Group

Mastiff, Working Dogs

Origin

Ancestors of the Tibetan Mastiff have been known to exist in Tibet for many centuries. To this day we are still unsure about which breeds were crossed to create the Mastiff. Alexander the Great used the Mastiff to get from Tibet to Europe, and during this period many of today's other Mastiffs were bred.

In the 1800's, a Tibetan Mastiff was given to Queen Victoria of England. This started the importation of the breed to England the British began to improve and regulate the breed. The English have perfected the breed, which has virtually disappeared in the Orient. The breed standard was created in the 1930s.

The Tibetan Mastiff are used for guarding lifestock, because they are willing to fight to protect against predators. They are also very good as house guardian. In Tibet, they used to be tied up from 2 months of age to aggravate their aggressiveness. One dog was sometime the guardian of an entire village. English-bred dogs are more trainable and controllable than those from Tibet.

Description

The Tibetan Mastiff is a very strong, powerful done with good bones, a broad head and a long thick coat. Their head is wedged-shaped and they have a wide muzzle. They have a bushy tail with curls over the back. The upper lip usually covers the lower lip. They have a large black nose. Their ears are v-shaped and hung on each side. Generally, their body is slightly longer then tall and they have powerful and heavy-boned legs. They have a very heavy ruff around the neck but the hair on the head is short. They are usually black colored, sometimes with gold or tan markings, although they can also be chocolate, blue & tan, sable, gold, cream, or red, with or without tan markings. They can also have white markings.

Their height average is between 25-28 inches (61-71 cm.) and their weight average is 140-170 pounds (64-78 kg).

Temperament

The Tibetan Mastiff is a brave, fearless dog. Very protective and territorial. They are very loyal to their family and will protect them.

They love children but can be a bit reserved to strangers. They need to be socialized as puppy as well as very well trained to become the guardian of the house. They are determined and have a real desire to please. They are intelligent dogs and are doing ok with other pets if raised with them. Keep an eye on them when meeting other stranger dogs.

Be patient with them as they stay puppy longer than other breeds.

Living conditions

The Tibetan Mastiffs are not apartment dogs. They are relatively inactive indoors and need a large garden to walk around. Be careful they like to wander away, so make sure you have a high fence around the garden and that the surface is not diggable, as they love digging. They are best kept inside at night as they bark a lot during the night.

Exercise

They need in average 40 to 60 minutes a day of exercise. They really enjoy exercising and love walking around the countryside. As every dogs, puppies should have all exercise monitored while they are still growing to ensure that no damage occurs to the bones and joints. As long as they are walked and socialized regularly, they are quite happy with just laying around snoozing all day, although one eye is always open on guard. They don’t like playing games with the ball very much.

Grooming

The Tibetan Mastiffs are easy to maintain and require brushing about 2 or 3 times a week when they are not shedding. Extra care is needed when they are shedding, normally Spring or summer. They then need brushing everyday. Bath only when necessary.

Health problems

They are prone to hip dysplasia, skin conditions, thyroid problems, ear infections, and an unusual genetic problem called Canine Inherited Demyelinative Neuropathy (CIDN). CIDN symptoms usually appear at 7-10 weeks. If a puppy has this condition, he will die before 4 months of age. Always find out from the breeder before buying a puppy if there was any case of CIDN in the family.

Life expectancy

Tibetan Mastiffs can live up to 15 years or more. But oin average they live between 11 and 14 years.