Information

INFORMATION & LINKS

my family...

ABOUT US

The Italians call it the Malatia of the Mastino i.e. the Mastino virus - once you catch it there is no return. In the past years I have tried to breed typical and healthy Mastino Napolitanos which can play the role of the companion and defender of their families. We would like to note that when we give a puppy it is our pleasure to help and assist it's owner in anything regarding the puppyΥs health, upbringing and well being

We would like to say a few words in this site about the dogs gone from our lives, Max my first dog who I saved from a life in chains he sadly died from leukemia. He was a German shepherd; be rest in peace. And finally my wife Christina dedicates her work on this site to her first dog "Cogniac" and writes a little about it.
"My first dog Cogniac a mixture of Grifon and poodle lived 1984-1999, fifteen wonderful years she died of cancer, fifteen wonderful years in my arms and my bed, in my work, in my dreams, in my hopes, in my battles, in my love... she was love, Cogniac you came an angel from the sky and gave me only love, you asked for nothing, I hope I see you again, you were my best friend I will always love you, God bless you my little darling "sto epanidin."

Cogniac - Farewell Friend..

The character of the breed

This is a breed that lives and breaths for its owners. It is observing everything that goes on in its environment and learns from that. It is not correct to keep it isolated all day, but also it is not correct to give it full freedom without any rules. It should be allowed to participate to family life and learn its place in it. They have to be very well socialized from the age of 7 weeks with all kinds of situations and people, it should be discouraged from aggressive behavior with gentle but firm methods.

Do not give your mastino to a trainer to keep it in his school, you have to be present and the role of the trainer is to teach you how to handle your dog. Avoid the "traditional" trainers with the choke collars and the angry voice commands, you should start the training very early and make it a pleasurable part of the daily life of your dog. Also you should never try to train a mastino to be a guard dog because you will create a time bomb which you will not know when it will explode.

Mastino Napoletano are born guard dogs, they have more courage than anything else and will bring down the strongest man in seconds. If you have very young children at home you should teach them to respect and handle the dog properly. Also the dog especially the male must come in the family in the right age and have a lot of supervised contact with your kids. They can develop a very special relation but you as an adult have the responsibility to teach them the do's and don'ts.

Make sure that the breeder you bye from has socialized enough the puppies

The male should not be allowed to sleep in your bedroom or on the couch because he might start to protect his favorite spot from the lesser members of the pack (i.e. your wife, or children - hopefully just your mother in law!) If you want him to sleep inside he should have a place that it will be his own. As a buyer you should understand that you are not bringing home a hamster or rabbit but a new member of the family who will love you more than anything, but will grow to weight 80kilos and has a mind of his own!

Acquiring a Mastino Napoletano

There is a huge difference between a carefully bred mastino and a poorly bred one, in the second category falls 90% of the puppies in the market. Never buy a puppy without seeing his parents first and before that you should be knowledgeable enough about what a healthy dog is and what constitutes true type in the breed. Visit some shows and breeders and talk to as many experts as you can, make your selection carefully - otherwise you will be sorry for a long time.

Two typical puppies from our kennel - no matter what breed you choose to buy never compromise on quality

How to raise a Mastino Napoletano puppy

In the last years it has become common knowledge to the informed veterinarians and breeders that the correct way to raise a puppy from one of the giant breeds is SLOWLY! That means that you should keep him very lean until at least the age of 12 months. The big brands of dog foods have developed foods for giant breed puppies with less amount of protein, calcium etc., Do not add calcium to that and if your veterinarian told you to, then change your veterinary. Another important point especially for the heavy boned loose joined mastino puppy is to not exercise him at all until the age of 12 months. The only form of exercise allowed is free play alone or with you. Do not make him jump climb or walk far! All this can cause damage to his joints. After the age of 12months you can let him eat as much as he wants and exercise him gradually, note he will attain his full development between 3-5years.

