English Mastiffs - Pictures - Origin
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Picture source:
The Mastiff Sweet Spot
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English Mastiffs are believed to have originated in Great Britain. The Romans camped for a long time there, bringing their war dogs to the island. Those dogs interbred with native ones, producing highly strong, courageous species. They resembled the English Mastiff of today but had certain differences in appearance. The dogs were huge and powerful. Their coat of medium length was primarily dark in color. The chief function of the breed was guarding, fighting, and hunting large, dangerous animals. The Mastiff of the 9th century equaled about 20 hounds.
English Mastiffs - Pictures - Medieval Times
Naturally enough, the poor could not afford keeping such a dog. The Mastiff was more popular with the nobility, especially the Normans. By the end of the 11th century the Normans, who had invaded Great Britain, managed to bring the Alano, a European hunting dog. Their crossbreeding with the Mastiff led to some changes in the appearance of the latter. The forefather of the English Mastiff turned into a husky, robust dog with a broad skull and relatively long muzzle.
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Picture source:
The Mastiff Sweet Spot
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In the 11th-15th cc. the Mastiff continued to serve as a fighting dog, and a guardian. Its great strength and agility allowed for a large game hunter. The dog could easily kill a deer that was living in forests of the Royalty. The king considered hunting illegal and published a royal decree concerning the preservation of the game. Gamekeepers were supposed to watch over Mastiffs belonging to the poor, and cut three nails on each of the forefeet. It was believed to deprive the Mastiff of his ability to kill game.
The English Mastiff underwent rehabilitation during the times of King Henry's the Fifths' reign. In 1415, in the Agincourt battle, an English Mastiff displayed the wonders of devotion. The dog did not cease fighting even after her owner Sir Peers Legh was wounded. It guarded the owner till the English army came to rescue. The King honored the English Mastiff greatly. Later it became the foundation bitch of the Lyme Hall breeding line.
The English Mastiff did not avoid bull baiting, a cruel entertainment popular in Great Britain. After this sport had been abolished, the breed changed significantly. English dog lovers developed a liking for giant breeds with a short muzzle. The first English Mastiff was shown in Birmingham in 1873. The dog succeeded, which made breeders follow his type and breed similar Mastiffs.
English Mastiffs - Pictures - The 20th Century
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Picture source:
Suzies English Mastiffs
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Just before the beginning of the First World War the English Mastiff acquired its present day appearance. The war turned out to be a serious challenge for the breed. The population of dogs decreased greatly, leaving only 60 purebred English Mastiffs at the first postwar show. English Mastiff fanciers improved the situation by the 1930s. They aimed at breeding dogs that were similar to elephants in power and close to giraffes in suppleness. Thanks to their efforts, the number of English Mastiffs increased in the second half of the 20th century.
English Mastiffs - Pictures - Present Day Functions
A higher percentage of English Mastiff owners are said to reside in the US. The English Mastiff is basically a pet now. Still, it preserves many of its working abilities and can serve as a guardian. Some English Mastiffs take part in weight pulling, obedience trials, and other canine sports. English Mastiffs - Pictures - General Information Links
A Complete Pet Owner's Manual - Order this edition dedicated to the English Mastiff.
Breed Profile - Mastiff - History, characteristics, and health concerns of the breed.
Canada Dogs - Mastiff - History of the breed, plus breeders and clubs.
Chautepek Mastiffs - Pictures of English Mastiffs.
CKC - Mastiff - General information about the breed from the Continental Kennel Club.
Delagodaverno Mastiffs - Pictures of English Mastiffs from Italy.
Making History - Historical overview of bull-baiting, one of the medieval Mastiff activities.
Mastiff - History and description of the breed.
Mastiff Breeders - Find English Mastiff breeders, clubs, articles, health issues, and more.
Mastiff Bridge - Pay tribute to the gentle natured Mastiff. Scan the list of pets since past or add one to the list, read Mastiff poems, and find pet loss links.
Mastiff Links - Links to Mastiff related sites.
Mastiff Photo Gallery - Pictures of Mastiffs.
Mastiff Pictures - Breed photo gallery.
Mastiff Web - Mastiff breeders, discussion of temperament and training. Lots of information and pictures.
Mastiff World - View English Mastiff pictures.
Mastiffs In Weight Pulling - An interview with Mastiff owners having experience in weight pulling.
Molosserworld - Information, links, and pictures of Mastiffs, and other Molossers.
Photo Gallery - Pictures of Mastiffs.
The Mastiff Web Ring - Links to web pages about Mastiffs.
Therapeutic Companionship - Article in Lubbock Avalanche-Journal 1997 about some Mastiffs who are therapy dogs.
English Mastiffs - Pictures - Other English Mastiffs sites
English Mastiffs Breeders - English Mastiffs are definitely ancient dogs. Their history is hard to trace now, even though many brilliant people racked their brains to solve the mystery. What aggravates the task is confusion of the name "Mastiff" that denotes both the family and the breed. However, there are a few suppositions that are adhered to by the majority of English Mastiff lovers.
