Neapolitan Mastiff - description of the breed and character of the dog

Neapolitan mastiffs are great watchmen in the territories that they are provided for protection and defenders of people. Sometimes some people may misinterpret their appearance, which is very calm and even partly melancholic if the dog does not see danger.

Mastiff looks like a big good-natured person who is not disturbed by anything, but if you try to carry a threat to his master, to whom the mastiffs are incredibly betrayed, the dog will immediately become an angry beast who knows no mercy. With regards to history, these dogs have a very old and exciting one. Mastiffs showed their strength during the time of gladiator fights, not being afraid of lions, bears and other larger animals.

Breed appearance and character

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a large breed of dogs that can reach 75 cm in height, especially in males. With regards to weight, the dog can reach 70 kg, and females - up to 60 kg. Dogs of this breed have abundantly hanging skin over the entire body area, there are many folds on the muzzle, and a massive suspension is seen in the abdomen and neck area. All this visually increases the appearance of the Mastino and adds aggressiveness to it.

The back of the dogs is muscular, and the overall length of the body is usually 10-15 percent longer than the height at the withers. The head is massive and short, and the neck is muscular and strong. The musculature is generally well developed, the paws are powerful and look proportionate. The tail of dogs of this breed is saber, usually not stopped. Mastiff hair is short, no hair, and usually males have a harder coat. The shades of wool in a Neapolitan ecosystem may be different - from black and tiger, to blue and dark gray. Sometimes there may be white markings on the limbs.

In the list of the most striking traits of character, the following can be distinguished:

1. Friendliness.
2. Loyalty - the dog is experiencing affection for the family in which he lives.
3. Calm nature, the absence of aggression - the dog of this breed is very reasonable.
4. The desire to protect the owners and the house - the dog will always protect the owner and will not allow anyone to hurt him.
5. Laziness and slowness - the dog sometimes rests for an excessively long time, and it is difficult to force it to exercise.
6. The need for socialization.
7. Some untidiness and awkwardness.

The history of the breed

Interesting is the fact that, despite all the location and excessive love for the owner, the mastiff has a partly selfish character, often feeling jealous.For this reason, it is not recommended to have such a dog in a family where there are kids or many other pets. These dogs try to give themselves completely to their owner and his calm, so they want to get a corresponding return in their favor. It is rarely the case that the mastiff intentionally hurts someone from the household, but at the same time, large dimensions, mistakes in education and a number of character traits can lead to harm to health. In addition, such dogs are unlikely to forgive a serious betrayal of their owner, so it is worth it to weigh all the pros and cons before getting such a dog. Mastiff chooses a leader once and for all time.

Mastiff care and maintenance

Given the large size and massiveness of the mastiff, we can conclude that it is desirable to keep them in private houses located outside the city. But in fact, it often happens that dogs live in a city apartment. Anyway, the dog must have its own corner in which it will feel quite at ease.

1. It is necessary to choose a litter that is not very hard, but not too soft, otherwise the dog's bones may become deformed, and too hard a sleeping place will leave unpleasant marks and bald patches on the short woolen coat.
2. Place the mastiff should have a bowl for food and water, a variety of toys (which should be larger than the mouth of the dog).
3. If a dog is kept in an apartment, it is necessary to walk it at least twice a day. At the same time, what kind of mastiff rarely loves long and active walks, so the owner will not be exhausted after a calm and measured walk. In addition, the Neapolitan Mastiff with a negative applies to the summer heat, while adoring to doze off in the fresh air.
4. Most often, this breed does not turn around for the owner of major problems and hassle due to the short hair. In order to increase the blood circulation of the dog, to clean the hair and get rid of the extra hair that has fallen out, the dog will need to comb no more than once or twice a week.
5. These dogs have a lot of skin folds on their bodies, so without hygiene and improper care, the dog may suffer from infection and irritation. This is important to consider. The areas near the eyes should be as clean as possible; care should be taken to ensure that no pathological secretions occur. But too often it is not recommended to expose the dog to water procedures, it will be better to inspect the folds on the body after eating and walking, to wipe them, removing all particles of dirt, food and saliva.At the end of walking it is necessary to wash the paws of the mastiff, and it is necessary to bathe fully, using all means, about four times during the year.
6. At the place of the dog should always be a container filled with clean water, and a bowl with food is recommended for 20-30 minutes to expose the dog, and then clean and wash.

