Angus Our Neapolitan Mastiff: February 2010

He liked sleeping in his crate... But he out grew the crate pretty quick and now opts for any of the couches in the house.

Neapolitan Mastiff History:

Tracing its roots to the Molossus dogs that existed in Rome before Christ, the Neapolitan Mastiff has a rich and intriguing history. They were thought to have been brought to Rome by Alexander the Great when he traveled from Greece. Alexander the Great apparently prized the ancient Molossus dogs for fighting and defending, and that is what they were bred for. Alexander was given a pair of these dogs from Asia, supposedly after he defeated King Porus in Northern India in 326 B.C. So the breed is over 2000 years old, and may have had its roots in Asia. After they were brought to Rome they were used in animal fights in the arenas, pitted against leopards, bears, lions and even gladiators. They were also excellent guard dogs for their armies. They made their way to the Middle East as well, serving their duties there. Known for at least 2000 years ago in Southern Italy, the breed didn't actually appear publicly until 1946 in the Naples dog show. It is thought that during this show, a painter named Piero Scanziani was so impressed that he bought his own Neos and began a kennel. He developed the breed into what it is today, and is thought of as the modern father of the breed. He created a standard for the breed and it was accepted by the Italian Kennel Club. Appearing to be a mix of a Lion, Gargoyle and Mollosser, this breed is truly a work of fine Italian art. Brought back from near extinction after World War II by a dedicated group of breeders in Italy, this breed still continues to flourish in Italy and recently the United States. They were only brought to the U.S. and the other parts of Europe in the 1970s. Regardless, they continue to grow in number in North America, Germany, France, Spain, England, other European countries, and even Israel.

Angus Our Neapolitan Mastiff

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

February 2010

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