Tibetan Mastiff

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Tibetan Mastiff Profile

The Tibetan Mastiff is the largest of the Oriental breeds, it’s a native to Central Asia. The Tibetan Mastiff can be found throughout the Himalayan region. Their prime function has been as guard dogs and herding dogs, but they also make an ideal family companion. Generations of working as a guardian of yak, sheep and, more importantly women and children and requiring always a protector and not a killer has produced a disposition and temperament of controlled strength, initiative, and fearlessness. This is tempered with patience, loyalty, and gentleness. The Tibetan Mastiff has incorporated many attributes: impressive stature, formidable appearance, and great strength. The Tibetan Mastiffs are well built dogs, well muscled and have much substance and bone. The skin on the face hangs down, giving the impression of a long face. Noble and impressive, this large, powerful, heavy dog is of solemn but kindly appearance.

Other Names: Bangara Mastiff, Do-Khyi, Tsang-khyi

Type: Guardian Dog

Height: 22 - 30 inches.
Weight: 75 - 180 lbs.

Colors: Rich black, brown, gold and black/tan, grizzle, sable, blue/tan.
Coat: They have a thick, medium length, double-coat. They have a dense undercoat and a hard, straight outer coat.

Temperament: Tibetan Mastiffs are intelligent, independent, reliable, loyal and strong willed. They can be reserved and independent, often stubborn and dominant. This breed requires a dominant owner. They have been said to have "catlike" behavior. They are very protective, and sometimes interpret unthreatening situations as threatening. They make excellent guards and watchdogs. Tibetan Mastiffs are good and gentle with children, but should be supervised with them, as they can be overprotective. They are used as guards of livestock, but are also equally happy to relax. They are easygoing when not under percieved threat. They can be quite aloof, but they usually enjoy being near their masters most of the time. They are adaptable to temperatures, able to do their job in a show drift or in hot weather.
With Children: Yes, they are good with children, gentle with their own family, but can be overprotective. They can sometimes interpret benign interactions as threatening.
With Pets: Yes, they do well with other pets, they’re not usually dog aggressive.
Special Skills: Protectors and guardians.

Watch-dog: High.
Guard-dog: High. This breed has been bred over the years for this very purpose.

Tibetan Mastiff Care and Exercise: Exercise this breed vigorously every day. They should be walked or run.  Daily brushing is especially needed during the shedding season, but they should be brushed every day to remove dead hairs anyway.
Training: Socialization and discipline should begin at a very early age. This breed can be stubborn and independent, and thus somewhat difficult to train. They can also interpret benign interactions as threatening, and should be trained in order to avoid these situations.
Learning Rate: High.

Activity: Medium.
Special Needs: Fenced yard, firm training, grooming, leash, and socialization.
Living Environment: Urban civilization, house within a fence, or on a farm. Although used as guardians, they do not make the best fulltime livestock guard. The best owner for this breed would be a firm, dog-experienced owner living in a rural or suburban home.

Tibetan Mastiff Health Issues: They have a low susceptibility to illness, but cases of ectropion, entropion, hip and elbow dysplasia, and hypothyroidism have been reported.

Life Span: 10 - 12 years.
Litter Size: 3 - 10 puppies.

Country of Origin: Tibet
Tibetan Mastiff History: The Tibetan Mastiff originated in the Himalayan Mountains in certain areas of Tibet and parts of India. The Tibetan Mastiff’s existence has been documented back to 159 A.D. by the Greeks and Romans. The rest of the history of the Tibetan Mastiff is hidden in legend, along with the people of the high Himalayan Mountains and the plains of Central Asia. The Tibetan Mastiffs are considered to be the basic stock from which most modern large working breeds have developed. They first appeared in England in 1847 when Lord Hardinge, Viceroy of India, sent a "large dog from Tibet" called "Siring" to Queen Victoria. The Tibetan Mastiffs were introduced into England Alexandrea Palace Show in 1874 by the Prince of Wales. In 1931 the Tibetan Breeds Association in England was formed by a Mrs. Bailey and the first official standard for the breed was adopted by The Kennel Club. In the late 1950s, two Tibetan Mastiffs were sent from Tibet to President Eisenhower. They were taken to a farm in the Midwest and nothing more was heard of them. Then in 1969, several Tibetan Mastiffs were imported from Nepal and India into the U.S. The American Tibetan Mastiff Association was formed in 1974. Finally in January of 2005, the breed was accepted by the American Kennel Club.

First Registered by the AKC: January 2005
AKC Group: Working Group
Class: Miscellaneous Class
Registries: AKC (Working), ANKC (Group 6), CKC (Miscellaneous), FCI (Group 2), KC(GB), KC(UK) (Working), UKC (Guardian), NZKC (Utility)

Tibetan Mastiffs

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