Neapolitan mastiff

The Neapolitan Mastiff, Italian Mastiff, Mastino or Mastini (plural) is a large, ancient dog breed. This massive breed is often used as a guard and defender of family and property due to the protective instincts and their fearsome appearance. The breed is reported to have been used to fight alongside the Roman Legions, by having bladed and spiked leather harnesses tied to their backs and being trained to run under the bellies of enemy horses, to disembowel them.

Temperament

The Neapolitan Mastiff is fearless and extremely protective of its home and family. They prefer to be with their family and to remain in and around the home at all times. The Neapolitan Mastiff rarely barks unless under provocation, renowned for sneaking up on intruders as opposed to first alerting them of their presence.

Neos, as a breed, are extremely intelligent dogs with a tendency to be independent thinkers. They learn quickly, which is both good and bad, since this guardian breed needs extensive proper socialization to learn to accept strangers, especially within the home; without proper early socialization and training, these dogs are likely to become aggressive towards strangers and unfamiliar dogs. Like with other breeds, forceful training methods, "alpha rolls", and a general "dominance" mentality will not work with these dogs, especially since it is difficult to try to physically dominate a dog that is so large as an adult; if you want a well mannered dog, prevent problems before they happen by using positive training methods, beginning socializing early, and continuing socializing throughout life.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is not a breed for most people, and certainly not a dog for beginners. As a general rule, Neapolitan Mastiffs are not appropriate for homes with small children, as Neos are large, powerful dogs and don't always know their own strength. Additionally, young children have young friends, and even with extensive socialization and training, Neapolitans will be wary of strangers and protective of their family, which can be disastrous for small children.

Additional protection training is unnecessary because they are natural guard dogs and always have been. As with every breed,obedience training is very important. The Mastino is very tolerant of pain due to the breed's early fighting background and the fact the skin is loose on the body, so it is important to routinely check for health problems, as a Neo may not behave differently when injured or ill. They also are renowned for drooling especially after drinking or if they get excited.

Health

At ten years, this brindle Neo is a senior citizen of this breed

The Neo is generally hardy, but like all breeds, has some specific health concerns. The most common is Cherry eye. Others include:

• Hip dysplasia
• Ectropion
• Entropion
• Elbow dysplasia
• Progressive retinal atrophy^{[citation needed]}
• Hypothyroidism
• Cardiomyopathy
• Bloat
• Skin infections between skin folds called Demodex
• Anesthetic Sensitivity

Additionally, Neos do not do well in hot weather, and are prone to heatstroke. Like most giant breeds, the Neapolitan Mastiff is not particularly long-lived, averaging 7 to 9 years, however, with a proper biologically appropriate diet, safe exercise, and proper weight maintenance, there is no reason that the average Neo cannot live beyond that.

Care and maintenance

Neapolitan Mastiff Head. Note the distinctive upside down V the dewlap forms and the thick wrinkle on the top of the cranium

When it comes to exercise, Neapolitans are not a very active breed as their energy tends to be short lived and their weight causes stress to their joints when excessive. They won't be running any marathons with you, but be aware that they can and will have short, extremely powerful bursts of energy and so will still require an area to run and play, especially as puppies and young adults.

Special care should be taken to prevent dogs under one year of age from jumping over or off of things, as this can cause irreparable damage.