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Rescue
a Neapolitan Mastiff
Neapolitan Mastiff Puppies for Sale
Neapolitan Mastiff
(Mastino
Napoletano) (Italian Mastiff) (Mastino - Mastini plural)
Photo Courtesy of Maximum
Mastiffs
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Pronunciation |
Neapolitan
Mastiff |
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Description |
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a serious, powerful dog. The body of this massive, rather rectangular looking dog has abundant, hanging wrinkles and folds on the head and a very large dewlap. The wide, flat head is large in comparison to the rest of the body. The muzzle is 1/3 the length of the head and is as broad as it is long with a well defined stop. The large nose has well open nostrils and a color that coordinates with the coat. The teeth meet in a scissors, pincer or slight undershot bite. The deep set eyes are almost covered by the dropping upper lids and come in amber to brown depending on the coat color. Puppies begin life with blue eyes, which later darken. The ears may be cropped or left natural. Many owners opt out of docking and
cropping, preferring the natural look, as it is painful for the dog. The tail is carried straight up and curved over the back. In dogs that are shown in the AKC front dewclaws are not removed. The round feet are large with well arched toes. The straight, dense, short coat comes in gray, blue, black, chocolate, mahogany and tawny, sometimes with brindle and white markings. A
little white is permitted on the chest and toes. No white should be on the face. Chocolate dogs are rare. |
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Temperament |
The Neapolitan Mastiff is not a breed for everyone. This breed looks a bit intimidating, but is actually affectionate, calm, peaceful and loving. They enjoy family and friends. This breed is a heavy drooler, particularly in hot weather or after getting a drink. Males may drool more than females. They are very keen to their owners commands. Intelligent, very protective, courageous, serious and mild-mannered. Generally quiet, they tend to only bark when necessary. They can be reserved with strangers, socialize them well with people, places, sounds and animals. These dogs are usually very loving with
children, provided they know how to display leadership skills. A Neo can get along well with non-canine pets if raised with them
from puppyhood and/or properly socialized. Obedience training is very important. Teach them to heel on a lead and to go in and out door and gateways after the humans. This breed needs a dominant owner who understands and is capable of controlling them properly. They will be easiest of this is established when the dog is still a puppy, but it is still possible to communicate with an adult Neo that the human is in charge. Children should be taught
how to be pack leaders. Socialize this breed while they are young. This is a natural guard dog and protection training is not necessary. You cannot breed out the guard in the dog, no matter how submissive they become. If they sense there is a threat to the home they will react unless the owner is there and tells them everything is ok. Be sure you are consistent in approach and do not keep repeating
commands it has failed to obey. If they are not listening, try a different approach, making sure you are in a confident state of mind. Neo's will not listen to meek owners. These are not dogs for beginners but it is an
exaggeration to describe them as difficult in their association with others. A
calm handler with natural leadership will achieve the best results. With
comprehensive training and an experienced, dominant owner, the Neapolitan Mastiff can
be a wonderful family pet. Has a high pain tolerance. Neo's who do not have a firm, confident, consistent owner, who provides them with daily pack walks to release mental and physical exercise will become willful, over- protective and dog aggressive. When correcting this dog, the owner's correction must match the dog's level of intensity, and the timing of the correction must be precise. |
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Height, Weight |
Height: Dogs 26-30 inches (65-75 cm.) Bitches
24-28 inches (60-70 cm.)
Weight: Up to 165 pounds (74 kg.)
The largest male Neapolitans may be nearly 200 pounds (90 kg.) |
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Health Problems |
Prone to cherry eye, hip dysplasia, bloat, pano-ostiosis (joint pain from growth can occur at 4-18 months and usually goes away on its own). Pups are usually born caesarian section. |
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Living Conditions |
The Neo will do okay in an apartment if they are
sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and a small yard
will do. Take extra caution in warm weather to provide shade, water and a cool place to lay. |
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Exercise |
Adult Neapolitan Mastiffs need a
great deal of exercise. They should be taken on daily,
long walks at least twice a day. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Teach them to enter and exit all door and gateways after the human. |
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Life Expectancy |
Short, up to 10 years. |
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Grooming |
These giant, short-haired dogs are easy to groom.
Remove loose, dead hair with a rubber brush. This breed is an average shedder. |
| Origin |
All European mastiffs are descended from the
Tibetan Mastiff, the most ancient member of the canine species. The first Asian
mastiffs were probably brought to Greece from India by Alexander the Great
around 300 BC. The Greeks introduced the dogs to the Romans, who adopted them
enthusiastically and used them in circus combats. The word "Mastiff"
derives from the Latin word: masssivus, meaning massive. English experts,
however, have another theory. They contend that the mastiff was brought to
Britain by the Phoenicians in about 500 B.C. and spread from there to the rest
of Europe. In any case the Neapolitan Mastiff is a direct descendant of the
Roman Molossus. While the breed became extinct throughout the rest of Europe, it
continued to survive in Campania despite the perils of weather and war. One can
therefore say that the Neapolitan Mastiff has existed in Campania for two
thousand years, even though it was not officially recognized until 1946, and its
standard was not set until 1949. The Neapolitan Mastiff was bred for use in war
and in bloody Roman arena spectacles. Today this powerful breed has a
well-deserved reputation as a formidable guard dog. Neos have been used by the
Italian police and army and by that country's farmers, business establishment,
and estate owners to protect people and property. Though the Neapolitan Mastiff
was first shown in Italy in 1946, the breed is still quite rare in the United
States. The Neapolitan Mastiff was recognized by the AKC in 2004. |
| Group |
Mastiff |
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Recognition |
CKC, FCI, KCGB, NKC, NZKC, USNMC, APRI, ACR, DRA, AKC |
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CKC = Continental
Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération
Cynologique Internationale
KCGB = Kennel
Club of Great Britain
NKC = National
Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand
Kennel Club
USNMC = United
States Neapolitan Mastiff Club
APRI = American Pet Registry
Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.
AKC = American
Kennel Club |
Attention Neapolitan Mastiff Owners
The United States Neapolitan Mastiff Health Committee is requesting samples from Neapolitan Mastiff owners for a Leishmaniasis Study. If you own a Neapolitan Mastiff, and would like to participate in the study, you will find instructions on the following PDF forum, which you can download and print. Leishmaniasis and The Neapolitan Mastiff |
This is Russell
Two Neapolitan Mastiff puppies, Posh is up and Argus
is lying down.
Neapolitan Mastiff Pictures 1
Neapolitan Mastiff Pictures 2
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