeaux, English Mastiffs, and quite possibly both the Bloodhound and Neapolitan Mastiff. In South Korea, the Korean Mastiff is the largest and heaviest dog available.

Appearance

The Korean Mastiff has a similar appearance to the Neapolitan Mastiff with the large amounts of wrinkles that they have. The dogs are rather large reaching heights of 24 to 30 inches at the shoulder, and weighing between 145 and 185 pounds. The dogs have a short, very shiny coat that comes in several colors. The coat colors include red, chocolate, and mahogany; a small white patch on the dog’s chest is permitted.   Continue reading “Korean Mastiff AKA Dosa Gae” »

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