English Mastiff Puppies Blog

The English Mastiff and the Neapolitan Mastiff are two breeds that are both massive and large in size. Although there may be some tiny confusion, both of them differ in appearance.  English Mastiff’s have skin that is close to the body and have coats of fawn, apricot or bindle. Eyes are brown and are clearly seen. The breed is generally good with children and is known to be protective of their family and will stand between their master and the threat.

Neapolitan is distinctly characterized by the loose skin of the entire body.  Coat colors are of solid gray, mahogany, black and tawny. Eyes are dark amber or coat shade. When it comes to strangers they can be protective however, they display the same defense in the presence with unfamiliar children that may lead to an incident. They do have the same ancestors, the Molosser, a dog native to the region of Greece. It is said that these breeds have traveled around as early as 500BC with sailing ships from Phoenicia.

A rather long, but beautiful quote about the English Mastiff…written over 200 years ago. Yet nothing has changed….

“What the Lion is to the Cat, the Mastiff is to the Dog, the noblest of the family; he stands alone, and all others sinking before him. His courage does not exceed its temper and generosity and in attachment he equals the kindest of his race. His docility is perfect; the teasing of the smaller kinds will hardly provoke him to resent, and I have seen him down with his paw the Terrier or cur that has bit him, without offering further injury. In a family he will permit the children to play with him and will suffer all their little pranks without offence. The blind ferocity of the bulldog will often wound the hand of the master who assists him to combat, but the Mastiff distinguishes perfectly, enters the field with temper, and engages the attack as if confident of success: if he overpowers, or is beaten, his master may take him immediately in his arms and fear nothing. This ancient and faithful domestic, the pride of our island, uniting the useful, the brave and the docile, though sought by foreign nations and perpetuated on the continent, is nearly extinct where he was probably an aborigine, or is bastardized by numberless crosses, everyone of which degenerate from the invaluable character of the parent.? – Edwards, S. (1800)