Mastiff-like dogs probably originated in Assyria. Archeological digs held in Niniveh city revealed some pieces of Assyrian art, among them being an ancient vase. That item, dated about 612 BC, depicted a massive dog with a square head wearing armor. This fact confirms that the ancestors of the English Mastiff were used as war dogs.
English Mastiffs Puppies - English Mastiffs are large dogs weighing about 175-190 pounds, and more. They have a massive head with a square, broad muzzle. Eyes are of medium size should not be protruding. Small ears are black, and set apart.
The English Mastiff is very muscular. It has a rounded chest, long legs, and a tail that never curves over the back. English Mastiffs from American breeding lines are said to be lighter than those from European ones.
English Mastiffs - English Mastiffs, also called Old English Mastiffs, are one of the biggest breeds of dog. They are known for their huge size and a quiet, yet cautious temper. These diligent dogs are always ready to please their owner, and are said to make wonderful guard dogs. They also serve as watchdogs, weight pulling and obedience competitors, and devoted companions.
English Mastiffs are well-balanced dogs, noted for their size and strength. The head is square, with a moderately long muzzle. Muscles are well developed on the temple and jaw areas. The skull is slightly rounded with a relatively thin skin that tends to form wrinkles when the dog is at action. Small ears set widely apart are of black color matching the black muzzle. Brown eyes are of medium size.
Mastiffs Breeders - Mastiffs are ancient dogs whose history is closely connected with fighting and guarding. The Tibetan Mastiff is thought to be the ancestor of all the present day Mastiffs. This dog in its turn originated from the Molossus, a war dog known in the times of the Roman Empire. All the Mastiffs and some other breeds of dog are regarded as Molossers. They have some common features. Yet, certain differences make each of them specific.
The Dogue de Bordeaux, otherwise called "the French Mastiff," was probably developed in France. It might have originated from a dog that was distributed on the territory of France. In addition, it could have taken its roots from the Alano, an ancient dog that had been brought to Europe by a people called Alano. If this theory is true, the Dogue de Bordeaux can be considered a close relative of the Neapolitan Mastiff.
Mastiffs - Mastiffs are working dogs that can be used in a variety of activities. Their historical uses range from serving as war dogs and guardians to herding dogs and human companions. Many of their physical attributes and basic personality traits have been preserved, which makes it possible to use them in herding, tracking, weight pulling, sledding and some other activities. Today, Mastiffs are primarily companions.
Mastiff owners have faced a problem of late connected with the Breed Specific Legislation. Mastiffs are among breeds that fall under the category of dangerous dogs. BSL has raised much concern in the world of dog ownership by aiming at banning some breeds. As the discussion is still going on, the popularity of Mastiffs increases all over the world.
Mastiffs Pictures - Mastiffs are working dogs that can be used in weight pulling, sledding, tracking, hunting, and are valued highly as good guard dogs. They are massive, strong, and heavy-boned. The muzzle is relatively long with scissors or pincer bite in Neapolitan Mastiffs, undershot bite in the Dogue de Bordeaux and the English Mastiff.
Double coat is short and lies closely to the body. Ears in Neapolitan Mastiffs are usually cropped, whereas in English Mastiffs and Dogue de Bordeaux they are short lying closely to the temples. Dark eyes are of medium size. The Neapolitan Mastiff shows a considerable jaw. Both English Mastiffs and Dogue de Bordeaux have a mask.
Mastiffs Puppies - Mastiffs are usually very small as puppies. One can hardly believe they can grow into large powerful dogs. Nevertheless, Mastiff puppies grow very rapidly increasing their weight tens of times during the first years of their life. English Mastiffs, for instance, can weigh about 145-170 pounds as adult dogs. They are considered the heaviest dogs in the canine world. Other Mastiffs are a little smaller. Yet, when full grown they can weigh about 110-150 pounds.
All the Mastiffs are heavy-boned dogs. They have large heads and move gently. Thus, the Neapolitan Mastiff's gait is often compared to that of a cat. This breed has some characteristics common to all the Mastiff-like dogs. It has a broad muscled back, strong legs, and loose skin. Unlike other Mastiffs, Neapolitan Mastiffs have cropped ears and a docked tail. A profound lower eyelid is also a specific feature, which makes them easily recognizable.
Mastiffs - There exist three versions of Mastiffs: the Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff), the Neapolitan Mastiff and the English Mastiff. All European Mastiffs have descended from the Tibetan Mastiff, the most ancient domestic dog. It's believed that Alexander the Great brought them to Greece from India in about 300 B.C. Later Romans adopted them for circus combats. The Latin word Molossus, for the Mastiff, means "massive." English scientists have a theory that the Phoenicians brought the Mastiff right to Britain around 500 B.C.
Dogue de Bordeaux were known as hunting dogs in France since the 12th century. They hunted large game: bears, wolves, boars, pigs, and deer. Natural born killers, they were used in wars, and helped to guard and drive cattle. It's the main breed to participate in dog fighting that was extremely popular in the 20th century.
