Sunday, August 16, 2009

Mastiff Dog Breeds

By Eric Salson

The Mastiff dog has a long history; these dogs have been domesticated for more than two thousand years. The Romans bred the ancestors of modern Mastiff dog breeds for use as guard dogs and hunting dogs and in brought these dogs to the British Isles in the 6th century when they conquered Britain. These dogs, already favorites with the Romans (including Julius Caesar, by many accounts) quickly became popular in Britain as well and became the ancestors of the modern English Mastiff. Mastiffs also were part of the war party when Hannibal crossed the Alps and were a favorite of the Kublai Khan, who kept a kennel of thousands of the dogs.

Mastiff dogs found a place as the guard dogs to British royalty, though they were also used in the cruel blood sports of animal baiting until the sport was outlawed in the 1800s. The breed came to the Americas in the 1600s, but only became popular in the 1800s. Today, Mastiffs are beloved household pets and work as police dogs, guard dogs and search and rescue animals.

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.

Today, he is still the largest breed of dog, often reaching a weight of 220 pounds and a shoulder height of 30 inches. They should appear massive and powerful, with a black mask and ears highlighting a pale coat of silver, apricot, fawn or brindle short hair.

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.

Adults love Mastiffs too and vice versa. If you have a Mastiff, you have a friend for life this is a dog which wants to be where you are, whether you're relaxing or going for a run. Mastiffs prefer the company of their families above all else.

Mastiffs tend to be shy around new people and will often sit quietly close by until introduced. They generally get along with other pets if they have been socialized well when young. If your new Mastiff hasn't had this training as a puppy, you'll have to either train them how to interact appropriately with other animals or make sure that your dog can't be around other pets without close supervision.

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