A large proud dog with a melancholy look and face, as if melting and flowing down, makes a very mixed impression. On the one hand, it seems to be sluggish, detached, as if everything that is happening does not in any way excite her. On the other hand, it inspires danger. After all, if you spend some time with her, it may suddenly seem that she is following each movement and step. And it is worth doing something, in her opinion, wrong, as she will rush and tear you to shreds.
Fans of the Neapolitan mastiff, namely this dog will be discussed in the article, a lot. And to buy a puppy of this breed, you have to pay from forty to one hundred thousand rubles. However, any animal is not a toy. But this is precisely what is more comparable with a weapon than with a good-natured animal. For this reason, many people, thinking about which four-legged friend to settle in the house, do not dare to introduce a mastiff into their family.
But is the beast so terrible as it is painted? Perhaps behind a frightening appearance lies a great kind heart? And in fact, we make a mistake by submitting to our own fears?
To find out the answers to these and many other questions, we will study the breed in more detail. And find out what he is - a Neapolitan mastiff.
Mastiff in Ancient Rome
It is believed that fighting dog breeds are descendants of canids that lived on Earth long before the appearance of man. Many researchers claim that in the old days, these animals, along with dinosaurs, ran around our planet, not even suspecting that they would ever become domesticated. But then their story is lost for centuries. And in the time of our era, we have many dogs, united by common ancestors, but significantly different in appearance.
For example, the Neapolitan mastiff studied in the article, or the Neapolitan mastino, according to some sources, is a direct descendant of the Tibetan mastiff. The first mention of him in history dates back to the reign of Alexander the Great. After all, it was for his protection that giant dogs were brought from India itself.
The further history of the breed proceeds under rather severe conditions. Indeed, under Julius Caesar, they serve in legions and fight like real fighters. In special armor, mastiffs, along with the rest of the legionnaires, go to the battlefield to defeat or die. But in peacetime, these dogs do not rest. They amuse Caesar and other nobles, fighting again. But now, like gladiators, to the last breath. With huge elephants and ferocious lions.
The history of the breed after the fall of the Roman Empire
Then, for many years, the majestic and formidable mastiffs were used in extremely fierce dog fights, where everyone who owned the necessary amount of money to bet could watch the animals bite into each other, fighting for their lives to the end.
But a particularly difficult period in the history of the breed falls on the nineteenth century. Mostly due to the Second World War. Indeed, all over the world, with the exception of Naples and the areas around it, these animals were destroyed. In the same city of the former Roman Empire, they mated with Iberian mastiffs that looked like Neapolitan ones.
As a result of purebred dogs, the breed studied in the article was almost gone in the post-war years. The gene pool has eroded. And only thanks to the breeder Pietro Skanciani, in the kennel of which there were eight dogs that best corresponded to the description of the Neapolitan mastiff, by a long and careful selection it was possible to bring out the male, from which a new branch of the history of the real breed began. It was from him in 1949 that the current reference characteristics of the mastiff were written off to this day.
Features of the body structure of the mastiff
Every person who is not even very versed in the mandatory characteristics of the breed knows for sure that the Neapolitan mastiff is distinguished by the huge size and the abundance of folds throughout the body. However, specialists are not only aware of this.
According to breed standards, mastiffs have small triangular ears with slightly rounded tips. They are lowered down and fit snugly on the cheeks, which, like the forehead, are covered with folds. Rounded eyes are large, protected by heavy eyelids and are located on the same line. The color of the iris is slightly darker than the color of the dog. The nose is large, with wide nostrils, its lobe must strictly match the color of the coat.
As can be seen in the photo, the puppies of the Neapolitan mastiff are significantly different from adults. Thick lips and long brules they will appear a little later.
