1) Not from Australia
The Australian Shepherd is not a dog breed from Australia, as generally perceived. It is most likely the only officially recognized livestock working breed developed in United States of America. The Australian Shepherd was developed in 1800s California for working on farms and ranches with livestock animals. But why are they named Australian and not American? Well, we are not sure on 100%, but the most accepted theory is, that the breeds main ancestor is a Basque Shepherd. The Basque Shepherd is Spanish breed, but they were most likely brought to America from Australia, and thus, the breed got its name Australian Shepherd. The breed is sometimes also nicknamed as Spanish Shepherd, which makes more sense than Australian Shepherd, as Pastor dog, Bob-Tail or Californian Shepherd. 2) Ancestry We are not sure on 100% about the breeds ancestry. Generally, it is believed that the Basque Shepherd is one of the main ancestor of this breed, but it is definitely not the only one. Back in 1800s, sheeps from all around the world were imported to California, from places such as France, Spain, New Zealand or Australia. And very often, these sheeps came into California alongside their shepherds and working dogs. Different other Collie type of dogs probably also played a role in the breeds development and it is very likely that the Pyrenean Sheepdog is also one of the ancestor. But eventhough the exact origin is unknown due to lack of documentation, there is no doubt that the Australian Shepherd breed was developed in the western part United States of America. 3) Workers Australian Shepherds have been used for many purposes and they quickly became popular as farm and ranch working dogs. They are natural workers, they just love to have some kind of a job in their life and they are easy to train. Originally, they were used for herding the livestock and they truly possess strong herding instinct. But mostly because of their devoted and loyal temperament towards their owners and family, they quickly became a favourite companion dogs and they were ideal family farm dogs. In modern times, they found utilization in many other fields as well, such as search and rescue, as service dogs, drug detection dogs, but you can still find them herding on ranches as well. These dogs also excell at various dog sports like agility, rally, tracking, dock diving, disc, flyball and of course herding events. You can do virtually any sport with Australian Shepherd and they will do it very well. 4) Companions Of course, the Australian Shepherd is not only a working breed as majority of them are living the happy spoiled life of family companions these days. And they are amazing companions, especially for active owners. It is because these dogs are very energetic and they need regular outdoor exercise to stay happy! These dogs tend to be alert and reserved with people they do not know, but once they get to know the person, they are typically very friendly and playful. They are extremely intelligent and loyal. Actually some people describe them as velcro dog, which means they want to be next to the owner all the time and they follow the owner everywhere. Australian Shepherd can live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood and they are typically good playful and tolerant partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave a young child with any dog breed unsupervised. It is also important to say, that many Aussies have strong herding instincts and some of them might want to herd other family pets or even the kids, so be aware of that. But overall, if you want an intelligent dog that will learn any trick you want and energetic dog that will be alway happy to go on a walk or a hike, than the Australian Shepherd might be a perfect dog for you. 5) Eyes and tail Now lets talk a little bit about the appearance of the Australian Shepherd. And one of the most interesting parts of Aussies body are the eyes and tail. They have almond shape eyes with curious and alert expression that come in many different colors. Most commonly in brown, hazel, green, blue or amber. The Australian Shepherd is one of the few breeds where heterochromia is quite common. This means, that they can have each eye in different color. Some Aussies even display more than one color within the same eye, but this is quite rare. And what about the tail? Most Aussies are born with long tail, but some of them, approximtely one in five, is born with naturally bobbed tail. And ranchers purposely bred Aussies that had these naturally short tails because they are safer when it comes to herding and very often the long tails were docked. 6) Size The Australian Shepherd is a very athletic, medium sized dog breed with average height between 18-23 inch, which is 46-58 cm and weight between 35-70 lbs, which is 16-32 kg. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males. They should have slightly longer body and the body should be lean, athletic and agile. 