Mastiff
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A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short coat, a long low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short (brachycephalic) and the ears drooping and pendant-shaped.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type.Template:Sfn Mastiffs have historically been guard dogs, protecting homes and property, although throughout history they have been used as hunting dogs, war dogs and for blood sports, such as fighting each other and other animals, including bulls, bears and even lions.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
HistoryEdit
Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that mastiffs have long been distinct in both form and function from the similarly large livestock guardian dogs from which they were most likely developed;Template:Sfn they also form separate genetic populations.Template:Sfn The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and some kennel clubs group the two types together as molossoid dogs; some modern livestock guardian breeds, such as the Pyrenean Mastiff, the Spanish Mastiff and the Tibetan Mastiff, and an extinct draught dog called the Belgian Mastiff, have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs.Template:Sfnp
Many older English sources refer to mastiffs as bandogs or bandogges, although technically the term "bandog" meant a dog that was tethered by a chain (or "bande") that would be released at night; the terms "mastiff" and "bandog" were often used interchangeably. One of the most famous "bandog" programs in England, led to the establishment of a recognized "bandog" breed known today as the Bull Mastiff. The least common "bandog" program in England was funded by Sir Nathanael Dieu-est-Mon'plaisir, the St. Louis Vincent Mastiff or South American Mastiff was named after Vincent Louis who reared plantation dogs originating from St. Louis and other parts of South America. This rare breed is the most expensive mastiff-type dog amongst the "bandog" breeds.Template:Sfnp In the twentieth century the term "bandog" was revived to describe some large fighting mastiff type dogs crossed with any bulldog in the United States.Template:Sfnp
List of mastiff breedsEdit
Extant breedsEdit
Extinct breedsEdit
| Breed | Alternate name(s) | Country or region of origin | Era | Use | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaunt | Alaunt de Boucherie | Europe, Central Asia | Template:Ubl | Big-game hunting, guard dog, dog fighting | File:Jacopo del Sallaio.jpg |
| Bullenbeisser | Template:Ubl | Germany | to World War II | Bull-baiting (as Bullenbeisser), bear-baiting (as Bärenbeisser) | File:Bullenbeiser.jpg |
| Córdoba fighting dog | Template:Ubl | Argentina | to the 1920s | Dog fighting | File:Patan.jpg |
| Dogo Cubano | Template:Ubl | Cuba | 16th – late 19th C | Recapturing runaway slaves, bull-baiting, dog fighting | File:DogoCubano2.jpg |
| Fila da Terceira | Template:Ubl | Portugal | to the 1970s | Catch dog | File:Fila de Terceira.jpg |
| Molossus | Template:Ubl | Southern Europe | Classical antiquity | War dog, guard dog, big-game hunting, dog fighting | File:Molossian Hound, British Museum.jpg |
| Old English Bulldog | Great Britain and Ireland | 17th–19th C | dog fighting | File:CribandRosa1811.jpg | |
| Toy Bulldog | Template:Ubl | United Kingdom (England) | 18th – early 20th C | Lap dog | File:Toy Bulldog Little Knot 1903.jpg |
ReferencesEdit
BibliographyEdit
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