A mastiff is a large and powerful

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * Ty ...

of dog. Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short

coat A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a ...

, 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. European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type. 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 fighting each other and other animals, including bulls,

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

s and even

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

s. 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; they also form separate genetic populations. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and some kennel clubs group the two types together as

molossoid The Molossus ( el, Μολοσσός, Molossós; also known as the Molossian hound, Epirus mastiff) was a Dog breed, breed of dog from Ancient Greece. History The Molossus were dogs that were kept by the ancient Greeks, Greek tribe and kingdom o ...

dogs; some modern livestock guardian breeds, such as the

Pyrenean Mastiff The Pyrenean Mastiff or Mastín del Pirineo is a Spanish breed of large livestock guardian dog from the autonomous community of Aragón in north-eastern Spain. It was traditionally used to protect flocks during the annual transhumance to high sum ...

, the

Spanish Mastiff The Spanish Mastiff or Mastín Español is a breed of dog from Spain, originally bred to be a guard dog and whose specialized purpose is to be a livestock guardian dog protecting flocks and/or herds from wolves and other predators. Historical ...

and the Tibetan Mastiff, have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs. Tibetan mastiffs have been sold for over $1 million in China. 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. In the 20th century, the term "bandog" has been revived to describe some lines of large mastiff-type guard dogs. One of the most famous Bandog programs in England, led to the establishment of a recognized bandog breed known today as the

Bullmastiff The Bullmastiff is a British breed of dog of mastiff type and large size, with a solid build and a short muzzle. It was developed as a guard dog in the nineteenth century by cross-breeding the English Mastiff with the now-extinct Old English Bu ...

. 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.

List of mastiff breeds

Extant breeds

Extinct breeds

References

Bibliography

External links