7) Smart and energetic The Aussie is a very energetic and very intelligent dog breed. Which means they need a lot of daily physical and mental stimulation. I would not say that they are completely hyperactive, but they will definitely need daily longer walks, jogs, playtime and fun training sessions to stay healthy and happy. This is not a coach potatoe! Exercise is a must for these dogs. Without enough exercise, they might develop some unwanted behaviour, such as excessive barking or destruction. As i already mentioned earlier in the video, a good way how to deal with the Aussies physical and mental exercise needs is through some dog sport like agility, or any other sport actually. And about their intelligence? Well, it cannot be stressed enough that this is a dog with brains to spare. These dogs are fast learners and they can learn almost any trick and command. And most of the time, they will enjoy the training and learning new tricks and you should train them regularly! It is an amazing way how to create a great bond between you and your Aussie. 8) Coat and color One of the first thing you will definitely notice about the Australian Shepherd is its georgeous coat and coloration. It is a dense doublecoat of medium length, which is weather resistant. The outercoat is typically straight, but there can be little curls as well. The breed standard allows several colors and color combinations, which are blue merle, black, red merle, red all with or without white markings and copper points. White is acceptable on the neck, legs, chest and muzzle underpants. Merles characteristically become darker with increasing age. 9) Maintenance Speaking of the coat, it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well. It is important to say that the Australian Shepherd does shed all year long, more heavily twice a year during shedding seasons in the spring and autumn, so be prepared for that. To minimize the shedding and to keep the coat in best possible condition, regular brushing is absolute must. Regular brushing is a key to keep the coat shiny, mat and tangle free, to remove any dirt and loose hair and to redistribute natural oils all over the coat. There is no need for trimming or shaving the coat and it is recommended to not shave this breed, or any other doublecoated dog. You can trim some parts of the dogs body, such as feet, tail, legs or ears, but it is not necessary. Just like with any other breed, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health The Australian Shepherd is usually very healthy dog breed with average lifespan somewhere around 14 years. Just like any other breed, they can suffer from some more or less serious health issues, such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, collie eye anomaly or von willebrands disease. It is also important to never breed two merle dogs together, as this can cause deafness and blindness next to some other serious health issues. But serious breeder would never use two merle dogs in breeding program.
0 Comments
1) Origin
The exact ancestry of Cão do Barrocal Algarvio is unknown. The most accepted theory claims, that the first ancestors of this breed got into the southernmost part of Porgual, also known as Algarve, on the boats of Phoenician traders or Berbers. It is very likely, that one of the breeds brought to this area was the Egyptian Greyhound, who was crossed with other dogs that already lived in Portugal, for example the Border Collie and Podenco breeds, such as Portuguese Podengo and you can see some clear similarities between Podencos like Ibizan Podenco, Podenco Andaluz or Portuguese Podengo and the Cão do Barrocal Algarvio. The breed also share notable similarities such as its double suspension gallop with Galgos. 2) Utilization The Cão do Barrocal Algarvio was developed by local hunters as an ultimate hunting dog breed specialized on predominant prey, which were wild rabbits. They had to hunt quick and agile rabbits in sharp and rocky terrain of Algarve and hot Portuguese weather. And indeed, the Barrocal Algarvio is just perfect for this purpose. These dogs love to work, they can hunt all day long, they can withstand hot climate, they have higher prey drive, they have extremely good hearing and vision, they can work independently, but they are very loyal to the hunter and they are very quick, agile and endurant, all very important traits for a succesfull hunting dog. Barrocal Algarvio dogs also have the ability to dig deep holes quickly and easily when they are searching the prey. They have thin paws perfect for digging and thanks to the slim body they can reach bottom of the hole quickly and easily. 3) Almost extinct For a long time, the Barrocal Algarvio was fairly popular hunting breed in southern Portugal. That started to change with the introduction of foreign hunting breeds. Hunters started to use different Setters and Pointers and forgot about the local breed, the Barrocal Algarvio. The Barrocal Algarvio was often times crossbred with these new breeds, which almost caused the extinction of pure Cão do Barrocal Algarvio dogs. Just compare these numbers. In 1950s, there were around 3500 pure Barrocal Algarvio dogs, but it is believed that already in 1960s, there were only around 30 specimen. Luckily, thanks to a hard work of the breeds enthusiasts and group of hunters, the breed survived. One of the few men credited for saving the breed are José Afonso Correia and Rogério Teixeira. Today, the breed is still considered as rare and you can hardly find it outside the Pyrenean Peninsula, but luckily, it is not on the verge of extinction anymore. 