Mastiff

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The Mastiff by Philip Reinagle, 1805 The dog book - a popular history of the dog, with practical information as to care and management of house, kennel, and exhibition dogs; and descriptions of all the important breeds (1906) (20800295488).jpg
The Mastiff by Philip Reinagle, 1805

A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog. [1] [2] Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short coat, a long low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short (brachycephalic) and the ears drooping and pendant-shaped. [1] [2] European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type. [3] Mastiffs have historically been guard dogs, protecting homes and property, although throughout history they have been used as hunting dogs, war dogs and for blood sports, such as dog fighting, bull-baiting, bear-baiting, and even lion-baiting. [2] [3]

Contents

History

Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that mastiffs have long been distinct in both form and function from the similarly large livestock guardian dogs from which they were most likely developed; [4] they also form separate genetic populations. [5] The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and some kennel clubs group the two types together as molossoid dogs; some modern livestock guardian breeds, such as the Pyrenean Mastiff, the Spanish Mastiff and the Tibetan Mastiff, and an extinct draught dog called the Belgian Mastiff, have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs. [6]

Many older English sources refer to mastiffs as bandogs or bandogges, although technically the term "bandog" meant a dog that was tethered by a chain (or "bande") that would be released at night; the terms "mastiff" and "bandog" were often used interchangeably. One of the most famous "bandog" programs in England, led to the establishment of a recognized "bandog" breed known today as the Bull Mastiff. The least common "bandog" program in England was funded by Sir Nathanael Dieu-est-Mon'plaisir, the St. Louis Vincent Mastiff or South American Mastiff was named after Vincent Louis who reared plantation dogs originating from St. Louis and other parts of South America. This rare breed is the most expensive mastiff-type dog amongst the "bandog" breeds. [7] In the twentieth century the term "bandog" was revived to describe some large fighting mastiff type dogs crossed with any bulldog in the United States. [8]