The head of the dog is large, with a wide skull, the muzzle is square. Jaws powerful, with scissor or straight bite. The neck is short and powerful, all in folds that extend from the withers to the chin. The back line is straight, covered with muscles, the lower back is slightly convex. The chest is long and wide, with well-muscled muscles. The belly is tight. Paws are large and straight, as massive as the entire body of the animal. Fingers pressed tightly together. The tail is similar to a saber: wide at the base, tapering towards the tip. The whole body is very large and muscular.
The appearance of the dog
In addition, it should be noted that the ears and tail of the Neapolitan mastiff, whose breed description we are exploring, can be stopped. Then the first ones take the shape of an isosceles triangle, and the second - the appendix, equal to the third part of the original length.
The dog’s coat is hard and very thick, of the same length throughout the body. Typical colors are black, gray, brown (yellowish and chocolate), brindle. Marks of white color, which are located on the chest and fingertips of the mastiff, are also considered acceptable. Males reach a weight of almost 70 kg, heights at the withers - up to 75 cm, bitches are slightly less. Their parameters are 60 kg and 70 cm.
Many people are perplexed by the presence of a large number of folds on the body of a Neapolitan mastiff, whose weight sometimes exceeds humanity. However, it is this feature that allows the animal to survive in fierce battles. If not for her, short hair would not have been able to protect the mastiff from serious injuries.
Character
Many breeders are parents. That is why the paramount condition that determines whether they will lead a dog or not is her coping with children.
Even as a puppy, the Neapolitan mastiff is quite restrained, calm. However, he still needs a trainer and a powerful boss who will become his authority. Otherwise, it will be simply impossible to control a huge adult animal. And this is fraught with various troubles.
Training should begin when the age of the dog reaches six months. Before that, it should develop independently, in everyday situations and in various games. But the task of the owner is not to teach the animal to all existing teams, but to achieve unquestioning performance of the basic ones.
During puberty, the character of the Neapolitan mastiff becomes absurd and sharp, he seeks to dominate. But in the adult state, the animal again - calm itself and prudence.
Relationship with children
The dog studied in the article will be devoted to the family in which she lives until the end of her days. This applies not only to people, but also to animals living with her. By the way, she gets along well with them. Mastiffs simply adore children, and easily replace the nanny: they can put the baby to bed or follow him during a walk. Not to mention the fact that, in which case, they will protect and even amuse the child.
However, before buying a Neapolitan mastiff puppy, it is important to clearly understand that he is a descendant of the majestic Molossians. But such a dog needs room. Therefore, it is strongly not recommended to keep the animal in the apartment. In addition, you should control his physical activity. She must be moderate. This will prevent the occurrence of joint pain and heart failure.
It is also extremely necessary to note once again: in order to raise a great friend, you must definitely engage in his education - training. Indeed, if a cute puppy, having matured over the years, turns into a huge uncontrollable beast, whose ancestors fought in bloody battles, not even an adult and strong man can control it. The most important thing in class and everyday communication is in no case to use brute force. Because dogs of the Mastino Neapolitan breed have excellent memory.
Mastiff Care
The Neapolitan mastiff, whose photo is presented in this article, is a very sociable dog. Although this can not be said by his detached and rather melancholy look. Therefore, experienced breeders recommends taking the animal to specially equipped sites or to ordinary parks. On which it will be able to play enough, and spend time with the brothers.
However, given the considerable size, the mastiff, even being in the shade in hot weather, can receive a sunstroke. Because of this, it is important to postpone walks in the morning and evening, when the heat is not so strongly felt.
Upon returning home, the pet is recommended to wipe its paws. Representatives of the Neapolitan mastiff breed - dogs do not smell, it is for this reason that they should not be bathed too often. In addition, allergies, itching, irritation and dandruff may occur. Nevertheless, the animal under study belongs to breeds that love to drool. And it is not to blame for this, just mastiffs cannot control it. Therefore, it is important to stock up with wet wipes for dogs and constantly wipe his chin. Otherwise, a real hotbed of various infections is formed around the mouth, which is dangerous, including for humans.
