Overview: The Neapolitan Mastiff could be considered a lazy dog as it doesn't have a very high amount of energy, needs little exercise and doesn't like to play that much. It does however show a lot of affection towards its owner and loves to be by his side. This breed doesn't like other dogs very much and would rather not have other animals around it. Also, the Neapolitan Mastiff not particularly friendly toward people it doesn't know very well. This dog isn't very easy to train but it does make an amazing watchdog and guard dog. Grooming is relatively easy and it can resist the cold very well, however it doesn't tolerate hot climates.

Temperament: This dog was bred to be a guard dog for its owners for centuries. Because of this it is very loyal to its owner and will protect him from anything it sees as a threat. It does love to be around children but because of its massive size it might be too much for children to handle. The Neapolitan Mastiff isn't very tolerant of other dogs especially if the other dogs are domineering.

History: The Neapolitan Mastiff was first bred in ancient times and it is unknown as to when it made its first appearance. Around 330 B.C. Alexander the Great took some war dogs from Macedonia and bred them with the short haired dogs of India. The result of this mix was the Molossus dog, the first ancestor of the modern Neapolitan Mastiff. When the Romans won over Greece the breed that had been created was adopted, so to speak, by the Romans as well. When the Romans invaded Britain they became impressed by the fierce British Mastiff breed. The cross breeding of Molossus and the British Mastiff resulted in the birth of a breed that surpassed both breeds in fighting and protection skills. The name given to this new breed was Mastini meaning Mastiff in Italian. Over the next several centuries that breed was mixed with other dogs to perfect what became known as the Neapolitan Mastiff. It wasn't until the mid 20th century that it became known outside its Southern Italy home when one was presented in a dog show in Naples. A man by the name Piere Scanziani gave recognition to the breed and convinced other dog fanciers to help let the world know about it. They tried to convince the IKC and the FCI to accept and recognize the breed as the Mastino Napoletano. Even though there were already some of this breed in the United States it wasn't registered until the late 20th century and it took the AKC until 2004 to accept and register the Neapolitan Mastiff as a breed.

Names: The Neapolitan Mastiff is also known as the Mastino Napoletano.

Groups: The Neapolitan Mastiff was formally recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2004 and assigned to the Working Group.

Physical Characteristics: The average adult Neapolitan Mastiff can be 24 to 31 inches in height and can weigh between 110 to 150 lb. It is a heavy-boned, large, and impressive dog. The coat of this breed is short and thick with the same amount of length and texture all over the body. The coat comes in different colors like gray, blue, black, mahogany, and tawny, with each of these colors having multiple shades available. There may be solid white markings on the body, on the chest, and other places.

Care: This breed doesn't require a lot of exercise. It would be best to let them have a large space to live in. Neapolitan Mastiffs can live either inside or outside. Quite the messy eater, it tends to drool and can leave trails of water and food away from its feeding bowls.

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