Spanish mastiff: what is this dog and how to properly care for it?

Some 15-20 years ago, only a little was known about the Spanish mastiffs, nowadays this dog is known as an ideal guard, guard dog and friendly pet. Despite the impressive size, mastiffs are considered good nannies - they will never attack a creature that is smaller and weaker than them.

There are several versions explaining the origin of these giant dogs. Among the most reliable, two are distinguished. According to one of them, Spanish mastiffs were brought to the Old World by Phoenician merchants by sea, according to another, they were brought by Asian nomads traveling by land.

It has previously been suggested that mastiffs originally belonged to Roman warriors, but this version did not find confirmation, because by the time of their landing near the coast of Spain, the local population already had large dogs, by the way, it was they who helped the natives defend their territory. Given that the Spanish, Tibetan, Balkan, as well as Turkish and Caucasian mastiffs have many external similarities, it is now not possible to determine which breed was the ancestor of the branch. It is only known that all these types of dogs have common roots.

It is safe to say that mastiffs appeared in people at the moment when they needed a good guard and protector of livestock from wild animals, - a beast that will be distinguished by its large size, stamina and swiftness, which can feel danger from afar and take decisive measures to protect its owner and his property.It is authentically known that Spanish mastiffs existed already in the 15th century - in those days they guarded pastures in the Pyrenees. As a rule, there were several dogs in one herd - they not only protected sheep and cows from attack by predators, but also did not allow their “wards” to disperse.

Despite the fact that these animals have been serving humans for several centuries, they began to speak about the representatives of this large breed publicly only at the beginning of the 20th century. After the Second World War, the standard of this breed was prescribed, and after the mastiffs gained international fame, the popularity of dogs grew at times, however, the level of German shepherds and rottweilers did not catch up.

Mastiffs became widespread in Russia in the mid-90s, they were imported from the Czech nursery, and after some time in our country the very first puppies of dogs of this amazing breed were born. However, in other countries of the former USSR, Spanish mastiffs are quite rare, although there is no question of their complete disappearance - a couple of dogs are necessarily participating in any international exhibition from these countries.

Nowadays, of course, no one is already turning on mastiffs for their original purpose. - grazing, but these dogs managed to prove themselves in a new role. Today it is a true friend and reliable companion. High security characteristics allow you to use the dog as a guard - it will faithfully protect its owner and his property.

And, of course, this is a very status animal, which, better than any words, will indicate the financial position and place of its breeder in the social hierarchy - these are expensive dogs, therefore not everyone can afford a mastiff.

The birthplace of the Spanish mastiff, as the name of the breed implies, is Spain. Most often, these are kind and courageous animals, since weak and cowardly individuals are usually not used for breeding. The Spanish mastiff is a large, strong, but extremely affectionate animal. Such a dog looks pretty intimidating.

The breed standards are very clearly defined, and any deviations from them are considered a defective attribute.

• Growth of an adult male at the withers starts from 77 cm, in females - from 72 cm, body weight varies from 50 to 60 kg.
• The head is rather large, the forehead is usually flat, the skull is square-shaped. The muzzle is elongated.
• The nose is black, the nostrils are widened.
• The eyes are small, the iris is brown or hazel. Eyelids recessed, sagging. A characteristic feature of the mastiff is his look - calm and balanced.
• The ears are relatively small, triangular, saggy type.
• The neck is high set, with a beautiful bend, very muscular.
• The body is massive, well developed. The sternum circumference is usually greater than the height of the animal at the withers. In this case, the stomach is picked up.
• Paws are angular. These dogs have a soft majestic gait that only complements the image of a noble animal.
• The coat of a Spanish mastiff is of medium length, the undercoat is also coarse. On the tail, shoulders and sternum, the hairs are slightly longer.
• As for the color, the representatives of the breed can be absolutely any color - most often there are animals of a yellowish tint, fawn, black, two-tone: tiger or white with black are also common.

The nature of the animal to match his appearance: these are reliable and flexible dogs, he always stands on the protection of weak and small creatures. This animal never attacks first and always warns of an attack by barking or roaring.

An easygoing nature makes it quite easy to raise a good dog., this animal gets along well with other pets, including cats.Such a mastiff can be left with the kids - families in which these dogs live, speak of them as excellent nannies who take care of children and stoically endure all their petty pranks.

In order for the mastiff to fully grow and develop correctly, it needs a balanced diet enriched with all the vitamins, micro and macro elements important for the dog’s health. The difficulty in feeding mastiff is due to the fact that dogs of this breed are predisposed to obesitybut if the diet is too scarce, problems with the musculoskeletal system and a general deterioration of the dog’s condition are not excluded.

Ready-made feeds have one significant advantage - they have a balanced composition, which includes all the necessary vitamin-mineral complexes, in addition, the feed does not need to be prepared, and calculating the required portion is not a problem.

If you give a dog straight, then several factors must be taken into account: dog body weight, age, physical activity and degree of activity. The desired dose is calculated based on the following ratio: 30-40 g of protein per kilogram of animal weight. It is best to offer your pet beef, veal and lamb. From time to time, you can replace them with chicken or turkey, but you should not completely transfer the dog to poultry meat.

