- Breed name: Tibetan Mastiff
- Original breed name: TIBETAN MASTIFF
- AKC list of most popular dogs: 131
- FCI Classification: Group 2 – Pinschers and Schnauzers, Molossians and Swiss Shepherd Dogs
- Origin: Tibet
- Size: Large dog
- Average life expectancy: 10-12 years
The Tibetan Mastiff is considered one of the oldest and most expensive dog breeds in the world. A specific look that resembles a lion’s mane due to its thick fur. Extremely brave, loyal to his human family and an excellent guardian. It barks a lot and requires early training and socialization.
ORIGIN
The Tibetan Mastiff is one of the oldest breeds of dogs. Evidence of their existence dates back to 1100 BC. According to some sources, these dogs arrived in the territory of Central Asia, following Attila the Hun. There is also a legend that the Tibetan Mastiff is a dog of God, because it represents the transformation of a Tibetan priest into a dog. They were originally used as guardians of Tibetan monasteries, and were later used to guard herds and other important buildings. Until 1847, this breed was completely unknown outside of his native Tibet, when a specimen of this breed was sent to Queen Victoria, which aroused great interest in this dog. The breed standard was written in 1931. During the Chinese offensive on Tibet, this breed was almost completely exterminated, but with great effort, several breeders of that time saved the breed from oblivion. The Dalai Lama sent two specimens of this breed to President Eisenhower, and the descendants of these dogs were the basis for further breeding of this breed in the territory of America. This dog is one of the most expensive dogs in the world, in 2014, one Tibetan Mastiff was sold for 2.7 million dollars. This produced a real boom of interest and a sharp increase in kennels during 2015. Unfortunately, the interest of the rich in this breed declined in a couple of years, which produced the horrible practice of Chinese breeders to kill these dogs in the most cruel ways because it was no longer profitable for them to continue to nurture them.
APPEARANCE
The Tibetan Mastiff has very large bones and due to its constitution, it is one of the giant dogs. It is square in shape with strong and stocky legs. It has a wide tail, which it bends bent above the back. The head of this dog is massive and quite wide, it has an extremely strong jaw. His snout is large and black, and his eyes are small and dark brown. The ears of this breed are triangular and lowered. The fur is very thick, the hair is straight and quite long. The undercoat is also thick and protects it well from the cold. The fur appears in the following colors: black, black or flame color (black-red), chestnut, different shades of gold, different shades of gray as well as gray with gold markings. In the area of the neck, they have a very thick collar that forms a crown of thick hair on their head, which many who see it associates with a lion’s mane. The average weight of the Tibetan Mastiff ranges from 63 to 78 kg, and the height from 60 to 71 cm.
CHARACTER
The Tibetan Mastiff is considered a brave, fearless, but at the same time considerate and calm dog. He likes to bark at night, which is why many owners of this dog decide to lock him up during the night so as not to disturb the neighbors with his extremely deep barking. During the day, and when he is in the house, he is mostly calm and quiet. He is distrustful of strangers, he has not forgotten the purpose of his ancestors, and he has excellent guarding instincts, whether it is guarding cattle, his human family or their property. He is the first to his family, gentle and caring with children. He needs early socialization as well as a strict and consistent owner. If he does not train and socialize in the right way, he can be prone to stubbornness, forcing resentment as well as showing aggression. If you want to keep this dog as a pet, you need to pay a lot of love and attention to it, but once this dog falls in love with its owner, he becomes extremely loyal to him and has a natural desire to prove himself and please him.
HEALTH AND CARE
The Tibetan Mastiff is quite inactive when it is indoors, but it is certainly necessary to provide it with sufficient amounts of regular walks of moderate length. He needs regular brushing of his thick fur. It sheds once a year, so daily brushing is necessary during the spring months. Due to its size, it is not recommended to keep it in the apartment, and if it is kept in the yard, it is necessary to provide the yard with a fence at least two meters high. Unlike many other breeds, females get forced only once a year, and the offspring continue to behave like puppies for quite a long time. It is considered a generally healthy race, but health problems such as hip dysplasia, thyroid problems, skin diseases and ear infections can occur.
Statistics
- Energy level: Moderate level
- Level of playfulness: Moderate level
- Attitude towards other dogs: Friendly
- Relationship to other pets: Friendly
- Attitude towards strangers: Distrustful
- Ease of training: Moderately difficult to train
- Protection: High level of protection
- Maintenance required: Moderate
- Heat tolerance: Moderate