Tibetan Mastiff Dog

Tibetan Mastiff Dog

This primitive and ancient breed has been bred for thousands of years to focus on his working abilities which include guarding, alerting through barking, patrolling and basic territorial/dominant behavior. 

The Tibetan Mastiff is the perfect amalgamation of mastiff and mountain dog. It is fully mastiff and fully mountain dog at the same time, compromising neither, while at times embracing both extremes. It is a mastiff that functions like a mountain dog, or a mountain dog of mastiff size and type. 

It is a dog of impressive and immense mastiff size (history records 34 to 36 inches, and heavy bone) and type (heavy wrinkling, dewlap, haw, jowls, with a broad, deep, short, padded muzzle) that has evolved and adapted to survive in the most extreme climate and terrain known to mankind at the “Roof of the World.” The result is the balanced, powerful, purposeful and efficient movement of mountain breeds on a dog of mastiff proportions with the longest lion -like coat to Molosserdom.

The hallmarks of the breed are the head and the tail. The head is broad and impressive, with substantial back skull, the eyes deep-set and almond shaped, slightly slanted, the muzzle broad and well-padded, giving a square appearance. The typical expression of the breed is one of watchfulness. The tail and britches are well feathered and the tail is carried over the back in a single curl falling over the loin, balancing the head. The coat and heavy mane is thick, with coarse guard hair and a wooly undercoat. 

A romantic dog shrouded in the mists of time and legends by the limited access to the Himalayas, the Tibetan Mastiff reputedly travelled with the Romans, Greeks and others and even Genghis Khan. Isolated by geography and politics, he is primarily used to guard the home and family or monastery and monks. Tied to the front gates or post, if travelling with his nomadic owners, he guards the children, home and flocks. He often lives with a Lhasa Apso who guards the inner home and alerts him to strangers or predators.

Owned by Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, (Edward V11) and written and noted by Marco Polo and other luminaries, he has a marvelous history that is part legend, romance and fact.  The breed was set in concrete by the first official standard in England in 1931 and officially recorded with AKC 1996.

Primarily, the Tibetan mastiffs are Living in the GanNan Tibetan Self-rule State, where is on the QingZang Plateau. They have lived for more than five thousand years. Some other kinds of powerful dogs in other areas of the world have their bloodline. Now, the best Tibetan mastiffs are still living there. 

Lion shape- have thick upstanding mane, and the mane are more than 20 cm.variety or strain of a purebred dog, and what does not. He writes: There are two varieties or breeds; the true Tibetan mastiff - which is somewhat rare - and another equally ferocious and almost equally large mongrel. The latter undoubtedly has, among other strains, more or less mastiff blood. The mastiffs, known variously as Sang Khyi (Sang dog) or TSang Khyi (dogs of Tsang), constitute what Tibetans call a “bone line” and considerable efforts are made to keep the breed pure. Their possession is somewhat of a status symbol; it is very difficult to find one for sale; and if found the price is usually that of a good horse.