The colossal Mastiff belongs to a canine clan as ancient as civilization itself. A massive, heavy-boned dog of courage and prodigious strength, the Mastiff is docile and dignified but also a formidable protector of those they hold dear.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a huge, powerful guarder whose astounding appearance has intimidated intruders since the days of ancient Rome. Wary with strangers, the profusely wrinkled Mastino is sweet, placid, and steady among loved ones.

A centuries-old, rare breed from the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain, this livestock guardian protected flocks from wolves, bears and thieves. Today, while it is still an effective guardian, many families have found the joy of owning the gentle and loving, yet independent, Pyrenean Mastiff.

The Spanish Mastiff is a very intelligent dog, not without beauty, whose expression manifests both these qualities. Rustic, affectionate, kind and noble, he is very determined when facing dangerous animals and in front of strangers, especially when he has the opportunity to defend and protect farms or cattle. In his behaviour, one can see it [...]

Watchful, aloof, imposing, and intimidating: The ancient Tibetan Mastiff is the guardian dog supreme. These densely-coated giants are mellow and calm around the house, sweetly devoted to family, and aloof and territorial with strangers.

2009:003;010 Collection processed by Norma Rosado-Blake Click for inventory Provenance A gift from the Mastiff Club of America (MCOA). Arrangement The collection is arranged into seven series including: Documents Meeting minutes Publications Miscellaneous Photos Audio/Visual Chapman papers The documents series is organized by order of importance with historical material further organized by date. The Publications [...]

AKD 3.14 1890-2008   11 linear feet in 16 boxes (8 doc boxes; 1 half legal doc box; 2 cartons; 1 flat box; 1 photo box; 2 realia boxes; and 1 oversize box) and mixed collections storage Processed by Norma Rosado-Blake (2009); additions and edits by Brynn White (2016) Click here to the view complete inventory and/or to search all AKC archival collections Click here for [...]

Neapolitan Mastiff Learn about Neapolitan Mastiffs [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club Susie Schramm; email:  schramms1@frontiernet.net [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Newfoundland Learn about Newfoundlands [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] Newfoundland Club of America [/accordion_panel] [/accordion] Norfolk Terrier Learn about Norfolk Terriers [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations [...]

Teddy Roosevelt Terrier Learn about Teddy Roosevelt Terriers [accordion] [accordion_panel title="Rescue Organizations"] New Rattitude rehome@newrattitude.org  or urgent@newrattitude.org PO Box 91, DeWitt, MI 48820 Ratbone Terrier Rescue contact@ratbonertr.org 18495 S Dixie Hwy #277, Cutler Bay, FL 33157 Rat Terrier Rescue Canada adoptions@ratterrierrescue.ca or info@ratterrierrescue.ca 17 Moreau Trail, Scarborough, ONT M [...]

Majestic. Massive. Muscular. Mastiffs are among some of the oldest breeds known to humans. They feature in legend, as well as recorded history, and were among the first canines to accompany humans on their migrations across the globe. The mastiff family is full of powerful breeds, each with its own unique personality. Mastiffs have been [...]

The Tibetan Mastiff may look like a great addition to your family, but this breed is not recommended for most dog owners.

These huge, dignified dogs are lovable companions, But living with such a large breed takes training and socialization. Learn more about the Mastiff.

The Neapolitan Mastiff (also known as the Neo or Mastino) is a huge, heavy-boned dog with awe-inspiring features. These members of the Working Group are enormous, and the average male weighs 150 pounds, but the bigger the better. There is no other breed that looks quite like the Neo, and they can be distinguished from other [...]

There are many large, muscular dog breeds. And several have droopy flews (big, hanging upper lips). But can you tell them apart? For those unfamiliar with the breeds, the Mastiff and the Bullmastiff in particular can be tricky to distinguish. Read on to learn about these two formidable protectors. Mastiff Mix-Up When Diane Collings, two-time [...]

