Neapolitan Mastiff

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a large and powerful dog with an independent but affectionate personality. They are very loyal and protective towards their owners and make excellent guard dogs as well as family pets as they also get on well with children, however Bitches are known to be better with children than Dogs. The Neapolitan Mastiff is not easily trained due to their independent nature and therefore they are best suited to an experienced and confident owner. Early socialisation of this breed is also essential to avoid them becoming too overprotective and obedience training is highly recommended.
Young Neapolitan Mastiff’s should not be over exercised as they need to reserve energy for proper growth however adult Neapolitan Mastiff’s require regular, lengthily walks at least twice a day. Also due to their size they need a large amount of space and will not be suited to living in small flats/houses with little outdoor space. They are however low maintenance in terms of grooming due to their short coat and only require the occasional wipe down.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a large muscular dog with a short, sleek coat. Their colouring varies from grey to mahogany and black. Dogs stand at around 26 to 30 inches (65-75 cm.) and Bitches at 24 to 28 inches (60-70 cm.). Bitches weigh up to 165 pounds (74 kg.) and dogs up to 200 pounds (90 kg.).

The life expectancy of the Neapolitan Mastiff is around 8 to 10 years and they are prone to a number of health conditions. These include hip dysplasia, OCD, thyroid problems, bloat, entropion and heart disorders.

The Neapolitan Mastiff originates from Italy and was bred for use in the war. Today it is a popular family pet and guard dog.