Description

The Spanish Mastiff is a stocky, robust, rustic-looking dog. Very large and rather lengthy with a massive chest and the power of a heavyweight contender. The body should be rectangular, well muscled and with strong bone. It has a massive, well-proportioned head with a deep muzzle, strong jaws, full lips and a characteristic dewlap on the neck, showing clearly his mastiff type. The Spanish Mastiff has double dewclaws on it's hind feet, a characteristic this breed shares with such breeds as the Great Pyrenees. The short coat is straight with a dense under-layer and an almost wooly texture. The skin should be abundant and loose on the body. Colors include plain yellow, red, black, wolf-grey, and red-brown, or broken colors or spotted. White should not be too dominant. The center of the back and the tail have longer hair. The eyes are small, commonly sporting a relaxed, carefree expression masking his ever watchful eyes. The ears are pointed and pendent. The tail is fringed and carried low. Although a very heavy breed, its movement should be free and flexible. There exists two types of Mastin Espanol: a bigger, heavier mountain type known as the Mastin Pesado (Heavy Mastiff) and a lighter, more refined stepp type called Mastin Ligero (Light Mastiff). The heavier mountain type is the type of Spanish Mastiff that participates at dog shows and expositions, since they are more impressive to look at and is most populous in the mountains in the North of Spain. This type has more head, more bone mass, more loose skin, is more "Mastiffy", has more dewlap and can weigh well over 200 lb. While lighter stepp type is faster, more agile and athletic and is more common in the Meseta and in Andalucia (in the south of Spain). However, these two types are not regarded as breeds of their own, but rather they are regional variants (the heavy type from the north and the light type from the south and central parts of the country) of the same breed and the two types often interbreed.

Origin

The Spanish Mastiff is a native to the region of Estremadura in Spain. He was for some time popular in that county. He is believed to originate from the ancient Molosser dog, that can be traced back to Peninsula by Phoenician tradesmen who had brought them from Syria or India. Mastiffs have been known to exist in Iberian for thousands of years, and the Spanish Mastiff was shown regularly at dog shows early this century, however, no Standard for the breed was drawn up until abilities led him many crossing with other breeds to perfect the lesser breed's type. It is popular in Spain as a guard of both livestock and the home. One of the dog world's truly great droolers, this old breed still guards sheep, as it has done for centuries. The Spanish Shepherd's Association, Mesta, records how this bulky breed has been an efficient protector against wolves since the 1400's. Today a lot of individuals are kept as companions. The breed may be seen in great numbers at Spanish dog shows but is still rarely seen outside the Iberian Peninsula. The Spanish Mastiff is the national dog breed of Spain and is now the most numerous of all the native Spanish dog breeds in that country, currently around 24000 Spanish Mastiffs live in Spain. The province of Leon in north-western Spain has the largest Spanish Mastiff population in the country, particularly in the mountains. Leon is now known as the Spanish Mastiff capital. Even though the Mastin Espanol (Spanish Mastiff) is a very rare breed in other countries, this is a very popular dog in his native Spain. In fact, the breed is almost as common there as the Labrador Retriever is in North America. Some of the finest, purebred, show-quality Spanish Mastiff stock can be found in both the Madrid-region of Spain and in Holland and MECA (the Mastin Espanol Club of America). The MECA is now importing and breeding stock from those regions to work towards improving the Spanish Mastiff bloodlines in North America and educating the public on the breed. However, Holland is more recommended, because in Spain, they are more likely to sell you a pet-quality dog. Some of the Spanish Mastiff's talents include watchdogging, guarding, police work, military work, tracking and hunting. The Spanish Mastiff is the father of the Portuguese Rafeiro do Alentejo and has played a role in the ancestry and development of some other Mastiff breeds such as the St. Bernard, Dogo Argentino, the recently created Asian Shepherd and possibly some others Molosser breeds known today. The breed has suffered from extensive crossbreeding with foreign Mastiff breeds, such as the St. Bernard and others, during the the past few decades which caused a big decline in the numbers of purebred specimens. But the Mastin is now back to its pure form. The Spanish Mastiff has been as designated as the national dog breed of Spain.

