Country of Origin: Belgium
Size: 58-69 cm (22.75-27.25 in)
Weighs 36-50 kg (80-110 lbs)
Coat: The Bloodhound has a very short, hard, smooth coat which covers the whole body. Bloodhounds come in red, black and red, or liver and red.
Character:The Bloodhound is mellow, independent, gentle, kind, and affectionate. It is mostly silent, but loud when it barks.
Temperament: The Bloodhound loves children as long as they don’t pester the dog unfairly; pulling of the ears should not be allowed. Bloodhounds will greet visitors happily and live in harmony with other dogs and household pets.
Care: The Bloodhound requires occasional brushing. Cleaning the Bloodhound's ears periodically to avoid ear infection is recommended. The folded skin should be wiped down regularly as well. Bathe only when necessary. The Bloodhound eats generously, so avoid overfeeding and provide regular exercise to keep it in shape.
Training: The Bloodhound requires consistent training as it is quite stubborn, though it is eager to please its master. A great deal of patience and tact is required when training Bloodhounds.
BULL MASTIFF
Country of Origin: England
Size: 61-68 cm (24-27 in)
Weighs:45-60 kg (100-133 lbs).
Coat: The Bullmastiff has a short-haired red, light tan (‘fawn’) or reddish-brown (‘brindle’) coat with a distinctive dark area on the muzzle and ears and around the eyes. Some white on the chest is permissible.
Character: The Bullmastiff is intelligent, loyal, obedient, and courageous. It builds a strong bond of devotion with its family. Bullmastiffs are highly protective of their family against any perceived threats
Temperament: The Bullmastiff can be somewhat dominant toward other Bullmastiffs (males especially do not get along), but is very tolerant towards children and can get along with other household pets provided proper socialization has taken place, preferably when young. Though they would do no harm intentionally
Care: The Bullmastiff should be brushed periodically with a rubber brush to remove dead hairs. Trim the nails occasionally and bathe only when necessary. Bullmastiffs do not do well in outdoor heat or apart from their human companions; they prefer a soft bed indoors.
Training: The Bullmastiff is sensitive to the tone of its master’s voice; its handler must demonstrate authority and consistency. Obedience training is recommended for the Bullmastiff
ENGLISH MASTIFF
Country of Origin: England
Size: The Mastiff has a shoulder height of 70-76 cm (27-30 in) and weighs 68-91 kg (150-200 lbs).
Coat: The Mastiff has a short-haired, fawn (light-yellow brown) coat, which ranges in color from silver to apricot to dark brindle. All Mastiffs have a black mask, ears, and nose.
Character: The Mastiff is confident, dignified, and very gentle-natured. Mastiffs rarely bark, but they are not fond of strangers and will defend their territory and family when necessary, making excellent guard dogs
Temperament: The Mastiff is good with children, and gets along well with other dogs and household pets if properly socialized.
Care: The Mastiff coat requires little attention; dead and loose hairs should be removed with a rubber brush when the Mastiff is shedding. As with all very large dogs, the Mastiff needs a soft place to lie down to avoid pressure marks
Training: Mastiff training must be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, with consistency and understanding. Obedience training at a young age is recommended. Mastiffs are happy to learn
FRENCH MASTIFF
Country of Origin: France
Size: The Dogue de Bordeaux has a shoulder height of 58-76 cm (23-30 in) and weighs 54-66 kg (120-145 lbs).
Coat: The Dogue de Bordeaux has thick, wrinkly skin and a short, soft coat which comes in shades of fawn to mahogany. It has a black or red mask and possible white markings on the chest and toe tips.
Character: Loyal and devoted to its family, the Bordeaux Bulldog is fearless and proud. It is gentle with children and family members, kind-hearted, and sometimes gullible. Dogues de Bordeaux make excellent watch dogs and guard dogs.
Temperament: The Dogue de Bordeaux is calm and patient. It should be well socialized with other animals from an early age. Dogues de Bordeaux have a patient, gentle temperament, however they are suspicious and confrontational with strangers and sometimes aggressive with other dogs, especially males.
Care: The Dogue de Bordeaux is an average shedder which requires little grooming. It has a lifespan of 10-12 years.
Training: The Dogue de Bordeaux requires a firm but gentle hand in training. This is a powerful animal and is not suitable for an inexperienced dog owner. Consistent training is required.