4) Companions You already know that the Barrocal Algarvio is excellent rabbit hunter. But it is also a very playful, curious, but also patient, docile and gentle family companion. These dogs are very smart. They most likely have a Border Collie in their lineage which gives them great intelligence, eagerness to please and trainability. These dogs can also happily live with kids in the household and they typically have no problems with other dogs, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. On the other hand, other smaller household pets, like cats, might be problematic, due to their high prey drive. The Barrocal Algarvio is known for its social, sweet and friendly temperament and it truly makes extraordinary companion pet. 5) Exercise I just told you, that the Cão do Barrocal Algarvio makes amazing companion pet, but, they are not for everyone. It is important to say, that this is highly active breed and they need an active owner, who will provide them with intense exercise. They love to run and you should let them run as they wish every day. But if they have enough exercise, they will be very calm and relaxed indoors. The Barrocal Algarvio will be always ready for any outdoor adventure with you and they truly need plenty of physical exercise. Without enough exercise, they might develop some bad behaviour, such as destruction. 6) Size The Barrocal Algarvio is a rustic and athletically built breed, relatively slender, but in reality very strong. The average height of this breed is between 45-58 cm, which is 17-23 inch and weight between 15-25 kg, which is 33-55 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males. 7) Coat and color The breed has a very smooth and dense coat in medium length. The coat is very soft to touch and it has no undercoat and the coat is abundant around the neck, thighs, back of the limbs and under the tail. The Barrocal Algarvio dogs come in several color combinations. The most common colors are fawn, yellow, brown, black and gray, unicolor or piebald or piebald whites. The coat should be brushed from time to time to keep it tangle free. 8) Living conditions The breed was developed in relatively warm climate and it adapts very well to high temperatures and they can stay outside all day long if they are provided with enough water and some shaded shelter. Their medium long coat provides great protection against sunburn. But these dogs will be happiest if they will have access inside the house to be in direct contact with its family. 9) Recognition Today, in 2022, the breed is still not officially recognized by any major kennel club, such as FCI or AKC, but they were already acknowledged by the Portuguese Kennel Club and i would say it is only matter of time before these dogs will gain more international recognition in other foreign kennel clubs as well. 10) Maintenance The grooming and maintenance of this breed is not extremely hard. They do shed some deal of fur all year long but it is nothing terrible. As i already mentioned, you should brush them from time to time, lets say weekly, in order to keep the coat tangle and mat free and to allow good ventilation to the skin. No other grooming is required. It is also very clean breed, that always washing itself and they keep the fur in very good condition bythemselves. They also do not drool. Of course, you should exercise the breed regularly and check out their nails, teeth, eyes and ears and clean them or clip them if needed. 1) Painted wolf
The African wild dog is very often named as Painted Wolf and indeed, their scientific name – Lycaon pictus – really translates as painted wolf, which is reffering to the animal's irregular, mottled coat. Other names include painted dog, cape hunting dog and many many other indigenous names. 2) Pack mentality One of the most interesting fact about these dogs is their social behaviour and pack mentality. The social bonds inside the pack are extremely strong, much stronger than in hyenas for example and it is extremely rare for African wild dogs to live alone. Males and females have separate dominance hierarchies and only the most dominant male and most dominant female can reproduce. The rest of the pack is also important, as they are providing food and they even take care of the offsprings. The hierarchy is not as structured as for example in wolves and there is the one dominant couple and than the rest of the pack is more or less equal. This is definitely one of the most social wild animal in the world and cooperation is the key for African wild dog suvival and reproduction. Typical pack size is somewhere between 5-12 dogs, but there are recorded packs with more than 25 individuals. 3) Females in pack The African wild dog has interesting pack system, which is preventing interbreeding. It is normal that male puppies are staying with the pack for their whole life. That is not the case for females. Female relatives typically leave the pack and they join pack of the opposite sex. That is how a new pack is form. This pattern is extremely interesting and rare, but similar behaviour can also be found is primates, such as chimpanzees or gorillas. 4) Litters Another interesting fact is the size of the litter, which is one of the highest of any canid. The average litter size consists of 10 puppies. It is also interesting, that African wild dogs very often use abandoned underground warthog dens to give birth. 5) Pups first The pups are extremely protected and valued in the pack. Actually, when the pack hunt some prey, pups are given priority for feeding even over the dominant pack members. 