Increased salivation is typical for dogs of this breed, and you should not worry if the mastiff breathes heavily and snorts. However, this can be a small problem when living in a small city apartment mastino.

Sometimes the owners of animals of this breed are mistaken, considering that the large dimensions of the dogs are invariably associated with excessive appetite. However, overfeeding the mastiff is strictly prohibited, otherwise it can turn into obesity.

The process of education and training

The person who is engaged in the full-fledged mastiff training should have unconditional domination over this dog. The character of the mastiff is not devoid of pressure and perseverance, while the dog has an excellent memory. It is for this reason that it is strictly forbidden to scold and reproach a dog for any mistakes it makes while executing commands.It should be remembered that in the blood of the Neapolitan Mastiff there is already a desire to protect the owner and protect their housing, therefore, with the right and not too strict approach, the Mestino Neapolitano will definitely get the necessary skills and will obey the commands.

With everyday activities with the dog, the mastiff can become an obedient dog, which is well aware that it needs to do everything that the owner orders. At the same time, it is important to repeat again that the person whom the mastiff can trust should train in training. Among those traits that can partly complicate the process of learning a mastiff is slowness, and the mastiff is often tired if you have to memorize commands for a long time. It should be understood that constant fatigue will lead to the fact that the dog will form a certain hostility to the implementation of all commands in the future.

A number of owners of the Neapolitan Mastiff, unfortunately, believe that it is quite normal to walk your pet without putting on a leash and even a muzzle. Sometimes they purposely teach a mastiff at a puppy age to attack small animals and even people.Such misbehavior is truly criminal, and most often it will have sad consequences. Mastiff, being improperly trained, and therefore not particularly controlled, despite the natural calmness, can become a large and dangerous monster.

Neapolitan Mastiff Health

Most often the mastiff can suffer from the following diseases:

1. Hip dysplasia, which can then turn into osteoarthritis.
2. Myopathy of the heart muscle (as is known, it is caused by congenital heart defects, but sometimes is the result of a number of infectious and bacterial diseases, often affects already older dogs).
3. Infections of the skin (caused by ticks, injuries, fleas or staphylococcus).

As you can see, all these diseases are fully correlated with the large dimensions of the dog, a considerable number of folds on the skin and a large weight. Even at puppy age, you must demonstrate a small mastiff to a veterinarian for examination. It will be important to take timely all preventive actions aimed at getting rid of parasites, as well as vaccination, the schedule of which will be provided by a specialist.You must carefully engage in proper feeding of the pet and monitor the condition of his skin, coat and eyes. If the Neapolitan Mastiff shows a warm and careful attitude, combined with proper care, then the pet will live for about 11-13 years.

Breed cost and reviews

It is quite simple to buy mastino neapolitano, dogs are in demand and popularity on the territory of Russia since the middle of the last century. The main peak of interest in the mastiffs came at the beginning of the twenty-first century, and now these dogs are not everywhere found, but the breed still enjoys relevance.

The cost of the Neapolitan Mastiff in Russia can vary in an unusual way from 20 thousand rubles to 60 and more. Of course, a puppy produced by the world, having an amazing pedigree and titled parents, will be very expensive. But even in the list of dogs of this breed, not having a terrific legacy, often puppies, outwardly not inferior to more pedigreed.

With regards to the reviews of the Neapolitan mastiffs, it is incredibly difficult to find a negative response. And this is surprising, since dogs of this breed have a heavy character and a peculiar appearance that requires considerable care.Despite all this, everywhere you can find only positive reviews about animals, not only in certain groups in social networks, but also on special Internet forums where dog lovers communicate.

Interesting Facts

1. A real miracle is the very history of the emergence of such extraordinary dogs, which is shrouded in centuries-old riddles. Often, drawings depicting a mastiff can be found on ancient bas-reliefs or in books that have managed to survive under the influence of time. Surely, any host of the Neapolitan Mastiff will easily tell more than one entertaining story about his pet. Each dog owner of this breed speaks of them with warmth, calling him a big loyal companion who will easily protect even a baby.
2. In 2004, an extraordinary event occurred - the Hercules, the Neapolitan mastiff, was added to the Guinness Book of Records. He had an unusually large weight (128 kilograms). In those days, he was the largest dog in the world in general, among all existing breeds. In the process of daily meals, the dog ate over one and a half kilograms of dry food, and in addition to this, one kilogram of meat.This is unbelievable when you consider that, by weight, Hercules was twice as big as the average mastiff.

Video: Neapolitan Mastiff breed