Also, some attention should be paid to the eyes and ears of the dog. They need to be cleaned about twice a week. And claws that are not worn out under natural conditions should be trimmed on their own or in a veterinary clinic with a special claw cutter. The teeth of the animal also need to be controlled. Especially if he has a direct bite, and part of his teeth does not take part in chewing food.
Dog health
According to statistics, as well as numerous reviews, the Neapolitan mastiff suffers from a number of ailments, such as:
- An inherited joint disease due to which the dog may stop walking. It is not amenable to treatment, but the situation can be alleviated by surgery by performing a reconstruction operation. In order not to acquire a sick animal, it is important to ask for a certificate on the passage of a special examination by the puppy's parents.
- In addition, the studied dog is prone to dermatitis, rashes and other types of allergies.
- Still problems with joints, heart and other organs can occur with overeating. Therefore, the owner must control the balance of the diet.
Due to the physiological characteristics of the breed, the huge load on the heart and other organs, the animal has a very short lifespan. On average, they live up to eight to ten years, but some leave much earlier.
How to feed a mastiff?
According to numerous photographs and a description of breed standards, the Neapolitan mastiff is a huge animal. Therefore, many people do not dare to start it for the reason that they are afraid not to feed it. And in reality, this option is quite possible. Because the mastiff eats a lot. For example, one of the representatives of the breed, the dog Hercules (we will talk about it a bit later), ate one and a half kilograms of dry food a day and one meat.
However, the peculiarity of feeding the studied dog lies in the fact that it can be kept both on industrial food, and on natural. The only nuance for the first method of feeding will be that dry or wet food must certainly belong to the "premium" class, for the second - the mandatory presence of meat is not less than forty percent.
If the choice fell on natural food, a Neapolitan mastiff dog needs to introduce vitamins into his diet. It is also important to control the weight of the animal.
What is important for the breeder to know
Of course, every person who brings a four-legged friend to his house dreams of becoming a full member of the family. However, the following recommendations must be observed:
- It is important to take the pet away from mom strictly after it reaches the age of two months.
- Mastiff puppies are very suspicious, which often manifests itself in aggression. Therefore, you should engage in the upbringing of the animal from the moment he comes to the house.
- To prevent the development of joint diseases, you need to provide it with a soft litter.
- Avoid bathing during the first year of life, and then you should not abuse it.
- It is also important to protect the puppy from bloodsuckers: fleas, ticks and other insects. Since even the lightest bite can easily provoke the development of a severe form of allergy, which could very well lead to death.
The most famous representative of the breed
The fact that the dog studied in the article is huge is very much said. Although this is already known to almost everyone. Nevertheless, one of the representatives of the breed - Hercules - grew so much that in 2001 it was included in the famous Guinness Book of Records as the largest dog in the world.
And it happened almost by accident. The boy who lived next to the owner of the mastiff - Joe Flynn, learned from the Internet that the current title holder had passed away. Then he decided to invite a neighbor and his pet to apply. Flynn thought this idea was funny, but he decided to try his luck. And after a very short time, the mighty Hercules was awarded the title - the largest dog in the world.
And this title is well deserved. Because this Neapolitan mastiff, whose photo is presented below, was twice the size of the standards of his breed. The circumference of the neck was a little less than a meter, and the legs were the size of a tennis ball. The weight of the huge animal was one hundred twenty-eight kilograms. And this number is truly scary!
But it is especially interesting that, as the owner of the dog claimed, he did not feed Hercules with any special additives or diets. In general, he could not even think that the acquired animal would glorify him that way. After all, Flynn and his wife just bought a puppy who was supposed to grow more than their previous pet. And who knew that Hercules would reach such grandiose proportions!
On the other hand, Joe Flynn himself is a powerful athlete, whose weight is slightly less than that of his pet. It is equal to one hundred twenty-two kilograms. Above is a photo of a Neapolitan mastiff with a man - his master. Perhaps this is their "family"?