Here are some fun and fascinating facts about the Neapolitan Mastiffs that will surely surprise a lot of people!
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a pretty ancient breed that is believed to have originated in Naples which is a city in southern Italy. And to honor the place of birth of these large-sized canines, they were given the name Neapolitan Mastiffs as the term Neapolitan means ‘a native of Naples.’
Apart from their official name, the Neapolitan Mastiffs also have quite a few pet names or alternate names like Neos, Mastino Napoletano, Italian Molosso, Can'E Presa, and Mastino. Some people also refer to these canines as the Italian Bulldogs.
The Neapolitan breeders wanted a large-sized canine who could fight and take an active role in wars and battles. And keeping this in mind, they created this canine with very loose skin and numerous wrinkles especially on the head region so as to provide some kind of protection to them when attacked by an enemy. The loose skin helped these canines a lot by keeping their important internal organs safe from a physical blow.
The short and smooth coat which is quite evenly spread out over the body of a Neapolitan Mastiff is not known to provide a great amount of protection to this pooch against both high and low temperatures. And, that is why this canine’s tolerance to both heat and cold is pretty subpar. The Neos usually prefer to stay in a pleasantly warm and balmy area where the temperature mostly remains in the range of 20°C to 30°C.
The Molossian Hound or the Molossus which was an ancient breed from southern Europe is speculated to be the true ancestor of the Neapolitan Mastiffs mainly because of the looks and resemblance that these two breeds shared with each other. In fact, the Molossus are not only considered to be ancestors of just the Neapolitan Mastiffs but are widely regarded as the forefathers of most of the today’s Mastiff-type canines.
The Neapolitan Mastiffs’ numbers took a huge hit during World War II and once the War was over, they were very few Neos left. This breed was very close to being extinct when an Italian Painter named Piero Scanziani came to the aid of these canines. Piero started a Kennel for the Neapolitan Mastiffs and after several years of careful breeding, this breed saw a revival and their numbers again became fairly strong.
Although it is believed that these loose-skinned canines had existed for thousands of years now, they have been recognized by the American Kennel Club very recently. The AKC, which is one of most prestigious Kennel Clubs all around the world, finally registered the Neapolitan Mastiffs as a distinct breed in the year 2004.
The Neapolitan Mastiffs do take a little bit of time before they start to fully trust an individual, but once the bond between them and a particular person becomes strong, then these canines are known to protect that person with all their heart. These pooches have amazing protective instincts and they can keep their loved ones safe from various kinds of external threats and harms. These dogs are immensely fearless as well and they are always known to stand between the person they love and any kind of danger that might hurt that person.
The Neapolitan Mastiffs, like most other canine breeds, love to stay close to their loved ones and family members. These pooches like to spend most of their time with their close ones and are always ready for some cuddling sessions. These large-sized dogs also like to sit on their loved ones’ laps as they crave the love and affection of their family members. And due to their enormous size and their habit of sitting on their close ones’ laps, these pooches are nicknamed as World’s Biggest Lapdogs.
The famous massive canine that we see with Hagrid in most of the Harry Potter movies is actually portrayed by a Neapolitan Mastiff. In the novels, Fang is played by a Great Dane or a Boarhound, but in the movies, a Neo was chosen to portray this part. Interestingly, a total of 4 Neos were used to play Fang in the first two movies and their names were Bella, Bully, Vito, and Hugo.