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TIBETAN MASTIFF |
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It is highly possible that the Tibetan Mastiff is the missing link between the flock guard and the mastiff breeds. He is from the area which gave us the stem of the original mastiff; yet he has a longer coat than most, and a tail curled over the back. It is possible that the Tibetans crossed the original archetype with other dogs to obtain today's breed. While the answer is lost in the mystery of Tibet, the breed, thankfully, has survived. It has been around since recorded history—or before—and is just now gaining some acceptance in the West, primarily in the US and Europe, The Tibetan Mastiff certainly is the forebear of several modern breeds. Two types of
mastiffs originally aided the lamas and villagers of Tibet: the Bhotia,
an agile livestock guardian, and the Tsang Kyi, a larger territorial sentinel.
The latter dog has for centuries protected nobility and religious orders.
A pup was kept tied from two months of age to make him fierce; in fact,
the Tibetans' name for their mastiff is the Do-kyi, dog you can
tie up. Chaining or tying intensifies aggression, and these dogs bear
the reputation of guarding an entire village. Like the bandogs of England,
he was secured during the day and set free at night. Because of this habit,
the breed tends to be sociable with other dogs and livestock, though he
will defend himself if challenged.
The Tibetans
say that a white spot on the chest is a good sign, signifying a brave
heart. A white tail tip, however, is cut off as it denotes weakness. Tibetan
natives make their dogs a protective woolly collar from the finest stiff
hairs of a yak's tail. The hair is dyed red, and when a TM is wearing
the collar, he appears even larger and more threatening.
Tibetan dogs
traveled with Alexander the Great from "the roof of the world"
to European countries, where they planted the seed for so many of today's
mastiff and flock-guarding breeds.
The modern
Tibetan Mastiff has been known outside Tibet for more than a century.
The Prince of Wales owned at least one specimen in the 1880s, and a
British standard for the breed was in existence in the 1930s. President
Eisenhower received two as gifts from the Dalai Lama. Yet others reached
America in the early 1970s through drug smugglers who placed packets
of illegal substances under false bottoms in dog crates. These dealers
then shipped the largest and toughest Tibetan Mastiffs to the States,
where no customs inspector dared to inspect their crates!
A positive
aspect of this crime is that many specimens escaped Communist China
and reached the hands of concerned breeders. Others were brought in
by more conventional routes. The TM is now recognized in many European
and Asian countries, and there are national organizations for the breed
in both North America and Europe. In the US they have been used as guard
and sled dogs, as well as family companions.
The American
Tibetan Mastiff Association recommends mating only genetically sound
animals. Besides physical soundness, breeders are advised to choose
stock with proper guardian tendencies and a stable family-oriented
temperament. Bitches cycle only once a year.
The breed
has incorporated many of the giant attributes of "impressive
stature, formidable appearance and great strength." A controlled
environment with moderate weight gain and adequate exercise is recommended
by breeders to forestall many of the problems that often plague large
breeds. The eight-week-old fluffy clown, often described as a teddy
bear, will grow into a large, aloof adult with a strong sense of territory
and an instinct to defend it. Socialization, discipline and routine
grooming should begin early.
Despite their tough, protective
instincts, they are gentle with their own families. In their homeland,
they are controlled by even the smallest child, who can handle them
and call them off intruders with ease. The Tibetan Mastiffs were
bred to withstand the extreme temperatures of their native mountain
land and are still capable of playing in a snowdrift in below zero
temperatures or of performing an obedience routine at 90 degrees. |