6) Hunting Wild dogs do not hunt like large wild cats. They are not as strong and they do not have that powerful jaws and it would be very hard for them to hunt large animals on their own. That is why they use their intelligence, endurance and pack mentality on the hunt. They use their strong sense of smell, but also seeing and hearing. When they find the prey, they silenty approach it, than follow it, tire it, catch it and kill it. Interesting fact is, that they hunt almost exlusively during the daytime and they rest and sleep at night, which is not that typical for many other hunters. 7) Team work Even though the African wild dog is not the largest hunter, definitely much smaller than lions or leopards, they have higher success rate on the hunt which is extremely large and it is said, that 80% of their hunts ends sucesfully. It is most likely result of their excellent team work and social behaviour on the hunt. The whole pack work as one team and when they decide to hunt some prey, in most cases it is a death sentence for the prey. 8) Prey Speaking of the hunting, what is the typical African wild dog prey? Well, probably they most often hunt antelopes, but they can also hunt gazelle, zebra, wildebeest, impala or warthog. 9) Enemies It is also important to say, that the African wild dog is not the king of the jungle, which means, they also have enemies in nature. Their typical natural enemies are lions, leopards and hyenas. They most often kill African wild dog puppies, but lions can easily kill adult African wild dog as well. 10) Conservation status Once, the wild dogs were found all over the African continent, from deserts to mountains. Sadly, African wild dogs dissappeared from most of the region and for last few decades they are listed as endangered animals and there is only few thousands of these wild dogs alive today. 11) Habitat So where does the remaining African wild dogs live? They can be typically found in different regions of Sub-saharan Africa, where they typically roam the open plains and sparse woodlands. There is a map of African wild dog range and the largest population can be found in countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia or Tanzania. 12) Threats The main reason why the population of African wild dogs is declining are of course people. We are the biggest threat for these animals. Farmers very often kill and shoot these wild dogs in order to defend their livestock. Habitat loss due to human activity is another big threat. The third largest threat are illnesses such as rabies or distemper. 13) Saving African wild dogs Of course, there are some groups that are trying to save and preserve the African wild dog as an important part of African wild life ecosystem. These groups and some governments are creating protected wildlife corridors that are helping to connect fragmented habitats. There are also awareness initiatives that are trying to educate farmers and other people to reduce the conflict between people and wild dogs. Many countries are legally and officially protecting the African wild dogs on paper but in reality, there are no punishments for killing these dogs and their population in almost all African countries is declining 14) Endurance One of the main African wild dogs weapon on the hunt is their endurance. They hunt patiently in pack and they are able to catching the prey for hours, until it tires. Thanks to their long legs and large lungs, they are able to run very long distances without tiring. 15) Speed Not only that the African Wild dog has great stamina, it is also very fast dog. Actually, it is said, that the fastest African Wild dogs can reach speed up to 40 mph, or 65 kmh, which is on similar level of the fastest domesticated dog – the English Greyhound. 16) Large ears One of the first thing you will notice when looking on African wild dog are the large rounded ears. The large ears serve two main purposes. The first one is hearing and indeed, this dog has excellent hearing. But the ears also help to cool down the dog in hot African climate. 17) Toes One of the differences between African wild dogs, wolves and domesticated dog breeds is the number of toes. While other dogs and wolves have 5 toes, the African wild dogs only have 4 toes on their paws. 18) Size As i already mentioned earlier in the video, the African wild dog is much smaller than lions or leopards, but it is still pretty robust, strong and big animal. Their height is typically between 24-30 inch, which is 60-75 cm and weight between 18-36 kg, which is 40-79 lbs. Females and males have almost identical size and there are no huge differences between them. 19) Coat The fur of the African wild dog consists stiff bristle-hairs with no undercoat. They gradually loose hair as they are getting older. Coloration of these dogs is very interesting and it is said that no two African wild dogs have the same coat pattern and it probably serve for visual identification. African wild dogs in different parts of Africa has slightly different coloration, but they have musky colored coats. 20) Lifespan Just like most of the wild animals, even the African wild dog is very hardy and healthy dog, because only hardy and healthy dogs can survive in nature. Their lifespan is not extremely long and the average is somewhere around 11 years. 1) Origin
