Spanish Mastiff

The Spanish Mastiff, or Mastín Español, is a giant dog from Spain. It was bred as a guard, and its special job is that of a livestock guardian, protecting flocks and herds from wolves and other predators.

History

The Spanish Mastiff is thought to have existed for thousands of years. Mastiffs were already guarding livestock on the Iberian Peninsula when the Romans arrived. In medieval times the dogs traveled with the flocks of sheep and goats that crossed Spain from north to south, defending them against wolves. For protection they wore heavy metal collars set with spikes. Their role was to guard, unlike the Carea dogs that drove the flocks at the shepherd’s direction. Where the dog accompanies Merino sheep it is sometimes called the perro merinero.

The FCI drew up the first breed standard in 1946. In 1981 the Asociación Española del Perro Mastín Español was formed. It set up a breeding program to bring back the large, strong mastiff of earlier times and wrote a new standard.

Alongside the modern show type there are traditional working strains that follow no standard and are still bred only to guard flocks. They go by names such as Traditional Spanish Mastiff, Working Spanish Mastiff and Leonese Mastiff. Figures published by the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1986 showed 61% fewer livestock lost to predators in flocks guarded by mastiffs.

Appearance

This is a very large, powerful dog with a big head and a serious, watchful expression. Males stand 70–85 cm (28–33 in) at the withers and weigh 80–120 kg (180–260 lb). Females stand at least 65 cm (26 in) and weigh 65–80 kg (143–176 lb).

The eyes are small and the drop ears triangular. The coat is most often fawn, but may be brindle, black or wolf-colored.

Temperament

The Spanish Mastiff is generally aloof, dignified, calm and intelligent. It is devoted to its family. A well-socialized dog may accept strangers politely, though it stays wary of them, and the breed can be aggressive toward other dogs. Its booming voice and sheer size can make it a poor fit for city life.

Socialization and training should start early, including supervised meetings with unfamiliar, non-aggressive dogs. The breed is alert and motivated by food but bores easily, so training needs to be consistent and firm yet gentle.

Care and health

The Spanish Mastiff would rather lumber than gallop, though it can move fast when it must. A long daily walk is enough, and it appreciates a fenced area where it can exercise at its own pace.

The breed is especially prone to hip dysplasia, which is less common in the traditional working strains than in the show type.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.