The Tibetan Mastiffs are quite rare in the Indian households. They are not very easily available and there are various reasons for their lack of demand among the masses of this country.
There are several other reasons which make this massive dog a non-viable option for most people residing in India.
The Tibetan Mastiffs are large sized dogs with an impressively built body. They appear to be quite bulky and possess a strong and powerful personality. They are very distinctive and easily recognizable and are very popular all over the world for their looks, size, and power. Official standards for the Tibetan Mastiffs are given as follows:
The Tibetan Mastiffs are massive canines. They are fairly tall in stature and are very hefty. The average weight of this dog is between 55-80 kg. There are some cases recorded in China where the Tibetan Mastiffs weigh more than 100 kilograms. Its height is also decent hovering anywhere between 24-28 inches.
|
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
|
MALE |
64-80 kg |
26-28 inch |
|
FEMALE |
55-70 kg |
24-26 inch |
They are double-coated with very long strands of hair. The undercoat is soft and heavy especially in colder climates and the outer coat is fine, hard and straight without any silkiness. The neck and shoulders are heavily feathered which gives a mane-like appearance. Their tail is also covered with heavy hair. Their coat is mostly found in darker color tones.
They have a very sturdy and robustly built body with a well-muscled neck which is slightly arched and is proportional to the whole body. The chest region is very well-developed and the back is extremely strong and muscular. The forelegs and hind legs are heavy boned, powerful and in coordination with each other and provide a good amount of balance to the rest of the body.
Their head is fairly strong and broad with heavy brow ridges. The skin on the head region can be slightly wrinkly. They have medium sized eyes which are very expressive and are mostly in brown color. They also have V-shaped ears which are moderate in size and hangs close to the head.
Their jaw region is very powerful and strongly built with large canine teeth firmly placed inside the mouth. The muzzle is well-filled and fairly broad.
The Tibetan Mastiffs are very strong-willed dogs who are very protective in nature. They are highly territorial and can act as an awesome guard dog. They are very loyal and devoted to the ones they trust and love. But it is not very easy to develop trust between this huge canine and its owner. They are known to be a bit aloof and independent and remains fairly reserved. They should be trained from an early age which will be helpful in making them more obedient and it will also strengthen the bond between the dog and the owner. Training these pooches to require skill and experience as they are quite stubborn and only a competent and knowledgeable dog owner will be able to effectively train them. Key temperamental traits about the Tibetan Mastiffs are as follow:
Some dogs are gradually becoming a symbol of power and status all over the world. These breeds are mostly very large in size and are highly expensive to both purchase and maintain. Breeds like the Great Dane, Saint Bernard, and the Tibetan Mastiff are being taken as pets to reflect influence and authority of the owner. This is not true for everyone, and some people who are genuine admirers of dogs love these above-mentioned canines for their inner qualities as well.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a very unique and rare canine that is extremely powerful and strong and has the potential to take out any large sized animal. They are very courageous and determined with a slight aloofness in their nature. But, they are so much more than just a big massive dog with intimidating looks.
They are very loyal and affectionate with their loved ones. They care for them with their whole heart and also have a protective and caring attitude towards them. They remain very aware and alert most of the times and always prove to be an excellent guard dog. They are very protective of their property and the people residing with them and thus are not very friendly with any kind of strangers. They may be very large and ferocious looking but they are also quite sensitive in nature and doesn’t like to be alone for longer periods of time.
But it is also quite true that they are not meant for everyone and any place. They can only efficiently thrive in a low-temperature region and their maintenance cost is fairly high, hence mostly the high-class and affluent section of the society is interested in them.
The Tibetan Mastiffs are divided into various types on the basis of different colors that they are available in. These colors are as follows:
|
Adaptability |
** |
Sensitivity Level |
***** |
|
Affection Level |
**** |
Potential for mouthiness |
***** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
* |
Drooling Potential |
** |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
**** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
*** |
Health Issues |
** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
**** |
Intelligence |
**** |
|
Child Friendly |
**** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
*** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming Needs |
*** |
Social Needs |
*** |
|
Good for novice owners |
* |
Stranger Friendly |
** |
|
Trainability |
** |
Watchdog Ability |
***** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
** |
Tolerates Cold |
***** |
The Tibetan Mastiffs while being fairly large and hefty doesn’t require a lot of feeding material to feel satisfied. They do require more than average amount but still, considering their size, their feeding needs are not that high. They do well on a high-quality diet with 2 to 4 cups of food enough to suffice their feeding requirements.
Tibetan Mastiffs need a moderate amount of regular exercise to keep their health and body intact. They have guarding instincts and thus they like to walk around the outside of the house especially in the evenings. Regular walks in a park on a daily basis can keep them fit and fine.
There are many reasons for which they are not recommended to a novice dog owner and their trainability is one of them. They require a well-experienced trainer/owner who understands the psyche and behavior of canines. First, the owner should strengthen the bond between him/her and the dog and once, there is a sense of trust and respect between the owner and the dog, then only the owner will be able to effectively teach them new things and make them obedient. The Tibetan Mastiffs are quick learners but only if they are interested in the training exercise.
The Tibetan Mastiffs while having a heavy and long double coat on their body requires a mediocre amount of grooming. Brushing once or twice a week with a long pin brush, bathing and trimming of nails on occasional basis should be enough for them. They do shed in heavy amounts but only once or twice a year especially in the summers.
They are very well-built and remain quite healthy for the majority of their life-span. But, some health-related issues do affect them which are listed below:
As mentioned, they are extremely robust and strong and thus doesn’t require to visit the veterinarian’s clinic frequently.
The Tibet Mastiff is surely one of the oldest dog breeds out there and DNA evidence strongly suggest that their history dates back to about 5000 years ago. They are very large in size and are believed to be originated in Tibet and these two facts form the basis behind their name as Mastiff translates to ‘big dog’.
These dogs were bred to be the companions for the nomads and the villagers residing in the Tibetan region. Because of their large size, they were also used as the guardians for the Tibetan monasteries.
They first moved outside of Tibet to England when a Tibetan Mastiff was presented as a gift to Queen Victoria by the then Viceroy of India. They became quite famous there and slowly were exported to other European countries.
Due to their popularity, they were registered as an official breed in 1873 by the English Kennel Club. And gradually they became popular for their size and looks all around the world and were finally registered by the AKC in the year 2007. They are considered by many cynologists as the forefathers and ancestors of all the large-sized mountain breeds and mastiff breeds as well.