The Carlin Pinscher started as a little accident in 1990s, when an owner of Miniature Pinscher went on vacation and left its dog with her friend – an owner of a black Pug. When they returned from the vacation, they found out that their Min Pin mated with the Pug and later gave birth to the first litter of dogs which we know today as Carlin Pinschers. 2) Breed in development The Carlin Pinscher is being developed for more than 20 years now, but it is still considered rather as a crossbreed or designer dog breed than real purebred dog. And they are not recognized by any major kennel club. It is better to say that it is a breed in development rather than crossbreed. A cross of Pug and Min Pin is known as Pug Pin or Muggin and the Carlin Pinscher is separated from this cross as the Carlin pinscher is carefully bred for selected traits and some additional breeds were and possibly will be used in the breeds development next to the Pug and Min Pin. 3) Name Do you wonder why this dog is called as Carlin Pinscher? Well the Pinscher part is obvious, as they are part Miniature Pinschers, but why Carlin? That comes from the Pug ancestor as in some countries the Pug is known as the Carlin. 4) Family pet The Carlin Pinscher is not used for any real work and their main and only utilization is to be the best possible companion dogs. And indeed, they are amazing companions. The Carlin Pinscher is known for its loving and affectionate nature, but also lively and playful character. They posses temperamental traits from both of its parent breeds and they are typically very friendly and sociable dogs that can make excellent play partners for kids and they can live in the household with other dogs or pets without any problems, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. 5) Exercise The Carlin Pinscher is pretty lively, energetic and playful dog breed, but its not that hard to deal with their exercise needs. It is true that they will be always ready for a good vigorous playtime or outdoor adventure, but they are active indoors and outdoors and you can deal with their energy by few daily walks accompanied by good playtime and fun training session. It is not a total coach potatoe, but definitely not completely hyperactive dog neither. It is quite adaptable breed that can happily live even in tiny apartments. 6) Size The Carlin Pinscher is a small sized dog with pretty strong body. The average height is between 11-13 inch, which is 28-33 cm and weight is usually between 12-14 lbs, which is 5-6 kg. There are no big size differences between males and females. 7) Coat Even though still developing breed, Carlin Pinschers are surprisingly very similar in appearance. One of the main appearance characteristic is their coat. It is a short-haired dog with coat similar to the Miniature Pinschers coat. The preffered coat color is black and tan, but you can also find Carlins in all black, brown, fawn or sable color. 8) Maintenance Speaking of the coat it is important to mention the grooming and maintenance as well and the Carlin Pinscher is pretty easy to take care off dog breed. The short and smooth coat does shed some deal of fur all year long and regular brushing is beneficial to remove all the dead and loose hair and minimize the shedding. Regular brushing will also remove any dirt and redistribute natural oils all over the coat. No other grooming is required. Just like with any other dog breed you should regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 9) Training The Carlin Pinscher is definitely very smart dog, but they are not pushovers to train. Their alert and kind of independent personality, some would say stubborn, is not that ideal for typical obedience training. It is better to schedule short and fun training sessions rather than long ones, as the dog might easily get bored and distracted. You will see best results with positive reinforcement and of course with a lot of patience. Do not expect the Carlin Pinscher to nail tricks like Border Collie, but you can definitely teach them all the basic obedience commands plus some fancy tricks. 10) Health The Carlin Pinscher is pretty healthy dog breed with average lifespan around 15 years. Luckily, they are not prone much to breathing issues and overheating, just like the Pug, as they do not have such a short muzzle. Of course, they can still suffer from some health issues, such as progressive retinal atrophy, patellar luxation, some allergies or infections. The Carlin Pinscher is also prone to obesity, so it is important to feed them properly and not overfeed them. 1) Brussels Griffon
