- Personality: Watchful and dignified; sweet, steady, and loyal with loved ones, calm but wary with strangers
- Energy Level: Not very active; this placid, lumbering dog should be walked a few times a day
- Good with Children: Better with supervision
- Good with Other Dogs: With supervision
- Shedding: Seasonal
- Grooming: Occasional
- Trainability: May be stubborn
- Height: 28-35 inches (male), 26-31 inches (female)
- Weight: 160 pounds (male), 130 pounds (female)
- Life Expectancy: 7-9 years
- Barking Level: Barks when necessary
Origin: Italy
Year Recognized: 2004 By the
AKC
Breed History & Job Description: If
Mastinos look like strange visitors from antiquity, it’s because that’s exactly what they are. The breed might go back as far as 700 b.c., with artifacts from several ancient civilizations depicting Mastino-like canines. In the Roman Empire, they found employment as war dogs, gladiators, and guardians whose bestial looks and huge frame were calculated to throw the fear of Jove into their adversaries. Today, those attributes are still terrifying enough to send an ill-willed intruder running for the hills.
Neapolitan Mastiffs are generally healthy. Like all breeds there may be some health issues, like hip and elbow dysplasia, eye disease, and cardiac disease. One minor problem that often occurs is “cherry eye.” Tissue in the corner of the eye becomes red and inflamed. This looks terrible, but is cured with a minor veterinarian procedure. Despite impressive wrinkles and loose skin, they should not have skin problems. Young Mastini grow very rapidly for the first year or so, and they can develop temporary problems related to this rapid growth, such as panosteitis (growing pains). There are health problems that are common in giant dogs and the Mastino is not immune. Bloat is a mysterious problem of all deep-chested breeds.
Recommended Health Test from the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Elbow Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Exam
- Cardiac Exam