Temperament

In character and function, the Spanish Mastin is a classic LGD or Livestock Guardian Dog and is very similar in many ways to his cousin; the Anatolian Shepherd Dog. Please note that like most LGD breeds, Spanish Mastiffs are in general, quite independent by nature, not very affectionate dogs in the same way a Golden Retriever, Poodle or Boxer (they could care less most of the time whether they are being petted/cuddled or not and often don't give much in return of affection) and are rather aloof, even to their owners. They are also dignified, noble and not overly demonstrative. Females can be even more aloof and less affectionate than males and the males do tend to be a bit sweeter tempered. However, females are a bit more cunning and better thinkers. However, in spite of that, these dogs are loyal and really do love you, will sacrifice his/her own life to protect you, your family or your livestock, when necessary. They want to be close to you at all times and follow you EVERYWHERE. They are highly territorial and need some re-assurance from the owner when visitors come on to your home so they know they are no threat, unwelcome guests will have absolutely no chance of stepping onto your property. However, being independent-minded, they may not take your orders and refuse to let a stranger in your home, regardless if the person (s) is a threat or not. Some individuals seem to have the ability to distinguish between a friend and foe. Unlike some LGDs such as the Caucasian Ovtcharka and South Russian Ovtcharka, the Mastin always gives warning with much threatening, deep barking and growling, which shows clearly their intentions, before going into action, there are no unprovoked attacks. They also have a somewhat lower "trigger" in that they do not react as quickly to stimuli and are also more laid back than CO and SRO, which makes them easier guardian dogs to own. Although the Mastin may appear lazy and even slothful at times, they are always watchful and alert to everything that goes on around them and always ready to protect/defend. They seem to become even more alert and defensive at night than in the daytime and darkness seems to sharpen their senses (probably because predators in Spain tend to be most active at night). Can be surprisingly quick and agile in spite of breed's massive size and bulk. They will often choose the highest spot they can find (such as a small hill, etc.) on your property, from which to survey their domain for potential danger. In general, the Spanish Mastiff is very mistrustful of strangers; both human and canine. Any degree of shyness or fearfulness is to be discouraged in the breed, as shall overly aggressive or mentally unsteady dogs. Mastines possessing such traits should be excluded from the breeding program. A good Mastin should be a strong, utterly fearless, self-confident and stable minded dog. Extensive socializing and training in early puppy hood (during the critical stage between 3 and 12 weeks of age) is a must if you want your Mastin to become reliable out in public and around other dogs. However, when Podero (my own Spanish Mastiff) was a young pup, he didn't have any socializing at all until I adopted him at 16 months of age and yet he is very reliable out in public and good with other dogs and animals. They are very intelligent and are capable of making their own decisions and solving problems on their own, especially females. Although smart dogs, the Mastin can seem stubborn (though in a rather sweet way) and is not the easiest breed to obedience train, due to their independent nature. They learn quickly, but may only respond to a command the first time and then become bored of it and not want to respond to it any longer. They also have "selective deafness" tendencies; in that may only respond to you on their own terms and can be slow to respond to a command, especially if they don't feel like doing it. Do not expect this breed to become as tractable/reliable in obedience as a German Shepherd, Border Collie or Labrador Retriever. Clicker training with treats (these dogs are usually quite food-motivated) and a loving, consistent approach will have the best results on the Mastin. Avoid repeating the same commands too often during training sessions, or the dog is likely to become bored of it. Do not pressure or force the Mastin. Training advice from someone who understands LGD temperament is a very wise idea. These characteristics are due to the fact that the Spanish Mastiff, like most LGDs, was bred to work independently from, rather than along with their human owners. These are generally dominant dogs and should have an owner who is consistent and knows how to display a strong leadership, becomes submissive to owners once the Alpha role has been established and is usually submissive towards their "pack" members (the flock or herd it lives with). A rough approach will bring undesirable characteristics to the surface. The Mastin always sticks close to his flock or herd, keeping wolves and other predators at bay. They do not chase predators away that approach, but rather warns them with fierce, deep barking and growling to keep their distance. However if the enemy decides not to back down, the Mastin will fearlessly and determinedly fight that predator/intruder (be it man or beast), to the death to defend what he calls his own. In Spain, shepherds often put traditional Carlancas (spiked collars) on their Spanish Mastiffs to protect their neck incase they get into a fight with a wolf while defending their flock/herd. They are and were never used to herd livestock, only to guard them. They have also been used as draft dogs; pulling heavy carts over difficult terrain and with excellent results for guarding property, such as Spanish vineyards, fruit orchards, homes, large estates and in the past during Spanish civil war, for guarding munitions. They are relatively calm dogs when adults, but as with all breeds they can be rather "turbulent" (energetic) at times when young, but once mature they are quite low-keyed and calm dogs. The Mastin like many large/giant breed dog, is very slow to mature, especially the males which do not reach their prime until 2 1/2 to 3 years of age. They are generally very tolerant of and patient with children, pets and all other family members, but must be carefully introduced to new comers. Being so big and strong they can unintentionally hurt a young child, especially young dogs have a tendency to play rough. They can be very aggressive towards unfamiliar dogs, especially to ones of the same sex and they certainly will NOT take kindly to strange dogs that trespass on to their territory. The Mastin is also very assertive and will not back down if challenged or dominated by another dog. In general, they do not enjoy chasing a ball, stick, etc. or games of fetch, due to their relatively low prey instinct. Though they love being chased by you, games of tug-a-war and wrestling.