The Griffon Belge is one of the three breeds of Brussels Griffon. The other two are Petit Brabancon and Griffon Bruxellois and the only thing that separates them apart is their coat type and coloration. Some clubs, such as FCI, recognizes them as separate breeds, while others, for example the AKC, recognizes them as one breed with three varieties. 2) Coat So how does the coat of Griffon Belge differs from the coats of other Brussels Griffon? The Griffon Belge is the rough coated type, which is naturally harsh and slightly wavy. It has the same coat type as the Griffon Bruxellois and the only thing that is different is the color. The Griffon Belge is always all black or black and tan. The tan markings are typically situated on the legs, chest, cheeks, chin, below the tails, above eyes and inside the ears. 3) Face The coat of Griffon Belge is definitely one of its distinctive appearance traits, but i am sure the first thing you will notice about this breed is its expressive face. Some people describe it as human like, monkey like or baby like. Its most likely thanks to their huge dark eyes that are set well apart. The Belge Griffon also has short muzzle and small ears that are set high on the head. The head is round and quite large in relation to the body. 4) Size The Griffon Belge is a small dog with height between 9-12 inches, which is 23-30 cm and weight is usually between 8-13 lbs, which is 3,5-6 kg. Even though very small, this dog is definitely not fragile or delicate. These dogs have quite sturdy and strong body. The size differences between males and females are very small. 5) Ancestry The Griffon Belge is not ancient dog breed. Its main ancestor is a dog that lived in large numbers around the city of Brussels and that was known as „Smousje“. This dog was similar to todays Dutch Smoushond. The breed that evolved from the „Smousje“ was known as Griffon d’Ecurie. In 19th century, these dogs were crossed with imported toy dogs, such as King Charles Spaniel and Pug, which is how the modern breed was created. 6) Name The Griffon Belge has pretty descriptive name. The word Belge means Belgian and the word Griffon is typically describing French and Belgian dogs that are characterized by rough or wiry hair. So the Griffon Belge can be translated as Belgian Rough haired dog. 7) Companions Originally, the Brussels Griffons were used as vermin hunters and ratters and indeed, they are very lively, courageous and adventurous, but today, they are almost exclusively kept as companion dogs. They are known as velcro dogs that creates extremely strong bond with its owner and is always by its side. It is definitely not a coach potatoe and they are great suited for families who are looking for playful and lively pet with affectionate, devoted and adaptable personality. They can live with other dogs in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood and they can make good playful partners for kids, but of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. 8) Rarity The two world wars were disastrous for the breed. At the end of the Second world war, the breed was almost non-existent, especially in its home country – Belgium. The breed survived in some other countries in small numbers, particularly in the United Kingdom and especially thanks to the dedicated effort of the English breeders we still have this amazing breed around. Since than, the popularity of Griffon Belge is slowly rising, but it is still considered to be quite rare dog breed. But you can find these dogs all around the world today, especially in Europe and North America 9) Maintenance The Griffon Belge does require some grooming, but it is nothing terribly hard. The coat should be brushed weekly in order to keep it mat and tangle free and to remove all the dead hair and dirt. The coat should also be stripped few times a year. Just like with all dog breeds, you should also regularly check the dogs ears, eyes, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health The Griffon Belge, just like all the Brussells Griffons, is pretty healthy dog breed and its average lifespan is around 13 or 14 years. Even though it is a brachycaphelic dog with flat muzzle, they do not suffer much from breathing issues or overheating. They might suffer from some eye problems like cataracts or lens luxation, heart problems, allergies or infections, but overall this is usually healthy breed. 1) Origin
The history and origin of Tibetan Mastiff is surrounded by mystery. It is certainly very old, ancient dog breed, that evolved in the vast area of the high Himalayan Mountains and the plains of Central Asia, where it was traditionally used as a guardian of the nomad herders and the guardian of Tibetan monasteries. We do not know what are the ancestors of Tibetan Mastiffs or when they were developed. Some people even believe, that it is one of the oldest dogs in the world and that they are the basic stock from which most modern large working breeds have been developed. For a long time the breed lived in isolation of the high Tibetan mountains, but it was known to the outside world for centuries and we have descriptions of Tibetan Mastiffs by many famous people such as Marco Polo, but it was not until the 19th century, when the first specimen were imported to Europe. 2) Types It is important to say, that there is not only one type of Tibetan Mastiff. Over the time these dogs spread across vast area with different climate, elevations and traditions, which is why two purebred Tibetan Mastiffs can look pretty differently. These dogs lived in central Tibet, in Northern Mongolia, Nepal or Western Xianjing, all very different regions. And you can clearly see some differences in the fur, as some dogs have very dense and long mane around their neck, while some Tibetan Mastiffs do not have this famous mane. Sometimes these types are called as lion type and tiger type. In the last few decades a new type of Tibetan Mastiff was created, a so called Chinese Tibetan Mastiff, which is often times viewed as less valuable than the original Tibetan Mastiff. It is due to the fact, that there are suspiciouns about purity of the Chinese Mastiffs, because it is believed that they are often times crossed with other breeds, such as Newfoundland or Chow Chow. 3) Utilization No matter which type, or variety the Tibetan Mastiff is, it should always be naturally good guardian. This is a hard worker with fearless, courageous, brave, territorial and naturally protective temperament. They were specifically bred for this purpose for centuries, so its no wonder that they excell at it. They are especially known to be extremely good nocturnal sentry, keeping predators and intruders at bay, and barking at suspicious sounds throughout the night. 