All Dogs Welcome

Varieties:

The term Mastiff refers to several types of dogs.  These are not varieities, but rather, entirely separate breeds of dogs.  This page describes the breed formerly known as the English or Old English Mastiff and now known simply as the Mastiff.

Mastiffs present in a limited range of colors as listed above.  But this breed should always display a very well defined black mask. The mask refers to the muzzle, ears, nose and area around the eyes. The massive head gives the impression of being square, box like, or even rectangular with a broad skull and a short muzzle. This breed is slightly longer than it is tall, with  very straight, heavily boned forelegs that are set firmly apart. The Mastiff is a very proportionate, heavily boned, well muscled dog.  Its power is evident in its gait, with a type of movement that portrays both strength and agility.  As you might expect this breed has large round feet with well arched toes and nails as black as the mask.  And the Mastiff possesses the endurance one might expect of one so strong and powerful.  But look past the size of this animal and into its face.  You will see an expression that is kind, gentle and alert and an overall air of grandeur and dignity.

The Mastiff existed in Great Britain more than 2000 years ago.  But it's actual lineage is in question.  It may have come from Asia and have been transported by Mediterranean and Phoenician traders, or other traders that traveled through Northern Europe. In any event it is truly an ancient dog that may be descended from the Alaunt, the Pugnaces Britanniae, the Tibetan Mastiff, or Molussus.  The now extinct Molussus was an ancient Greek dog that is believed to be the predecessor to most, if not all, breeds of Molosser type dogs.  These large breed dogs are also known as Mastiffs, Dogues, Alaunts and Alanos.  These types of dogs are distinguishable by their enormous size and massive heads.

The strongest arguments seem to suggest that the ancestors of mastiffs came from Central-Asia and were brought to Britain by Phoenician traders where they were traded to the Romans who respected this breed as both war dogs and fighting dogs.  Unfortunately they seem to have has a violent beginning as they were bred to fight bears, bulls, lions, tigers and each other for the entertainment of man.  This evolved to a point where these dogs were also used to fight against Roman gladiators in the arena.  The size, strength and loyalty of these breeds eventually led to them being used as guard dogs.
At the turn of the 20th century few mastiffs were left. The English embarked on a program to try to save the breed.  The program was successful and the breed grew in numbers until WWII.  During the war their numbers dwindled as they ate too much during a time when food was scarce and most common folk could not afford to keep them.  In 1946 a group of English Mastiff enthusiasts met to save the breed from certain extinction.  It is beleived that by 1947 there were only 7 English Mastiffs left alive throughout Great Britain.  The English came to the US to try to find dogs that could be mated and help the breed survive.  All the dogs found in the US were of such poor quality that none were accepted.  in 1948 two promising puppies were found in the District of Columbia and taken back to England.  These two puppies became the foundation for saving the breed.  By 1950 there were about 50 Mastiffs in England.  To keep the mastiff type dog going other large breeds were used as stock such as the Saint Bernard, Great Dane, Boxer, Rottweiler, Bloodhound, English Bulldog and others.  The breed is still not considered a common dog and their numbers can be counted in many countries.  However they are now considered to be of a stable number.

They have also long since abandoned their violent beginnings and have come to be known as the 'Gentle Giants' of the dog world.  Although this is not the oldest of the mastiff breeds it has contributed to the development of many other dog breeds including other, more recent varieties of mastiffs.

The Mastiff is noted for its calm and stable disposition.  It is an even tempered dog that is exceptionally devoted to its family.  It is wonderfully gentle with both children and other pets.  This breed is calm, sensitive, docile, good natured, self confident, patient, stoic and most of all, affectionate!  

These dogs are often perceived as slow, clumsy and maybe even a bit dull.  This description is quite inaccurate. They are, in fact, quite intelligent, very agile, and surprisingly fast.  However, they lack the instincts for hunting and retrieving and are therefore unlikely to 'bolt' like many other breeds.  In fact, Mastiffs can have a tendency to be lazy and need you to provide them with daily exercise to avoid obesity and other health problems.

Mastiffs are frequently assigned the task of guardian or watch dog.  Though they are very watchful and protective of their families, this is a task that they handle in an unusual manner. The Mastiff will rarely bark.  If the Mastiff perceives a threat to its master or territory it will emit a low warning growl.  But while capable of being protective, they are not aggressive or destructive.  If the Mastiff suspects danger from the presence of a stranger they will typically pin the intruder in place by cornering them or even sitting on them until a human they know arrives to take over.  Mastiffs will only attack if severely provoked.

Mastiffs are loving and well mannered house pets.

Mastiffs can be lazy and will not look for exercise.  You must provide it.  But daily walks are adequate.
The smooth, short coat requires regular brushing and can be wiped with a towel or chamois to obtain a shinier coat.  Bath when necessary.  These dogs are fairly light shedders.

Although this is an exceptionally large breed of dog it does not require much exercise and therefore can live happily in any environment from an apartment, to a house with a small yard, or in the country with unlimited open space.  It's gentle and loyal nature makes it a great family dog.

All purebred dogs are more susceptible to certain health conditions while less susceptible to others.  It does not mean that your dog will or will not suffer from these or other conditions. 

The most common health problem associated with the Mastiff include hip dysplasia and gastric torsion. 

Minor problems include obesity, osteosarcoma, and cystinuria. 

Problems only occasionally found include cardiomyopathy, allergies, vaginal hyperplasia, cruciate ligament rupture, hypothyroidism, OCD, entropion, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), and persistent pupillary membranes (PPM)

It is believed that the first mastiff arrived in America on the Mayflower.

AKC, Working Group
CKC, Mastiff Group
UKC, Guardian Group 

ACR, AKC, ANKC, APRI, CKC, DRA, FCI, KCGB, NAPR, NKC, NZKC, UKC

View a list of Breed Specific Rescue organizations supporting the Mastiff or English Mastiff breed or a list of Breed Specific Rescues that support multiple Varieties of Mastiff breeds.