List of mastiff breeds

Extant breeds

BreedAlternate name(s)Country of originUseImage
Alano Español
  • Spanish Alano
  • Spanish Bulldog
Spain War dog, bull-baiting, big-game hunting Spanishalanored2.jpg
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog United States Guard dog Alapaha Blue-Blood Bulldog.jpg
American Bulldog
  • Old Southern White Bulldog
  • Old Southern White
  • English White Bulldog
  • White English
  • Hill Bulldog
  • Country Bulldog
United States Guard dog, catch dog, farm dog BUCKEYE 2010 ANCHOR BULLY RASCALZ.jpg
Boerboel South African Mastiff South Africa Guard dog HuntHillBoerboelsGunston1.jpeg
Boxer
  • German Boxer
  • Deutscher Boxer
Germany Guard dog, big-game hunting Male fawn Boxer undocked.jpg
Broholmer
  • Danish Broholmer
  • Danish Mastiff
Denmark Guard dog Ivarr03.JPG
Bulldog
  • English Bulldog
  • British Bulldog
United Kingdom (England)Companion dog, formerly bull-baiting Whitebulldog.jpg
Bullmastiff Gamekeeper's Night Dog United Kingdom (England)Guard dog Bullmastiff edited.JPG
Bully Kutta
  • Indian Mastiff
  • Pakistani Mastiff
  • Sindhi Mastiff
  • Indian Bully
  • Pakistani Bully
India and Pakistan Guard dog, big-game hunting, dog fighting PakistaniMastiffPunjab.jpg
Campeiro Bulldog
  • Brazilian Bulldog
  • Countryside Bulldog
  • Pampas Bulldog
Brazil Catch dog, butcher's dog Buldogue Campeiro.jpg
Cane Corso
  • Italian Mastiff
  • Italian Corso Dog
  • Italian Corso
  • Cane Corso Italiano
Italy Guard dog, catch dog Viggo-Ears-n-Tail.png
Cão Fila de São Miguel
  • São Miguel Cattle Dog
  • Saint Miguel Cattle Dog
  • Azores Cattle Dog
  • Azores Cow Dog
Portugal Cattle-herding dog, catch dog Azores Cattle Dog.jpg
Chongqing dog China Guard dog Chinese Chongqing Dog Rude.jpg
Cimarrón Uruguayo
  • Cimarrón
  • Uruguayan Cimarrón
  • Cimarrón Creole
  • Maroon Dog
  • Cerro Largo Dog
  • Perro Cimarrón
  • Cimarrón Dog
  • Uruguayan Gaucho Dog
Uruguay Guard dog Uruguayan Cimarron 1.jpg
Continental Bulldog Swiss Bulldog Switzerland Companion dog Pitsch-Dog.jpg
Dogo Argentino
  • Argentine Dogo
  • Argentine Mastiff
Argentina Guard dog, big-game hunting, dog fighting 0Dogo-argentino-22122251920.jpg
Dogo Guatemalteco
  • Guatemalan Dogo
  • Guatemalan Bull Terrier
  • Bullterrier Guatemalteco
Guatemala Guard dog, formerly bull-baiting Eggon Lasal.jpg
Dogue Brasileiro Brazil Guard dog Doguebrasileiro.jpg
Dogue de Bordeaux
  • French Mastiff
  • Bordeaux Mastiff
  • Bordeaux dog
France Guard dog DJT 0086.jpg
English Mastiff
  • Old English Mastiff
  • Mastiff
United Kingdom (England)Guard dog Westgort Anticipation 17 months.JPG
Fila Brasileiro
  • Brazilian Mastiff
  • Cão de Fila Brasileiro
Brazil Guard dog Heroi Itanhandu.jpg
French Bulldog Bouledogue Français France Lap dog Mi Gran Amigo El General.jpg
Great Dane
  • Deutsche Dogge
  • German Mastiff
  • German Boarhound
Germany Big-game hunting Great Dane K02.jpg
Kurdish Mastiff
  • Pishdar dog
  • Assyrian Shepherd
Iraq Guard dog sg pjdr khrd.jpg
Laizhou Hong
  • Laizhouhong Dog
  • Zhuqiao Hong
  • Shandong Hong
  • Sulian Hong
  • Shanhong Quan
  • Huxing Quan
  • Chuanhong Quan
  • Chinese Red Dog
  • Red dog of Laizhou
China Companion dog, working dog, guard dog Laizhoureddog6.jpg
Neapolitan Mastiff Mastino Napoletano Italy Guard dog Mastino Napoletano Rude clp.JPG
Olde English Bulldogge United States Modern-day re-creation of the extinct Old English Bulldog UKC Olde English Bulldogge Male.jpg
Perro de Presa Canario
  • Canary Mastiff
  • Canary Catch Dog
  • Presa Canario
  • Dogo Canario
Canary Islands Guard dog, catch dog Canario 0720.jpg
Perro de Presa Mallorquin
  • Ca de Bou
  • Majorca Mastiff
  • Perro Dogo Mallorquin
Spain Bull-baiting Ca de bou dog.jpg
Pyrenean Mastiff Spain Guard dog MasPiri-Puma-FIN.jpg
Rottweiler Germany Guard dog Rottweiler standing facing left.jpg
Serrano Bulldog Buldogue Serrano Brazil Herding dog, butcher's dog Anuke.jpg
Spanish Mastiff Spain Guard dog Mastin espanol 02.jpg
Tosa
  • Tosa Inu
  • Tosa Ken
  • Tosa Tōken
  • Japanese Mastiff
  • Japanese Tosa
  • Japanese Fighting Dog
  • Tosa Fighting Dog
Japan Dog fighting BUKADAI 2.jpg

Extinct breeds

BreedAlternate name(s)Country or region of originEraUseImage
Alaunt Alaunt de BoucherieEurope, Central Asia Big-game hunting, guard dog, dog fighting Jacopo del Sallaio.jpg
Bullenbeisser
  • Bärenbeisser
  • German Bulldog
Germanyto World War II Bull-baiting (as Bullenbeisser), bear-baiting (as Bärenbeisser) Bullenbeiser.jpg
Córdoba fighting dog
  • Córdoba dog
  • Córdobese dog
  • Perro de Pelea Cordobés
Argentinato the 1920sDog fighting Patan.jpg
Dogo Cubano
  • Cuban Mastiff
  • Cuban Bloodhound
  • Cuban Dogo
  • Cuban Dogge
Cuba16th – late 19th c.Recapturing runaway slaves, bull-baiting, dog fighting DogoCubano2.jpg
Fila da Terceira
  • Terceira Mastiff
  • Cão de Fila da Terceira
  • Rabo Torto
Portugalto the 1970sCatch dog Fila de Terceira.jpg
Molossus
  • Molossian Hound
  • Epirus Mastiff
Southern Europe Classical antiquity War dog, guard dog, big-game hunting, dog fighting Molossian Hound, British Museum.jpg
Old English Bulldog Great Britain and Ireland17th–19th c.Bull-baiting, dog fighting CribandRosa1811.jpg
Toy Bulldog
  • Miniature Bulldog
  • English Toy Bulldog
United Kingdom (England)18th – early 20th c.Lap dog Toy Bulldog Little Knot 1903.jpg

References

Bibliography