• The Saint Bernard, or Alpine Mastiff, is known worldwide for its reputation as a finder of avalanche victims and other lost souls attempting to cross the Saint Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps. Though the brandy keg on his collar probably is a myth, the Saint comes in two coat lengths, rough and smooth.
• The Newfoundland is water safety’s equivalent to the snow-oriented Saint Bernard. Newfies are legendary for saving drowning people. Quite large and mastiff-like, Newfoundlands” named after the Canadian region of Newfoundland—have long coats and are solid black, brown (bronze), or gray, and also Landseer, which is black and white. In some countries the Landseer is recognized as a separate breed.
• The Bullmastiff is a member of both the mastiff and bulldog families, resulting from a cross between the large bulldog of England, not the short modern dog with the smashed-in face, and the Mastiff. Originally meant to make the giant Mastiff quicker and more agile, the Bullmastiff, as an estate gamekeeper’s dog, became the poacher’s worst nightmare.
• The Rottweiler is another mastiff breed of German extraction. The Rott was originally a cattle dog, but has become the most popular mastiff breed in the United States.
• The Pug is both the only Chinese member of the mastiff group, and the smallest mastiff. The Pug is really a mastiff in miniature and comes in fawn (apricot) and black.
• The Bulldog, once called the English Bulldog, actually has a family of breeds of its own, but is also clearly descended from the mastiffs. Today’s Bulldog is more of a pet and canine curiosity than the other much larger and more rugged mastiff family members.
• The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is the British version of the fighting pit terrier. As with the Bulldog, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier has been greatly bred away from any of its original purposes, with the modern dogs being short, squat, and more pet dog than pit dog.
• The American Staffordshire Terrier and the APBT were the same dogs until the mid-1980s when the “pit” part of the United Kennel Club’s (UKC) name for the breed found hostility at the AKC. The AKC, at a loss for a name, accepted “Staffordshire Terrier” in its attempt at refurbishing the APBT. Later, in the 1970s, the additional name “American” Staffordshire Terrier had to be added to avoid confusion with the new AKC member from England, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Having been bred for conformation for over half a century, the Amstaff is now primarily prized more for his looks than for his working abilities.
• The APBT is the American version of the pit fighting dog that remained with his more appropriate name after the Amstaff was developed and moved on to the AKC. The APBT is one of the most popular dogs worldwide.
• The Bull Terrier (white and colored) is another English product. Handsome in its long-faced, “Spuds McKenzie” way, the Bull Terrier was called a fighter. Revisionist history to the contrary, the Bull Terrier was never really much of a fighting dog and was developed by James Hinks of Birmingham (England) in the 1860s. Hinks, using Spanish Pointer, pit dog (Staffordshire Bull Terrier), and Dalmatian bloodlines, created an elegant show dog that looked like it might have been able to fight.
• The Tibetan Mastiff is possibly the oldest of the mastiff family and is suspected to be the genetic source from which the other mastiffs descended. A medium-large longhaired dog, the Tibetan Mastiff was featured in the film, Man’s Best Friend.
• The Tosa Inu is a giant fighting mastiff from Japan. Through much ceremony, this “Sumo pit bull” battles other Tosas in Japan, where such activities are still legal. Much larger than the APBT, the Tosa has also been outlawed in Britain and a number of other places.
• The Dogo Argentino is a large Argentine import that looks like a giant, solid white APBT, even down to the cropped ears. The Dogo, the only dog breed developed in Argentina, was originally bred (from several European breeds) to hunt cougars, jaguars, and wild boars.
• The Fila Brasileiro is a Brazilian mastiff with a considerable amount of Bloodhound and Mastiff in his genetic makeup. The Fila was originally a hunting dog that was used occasionally to track runaway slaves and criminals. They are now used to help with the semiwild Brazilian cattle and have become popular in the United States.
• The Neapolitan Mastiff is an Italian giant that may trace directly back to the mastiffs that fought in the Roman arenas. Neos are slate gray, black, mahogany, and blond. Their ears are sometimes cut quite short, which lends to the breed’s ferocious appearance.
• The American Bulldog is not at all like the Bulldog (of English origin). Resembling more a Bullmastiff, the American Bulldog is a strong dog that is often used in weight-pulling events. A product of the United States, this breed is fast gaining approval as a family protection dog.
• Other members of the mastiff family, and the extended family that includes descendants of the mastiff through the bulldogs, are: Boston Terriers, French Bulldogs, and Boxers.
Most of the giant breeds and many of the working breeds stem directly from the early mastiff-type dogs. Thought to be of Tibetan origins, the mastiff breeds found their way over much of the globe. Their impressive size was sometimes exaggerated a bit, but their valor as war dogs and personal protection dogs gave the mastiffs a value in the world of kings, armies, and arenas.
Fighting Canines
Many of the early mastiffs found their way into the arenas in far-flung corners of the Roman Empire. Fighting every kind of creature from man to lions, and even elephants, mastiffs became the epitome of savagery and fighting ability. Because these traits were highly valued in barbaric civilizations, these dogs were greatly prized and became gifts for visiting kings and noblemen. The gift of these animals to the leaders of other countries helped in the spread of mastiff genetic material.
Mastiffs were truly awesome fighting machines. Their huge size was amply complemented by vicious and savage dispositions. To augment the dogs’ natural abilities as fighters, they were often outfitted with bladed collars and armor. Used in much the same way that sappers or shock troops would be used in later warfare, these fighting dogs served both as vanguard attack forces and as diversionary tactical elements. While opposing foot soldiers were occupied battling the giant dogs, the dogs’ masters would swoop down in a cavalry charge. If the mounted battlers went in first, the mastiffs were restrained and set free at the right moment to turn the tide of a skirmish or battle.
The mastiff forces fought in many wars over many centuries. Art on ancient tombs clearly reflects an identifiable mastiff-type dog attacking mounted riders. Mastiffs were even used in the conquest of the New World when they were set on native tribes with devastating effect. Kings kept great kennels of these fierce war dogs. One Egyptian pharaoh had a retinue of over 2,000 canine fighters in his army. These impressive weapons did not go unnoticed by the conquering Romans who soon added these dogs to their forces.
Rome was successful enough at war to have sufficient disposable time and funds to bring back some of the horrors of war to the home folks. Arenas found the mastiff fighting again, and against all manner of creatures. These early dogs, often blendings of several types of mastiffs the Romans had encountered in their conquests, were often left behind in the countries that had become part of the Roman Empire. They were bred to local dogs, and many new breeds resulted. Over 40 modern breeds can directly be traced to mastiff ancestry. All of these breeds except four, the Boston Terrier, the Pug, the French Bulldog, and the Miniature Bull Terrier, are still reminiscent of the power and strength of their Mollosian forebears—the mastiffs.