Large breed dogs are the result of purposeful selection work. Some of these breeds were bred to protect royal families, some to participate in battles, and some to guard, transport goods and graze sheep. There are about 20 breeds in the world that are especially large in size and heavy, but the undoubted champion among them is the English Mastiff.
History of the breed
The largest dog in the world is an objective criterion determined by the average size and weight of the breed. This breed is recognized as the English Mastiff. Its ancestors were huge dogs, which in ancient Babylon were used to hunt wild horses. Presumably, the name of the breed comes from the word "mastinus", which means "horse-dog" in Latin.
It is still debated whether the mastiffs ended up in Britain along with the Roman legionaries who came to conquer new territories for their empire, or vice versa - the Romans took these dogs to their capital, which then participated in mortal battles with gladiators. Be that as it may, among the ancestors of the English mastiffs are the fighting dogs of the Romans, the mastiffs from ancient Assyria and the guard dogs bred by the ancient Celts. In Great Britain itself, these dogs were first used as guards, hunted with them and trained them to participate in battles with other dogs.
The enthusiasm of the members of the club of old English mastiffs saved this breed from complete oblivion and extinction, since 1872 they have been breeding and breeding this breed. Mastiffs managed to survive the plague epidemic and two world wars.
English Mastiff - 90 kilograms of kindness
The modern breed standard is a robustly built dog with massive, muscular fore and hind legs, a large, well-sculpted head with folds on the forehead. The ears are drooping, of medium length, the crescent tail is set high and lowered down. The coat of English mastiffs is short and harsh, has different shades of apricot color, while on the ears and muzzle it should be dark. The decoration of the muzzle is brown eyes, serious and intelligent, like a human.
It is important to educate the mastiff correctly, instilling in him the concept of hierarchy from childhood and suppressing any encroachments on the authority of the owner. Puppies have a rather stubborn personality, so you should be able to insist on your own.
An English mastiff named Zorbo, weighing 154 kg, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest dog. The growth of standard representatives of the breed at the withers is up to 76 cm, weight is up to 90 kg, but, of course, there are also larger specimens, the weight of which exceeds 100 kg. Despite its rather bloody past, formidable appearance and impressive size, the English mastiff is a kind-hearted creature, a real gentleman, with proper upbringing, calm and able to behave appropriately. This is a loyal friend and vigilant guard, selflessly loving all family members, especially children.
