Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff breed is a very large one and is rare. They can attain tremendous sizes and requires close supervision while still young. Lots of open spaces are required to raise this particular breed.

The Tibetan Mastiff's Behavior

Source: Wikipedia, www.tmcamerica.org/faqs.html

Recommended for: pet, working dog

The Tibetan Mastiff dog breed is a very large breed, one of the largest. Those still found in Tibet are fierce but those that were raised in England are actually quite gentle. They require training, which will be easy if attention can be held, while still young and this is a must. This is not a small dog that can forego lessons. This is 140 pounds of strong will, strong muscles, powerful jaws, and big size. They are not suited to live in apartments and neither is it a good idea to leave them outdoors at night. They are natural guard dogs and will bark at anything, likely disturbing neighbors. As guard dogs they are courageous and will tackle even predators. They are independent and intelligent and expect to be treated as companions rather than housepets. Towards strangers it is aloof. Tibetan Mastiffs are good with children because of their patience.

Remember that breed only provides a general clue as to any individual dog's actual behavior. Make sure to get to know dogs well before bringing them into your home.

The Tibetan Mastiff's Physical Characteristics

Here are some of the characteristics of the Tibetan Mastiff breed as determined by the American Kennel Club's published breed standard.

* Size: males at least 26 inches, females at least 24 inches
* Coat: double coated, fairly long, thick, coarse, soft undercoat, fine, hard, straight
* Color: black, brown, blue/gray, gold shades
* Eyes: mid-size, brown shade, deep set, set well apart, almond shape, slightly slanting
* Ears: mid-size, V-shape, pendant, set high, dropping forward close to head, level with skull
* Muzzle: broad, square
* Nose: broad, black or dark brown for those with blue/gray, gray, and brown colors
* Tail: medium to long length, well-feathered, level with topline of back

The Tibetan Mastiff's Origins and History

Source: Wikipedia

Country/Region of Origin: Tibet

Original purpose: herding, guarding

Name: also known as Do-Khyi.

Historical notes: Tibetan Mastiff dogs belong to an ancient stock. It is believed that at least most of all mastiffs descend from that old Tibetan stock. They were once used to guard the holy city of Lhasa and even now those few that remain in Tibet still make excellent guard dogs for ferocity and aggression. The breed began to die out in Tibet during the 19th century until English breeders took it home and propagated it. Even now they are still rare.