Mastiff

A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog.[1][2] 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.[1][2] European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type.[3] 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.[2][3]

For other uses, see Mastiff (disambiguation).
The Mastiff by Philip Reinagle, 1805

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;[4] they also form separate genetic populations.[5] 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, have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs.[6]

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.[7] In the 20th century, the term "bandog" has been revived to describe some lines of large mastiff-type guard dogs. 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 desirable and expensive mastiff-type dog amongst the bandog breeds.[8]

List of mastiff breeds

Extant breeds
BreedAlternate name(s)Country of originPurposeImage
Alano EspañolSpanish Alano and
Spanish Bulldog		SpainWar dog,
Bull-baiting and
big-game hunting
Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog-United StatesGuard dog
American BulldogOld Southern White Bulldog,
Old Southern White,
English White Bulldog,
White English,
Hill Bulldog and
Country Bulldog		United StatesGuard dog,
catch dog and
farm dog
BoerboelSouth African MastiffSouth AfricaGuard dog
BoxerGerman Boxer and
Deutscher Boxer		GermanyGuard dog and
big-game hunting
BroholmerDanish Broholmer and
Danish Mastiff		DenmarkGuard dog
BulldogEnglish Bulldog and
British Bulldog		United Kingdom
(England)		Companion dog;
formerly bull-baiting
BullmastiffGamekeeper's Night DogUnited Kingdom
(England)		Guard dog
Bully KuttaIndian Mastiff,
Pakistani Mastiff,
Sindhi Mastiff,
Indian Bully and
Pakistani Bully		India and PakistanGuard dog,
big-game hunting and
dog fighting
Campeiro BulldogBrazilian Bulldog,
Countryside Bulldog and
Pampas Bulldog		BrazilCatch dog used in slaughterhouses
Cane CorsoItalian Mastiff,
Italian Corso Dog,
Italian Corso and
Cane Corso Italiano		ItalyGuard dog and
catch dog
Cão Fila de São MiguelSão Miguel Cattle Dog,
Chien Fila de San Miguel,
Saint Miguel Cattle Dog,
Azores Cattle Dog and
Azores Cow Dog		PortugalCattle-herding dog and
catch dog
Chongqing Dog China Guard dog
Cimarrón UruguayoCimarrón,
Uruguayan Cimarrón,
Cimarrón Creole,
Maroon Dog,
Cerro Largo Dog,
Perro Cimarrón,
Cimarrón Dog and
Uruguayan Gaucho Dog		UruguayGuard dog
Continental BulldogConti and
Swiss Bulldog		SwitzerlandCompanion dog
Dogo ArgentinoArgentine Dogo and
Argentine Mastiff		ArgentinaGuard dog,
big-game hunting and
dog fighting
Dogo GuatemaltecoGuatemalan Dogo,
Guatemalan Bull Terrier and
Bullterrier Guatemalteco		GuatemalaGuard dog,
formerly bull-baiting
Dogue BrasileiroBrazilGuard dog
Dogue de BordeauxFrench Mastiff,
Bordeaux Mastiff and
Bordeauxdog		FranceGuard dog
English MastiffOld English Mastiff and
Mastiff		United Kingdom
(England)		Guard dog
Fila BrasileiroBrazilian Mastiff and
Cão de Fila Brasileiro		BrazilGuard dog
French BulldogBouledogue FrancaisFranceLap dog
Great DaneDeutsche Dogge,
German Mastiff and
German Boarhound		GermanyBig-game hunting
Neapolitan MastiffMastino,
Mastino Napoletano,
Italian Molosso and
Can'e presa		ItalyGuard dog
Olde English Bulldogge-United StatesA re-creation of the extinct
Old English Bulldog
Perro de Presa CanarioCanary Mastiff,
Canary Catch Dog,
Canarian Molosser,
Presa Canario and
Dogo Canario		Canary IslandsGuard dog,
catch dog and
dog fighting
Perro de Presa MallorquinCa de Bou,
Majorcan Mastiff,
Mallorquin Mastiff,
Mallorquin,
Perro Dogo,
Presa Canario Mallorquin,
Dogo Mallorquin,
Majorcan Bulldog,
Mallorquin Bulldog and
Silverback Mastiff		SpainBull-baiting
RottweilerRottie and
Rott		GermanyGuard dog
MastiffSaint Louis Vincent Mastiff,
South American Mastiff and
South American Bandogge		United StatesGuard dog
Serrano BulldogBrazilian Mountain Bulldog and
Mountaineer Bulldog		BrazilHerding dog used in slaughterhouses
TosaTosa Inu,
Tosa Ken,
Tosa Tōken,
Japanese Mastiff,
Japanese Tosa,
Japanese Fighting Dog and
Tosa Fighting Dog		JapanDog fighting