Height

Height: 28-35 inches (72-88 cm.)

Weight

Weight: Males 185-220 pounds (90-100 kg.) Females 145-170 pounds (52

Known Health Problems

Beware of hip dysplasia, heart problems and Entropion (inversion of the eye lids). Also pano-ostiosis (growing pains), which occurs when they are growing puppies. This breed is prone to bloat. It is wise to feed the Spanish Mastiff several small meals rather than one big one. Births are difficult in some Spanish Mastiffs and C-cections are often needed. This breed drools and slobbers and may snore loudly.

Conditions for Living

Because of this dogs sheer size, the Spanish Mastiff is not recommended for apartment life. They are somewhat inactive indoors and should at least have a large yard. This dog's thick coat protects it from cold and wet so it can live outdoors. However, they are easy to housebreak and would love to live indoors close to their family. Spanish Mastiffs, though some bark less than others, have a tendency towards excessive, nuisance barking when left outside, whether it be day or night. This makes this breed not very suitable for living in populated urban areas. Their bark is very hoarse, low and deep and can be heard from a considerable distance. Since this breed had endure the climate of the Meseta (a high, inland plateau located in the provinces of Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla-Leon and Extremadura) in central Spain for thousands of years: an area of temperature extremes-where it can get well over 38 C. (100 degrees) in summer with little rain fall and below freezing in winter with heavy snow, the Mastin Español can handle both extreme heat and cold with no problems. However, should have access to shade and water during the summer. They can adapt to any climate, but they prefer dry climates over very humid ones. Heat combined with high humidity can be a problem for this breed, as Spain is, at large, a semi-arid country. The Mastin is a double coated breed, they shed heavily twice a year and "blow" their coats in the Spring, they do shed to an extent year around. If kept as indoor dogs, will shed heavily year around, making the Mastin unsuitable for an neat and tidy home. Since this breed can be very aggressive to strangers and unknown dogs that walk past your house/property, the Mastin should have a secure fenced yard, especially in urban and suburban areas. It is said that they are less likely to wonder off than the Anatolian Shepherd.

Exercise Requirments

While they still need a daily walk, do not allow the Spanish Mastiff to over exert them selves, such as, jumping, running and going up and down stairs, when it is a puppy. The reason is; this is a very fast growing breed (in a period between 6 and 8 months old, they can easily put on 100 lb.). It needs to save time and energy to develop healthy bones, muscles and tendons. When fully mature, this breed has an average need for exercise. Like all giant dogs, this breed is very slow to mature, especially the males which keep growing up until 2.5 to 4 years of age and it is rather short-lived. They have a fairly low activity level and needs only a moderate amount of exercise. Daily tend to be most active when young adults. Most of the time, these relatively mellow dogs prefer to conserve their energy for when the need arises to guard/defend against possible or would-be predators/intruders. This is not a breed for very active, sporty people who want a dog to jog, run along side a bike, play fetch or frisbee with.

Life Expectancy

About 10-11 years. However, some can live up to 14 years or more, which is quite a long time for such a large dog breed.

Grooming

Brush the short, dense coat regularly, especially when the dog is shedding. Keep the ear passages clean.

Group

Mastiff, Flock Guard