Mastiff Dogs The Basics
With a history of domestication stretching back more than two millennia, the Mastiff dog has been a popular breed since the days of the Roman Empire and likely even longer than this. The Romans were in fact quite fond of these dogs – the Emperor Julius Caesars favorite pet was reputedly a Mastiff and they were widely trained for the hunt and for guard duty. The Mastiff was introduced to Britain with the Roman occupation of the British Isles and these dogs were the ancestors of the English Mastiff. Mastiffs were also popular with the Carthaginian general Hannibal, who brought Mastiffs with him as he crossed the Alps. The breed was also known in Asia, where Kublai Khan reportedly kept thousands of Mastiffs.
The Mastiff dogs remained a favorite of British royals, guarding castles and estates. Mastiffs were used for bear baiting between the 12th and 19th century. This was a very popular sport at the time. The dogs were used to attack chained bears, tigers and bulls.
Mastiffs arrived in the new world in the 17th century, though it wasn’t until nearly 200 years later that the breed became popular in the Americas. Today, mastiff dogs are trained to be working dogs performing duties including search and rescue, guard duty and law enforcement as well as household pets. These dogs are among the very largest breeds, often weighing in at more than 200 pounds and with a height of 30 inches at the shoulder. These are very muscular and powerful dogs; they have fur which may be pale orange, fawn, silver or brindle with black ears and muzzles.
The Mastiff used to be trained to be fearsome warriors and hunters, but now these dogs are trained to be loving, gentle pets and helpful working dogs. Of course every dog is a little different, but most Mastiffs are exceptionally calm and even tempered animals. However, they can be a little stubborn, especially once they get older and set in their ways (not to mention very large). It’s best to make sure that your Mastiff is well trained while they’re still very young.
If you’re considering a Mastiff dog for your home, you’ll need to be prepared for some drooling and some snoring and snuffling as they sleep. However, they more than make up for this fault due to their loyalty and natural aptitude for guard duty. These dogs very rarely bark, but they will hold any intruder at bay until told that things are under control. Mastiffs also make excellent companions for children. While you’ll want to keep an eye of very young children while playing with Mastiffs, they love children and are very patient and gentle with even energetic kids.
They’re just as good of a choice for adults. No matter what you’re doing, your Mastiff will be there with you if you let them. They bond closely with their families and love spending time with them above all else. A Mastiff is not one of those dogs that are content to do its own thing in the yard all day they prefer quality time with their family.
These dogs are often shy when meeting new people and will usually just sit quietly until being formally introduced. Mastiff dogs usually get along with other pets, as long as they’ve been properly socialized as pups. If your Mastiff dog hasn’t learned how to behave around other animals, you’ll need to teach them or simply keep them away from other animals unless they will be closely supervised.
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