4) Chained dog The name Tibetan Mastiff is self explaining. It is a large, mastiff type of a dog from Tibetan region, even though i think they would be better fit for mountain dog category than mastiff dog category. The original tibetan name for these dogs is Do Khyi, which literally means chained dog, or dog to tie. It is probably because these dogs used to be chained during the day and let loose at night to guard the property. 5) Adaptable breed The Tibetan Mastiff is extremely adaptable breed. It can live indoors, but they will without any problems stay all day and all night outdoors. They can also withstand low temperatures without any problems. In the place where the breed was developed, the Tibetan plateau, temperatures normally fall deeply bellow 0°C and the dogs have no problems with it. On the other hand, this region is also known for pretty hot summers, so the dog can adapt to warmer weather as well. But they should always have access to water all day long and they should have some shady spot where they can hide from the sun. Overall, this is truly extremely adaptable dog breed. 6) Living with Even though quite intimidating, the Tibetan Mastiff is actually pretty sensitive dog breed, that can read our emotions and is attuned to the emotions. They do not like harsh handling and even conflicts between family members. It is definitely extremely loyal dog breed that would protect its family. They are wary of strangers and it can take a while before they accept a complete stranger as a friend. These dogs also do not have high prey drive, so they can live with other pets in the family, especially if socialized together from the puppyhood. These dogs are also very good partners for kids, as they create strong natural bond with them and they consider them as those who need a greater protection. But of course, you should never leave any dog breed with a very young child unsupervised. 7) Size Many people are fascinated by the strong body and large size of the Tibetan Mastiff, but it is important to say, that these dogs should not be oversized. The standard say, that the average height for females is 61 cm and for males 66 cm, which is 24 or 26 inch. Today, we can see much larger dogs, especially those from the Chinese bloodline. Those dogs are bred to be overly massive, but it is also causing many health issues such as hip dysplasia. Original Tibetan Mastiff should be large and strong, but also athletic and agile. The size should not be a problem for its utilization → guarding. Overally massive dogs would paradoxically not be as good guardians as classically large Tibetan Mastiffs. The weight is not mentioned in the breed standard, but it is typically somewhere between 40-60 kg, which is 88-133 lbs. Females are naturally slightly smaller than males. 8) Coat As i already mentioned before, these dogs can withstand cold temperatures without any problems. The main reason is their extremely dense and thick doublecoat. The doublecoat consists of very thick and wooly undercoat and coarse guard hair. The coat should not be wavy or curly. Some individuals have visible thick mane around the neck and shoulders. The coat is normally also thicker at the tail and upper thighs. The coat comes in variety of colors and color combinations. Most commonly you can find Tibetan Mastiffs in black, black and tan, blue-gray, blue-gray and tan, brown, brown and tan, red-gold, red-gold-sable, cream, and cream-sable with white markings. 9) Maintenance The Tibetan Mastiff sheds some deal of fur all year long. Depending on the region and climate, they may, or may not shed seasonally. To keep the coat in best possible condition and to minimize the shedding it is recommended to brush Tibetan Mastiff regularly. During the shedding season even daily. Not only that regular brushing will remove any dirt and loose hair from the coat, it will also redistribute natural oils all over it and it will keep the coat mat and tangle free. Just like with any other dog breed, you should also regularly check their eyes, ears, nails and teeth and clip them or clean them if needed. 10) Health The health and lifespan of Tibetan Mastiff really depends on the breed line. Some original Tibetan Mastiffs are very healthy dogs that can have average lifespan even around 14 years. On the other hand, for example the Chinese Mastiff can suffer from many serious health issues and the lifespan would be around 9 or 10 years. Just like every single breed, even the Tibetan Mastiff can suffer from some serious health issues, such as hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, entropion, allergies, Cushings disease or cataracts. Especially the hypothyroidism is fairly common in this breed. But overall, the Tibetan Mastiff is rather healthy and hardy breed, especially for a giant dog. |