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Neapolitan Mastiff Breed Summary
Gentle, Adoring, Loyal, Obedient and Protective
Neapolitan Mastiffs are one of the oldest breeds that we know of that are native to Italy. They have a very imposing and confident appearance and though they make impressive watchdogs, they are actually very loving and kind by nature! They also have lots of loose skin that hangs around their face and neck, ultimately adding to their foreboding appearance!
So long as they receive lots of socialisation and training, they are one of the most loyal and loving doggies you could ever own! However, their size does mean they're not the best breed for first-time owners and they really need to be placed with someone who has experience with the breed.
Fun Fact: They are thought to be over 5,000 years old!
Kennel Club Group | Working |
Lifespan | 8 - 10 Years |
Height (at the withers) | Males 66cm - 78cm, Females 60cm - 73cm |
Weight | Males 65kg - 70kg, Females 55kg - 60kg |
Coat | Coats are Short, Dense and Fine. They are Hard to the Touch and have a Natural Sheen |
Colour | Black, Blonde, Blue, Blue Brindle, Brindle, Fawn, Grey, Grey Blue, Mahogany, Red |
Eye colour | Dark |
Common health issues | Hip dysplasia, Entropion ( Eyelids Folding Inwards ), Ectropion ( Eyelids Roll Outwards ) , Cherry eye, Heart problems, Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), Skin problems, Arthritis, A sensitivity to anaesthetics and sedatives, Bloat |
Other Names | Mastini, Mastino, Mastino Napoletano, Italian Molosso, Can'e presa, Mastino Neapolitano, Italian Mastiff |
Although these dogs are huge, they are actually just gentle giants and only want to be around their families as they love humans. They absolutely love to be in a home environment getting lots of attention off of their families. Because of this, they don't like to be left on their own as this can result in them developing separation anxiety, where they may start to behave destructively. Their huge size means that they're not necessarily the greatest choice for first-time owners, and would do better in a home with owners who have a good understanding and experience with the breed. They are incredibly loyal doggies and have the potential to make lovely family pets.
These giant dogs are an extremely old breed and are thought to date back over 5,000 years! It's thought that they originally came from Tibet and are one of the oldest Mastiff breeds in the world. These guys may be descendants of Molossuses, used by the Romans as arena fighting dogs. It's thought that the Romans took these dogs with them when invading Europe and left them behind once they were done! From this point on the dogs were used on farms to guard and protect livestock from predators, such as bears and even wolves. They were also used as fighting dogs however, as bull-baiting started to decline in the 1800s, so did the breed. Fortunately, the breed was revived by Commissioner Thompson and its thought that most of the dogs we see today can be traced back to dogs used in the breeding programme by Thompson! Nowadays, they are highly prized but remain fairly rare and very expensive.