Mountain Mastiff Dog Breed

Below are details and specs for the Mountain Mastiff dog breed.

The Mountain Mastiff is a huge dog who stands 28 to 38 inches tall and weighs between 150 and 200 pounds.

There are fewer hybrid dogs more gentle, loyal and devoted than the Mountain Mastiff. They love children, are fine with other pets, and make great watchdogs as well as can be called to guard and protect when the need arises.

Your Mountain Mastiff will need a moderate amount of maintenance, but only some of it will seem like a chore. Daily brushings will be easy, the daily walks and other exercise will be fun and the preventive health maintenance will be brief.

The Mountain Mastiff is a relatively new hybrid dog; due to this, it doesn't have much history. On the other hand, the parent breeds — the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Mastiff — have very long, rich and colorful histories.

The Bernese Mountain Dog has its origins as a farm dog from the midland regions of Switzerland and in particular from the city of Berne. It is thought these dogs have been around since the Romans invaded Switzerland and are the result of the Roman's mastiffs being bred with the region's flock-guarding dogs.

When dog shows first became popular in the 19th century, Bernese Mountain Dogs were among the first to be bred for such events. Two early kennel clubs were established that helped to promote the breed: the Swiss Cyological Society in 1883 and the Schweizerischer Dürrbachclub in 1907.

The Mastiff is perhaps the oldest dog known, and it has a bloody beginning and history. Used by Hannibal, Kubla Khan and other fearsome leaders whose names have remained known for millennia, the Mastiff was a vicious, massive and relentless dog of war. After several centuries of being deployed thusly as well as for bloodsport, they were eventually relegated to the latter as one of a number of breeds used for bull- and bear-baiting.

The Mastiff as we know the breed today, however, is said to have been brought about by the British. They were used to protect castles and estates; Henry VIII even gave 400 Mastiffs to Charles V of Spain. When dog shows became popular in the mid-19th century, and bloodsport was either outlawed or prohibitively expensive, the Mastiff experienced two events: a decline in popularity and number, and the loss of its ferocity. During the next century's two world wars, the Mastiff population went up and down, and their vicious nature continued to erode as they were used as mere work dogs. These days, the Mastiff is a relatively gentle dog that is very popular in the United States as well as England. They were one of the first breeds to be recognized by the AKC, and that was in 1885.

Mountain Mastiffs are big dogs with huge, flat heads and floppy ears that book-end almond-shaped eyes that express their intelligence and energy. With bodies that are a bit longer than they are tall, they may have either a short, tight coat (like a Mastiff) or the double-coat (soft inner hair and rough outer hair) of a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Despite one of the parent breeds having an historical predisposition for war, your Mountain Mastiff will be a great family pet — even with small children! They tend to be very gentle, highly devoted and even-tempered. They make great watch- and guard-dogs, however, as they have a loyalty that will allow them to bring their strength to the fore if threatened.

Mountain Mastiffs are very easy to train; they are intelligent, eager to please and extremely loyal. They should be trained and socialized early, and training methods should be reward-based as he is a sensitive dog and will not respond well to a harsh style.

Although most hybrid dogs are bred in an attempt to lessen or eliminate health problems, Mountain Mastiffs seem to have more than their fair share of such issues. Among them are seizures, bloat, kidney ailments, cancer, Von Willebrand's Disease, eye problems, joint dysplasia and pano.