Midtown Manhattan may be an unlikely place to have my first encounter with the Tibetan Mastiff, but there they were— four behemoths charging toward me from the far end of a long hallway at the home of Martha Felsenstein. president of the American Tibetan Mastiff Association (ATMA). The pack was led— naturally— by a little [...]

Over the centuries, Mastiffs have maintained a reputation for their irrepressible protective streak. Learn more about the history of this dignified breed.

'Samara' the Pyrenean Mastiff Outshines as a Guardian and Therapy Dog

Every year in conjunction with the AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin the general public is given the exciting opportunity to meet (and more importantly, play with!) over 100 different dog breeds at AKC Meet the Breeds. Attendees get the opportunity to learn about the different breeds and find out which dog might be right [...]

From their rope-like facial wrinkles to their tree-trunk-sized limbs, the Neapolitan Mastiff represents power. Learn more about Neapolitan Mastiff history.

One of Maria Ruoto's goals has always been to shatter the "couch potato" reputation that Mastiffs are oftentimes stuck with. Maria first fell in love with the breed after lots of research and attending as many dog shows as she could. After meeting many different breeds, she decided the Mastiff would be the perfect fit [...]

In February 2021, Tibetan Mastiff breeders Dan Nechemias and his wife Lois Claus received the phone call that no breeder wants to hear. Waffle, a male puppy they sold to a new breeder in San Antonio, Texas three years ago, was one of several Tibetan Mastiffs seized in an animal neglect situation. The dog had lost [...]

Big dogs equal big love and loyalty. Here are the large dog breeds that earn their place at the top of the size chart. Most people will know the Great Dane but what about the lovely Leonberger? When considering getting a dog, size is a factor, but only one of them. The dog’s [...]

The 1880s was the only decade that the English Setter reigned as the number-one breed and it remained in the top ten for four decades, but hasn’t been in the top ten since the 1910s. Irish Setters, the number-two breed of the decade, fell to number seven in the 1890s and then did [...]

Giant dogs are some of the hardest-working and most recognizable breeds. But because many of them maintain the strong working instincts and drive they were bred for, they can be a lot to handle. Here are some things to keep in mind if you're considering adding one to your family. Maturation Giant dogs are giant [...]

A reader posed this question to us, so we dug into the American Kennel Club archives to give the answer: At least two dogs were aboard the Mayflower during the 66-day voyage from England to the New World. Thanks to journals kept by the Pilgrims, we know much about their early tribulations. But the historical [...]

  New York, NY – The Tibetan Mastiff will become eligible for American Kennel Club® registration on September 1, 2006 and will compete in the Working Group as of January 1, 2007.  Also on January 1, the Plott, which currently competes in the Miscellaneous class, will begin competing in the Hound Group. The Tibetan Mastiff, one of the [...]

  Effective July 1, 2004, the Black Russian Terrier and the Neapolitan Mastiff became eligible for competition in the Working Group.   The Black Russian Terrier first bred true in 1956 and its history is a compelling one. During the 1930's a military kennel named the Red Star started work on a native breed that would be part [...]

  The American Kennel Club has announced that effective May 1, 2004, the Black Russian Terrier and the Neapolitan Mastiff have been granted regular status as AKC-recognized breeds and are eligible for competition in the Working Group, effective July 1, 2004. In addition, the Glen of Imaal Terrier is approved for AKC registration as of July 1, 2004 and for competition [...]

New York -- In honor of Columbus Day on Monday, October 11th, and to celebrate the upcoming Meet the Breeds ™ event at the Javits Center on October 16th and 17th where pet lovers can meet over 200 breeds of dog and cat, the American Kennel Club® (AKC) celebrates the loveable breeds of Italian descent. Notable Italian [...]

Some people live by the motto "bigger is better," and it extends to their dogs too. There are many large dog breeds, each with different care and training needs. Exercise Most large dog breeds were bred for a purpose or function. Some breeds were meant to be hunters, others guard dogs. Dogs with great endurance [...]