We hazard a guess that the word, “bestial” applies to only one breed as a desired quality, and that’s the Neapolitan Mastiff. This post, however, isn’t the first time that we’ve talked about this fabulous breed, so we want to see how many of you have been paying attention. Using the AKC as our guide, what is the most important feature of this breed? Is it:
- Wrinkles
- Massive size
- Expression
- Head
It might surprise and/or comfort some of you who have “issues” in your own breed to know that some would say that the answer to the question is a contentious issue in the Neapolitan Mastiff. Some owners/breeders prefer a more wrinkled, extreme version of the breed, while some tilt towards a tighter skinned, more athletic dog. Though we wouldn’t be able to fault the person who answered, “all of the above,” the fact is that the most important aspect to the Nea (at least, according to the AKC) is its massive size, especially in the opinion of “old school” fanciers. Size is a fundamental characteristic of a breed that isn’t a hunter, isn’t a fighting dog, and wasn’t bred for agility (though it’s surprisingly elastic). The Nea is a loyal, fearless guardian whose size was historically part of its intimidation as an estate guardian (that, and those glorious wrinkles!) The combination of the two creates a dog that some would describe as having an “alarming appearance” intended to frighten intruders. Interestingly, this breed’s unique appearance was created by an accumulation of recessive genes.
Image by Ewa Ziemska – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16855961