A couple of times a week you can give offal to mastiff - it is better to give preference to the liver or heart. Another about 30% should fall on cereals, vegetables and fruits. Additionally, vitamin and mineral complexes, as well as vegetable fat and Omega-3 or 6, must be included in the diet. Once a week, low-fat cottage cheese is allowed, if possible dilute the dog’s mix with chopped greens or sprouted grains.

Adult animals should receive food twice a day, small puppies eat 4-5 times, with an interval of five hours. Starting from six months of age, the number of feedings is gradually reduced, while the dose itself is increased.

The Spanish mastiff naturally prefers free spaces, so it is best to have a dog for living in a spacious house with a large garden, where the dog can walk without any restrictions.

It is important to properly care for the coat of mastiff - the fact is that it is quite thick, just as thick and undercoat. In order to remove all dead hair, the animal needs to be combed regularly; special brushes are used for this. Mastiffs are not often bathed - 3-4 procedures per year are enough, for cleaning wool it is necessary to use special shampoos for dogs.

Ear hygiene comes down to a simple cleaning of the inner surface with a cotton swab dipped in a special veterinary lotion. Eyes need to be treated once a week with a weak solution of furatsilina or a decoction of chamomile.

Spanish mastiffs need frequent walks, we can say that they need them like air. It is important that each walk lasts at least an hour, and it is desirable that the mastiff have the opportunity to go over and frolic. If the animal lacks physical activity, this leads to a decrease in appetite or, conversely, obesity, viciousness and aggressiveness of the pet.

Claw processing does not present any problem for the mastiff - usually the pet grinds them on its own, but if this does not happen, then you just need to trim them with a clipper. This procedure must be carried out from a very early age of the mastiff - no later than two months.

Teeth for dogs of this breed should be cleaned independently, with a special brush or a cotton pad, and it is advisable to start such manipulations from childhood.If possible, get bones in the veterinary pharmacy that help to remove plaque, and, in addition, have the most beneficial effect on the digestive tract.

Dogs of this breed live 10-12 years, while the maturation in animals begins relatively late. So, the female is considered fully formed in the second or third year of life, and the male is considered mature in the third and even fourth.

Dogs of this breed naturally have strong immunity, so there are not many diseases typical for a mastiff. Most often, animals encounter pathologies such as:

• congenital dislocation of the hip joint;
• eczema;
• joint inflammation;
• inversion of the stomach.

Spanish mastiffs are usually easily trained, and raising animals should be started from a very young age.

Mastiffs are very smart, so there are usually no problems with training, but it is recommended that you consult professional dog handlers before starting classes.

During the lesson, you need to let the dog know which of you is the main, teams should be given clearly and clearly, and disobedience should be scolded with a confident, solid voice. At the same time, one cannot scream and beat a pet - this animal does not tolerate physical punishment. You need to start training from three minutes a day, gradually increasing the number and duration of exercises.

Usually, exclusively healthy representatives of the breed without burdened heredity are used to breed Spanish mastiffs. Aggressive and nervous animals pose a serious danger to others, therefore they are considered unsuitable for reproduction.

Spanish mastiffs are cultivated in specialized nurseries, some are available in our country. The breeding of dogs is monitored by professionals, so the cleanliness of the breed of animals offered by certified breeders should usually not be questioned.

It should be noted that these large dogs are expensive. Depending on the class of the young dog, the cost of the pet also varies.

• Animals are pet class. These include healthy dogs with defective signs of the breed, they are usually bred for the soul, these pets are not allowed to participate in competitions and exhibitions. The cost of a dog is 30-40 thousand rubles.
• Brid-class. These puppies are suitable for breeding, but they have no prospects for an exhibition career. The price of dogs is 50-70 thousand rubles.
• Show class. These are the best representatives of the Spanish mastiffs, future champions who can become worthy successors of the breed. Their cost reaches 150 thousand rubles.

Not a single conscientious breeder will sell a puppy whose age does not reach 2-3 months, since it is precisely this time that the baby needs in order to get all the necessary knowledge from his mother and learn how to properly communicate with his own kind. If you take the animal from the mother ahead of time, then his psyche will be damaged.

The Spanish mastiff is considered the largest dog in the world. For a long time they were used as shepherds, while not only guarding the herd, but also engaged in its driving.These are also the oldest dogs, they are much older than the shepherd breeds.

In those days when the living conditions of the mastiffs were rather severe, only four puppies were usually left in the litterand others were simply destroyed - in those years there was an opinion that a bitch can only feed so many animals.

Ideal animals do not exist, so each breed has both positive and negative reviews.

Among the advantages of the Spanish mastiff, the owners distinguish the following:

• the dog is an ideal guard;
• the animal is friendly, it can be an ideal nanny for small children;
• the Spanish mastiff is devoted to his master and members of his family;
• the dog is not very talkative.

You can get to know the Spanish mastiff closer in the next video.