8 Facts About Neapolitan Mastiffs
Neapolitan Mastiffs are devoted to their families & are sweet and affectionate with them. Here are a few fun facts about Neapolitan Mastiffs:
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Breed Characteristics
Average Size: Giant
Average Lifespan: 7-9 years
Kid/Pet Friendly: Sometimes
Registry: aca,akc
Activity Level: moderate
Shedding Level: low
Grooming Level: moderate
Trainability: moderate
Good For Novice Owners: low
Adaptability: moderate
Prey Drive: low
Watchdog: aware
Breed Information
Overview
Shoulder height: 24 - 31 inches. Weight: 110-155 pounds.
Like their other Mastiff cousins, the Neapolitan Mastiff is a Molosser-type dog descended from the ancient canis pugnax. Their ancestry can be traced to as far back as 3000 BCE when this type of dog emerged in Tibet. During the Roman Empire, these dogs were gladiators, war dogs, and home guardians. They maintained popularity throughout Europe for centuries, but were almost lost after World War II.
After the war and rediscovering this ancient dog breed, Piero Scanziani, an Italian painter and reporter, founded a kennel to develop and breed the Mastiff-type dogs in Italy into the Neapolitan Mastiff. The goal was to create a massive guardian dog with loose, heavy skin that would serve to protect them during a fight. They also wanted dogs that would be loyal to their families and affectionate with them.
The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the international dog registry, recognized the Neapolitan Mastiff in 1949. Jane Pampalone is credited with bringing the first Neapolitan Mastiff to the United States in 1973. But, it’s important to note that Italian immigrants may have brought some dogs over as early as the 1880s.
The Neapolitan Mastiff Club of America, the first national breed club for the Neapolitan Mastiff, formed in 1973. The United States Neapolitan Mastiff Club and the American Neapolitan Mastiff Association formed in the 1990s. The American Kennel Club recognized this dog breed as a member of the Working Group in 2004.
Temperament
Although they grow to be a big, powerful dog that looks intimidating, Neapolitan Mastiffs are known to be gentle giants with their families. They tend to have a sweet, gentle disposition with their families and are affectionate and loving towards them. In fact, they often continue to act like a lap dog even when they are fully-grown!
They tend to get along fantastically with children. But, they are generally better suited to homes with older children. Due to their size and general clumsiness at times, they can easily knock over or step on young children and may hurt them accidentally. They do well with dogs, cats, and other pets that they are raised with, but do not warm up naturally to strange animals.
Their guardian background makes them naturally protective of their families and suspicious of strangers. Even after you welcome a stranger, a Neapolitan Mastiff may remain aloof until they get to know them. They don’t tend to bark a lot. But, you’ll know when they do because they have a deep, booming bark.
Socialization and training are important for any dog breed, but it is especially important for dogs with protective instincts. Although the Neapolitan Mastiff is typically not aggressive unless they’re given a reason to be, a poorly socialized dog with guardian and protective instincts can easily become territorial and view strangers as threats.
Did You Know?
The Neapolitan Mastiff is also sometimes called an Italian Mastiff, a Mastino, and a Mastino Napoletano.
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