Neapolitan Mastiff

The Neapolitan Mastiff, or Mastino Napoletano, is a large Italian dog of mastiff type. It descends from the traditional catch dogs and guard dogs of southern Italy and is closely related to the Cane Corso.

History

The modern breed dates from the years just after World War II. Piero Scanziani saw one of these dogs at an exhibition in Naples in 1946 and began selecting the breed the following year. He wrote its first standard, which the Italian kennel club, the Ente Nazionale della Cinofilia Italiana, officially recognised in 1949. Full acceptance by the FCI followed in 1956.

Appearance

The Neapolitan Mastiff is large, massive and powerful. It weighs 50 to 70 kg (110 to 154 lb) and stands about 60 to 75 cm (24 to 30 in) at the withers. Males run 65 to 75 cm and 60 to 70 kg, females 60 to 68 cm and 50 to 60 kg. The body is about 15% longer than the dog is tall.

The skin is abundant and loose, most of all on the head, where it hangs in heavy wrinkles. The coat is short. The preferred colors are black, gray and lead gray, but mahogany, fawn, tawny, hazelnut, dove-gray and isabelline are also accepted. Any of these may be brindled, and small white marks on the toes and chest are tolerated.

Care and health

A Neapolitan Mastiff may be expected to live up to 10 years. The median lifespan is reported as 9.3 years, well below the 12.5 years given for dogs as a whole.

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