HISTORY

In the Assyrian section of the British Musuem is the Nineveh bas-relief sculped about 850B.C. the animal portrait is a long backed, heavy fronted massive dog, the head shows a short trunked muzzle, folds of skin on the cheeks and a pronounced dewlap. Those familiar with the Mastino Napolitano today will recognize the long stride of the forleg which is typical, and can be seen in the best speciments. We know that such dogs were used in the grant Roman houses as a formidable guard dog,. The description of a dog of this type is found again in the writings of Lucio Giunio Mederato Columela 1st century A.D. in his work "De Re Rustica". Columella states that the house guard dog, which was the Roman Mastiff of that time should be black, "because a black dog has a more terrifying appearance; and during the day, a prowler can see him and be frightened by his appearance. When night falls, the dog, lost in the shadows, can attack without being seen. The head is so massive that it seems to be the most important part of the body. The ears fall toward the front, the brilliant and penetrating eyes are black or grey, the chest is deep and hairy, the shoulder wide, the legs thick, the tail short, the hind legs powerful, the toenails strong and great. His temperament must be neither too gentle nor too ferocious and cruel; whereas the first would make him too opt to welcome a thief, the second would predispose him to attack the people of the house. He should be of solemn and not merry character and must always react with rage against all intruders. Above all, those dogs not only must demonstrate vigilance in guarding without making a mistake but must be guarding out of diligence and a questioning nature rather because they are fearful. For the first type will give the warning only when they are sure something bad is happening, and the second type will get excited about every little noise or false suspect. It does not matter that house guard dogs have heavy bodies and are not swift in foot. They are meant to carry out their work from close quarters and do not need to run far. In fact, these dogs want to stay behind closed walls or at the house without even trying to run off. They do their work very well be their astute sense of smell which informs them of who is coming, and they warn with their bark whoever is approaching not to come near. And if the person persists in approaching, they violently attack. Indeed the most important quality in these dogs is that they are guard dogs and do not permit an attack. The second quality is that, if provoked, they will defend and fight with vigor and tenacity"

Before the 2nd world war this type of dog still existed in small numbers in Italy particularly in the region of Naples it was used as a guardian of the Grand Estates but also was owned by traider, butchers, and members of the Camora. Thanks to all these people which most of the time were poor but kept with passion the tradition of the Cani da Presa we still have today this living relic of the past the Mastino Napolitano

GENERAL INFORMATION

Everything about the Neapolitan Mastiff, often called the Italian Mastiff, the Italian Bulldog, or simply the Neo, suggests top notch suitability as a guard dog. First and foremost, the Neapolitan is a super-loyal family dog. While the breed is generally suspicious of strangers and politely tolerant of friends, it becomes enamored of its human family, particularly to its one master. In fact, among the many Neapolitan Mastiffs I have known, if I have detect any problem at all with the breed's devotion to its family, I would have to say that the problem is that these dogs tend to really miss their owners when they are left alone and will spend long periods whimpering pitifully until everyone is together again.

The Neapolitan is also an extraordinarily intelligent dog with a great ability to distinguish its friends from its enemies. Don't let the droopy face of the Neapolitan fool you into thinking that the dog is a dullard. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As a deterrent against crime the Neapolitan Mastiff is as perfect as a dog can be. Its overall appearance, both head and body, suggests a potential for unprecedented brutality and, while the dog is exceptionally gentle around its family and friends, this brutality can easily be realized should the Neapolitan's home or family be seriously threatened. Its size is also a substantial deterrent. A good Neapolitan should stand on short but massive legs, and, though it is relatively low to the ground, a large dog will weigh about 200 pounds. Every inch of the dog suggests terrific power which is put to work even as the dog moves casually.

Functionally, the Neapolitan Mastiff is even more capable than its appearance suggests.When you examine a Neapolitan closely, you will realize that, in spite of its heavy appearance and deliberate movement, this is a dog that can really spring into action like a shot should something unexpected happen. Its heavy muscle is very obvious, even though its tough skin is loose and does not connect to the underlying tissue, as does the skin of other dogs. The head of the Neapolitan is huge, the jaws are short and powerful, and the teeth are big and strong. In general, this is most definitely not a dog you want to find yourself face to face with as you step through a stranger's window in order to burglarize his home.

