Tibetan Mastiff

General Information - Tibetan Mastiff

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History

The Tibetan Mastiff is descended from the famous Tibetan dogs that were the source of the majority of Molossuses and Mastiffs throughout the world. The ancient Tibetan Mastiff may have been in existence as early as the stone or bronze age. Mollossian dogs accompanied Alexander the Great from Tibet to Europe, and during this period helped found many of today's other Mastiff breeds. Tibet later closed its doors to Westerners, so the breed developed for centuries in relative isolation. In the mid 1800s, a Tibetan Mastiff was given to Queen Victoria of England. Soon more dogs were imported to England and the British began to refine and standardise the breed. In the 1970s, foundation stock was imported from India, Ladakh, Afghanistan and Nepal to the United States. The Tibetan Mastiff is very rare in their native land, though some dogs are now being exported from Tibet. The Tibetan Mastiff is an excellent livestock guardian - willing to fight fiercely against predators and intruders and they are also outstanding guard dogs for the home. In Tibet, dogs were often tied up from two months of age to enhance aggressive tendencies. One dog was sometimes used to guard an entire village. As a result of these practices and Tibetan selection of function, English-bred dogs are much more trainable and controllable than those from Tibet.

Temperament

A natural family and guard dog, the Tibetan Mastiff is calm but highly protective and territorial. Tibetan Mastiffs should be trained to be mutually respectful of their owners. If another dog is to be introduced into the house, it should be of the opposite sex, non-dominant and spayed or neutered.

Upkeep

Tibetan Mastiffs are not suited for apartment life and require a medium sized yard. This breed should be brought indoors at night as it is a nocturnal barker, but will be quiet in the house. The Tibetan Mastiff is a digger and a climber and will try to escape, so requires a well fenced yard around its perimeter. Tibetan Mastiffs enjoy walks but are not suited for jogging. Its coat, whether long or short, needs weekly brushing, more so when shedding.

Tibetan Mastiff

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be careful to avoid obvious conditions and exaggerations, as well as being mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

Breed Standard - Tibetan Mastiff

General Appearance: The overall picture created is that of a large, powerful dog, sturdily built and well:balanced. His expression is alert and noble. The thick, heavily:feathered tail is carried high over the back, nicely balancing the head. The body is square with a distinctive double coat and a proudly worn ruff around the neck and shoulders extending to the occiput. Hair on the head is soft, silky and smooth.

Head: The head is perhaps the most notable feature of the Tibetan Mastiff. Head and shoulders must look substantial with a thick ruff, square and well:cushioned muzzle. The beauty of the head is emphasised by chiselling along the muzzle, around and beneath the eyes.

Skull: Broad, the crown somewhat arched when viewed from the side, with a well-developed or pronounced occiput and definite sloping stop. Slight median line extending back over the forehead. There is a definite furrow extending from the stop to halfway up the skull which becomes a ridge and extends to the occiput.

Muzzle: Wide and blunt and well:cushioned when viewed from the front. Neither coarse nor snippy. Muzzle is equal to 2/3 length of crown from stop to occiput. Clean cut, powerful and square in shape. The muzzle must have depth when viewed from the side.

Ears: Pendant, v:shaped, tips rounded. Carried low and close to the head, lifted away from head when at attention. When pulled forward, the tip of the ear reaches the inner corner of the eye on the same side. In the relaxed position, ears should hold their set and not cast backward. Leather is covered with short soft hair.

Eyes: Medium size, light to dark brown. Very bright, almond shaped, well:spaced with lower lid slanting upwards toward an imaginary point approximately at the base of the ears. Round or protruding eyes penalised. Set obliquely under moderately prominent supraorbital ridges. Eye rims black.

Neck: Strong, well:muscled, neck should slope to withers giving the impression of strength and dignity. Dog exhibits a pronounced crest of the neck when at attention. The neck gradually increases in circumference as it approaches the shoulder. Moderate dewlap in mature dogs, more pronounced in males.
Shoulders - Should lie close to the body, long and moderately sloping, well:muscled without being coarse. Reach well up to point of withers.

Chest: Deep and of medium width with pronounced sternum, ribs well sprung out from spine and flattened at the sides to allow proper movement of the shoulders and freedom from the front legs. Heart and lung room are secured more by body depth than width.
Withers - Slope onto a level back.
Back - Straight, short and very strongly developed without sag or roach.
Loin - When viewed from top, broad and muscular. Loin slopes slightly upward to moderately pronounced hips. Loin is taut and broad, although narrower than rib cage and with moderate tuck-up. Ratio of back to loin is approximately 1:2.
Croup - Must be full, slightly sloping but never so steep as to restrict rear movement and must continue imperceptibly to the tail root.

Tail: Moderately long. Profusely feathered with thick, long hair and carried forward in a plume over the back. Sometimes dropped at rest. Judges should see tail up at least once.
Forelegs - Firm front, strong bone. Legs should be parallel and straight to the pasterns. The pasterns should be strong, sturdy and slightly sloping to give flexibility and spring for proper let:down of feet. The slope should not start at the joint but below it. The slope should always be sufficient to bring the heel of the pad under the centre of gravity. Length of leg from ground to elbow should be 50—55% of total height at withers. A very short:legged dog is to be penalised.

Hindquarters: Powerful and well:muscled. Two thirds of rear leg is between hock and hip. Upper thighs well:developed and slightly bowed from hock to crotch. As endurance is of greater consequence than speed, the stifle is slightly bent.

Feet: Large, compact, hare:foot, slightly spread but not splayed. The second and third digits may be relatively longer but the foot should lose none of its compactness. The forefeet are larger than the hind feet, toes arched, pads thick and tough.

Coat: Body is covered with an undercoat of soft, short, dense wool with longer and harsher hair growing through it to form the outer coat. The coat texture is heavy around the neck, shoulders and down the back to the tail. Coat on legs, side and stomach is shorter in length and somewhat lighter in texture. It is that heavy texture of the neck and shoulders that gives the impression of a lion’s mane. Undercoat is shed with the advent of warm weather making quality of coat harder to judge during hotter months and in warmer climates. When in full coat, undercoat should be so dense as to make it almost impossible to see skin.

Colour:

• Blacks - Blacks may vary in colour from shining all black to a slight tinge of bronze with variations in the shading. Silvering may appear in the undercoat, tail, underparts of the dog, or beneath the tail and breechings. White on the chest is permissible.
• Golds - This colour may vary from a deep cinnamon red to a light golden to a pale cream colour with variations in the shading of the coat on ears, body, tail, underparts of the dog, or beneath the tail and breechings. White on chest is permissible.
• Black and Tans - Shining black with clearly defined markings on cheeks, muzzle, chest, legs and below tail, as well as over both eyes. Colour of markings from rust to light tan. White on chest permissible.
• Silver Greys - Coat from dark shining grey to silver grey. Rust to light tan markings the same as for the black and tans. White on chest permissible.

Faults: A dog with an uncontrollable or vicious temperament in the ring should be disqualified by judge. Overall shaggy coat, lack of symmetry and balance in movement, well:bent stifles, barrel legs or pigeon toes, mincing, shuffling, crabbing, weaving or a hackney action are all faults.

Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.