All About the Breed: Tibetan Mastiff

The Tibetan Mastiff is a protective, loyal, and intelligent breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.

History

The origin of the Tibetan Mastiff can be traced back to 1100 B.C. in China, where written evidence clearly identifies the breed.

Throughout its history, the Tibetan Mastiff has been most commonly used to watch and guard against large predators such as wolves, leopards, and coyote, proving its superior abilities to ward off most any animal, while providing companionship.

In the 1950’s, the first two Tibetan Mastiffs were imported into the United States as a gift to President Eisenhower. The American Tibetan Mastiff Association was established in 1974, and the breed was given full American Kennel Club recognition effective in 2005.

Today, while the Tibetan Mastiff has attained an underground popularity as a watch, guard, and companion dog, the breed remains rather rare outside of its native Tibet.

Personality Traits

Best known for its protective and dominant nature, the Tibetan Mastiff is a very territorial breed. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans. This breed is highly intelligent, yet independent and overly confident, creating difficulty in training. As a pet, the Tibetan Mastiff is loyal, loving, and affectionate. These dogs are energetic and enjoy spending time outdoors.

Train-ability

Due to its independent and overly confident nature, the Tibetan Mastiff can prove challenging to train.

Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Tibetan Mastiff. This breed requires a strong, experienced, and confident handler with a stern approach.

Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed

There are many benefits to owning a Tibetan Mastiff. These energetic dogs are often quite amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. When properly socialized from a young age, the Tibetan Mastiff gets along well with small children and non-dog pets. This breed is very protective and dominant, making an excellent guard and watch dog, and willing to do whatever is necessary to protect its owner and property. The Tibetan Mastiff is loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an amazing family pet and companion alike.

Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Tibetan Mastiff. This active breed requires large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Tibetan Mastiff not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.

Proper obedience training and socialization is absolutely required with this breed. While the Tibetan Mastiff generally responds well to ongoing training, professional intervention is sometimes necessary.

The Tibetan Mastiff’s thick and full coat requires almost constant attention, brushing, and grooming to maintain its attractive appearance and prevent tangling and matting.

As previously mentioned, the Tibetan Mastiff remains rather rare outside of its native Tibet and can prove difficult to obtain. Individuals seeking to purchase this breed often encounter such challenges as inability to locate a breeder, extremely high prices, and being placed on long waiting lists.

Common Health Concerns

While the Tibetan Mastiff is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: Canine Inherited Demyelinative Neuropathy – a disorder affecting multiple nerves and motor function, hip dysplasia, cataracts, obesity, and bloat.

Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Tibetan Mastiff? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.

Sources:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/tibetan_mastiff

http://www.trainpetdog.com/tibetan-mastiff