Mastiff Breed Profile

Though the breed is supposed to have originated in Asia, the Mastiff is more correctly called the Old English Mastiff, and has been used as a guard dog for more than two thousand years. When ancient Rome invaded Britain, Mastiffs fought against the Roman legions, and the Romans were so impressed and terrified of the giant dogs' fighting abilities that they brought them back to Rome, where the dogs fought in the Collosseum against bulls, bears, lions, tigers and human gladiators, as well as other dogs, which stood little chance against these massive, fearsome, powerful creatures. Today, this is still a "large, massive, symmetrical dog" according to the AKC, with a coarse, straight, moderately short length top coat, and a close-lying, dense, short undercoat; it is fawn, apricot or brindle in color. The breed to this day has dignity as its most significant trait, as well as courage and good nature.

Mastiff Distinguishing Characteristics

Big dog of a molossian type, looks rather low on his legs, has more (loose) skin than a mountain type dog on his head.