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Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff, Italian Mastiff or Mastino is a large, ancient dog most often used as a guard dog and defender of family and property due to its protective instincts and their appearance. The breed is reported to have been used to fight alongside the Roman Legions, by having bladed and spiked leather harnesses tied to their backs and being trained to run under the bellies of enemy horses, to disembowel them.
Neapolitan Mastiffs are characterized by loose skin over their entire bodies, with wrinkle and folds on the head and a large dewlap. Some breeders produce Mastino with vast amounts of skin and wrinkle, large bone size and this is known as W.H.A.M meaning Wrinkle Head And Mass, while others detest this type, preferring a leaner appearance. There are 4 coat colors; Black, Grey (Blue), Mahogany and Tawny (blonde), each color may also come with reverse brindling appearing as brown silver or beige. They can have white on the chest and feet. White anywhere else on the body is a fault. Ears can be cropped or uncropped though since January 1, 2007, cropped ears and tails are banned in Italy as it is in the rest of Europe.
Male Neapolitan Mastiffs should measure 26-31 inches (66-79 cm) at the withers, weighing 150 pounds (70 kg), but can easily reach up to 200 pounds (90 kg) for larger males, while females should be 24-29 inches (61-74 cm) and weigh around 140 pounds (64 kg).
The Neapolitan Mastiff is fearless and extremely protective of its home and family. They prefer to be with their family and to remain in and around the home at all times. The Neapolitan Mastiff rarely barks unless it is provoked. They are known for sneaking up on intruders without first alerting them of their presence. Neos, as a breed, are extremely intelligent dogs with a tendency to be independent thinkers. They learn quickly, which is both good and bad, since this guardian breed needs extensive proper socialization to learn to accept strangers, especially within the home; without proper early socialization and training, these dogs are likely to become aggressive towards strangers and unfamiliar dogs.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is not a breed for most people, and certainly not a dog for beginners. As a general rule, Neapolitan Mastiffs are not appropriate for homes with small children, as Neos are large, powerful dogs and don't always know their own strength.
Additional protection training is unnecessary because they are natural guard dogs and always have been. As with every breed,obedience training is very important. The Mastino is very tolerant of pain due to the breed's early fighting background and the fact the skin is loose on the body, so it is important to routinely check for health problems, as a Neo may not behave differently when injured or ill. They also are renowned for drooling especially after drinking or if they get excited.
Some of the content on this page was originally published on Wikipedia
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Neapolitan Mastiff image courtesy of Wikipedia.
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