GREAT DANE
Country of Origin: Germany
Size: The Great Dane has a shoulder height of 72-80 cm (28-31 in) and weighs at least 50 kg (110 lbs)
Coat: The Great Dane has a short, smooth coat. Recognized show colors are fawn, brindle , steel blue, glossy black, ‘Harlequin’ (white with black patches), and ‘Mantle’ or ‘Boston’ (black with white muzzle, chest, and tail tip). White and blue Merle Great Danes occur but are not accepted by most standards.
Character: Great Danes are affectionate, calm, loyal, and intelligent. They do not bark much, but make great watchdogs. The Great Dane’s ‘gentle giant’ nickname is well earned by its loving, quiet persona.
Temperament: The Great Dane gets along well with children, other dogs, and any household pets. Some Great Danes are dominant with other dogs of the same sex or have a high prey instinct with small cats. Great Danes should be socialized when young. The Great Dane is usually wary around strangers, but will welcome friends of the family.
Care: The Great Dane should be brushed with a rubber brush when shedding to remove dead hairs. Great Danes need a sizeable soft place to lie down indoors. Proper nutrition and avoidance of excessive exercise is required when this breed is young. Great Dane has a lifespan of 8-12 years.
Training: The Great Dane requires a dominant but not overly harsh trainer. It must be trained early not to pull on the leash, because it grows to a very large size. Obedience training when young is highly recommended for the Great Dane.
NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF
Country of Origin: Italy
Size: The Neapolitan Mastiff has a shoulder height of 60-75 cm (23-30 in) and weighs 50-70 kg (110-150 lbs).
Coat: The Neapolitan Mastiff has a short, dense, hard, fine, uniformly smooth coat. The Neapolitan Mastiff can be standard grey, leaden grey, dove-grey, leaden black, brown, fawn, deep fawn, light fawn, or hazel. White patches on the chest and tips of the toes are common.
Character: The Neapolitan Mastiff is confident, gentle-natured, and powerful. Bred as a guard dog, it is highly suspicious of strangers and protective of its property and family. It does not bark unless necessary. Neapolitan Mastiffs are intelligent, majestic, and noble.
Temperament: Neapolitan Mastiffs are very good with children if socialized early, but close supervision around young children is advised due to their massive size. The Neapolitan Mastiff generally gets along with other dogs and household pets, but socialization when young is recommended. Male Neapolitan Mastiffs may be aggressive with other male dogs.
Care:Dead and loose hairs should be removed with a rubber brush when the Neapolitan Mastiff is shedding. As with all very large dogs, the Neapolitan Mastiff needs a soft place to lie down to avoid pressure marks. The Neapolitan Mastiff has a short lifespan of 8-10 years, with larger dogs tending toward the lower end of that range.
Training: Neapolitan Mastiff training must be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, with consistency and understanding. This breed is a bit obstinate, but will obey once it understands what is expected of it and recognizes its owner’s authority. Obedience training at a young age is recommended. Neapolitan Mastiffs are happy to learn, but may refuse to perform tricks they consider pointless.
ROTTWEILER
Country of Origin: Germany
Size: The Rottweiler is 56-69 cm (22-27 in) in shoulder height and weighs 38-59 kg (85-130 lbs).
Coat: The Rottweiler has a distinct short, thick, coarse outer coat, with a thick under layer. It must always be black with brown markings. Occasionally there are long-haired Rottweilers, or Rotties with a white chest marking, but these traits are considered undesirable.
Character: The Rottweiler is brave, loyal, obedient, protective, watchful, and strong. It will risk life and limb to defend its family. Rottweilers are powerful and usually serious, requiring frequent attention. Rotties are often silent, observant, and serene, but females may bark more often than males.
Temperament: If properly socialized, a Rottweiler makes a good playmate for children and gets along well with cats and other household animals. This is all contingent on whether the dog has had positive experiences with them when young, however.
Care: The Rottweiler requires little coat maintenance; use a rubber glove to remove hair when the Rottie sheds. The ears must be kept clean, and the claws must be kept short. The Rottweiler enjoys cold or cool weather, but shelter must be provided. Rotties need frequent socialization. live 10-12 years and may have large litters of 12 or more puppies.
