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Mastiffs are a group of large, solidly built breeds of dogs, typically with heavy bones, pendant ears, a relatively short and well muscled neck, and a short muzzle. The English Mastiff breed is also sometimes called simply a Mastiff. Although some mastiff breeds are used for search and rescue, such as the Saint Bernard and the Newfoundland, most are used as guard dogs, due to their deep voices and natural guarding instincts, or herding dogs, not for actual herding but for protection against large predators as well as poachers. Some breeds, like the Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund have also been used as cart dogs.The word "Mastiff" is derived from the same word as "massive", meaning "mountain-like". Related words are "molosser" (from Molossia , a country once located in what is now Western Greece), "dogge" (Germanic) and "douge" or "dogo" (romance languages).
The origin of the Mastiff is disputed, but Assyrian bas-relief carvings of Mastiffs found in Nineveh date back as far as approximately 640 BC. Many believe that the Tibetan Mastiff is the ancestor of modern Mastiffs, although there is little evidence to support this theory. It is a fact, though, that large watchdogs have existed in Asia and the Middle East for several thousand years.
Some of today's Mastiff breeds come from the British Isles and points farther north, which accounts for their thick coats and solid build. The name "Mastiff" is also used specifically for one breed, also known as the English Mastiff or Old English Mastiff.
Mastiff breeds include the following:
This is an incomplete list . You can help Wikipedia by [ ṣlocalurl: : |action=edit}} expanding or completing it.]
- Akbash Dog
- Alano Español (Spanish Alano)
- Appenzeller Sennenhund
- Argentine Dogo
- BergamascoThe Bergamasco is a breed of dog with its origins in the Italian Alps. They were originally used as herding dogs. The breed's most distinctive feature is the unusual matted coat which is a normal and healthy characteristic of the breed. Bergamascos are bo
- Bernese Mountain DogThe Bernese Mountain Dog (also called Berner Sennenhund or Bouvier Bernois is a versatile cattle-herding or farm dog originating in the canton of Berne in Switzerland. A strikingly handsome dog of medium size, the “Berner” (as his friends often call him) (Berner Sennen)
- BoerboelA Boerboel is a large, mastiff type dog breed from South Africa. The word boerboel is Afrikaans for "farmer's dog". They are obedient, intelligent, self-assured and bred to have an extremely strong guard-dog instinct. Perhaps surprisingly, this does not m (South-African Mastiff)
- Broholmer
- BulldogThe English Bulldog often called simply the Bulldog is a medium-sized dog breed, originally used for bullbaiting, in which trained bulldogs attacked and killed tied-up bulls for sport during the 17th century. The practice of bullbaiting was banned in Engl
- BullmastiffThe Bullmastiff is a powerful dog, said to be a cross between the Mastiff and the Bulldog. Originally bred to find and immobilise poachers, the breed has proved its value as a family pet. Large, by family standards, the dog weighs 115 to 135 lb (52 to 61
- Ca de Bou
- Cane CorsoThe Cane Corso is an Italian guard dog. The dog is a large mastiff-type dog breed and can be naturally aggressive with strangers unless well socialized from an early age. Sixteenth-century breeders in Sicily recreated this breed in an attempt to match the
- Central Asia Shepherd Dog
- Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff)
- English Mastiff (Mastiff)
- Fila BrasileiroThe Fila Brasileiro (or Brazilian Mastiff is a large working breed of dog developed in Brazil. Its origins are not well known, but it is believed to have been developed from various breeds including the English Mastiff and the Bloodhound; the latter contr (Brazilian Mastiff)
- Gran Mastin de Borínquen
- Great Dane (German Mastiff)
- Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund (Greater Swiss Mountain Dog)
- Hovawart
- Indian Mastiff (Sindh Mastiff)
- Kangal Dog
- Kuvasz
- Landseer
- Leonberger
- Moscovskaya Storozhevaya Sobaka (Moscow Watchdog)
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Newfoundland
- Owczarek Podhalanski (Tatra Mountain Sheepdog)
- Perro Cimarron
- Perro de Presa Canario
- Perro de Toro
- Pyrenean Mastiff
- Pyrenean Mountain Dog (Great Pyrenees)
- Rottweiler
- Sarplaninac
- Spanish Mastiff
- Shar Pei
- Saint Bernard
- Tibetan Kyi Apso (Bearded Tibetan Mastiff)
- Tibetan Mastiff
- Tosa (Japanese Mastiff)
Dog types
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