The Mastiff dog has a long history; these dogs have been domesticated for more than two thousand years. The Romans bred the ancestors of modern Mastiff dog breeds for use as guard dogs and hunting dogs and in brought these dogs to the British Isles in the 6th century when they conquered Britain. These dogs, already favorites with the Romans (including Julius Caesar, by many accounts) quickly became popular in Britain as well and became the ancestors of the modern English Mastiff. Mastiffs also were part of the war party when Hannibal crossed the Alps and were a favorite of the Kublai Khan, who kept a kennel of thousands of the dogs.

In Britain, the Mastiff became favored guard dogs with royalty, though they also found some less honorable work there. Mastiffs were used in the sports of bear, bull and lion baiting from the 1100s until the 1830s when the practice was outlawed in Britain.

Mastiff dogs are one of the largest domesticated breeds in existence and can weigh over 200 pounds and stand 30 at the shoulder. The Mastiff is a very muscular dog with black muzzles and ears and coats which are usually pale shades of fawn, orange, silver or brindle patterns.

Today, he is still the largest breed of dog, often reaching a weight of 220 pounds and a shoulder height of 30 inches. They should appear massive and powerful, with a black mask and ears highlighting a pale coat of silver, apricot, fawn or brindle short hair.

If you’re considering a Mastiff dog for your home, you’ll need to be prepared for some drooling and some snoring and snuffling as they sleep. However, they more than make up for this fault due to their loyalty and natural aptitude for guard duty. These dogs very rarely bark, but they will hold any intruder at bay until told that things are under control. Mastiffs also make excellent companions for children. While you’ll want to keep an eye of very young children while playing with Mastiffs, they love children and are very patient and gentle with even energetic kids.

Adults love Mastiffs too and vice versa. If you have a Mastiff, you have a friend for life this is a dog which wants to be where you are, whether you’re relaxing or going for a run. Mastiffs prefer the company of their families above all else.

These dogs are often shy when meeting new people and will usually just sit quietly until being formally introduced. Mastiff dogs usually get along with other pets, as long as they’ve been properly socialized as pups. If your Mastiff dog hasn’t learned how to behave around other animals, you’ll need to teach them or simply keep them away from other animals unless they will be closely supervised.

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