Training: The dominant nature of the Rottweiler makes it necessary that its trainer is calm, consistent, firm, and fair. Rottweilers are eager to learn, and obedience training is an absolute requirement. The Rottweiler is very intelligent and can excel at a variety of sports in addition to its capacity as a guard dog and watch dog.
SIBERIAN HUSKY
Country of Origin:Siberia
Size: The Siberian Husky has a shoulder height of 51-60 cm (20-23.5 in) and weighs 15-28 kg (35-60 lbs).
Coat: The Siberian Husky has a dense, smooth undercoat and coarse outer coat of short, straight hairs. Every color and combination is acceptable; common colors are pure white or white with black, grey, or copper-red, all with possible blond markings. There are a variety of striking facial markings.
Character: The Siberian Husky is adventurous, clever dog. It wants to be everyone's friend, a fact that makes it a less-than-ideal watchdog. Siberian Huskies love to wander, and they are full of energy and independence. The Siberian Husky is known to stage frequent and elaborate escape attempts by jumping over or tunnelling under walls. It is very energetic and active when playing, and tends to make interesting whoops, yowls, and ululations.
Temperament: The Siberian Husky gets along well with other Huskies, but needs to be trained carefully to interact with other household pets. It tends not to get along with cats or other small animals. Siberian Huskies deal well with children. It is wise to have more than one Siberian Husky because they do not enjoy being left alone.
Care: Siberian Huskies require weekly grooming with a brush and comb, particularly on the rear legs, more often when shedding. Bathe only when necessary. The Siberian Husky has a lifespan of 10-14 years. Siberian Husky is not well suited to warm climates; it needs a cool place to sleep in the summer.
Training: The Siberian Husky will only obey commands that make sense to it. It is very independent-minded, so handlers need to have considerable patience and a good understanding of the Siberian Husky’s nature.
SAINT BERNARD
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Size: The Saint Bernard has a shoulder height of 65-70 cm (25-28 in) and weighs at least 60 kg (132 lbs), up to 136 kg (300 lbs). The largest Saint Bernard on record, Benedictine, weighed 162 kg (357 lbs)
Coat: The Saint Bernard can be rough or smooth haired. It is white with possible markings of black, red, brindle, tan, or a combination thereof. Most Saint Bernard's have black ears. Show dogs must have white legs, chest, collar, tail tip and blaze (vertical line between the eyes).
Character: The Saint Bernard is friendly and good-natured. It will defend its owner and territory when threatened. The Saint Bernard is intensely loyal. It is likely to slobber.
Temperament: The Saint Bernard is friendly with children, other dogs, and household pets. It is playful and adventurous.
Care: Both coat types of Saint Bernard require weekly grooming with a brush and comb, more often when shedding. Bathe only as necessary. The ears must be kept clean and eyes checked regularly to prevent infection.
Training: Saint Bernards should be taught not to pull on the leash when young because they will grow to such large size. Patience must be exercised in training as the Saint Bernard can be stubborn.
Country of Origin: China
Size: The Tibetan Mastiff normally has a shoulder height of 61-66 cm (24-26 in) and weighs 45-72 kg (100-160 lbs)
Coat: The Tibetan Mastiff has a long, thick coat with a heavy under layer. Tibetan Mastiffs can be black, golden brown, or grey. They may have tan markings and/or white on the chest or feet. Some Tibetan Mastiffs have longer hair on the head and neck, giving the appearance of a mane. In China, this variety is referred to as the ‘Lion Head’ Tibetan Mastiff, with the shorter haired variety being known as the ‘Tiger Head’ Tibetan Mastiff.
Character: The Tibetan Mastiff is dignified, self-confident, loyal, and calm. It tends to be stubborn and dominant, befitting its origins as a guard dog. Mastiffs make excellent watchdogs and protectors.
Temperament: The Tibetan Mastiff is reserved around strangers. Provided proper socialization has taken place, the Tibetan Mastiff gets along well with other dogs and household pets.
Care: The Tibetan Mastiff requires grooming with a brush, especially on the hindquarters and tail. Brushing should occur weekly, or daily when shedding. The Tibetan Mastiff has a fairly long lifespan for a large breed at 10-14 years. It is a healthy breed, especially given the limited breeding pool.
Training: The Tibetan Mastiff must be trained in an atmosphere of mutual respect, as it will ignore a handler who uses strong words and shows a willingness to strike. Obedience classes when young are highly recommended.
