Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Mastiff Dog Breed Information Profile

Description: The Mastiff is a large, powerful,
massive dog of noble proportions. The coat of the
Mastiff is fawn, apricot, silver, or brindle. A
black facial mask is always present. This dog is
one of the heaviest breeds with the males
weighing up to 230 pounds and the females up to
200 pounds. The dog stands 30 or more inches at
the shoulder and the bitch at 27 to 28 inches.
The ears are small and triangular in shape and
match the mask in color. The Mastiff is also
known as the Old English Mastiff or English
Mastiff. These dogs can live from 10 to 12 years.

History: The Mastiff is an ancient breed, it was
depicted in Egyptian art over 5000 years ago. The
Britons, while fighting against Caesar's legions
in 55BC were assisted by their Mastiffs.
Impressed by the dog's courage and strength,
Caesar brought some back to Rome for use in the
arena. They were used to fight bulls, bears,
lions, and gladiators. Later, Mastiffs were used
by English countryfolk to protect homes and farms
from wolves and bandits. The first Mastiff in
America may well have arrived on the Mayflower.

Temperament: The old ferocity has been bred out
of the Mastiff, leaving an even-tempered, gentle
dog. This is a calm and patient dog that behaves
in an exemplary way towards its human family. The
Mastiff is well known for its kindness and
forbearance towards children. This dog does not
bark much, but will defend its family without
hesitation. An interesting side of this dog's
guarding behavior is that if an intruder is
caught in the house, the Mastiff will seldom
launch a biting attack. Rather, the Mastiff will
hold the intruder against a wall, or even lie on
the person to keep them from mischief. This is
not an aggressive dog and will get along with
other household pets.

Health Issues: The Mastiff faces two very
significant health problems - hip dysplasia and
stomach torsion, or bloat. Hip dysplasia causes
the ball and socket of the hip joint to separate,
causing pain and mobility problems. The more
serious problem is bloat. This occurs when the
stomach twists and causes a blockage of the
digestive system. This is a life threatening
situation and must be immediately handled by a
veterinarian. Several small meals a day, rather
than one large one can help to prevent this.

Grooming: The short coat of the Mastiff is easy
to groom. Because the Mastiff tends to shed quite
a lot, it is a good idea to brush this dog every
day. A dry shampooing is probably more
appropriate to this large dog. The Mastiff's ears
should be checked daily and cleaned if needed.
Take care to remove any mucus from the eyes.

Living Conditions: Despite its large size, the
Mastiff is actually a house dog. As it tends to a
calm disposition, it generally poses no problems
indoors because of its size. Especially
important, though, is that the Mastiff bonds
extremely closely with its human family and wants
to be as close to them as possible at all times.
These dogs do not need an excessive amount of
exercise, but should get a good walk daily.

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