(from: "PIT BULLS & TENACIOUS GUARD DOGS" by: DR. CARL SEMENCIC, used under his permission)

BREED STANDARDS

GENERAL APPEARANCE - Large, heavy massive and bulky dog, whose length of body exceeds the height at the withers.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS - The length of the body is 10% more than the height at the withers. The ratio skull-muzzle is of 2 to 1.

BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT - Steady and loyal, not aggressive or biting without reason, guardian of the property and its inhabitants, always vigilant, intelligent, noble and majestic.

HEAD - Short and massive, with a skull wide at level of zygomatic arches; its length is about 3/10(*)of the height at the withers. Ample skin with wrinkles and folds of which the most typical and the best marked goes from the outer palpebral angle down to the lip angle. The upper longitudinal axes of the skull and the muzzle are parallel.(*) Based on actual measurements this proportion is closer to 4/10th.

CRANIAL REGION - The skull is wide, flat, particularly between the ears, and, seen from the front, slightly convex in its fore part. The bizygomatic width is more than half the length of the head. The zygomatic arches are very prominent, but with flat muscles. The protuberances of the frontal bones are well developed; the frontal furrow is marked; the occipital crest is hardly visible. Stop - Well defined.

FACIAL REGION - Nose - Set in the prolongation of the muzzle, must not protrude beyond the outer vertical line of the lips; must be voluminous with large, well opened nostrils. Its color is according to the color of the coat: black for the black subjects, dark grey-brown in dogs of other color, and chestnut for brown coats. Muzzle - It is very wide and deep; its length corresponds to that of the fore-face and must be equal to the third of the length of the head. The lateral sides are parallel (between them), so that, seen from the front, the shape of the muzzle is practically square. Lips - Fleshy, thick and full; upper lips, seen from the front, form an inverted "V" at their meeting point. The lower lateral profile of the muzzle is shaped by the upper lips; their lowest part is the corner of the lips, with visible mucous membranes, situated on the vertical from the external angle of the eye. Jaws - Powerful with strong jaw bones and dental arches joining perfectly. Lower jaw must be well developed in its width. Teeth - White, well developed, regularly aligned and complete in number. Scissors bite, i.e. upper incisors closely overlapping the lower ones in close contact, set straight to the jaw, or pincer bite, i.e. upper incisors meet edge to edge with the lower incisors. Eyes - Set on an equal frontal level, well apart one from the other; rather round, slightly deep set. Compared with the coat color, the colors of the iris is darker. The eye may nevertheless be lighter in coats of diluted shades. Ears - Small in relation to the size of the dog, of triangular shape, set above the zygomatic arch, they are flat and close to the cheeks. When they are cropped, they have the form of an almost equilateral angle.

NECK - Profile - The upper profile is slightly convex. Length - Rather short, measures about 2,8/10 of the height of the withers. Shape - Conical trunk shaped, well muscled. At mid-length the perimeter is equal to about 8/10 of the height at the withers. Skin - Lower edge of the neck is well endowed with loose skin which forms a double dewlap well separated, but not exaggerated; starts at level of the lower jaw and does not go beyond middle of the neck.

BODY - The length of the body exceeds by 10% the height at the withers. Top line - Top line of the back is straight; withers are wide, long and not very prominent. Back - Broad and of a length about 1/3 of the height at the withers. The lumbar region must be harmoniously united with the back, and muscles well developed in width. The ribcage ample, with long and well sprung ribs. The circumference of the thorax is about 1/4 more than the height at the withers. Rump - Wide, strong and well muscled. Its obliqueness compared with the measured horizontal on that of the hip bone (coxal) is about 30?. Its length is equal to 3/10 of the height at the withers. The hip bones are prominent to the extent of reaching the top lumbar line. Chest - Broad and wide with well developed chest muscles. Its width is in direct relation with that of the ribcage and reaches the 40-45% of the height at the withers. The tip of the sternum is situated at the level of the scarpular-humeral joint. Tail - Broad and thick at its root; strong, taperinq slightly towards the tip. In length it reaches the articulation of the hock, but usually is docked at about 2/3 of its length. At rest is carried hanging and curved in sabre fashion, in action lifted horizontally or slightly higher than the top line.