Extinct breeds
BreedAlternate name(s)Country or region of originEraPurposeImage
AlauntAlaunt de BoucherieEurope and Central AsiaClassical antiquity and
the Middle Ages		Big-game hunting,
guard dog and
dog fighting
BullenbeisserBärenbeisser and
German Bulldog		GermanyExtinct by World War IIBull-baiting (as Bullenbeisser) and
bear-baiting (as Bärenbeisser)
Cordoba Fighting DogCordoba Dog,
Cordobese dog and
Perro de Pelea Cordobés		ArgentinaExtinct after the 1920sDog fighting
Dogo CubanoCuban Mastiff,
Cuban Bloodhound,
Cuban Dogo and
Cuban Dogge		Cubathe 16th to the late 19th centuryRecapturing runaway slaves and
dog fighting
Fila da TerceiraTerceira Mastiff,
Cão de Fila da Terceira and
Rabo Torto		PortugalDeclared extinct in the 1970sCatch dog
MolossusMolossian Hound,
Epirus Mastiff and
Molosser		Southern EuropeClassical antiquityWar dog,
guard dog,
big-game hunting and
dog fighting
Old English BulldogGreat Britain and Irelandthe 17th to the 19th centuryBull-baiting and
dog fighting
Toy BulldogMiniature Bulldog and
English Toy Bulldog		United Kingdom
(England)		the 18th to the early 20th centuryLap dog

References
  1. Oxford Dictionaries 2019.
  2. Young & Bannasch 2007, p. 49.
  3. Encyclopædia Britannica 2019.
  4. Young & Bannasch 2007, p. 48-49.
  5. Parker 2012, p. 45.
  6. Hancock (2001).
  7. Wynn (2011).
  8. Fogle (2009), p. 36.

Bibliography
  • Hancock, David (2001). The Mastiffs: The Big Game Hunters - Their History, Development and Future. Ducklington, Oxon: Charwynne Dog Features. ISBN 9780951780114.
  • Fogle, Bruce (2009). The Encyclopedia of the Dog. New York: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7566-6004-8.
  • Encyclopædia Britannica (2019). "Mastiff: breed of dog". www.britannica.com. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  • Parker, Heidi G. (2012). "Chapter 3: The history and relationship of dog breeds". In Ostrander, Elaine A.; Ruvinsky, Anatoly (eds.). The Genetics of the Dog. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CAPI books. pp. 38–53. ISBN 9781845939403.
  • Oxford Dictionaries (2019). "Mastiff". Lexico.com. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  • Wynn, M. B. (2011). History of the Mastiff: Gathered from Sculpture, Pottery, Carvings, Paintings and Engravings. Read Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-4465-4892-9.
  • Young, Amy; Bannasch, Danika (2007). "Chapter 4: Morphological variation in the dog". In Ostrander, Elaine A.; Giger, Urs; Lindblad-Toh, Kerstin (eds.). The Dog and its Genome. Cold Spring Harbor, New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. pp. 47–66. ISBN 9780879697815.
  • Media related to Mastiffs at Wikimedia Commons
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