A Tibetan Mastiff is equal to the weight of 25 Chihuahuas! Nearly every large breed of dog traces its heritage back to the Tibetan Mastiff. Noble, affectionate, beautiful, and loyal, Tibetan Mastiffs really are one of a kind – in appearances and personality.
History
The Tibetan Mastiff’s size is meant to look fierce, along with its stocky, muscular body. Tibetan Mastiffs are an ancient breed that hails from the Himalayan mountain range in Tibet, where they protected the nomads and their flock of sheep/cattle. Over the years, Tibetan Mastiffs were entrusted with the task of guarding whole villages from wild animals. Soon after, they set foot on international ground like Europe, where they were given as gifts.
About the Breed
Nutrition
Tibetan Mastiffs do not require any special kind of diet. They do well with high-quality wet or dry food so long as it is appropriate for its age and size (large/giant breed). You might think that a dog their size requires three or four portions a day, but surprisingly, TMs do well on only two wholesome meals a day. Remember to start supplementation as early as puppyhood to avoid problems like hip dysplasia, joint inflammation, arthritis etc. Some Tibetan Mastiffs will refuse to eat when on female’s heat and can lose close to 15% of body weight. Hence, it is best to get your TM neutered by nine months.
Grooming
Tibetan Mastiffs have a plush double coat – a woolly undercoat and coarse fur on top. For most of the year, grooming can be done from the comfort of home with daily brushing and weekly deshedding using a slicker brush and a de-shedder. Once a year, during shedding season, TMs need to go to a professional groomer to blow their undercoat and strip the body of dead fur. In addition to coat care, it is important to clean their ears, brush their teeth, and trim their nails once a week at home.
Exercise
Tibetan Mastiffs need lots of vigorous exercise to keep them calm and even-tempered; however, they enjoy activities with a set outcome at the end instead of aimless exercise like walks or runs. A good way to exercise your TM is to make it a game – fetching toys, drafting, treasure hunts, agility, search and rescue etc. They enjoy a structured activity like guarding a house, fetching the newspaper, searching for hidden people etc.
Training
You don’t have to repeat training over and over again with a TM because they are very intelligent and learn quickly. However, the hard part of training a Tibetan Mastiff is not teaching him but getting him to listen. Unfortunately, most of them are not food driven and hence not as motivated by treats to do something. They enjoy toys instead, i.e. prey-driven. Training a TM needs more intelligence on your part than on his, but with consistent, patient and positive reinforcement training, you and your TM will get there!
Health
They are a healthy breed but suffer from a few health complications as they age – hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, cataracts, obesity, and heart disease.
Temperament
They can be warm and fuzzy but also aggressive and destructive – it is all about how you raise them. A well trained and well socialised TM can be the essence of a family, no doubt.
Is this my perfect pooch?
Tibetan Mastiffs are incredible guard dogs.
They are incredibly loyal and protective of their family
They are easy to housebreak
Tibetan Mastiffs are good with children and senior citizens
They do not shed all year round
Why is this breed not my best choice?
They cannot live in hot weather
They don’t do well in apartments or small houses
Tibetan Mastiffs are hard to train and not for novice pet parents
They take up a lot of space – in your home, car, and bed!
Tibetan Mastiffs are loud barkers and drool almost everywhere
They can be aggressive and destructive if not socialised or trained well
This one of a kind dog is a family favourite. Despite their menacing look, Tibetan Mastiffs are nothing but warm, gentle, loving souls – when exercised enough and socialised well.
,
