Are you looking for an ancient guardian dog devoted yet aloof & intimidating? A rare giant dog breed from Tibet, the Tibetan Mastiff has a towering, huge build, a flowing mane, and a watchful gaze. This breed is just as majestic and watchful as a lion. The Tibetan Mastiff of today still has the fierce protective nature that has made them renowned for hundreds of years as formidable estate guardians in Tibet and the Himalayas, vigilantly keeping watch over their family and home.
Learn more about the Tibetan Mastiff, a cautious and strong dog that can be a great addition to any home.
The Tibetan Mastiff’s attributes
The Tibetan Mastiff breed offers unmatched family protection, loyalty, and devotion. The American Kennel Club (AKC) states that guard dogs are suspicious of strangers and protective of their family and homes. Owing to their history as watchdogs, they are often challenged to train and dislike receiving orders from their family.
Because the breed’s protective instincts are stronger at night, they may bark excessively and loudly during the evening. To avoid disturbing your neighbors at night, it is advisable to keep your mastiff indoors. Ensure a sturdy fence contains your dog so they can’t get outside during the day.
The Historical Background
The AKC states that the history of the Tibetan Mastiff is still being determined because of Tibet’s remoteness and the absence of recorded breeding records. Indeed, the Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed that dates back thousands of years to Central Asia and is believed to be the ancestor of all other mastiff breeds.
According to the American Tibetan Mastiff Association, Queen Victoria received a Tibetan Mastiff as a gift in 1847, marking the breed’s first introduction outside the Tibetan region. More than a century later, the breed eventually arrived in the US in the 1950s. The American Tibetan Mastiff Association was established in 1974 as the breed’s national organization in the United States, and the American Kennel Organization fully recognized it in 2006.
The Cost
At $1.9 million, the Tibetan Mastiff price ever discovered. A few more that made news include “Big Splash,” which was acquired for $1.5 million. Although these are at the end of the range, they highlight how costly this breed can be.
Tibetan Mastiffs are the priciest canines on the planet. Depending on the age, pedigree, breeder, availability of medical reports, care given, vaccinations, training, and other factors, a Tibetan Mastiff puppy can range from $1500 to $5000.
Tibetan Mastiff Requirements
The Tibetan Mastiff needs to be handled and cared for differently. With the Tibetan Mastiff, early socialization is essential as an unsocialized Tibetan Mastiff may develop into a liability. Introduce as many people, places, animals, and objects as you can to your Tibetan Mastiff puppy; nevertheless, always have a positive attitude and follow the dog’s lead.
Certain Tibetan Mastiffs still need help accepting strangers or foreign animals, especially if they are on their land, despite their meticulous socialization. When they are not on their land, many dogs—especially those who receive proper socialization—are significantly more laid back and tolerant of others.
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Workout
As with vast and enormous breeds, puppies and young adults should exercise prudence. Until the Tibetan Mastiff is at least two years old and fully mature, repetitive jogging or jumping should be restricted because of the breed’s enormous frame, heavyweight, and propensity to inherited joint disorders like hip dysplasia. While most dogs enjoy daily leisurely walks between thirty and sixty minutes, even a fully adult dog will be something other than an agility champion or running partner.
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Grooming
Tibetan Mastiffs are surprisingly easy to groom, even with all that fluff. Except for a single yearly shed (usually in the spring or summer), their coat sheds very little when they blow their hair and lose nearly all of their undercoat in weeks. Brushing frequently and taking a bath or two can assist during this high loss, but the hair will be everywhere. The coat sheds relatively little for the remainder of the year and must be brushed and bathed once weekly if it gets soiled.
Your dog requires routine nail cutting, tooth brushing, bathing, and coat maintenance.
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Training
Tibetan Mastiffs are highly clever dogs who quickly pick up basic obedience commands but can also be obstinate and less likely to comply with commands. Early training and constant rules enforcement should be implemented throughout the dog’s life. Any owner of this breed must be able to physically restrain their dog when needed, whether in public or at home, due to the breed’s huge stature and innate suspicion of strangers.
This breed can be challenging to train, even with rigorous socialization—a must for this breed. Due to their size and strength, Tibetan Mastiffs have solid defensive instincts, which can make them stubborn when their owners tell them that a guest is welcome rather than an intruder who has to be put down. Tibetan Mastiffs should, therefore, only be owned by knowledgeable dog owners.
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Typical Health Issues
Like many purebred dogs, this breed is also susceptible to a few hereditary disorders. To prevent genetic illnesses from being passed on, ethical breeders screen their adult canines before breeding them. Before breeding a dog, the American Tibetan Mastiff Association mandates that all member breeders submit their dogs to the following health testing.
1. Hip dysplasia: Improperly developing one or both hip joints characterizes this orthopedic ailment.
2. Elbow dysplasia: The elbow joints become malformed or even degenerate due to this skeletal disorder.
3. Hypothyroidism: The symptoms of this illness are the same in people and dogs. It indicates insufficient thyroid hormone production by your dog’s thyroid gland.
4. Progressive Retinal Atrophy: This breed is susceptible to PRA, which impairs your dog’s vision. Blindness results from the degeneration of the eye’s pigmented layer, rods, and cones.
Nutrition and Diet
Providing food for this breed of dog can be difficult. Many Tibetan Mastiffs, despite their great size, have rather small appetites and eat far less than one might think. A few dogs even embark on prolonged periods of fasting, going days without eating. Because of these factors, it’s crucial to feed your puppy premium dog food.
You need to determine how much your dog is eating. Look for whether they are experiencing a food strike, pay attention to how much they are eating. Refrain from overfeeding your Tibetan Mastiff if it happens to have a good appetite. Free feeding has the potential to cause weight gain, which strains the joints and may aggravate existing medical conditions.
Final Words
Tibetan Mastiff are fiercely protective and devoted family dogs, but they are best suited for specific types of households. Check out our information before bringing home one of these professional dogs.
