Neapolitan mastiff | Facts & Information

Temperament: protective, obedient, stubborn, fearless, dominant

Other names: Mastino Napoletano, Italian Mastiff, Mastino – Mastini plural, Neo, Neapolitan Mastiff dog

Origin

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a dog native to Italy, dating back to the year 300 i.Hr, when the ancestors of the race appeared alongside Alexander the Great. In The Times of Ancient Rome, Alexander the Great was known for breeding and mating some large breeds in the direction of creating a short-haired dog, known as Molossus (molos).

The Neapolitan Mastiff is considered to be a descendant of Moloss.

In southern Italy, breeders wanted to create a mastiff that would preserve the size and strength of the Moloss. They wanted a dog with an imposing allure for protection, but friendly and gentle enough to stay at home with the family.

From the crossing of Moloss with the tibetan mastiff came the Neapolitan Mastiff that had all the desired characteristics.

Until World War II, The Neapolitan was a prized secret of Italy. After the war, the Italians began to promote this breed of dogs around the world. By 1973, the breed finally made itself known in the United States and the Neapolitan Mastiff Club of America was born.

The Neapolitan Mastiff population has grown significantly in the United States, so in May 2004, the American Kennel Club accepted the breed as a member of the utility group.

Neapolitan Mastiff Feed

To ensure a good diet for a Neapolitan Mastiff, we will need to ensure that 24% of its daily food is protein.

Although it is an extremely large dog, its meal should not be particularly rich and a lot of food should not be put in front of it.

That's because it tends to get fat, so the balance will be established exactly by a smaller portion of food.

Rest assured, if he is not taught to be lustful, he will have no problems.

You will have to wipe it at the mouth after each meal, as it tends to eat particularly disorganized, making dirt around the bowl where the meal is placed.

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Appearance Neapolitan Mastiff

The coat is straight and short, and the colors in which it can be presented are: blue, black and brown. The dark color helps this dog to camouflage itself in the dark so that it can prowl the prey without it realizing it. Unlike other canine breeds that shed a lot, this breed sheds less often.

Although it is intimidating due to its size, the Neapolitan Mastiff is not aggressive. It's actually very gentle and affectionate. He is protective of his master and of what he perceives to be the territory he guards, but he will not attack without being provoked.

The male will not get along well with other males, but can socialize well with other animals if trained as a child. The female is not so aggressive and stubborn being recommended to families since she is more submissive to the desires of her masters. This dog is gentle with children, but will behave better around older children than around infants or young children. However, there are exceptions!

If you are at your first experience, then this breed is not suitable for you since it needs a dominant master. However, if you really want a Neapolitan Mastiff, be sure to read the necessary information about this breed to know what to expect.

A big dog is a bigger responsibility than a small dog that eats 8 pounds of food a month. The male grows up to 75 cm and reaches around 60-70 kg, while a female measures between 60-68 cm and reach between 50-60 kg.

This dog needs daily walks as well as exercise to preserve its energy and health. Like other breeds, this one also loves to run freely without a leash from time to time.

Neapolitan Mastiff Behavior

It is a particularly affectionate, loyal dog, an Extraordinary Companion for people.

They get along especially well with children or other animals in the house, especially if they have been used to them since childhood.

They can become very dominant towards other breeds or other dogs if they are not used to them from a young age, so if you have other dogs, it is good to socialize with them from early childhood.

If the master or those he knows and accepts are attacked, it is good to be sure that you can master the anger that is engulfing, at its size not very easy to master, especially if it does not have proper training.

Neapolitan Mastiff Training

This dog is not very difficult to train but still it is recommended that the training be done by an experienced person.

He needs a gentle, balanced, consistent, patient training.

While they are small they should not be allowed to make much effort, to consume their energy at too high a pace.

In adulthood, he doesn't feel the need to exercise too much.

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Features Neapolitan Mastiff

The Neapolitan Mastiff requires periodic brushing to maintain a clean and shiny coat.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a dog that requires reasonable room for movement to be happy.

As with other mastiffs, firm mastery and obedience training should be started early to prevent possible bouts of dominance later in the animal's life.

Neapolitan Mastiff Diseases

Gastric torsion (dilation) is a sudden life-threatening condition associated with filling the stomach with air and torsion.

Hip dysplasia is a malformation of the coxofemoral joint that results in pain, lameness and consequent arthritis.

Cataracts cause a loss of normal transparency of the lens. The condition can occur in one or both eyes and lead to vision loss over time.

The average lifespan of the Neapolitan Mastiff is 9-11 years.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is prone to hip dysplasia and a condition called "cherry eye". To avoid these complications, make sure you check in regularly with an authorized vet while you're a puppy. They need to receive injections and medication from an early age.