Description

An ancient breed, rediscovered in Italy in the 1940's, the Neapolitan Mastiff is a heavy-boned, massive, impressive dog bred for use as a guard and defender of owner and property. His loose skin is all over his entire body, and is abundant with hanging wrinkles and folds on the head and a voluminous dewlap. His intense, piercing stare and regal stoicisms are enough to ward off an intruder; however, with its owner it is highly loyal and affectionate. The Neo mastiff is supposed to be imposingly massive and rectangular in shape. Since this is a head breed, the headpiece must also be massive. Toplines of cranium and the muzzle must be parallel. The face is made up of heavy wrinkles and folds. Required folds are those extending from the outside margin of the eyelids to the dewlap, and from under the lower lids to the outer edges of the lips. The essence of the Neapolitan is his bestial appearance along with its astounding head and imposing size and attitude. The characteristic movement is rolling and lumbering, not elegant or show. Many Neo owners say that the gait is like that of a lion and/or a big cat-slow but fluid. The same gene that causes loose skin is the same that causes the loose joints that give the Neo its noted gait.

Coat Description

The coat is short, dense and one length with an overall smoothness over the body. The coat should be straight with no waves or curls and should be no longer than 1 inch. No fringe is allowed anywhere.

Solid coats of gray (otherwise known as blue), black, mahogany and tawny (any lighter and darker shades of these colors are allowed). Brindling is allowed in all colors but it must be tan . When present, brindling must be tan, which is called reverse brindle. There may be solid white markings on the chest, throat area from chin to chest, underside of the body, sheath, backs of the pasterns, and on the toes. There may be white hairs at the back of the wrists. Any other white is a disqualifying fault for the dog and the dog should never be used for breeding.

History

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a breed that was reconstructed in the 1940s by Piero Scanziani and other lovers of the Mastini. Scanziani came across the breed in Vesuvius, Italy when it was on the brink of extinction. He would learn that the breed was steeped in 4000 years of historical presence that seemingly originated with the breeding of large, massive dogs by the Sumerians and the Mesopotamians. Throughout history, the Neapolitan Mastiff was used by the Romans in wartime, later as a hunter of deer and wild boar, and fighters of wild animals in the circus and in arenas as gladiators, but always remaining true to its heritage with an inherent talent as a guard dog especially in the Roman villas of Campania. Many of the early Mastini were depicted in many artifacts, statues, and carvings in which the artist depicts the massive head, skin folds especially an exaggerated dewlap, and cropped ears. Even after the fall of the Romans, the Neapolitan Mastiff remained in the region making the slopes of Vesuvius its home and offering companionship and protection to its people.

The Neapolitan Mastiff made its way to America by the way of Italian immigrants and the late Mr. Michael Sotille, Sr. In 1991, further promoting of the breed by US Neapolitan Mastiff Club (USNMC) led the Neapolitan Mastiff to be accepted into the AKC as the 152nd breed.

Grooming

Owners must be prepared to deal with drool. Neos drool when they are excited, eating, drinking, or some (because of the massive folds of facial skin) drool constantly. Many Neo owners keep towels handy to keep the dewlap and folds dry and infection free. Many owners also state that the Mastinos have a distinctive odor which may be classified as woodsy. Grooming will not eliminate the scent. However, weekly brushing, ear, eye, teeth, and skin care are highly recommended. This is an average shedding breed; however, very easy to care for. The ears and tail are normally cropped.

Exercise

Due to the clumsiness of the Neo puppy, no extraneous exercise or rough play to include jumping, Frisbee chasing, tug of war should be used. Because of the high pain tolerance found in the Neo, unsuspected joint injuries that may cause permanent damage due to non-treatment can occur. However, walks are fine and yard runs are ok as long as they are tolerated well. Stopping such exercise prior to the dog tiring out also prevents injuries as well. Over exercise in a breed that grows so fast and so massively large can also result in hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and other joint diseases that are usually genetic. Owners must realize that the Neo continues to grow and change up to the age of three.

Training

Training this dog should be started at an early age to avoid dominance issues. The handler should always remain firm and consistent but not overly corrective or negative. Basic obedience is a must at about 4 months because this puppy will already weigh about 40 to 60 lbs.; therefore, imagine at 6-10 months you will be dealing with 100+ lb dog if you wait to start training basic commands. This breed is highly intelligent and will quickly learn all of the commands; however, the biggest issue is the time in which it will take for the Neo to complete the task if it so desires. Their willfulness does not diminish their love and protective nature of their owner however. The Neapolitan Mastiff should not participate in protection training or bite work because it possesses a natural protective temperament that does not need to be expounded upon or brought even further to the surface.

Life :: 8 to 10 years

Litter Size ::

Group :: Working

Color :: gray, blue, black, mahogany and tawny (any lighter and darker shades of these colors are allowed.

Hair :: Short

Size :: Extra Large

Shedding :: Moderate Shed

Male Height :: 26 to 30 inches

Male Weight :: 132-154 lbs

Female Height :: 24- 27 inches normal.

Female Weight :: 110-132 lbs

Living :: This is a dog that does well indoor if the home is dog proofed and saliva proofed. Neos can live outdoors even in the winter time if there is access to a good doghouse with a lot of bedding. However, summertime can present some breathing issues especially since the Neo has a short muzzle. Owners must ensure shade and access to fresh water. Yet if the weather becomes extreme, the Neo should be moved indoor especially in humid and low air quality days.