QUARTERS- FOREQUARTERS - On the whole, the forequarters, from the ground to the point of the elbow, seen in profile and from the front, are vertical with a strong bone structure in proportion with the size of the dog. Shoulders - Their length measures about 3/10 of the height at the withers with an obliqueness of 50o-60o on the horizontal. The muscles are well developed, long and well defined. The angle of the scapulo-humeral articulation is 105o-115o. Arm - Measures about 30% of the height at the withers, Obliqueness is of 55o-60o furnished with significant musculature. Elbows - Covered with abundant loose skin, They are not too close to the body. Forearms - Its length is almost the same as that of the arm. Placed in perfect vertical position, of a strong bone structure with lean and well developed muscles. Pastern joint - Broad, lean and without nodosity, continues the vertical line of the forearm. Pastern - Flat, continues the vertical line of the forearm. Its inclination on the horizontal towards the front is of about to 75o. Its length is equal to about 1/6 of the length of the limb from the ground up to the elbow. Forefeet - Of round shape, large, toes well arched and well-knit. The pads are lean, hard and well pigmented. The nails are strong, curved and a dark color.

HINDQUARTERS - On the whole they must be powerful and sturdy, in proportion with the size of the dog and capable of the required propulsion in movement. Upper thigh - In length measuring 1/3 of the height at the withers and its obliqueness on the horizontal is about 60o. It is broad with thick, prominent but clearly distinct muscles. The thigh bone and the hip bone (femur and coxal) form an angle of 90o. Lower thigh - Length slightly inferior to that of the thigh and of an obliqueness of 50o-55o, with strong bone structure and well visible musculature. Stifle - The femoral-tibial (hip bone-shin bone) angle is about 110o-115o. Hock joint - Very long in relation to the length of the leg, its length is about 2,5/10 of the height at the withers. The tibial-tarsal articulation forms an angle of 140o-145o. Hock - Strong and lean, its shape almost cylindrical, perfectly straight and parallel, its length is about 1/4 of the height at the withers; eventual dewclaws should be removed. Hindfeet - Smaller than the forefeet, round with well-knit toes. Pads dry, hard and pigmented. Nails strong, curved and of dark colour.

GAIT AND MOVEMENT - This constitutes a typical characteristic of the breed. At the walk, the gait of feline type of lion steps, is slow and resembles that of a bear. The trot is distinguished by a strong thrust of the hindquarters and a good extension of the forequarters. The dog rarely gallops; usual gaits: walk and trot - Pacing is tolerated.

SKIN - Thick, abundant and loose all over the body, particularly on the head where it forms numerous folds and wrinkles, and at the lower part of the neck where it forms a double dewlap.

COAT - Type of coat - Short, rough and hard, dense, of the same length all over, uniformly smooth, fine and measures 1,5 cm maximum. Must not show any trace of fringing. Colour of coat - Preferred colours are: grey, leaden grey and black, but also brown, fawn and deep fawn(red deer), with, sometimes, little white patches on the chest and on the tip of the toes. All these coats may he brindled; hazel, dove-grey and Isabella shades are tolerated.

SIZE AND WEIGHT - Height at withers - males 65-75 cm. Females 60-68 cm. Some tolerance of 2 cm. more or less is allowed. Weight - Males 60-70 kg. Females 50-60 kg.

FAULTS - Any departure from the foregoing points constitutes a fault which must be penalized in proportion to its degree.

SERIOUS FAULTS - Pronounced undershot mouth; gay tail (trumpet tail), sizes bigger or smaller than the limits allowed.

DISQUALIFYING FAULTS - Overshot mouth; accentuated convergence or divergence of the facial-cranial axes; topline of muzzle concave or convex or very aquiline (Roman nose): total depigmentation of nose; wall eye; total depigmentation of both rims of eyelids; cross eyed; absence of wrinkles, folds and dewlap; absence of tail whether congenital or artificial; extensive white patches; white markings on the head.

Note - Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

LINKS TO OTHER SITES

INTERNATIONAL PETS PORTAL

Latutela - an excellent site from NY, USA

ASPNM - The representation of SAMN IN USA