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Mastiffs - Ancestry

Mastiffs are often referred to as Molossers. In fact, many dogs are thought to have originated from the Molossus, a huge-sized dog that took its name from an ancient war people. They were used in wars and helped people to deal with their numerous herds. Aristotle (384-322 BC) described those dogs as wonderful guardians and outstanding fighters.

However, the word "Molosser" does not seem to be an appropriate name for all the large-weight breeds including Mastiffs. This word is still being used though, since there is no other apt name.

It is believed that all the Mastiffs of today have originated from the Tibetan Mastiff, the first Molosser. Not everybody, however, supports this version. It is suggested that Molossers first appeared in Asia, but not in Tibet. The adherents of this theory have some arguments that seem to be reliable when studied thoroughly. Yet, the accepted version of the Molosser's history has not been abolished.

Mastiffs - Their Functions

Mastiffs have experienced much along the way. They took part in various activities and have been at the age of extinction more than once. Fortunately, their fanciers have managed to preserve their best qualities and promote the breed by selective work and breed education.

Thus, they would help warriors fight enemies and carry heavy weapons during long marches. Their devotion to the master was highly valued and made good use of. Mastiffs guarded estates in Italy, France, England, and other countries. The rich were their primary owners. The nobles used Mastiffs not only for defense work but also for hunting deer.

Later these large dogs were used in bull baiting. They also fought each other, often to the death. When this cruel sport was banned, the popularity of Mastiffs decreased. The situation was aggravated by the fact that new breeds that were not so awesome in appearance came to the scene. The public's attention shifted to the dogs that were not so hard to own and could serve mainly as pets.

It might be that many dog lovers were looking with sympathy at Mastiffs. Their future must have appeared doubtful, especially in the first half of the 20th century. Hardships that people experienced during World Wars made keeping Mastiffs out of the question. It was considered unethical to feed a dog that needed almost the same amount of food as a soldier.

Yet, the last decades of the century restored Mastiff's popularity. Special thanks should be given to breed fanciers who did their best to put emphasis on dogs' type and good personality traits, and start high quality breeding lines.

Neapolitan Mastiff owners are very grateful to Piero Scanziani, a person who organized a kennel in Italy and made registration of the Neapolitan Mastiff as a separate breed possible. The same can be said about other Mastiffs. Raymond Triquet was a lover of the Dogue de Bordeaux and promoted the breed.

Mastiffs - Today's Functions

Nowadays, Mastiffs are gaining popularity all over the world. In spite of the fact that Mastiffs made their way to some countries not so long ago, their numbers continue to grow. Mastiffs are now devoted companions that can be used also as working dogs.

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