CONTENT

HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF THE MOLOSSER BREEDS

ILLYRIAN SHEPHERD (ILLYRIAN MASTIFF/SARPLANINAC)

KANGAL

ARMENIAN SHEPHERD (GAMPR/GAMPYR)

CENTRAL ASIAN OVCHARKA

MASTIFF

BULLMASTIFF

BULLENBEISSER

GREAT DANE

BOXER

BROHOLMER (FREDERIK VII MASTIFF, DANISH MASTIFF)

BOERBOEL

DOGUE DE BORDEAUX

ST. BERNARD

GREAT SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG

MASTINO NAPOLETANO (MASTINO ITALIANO / NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF)

CANE CORSO

FILA BRASILEIRO

Sleuth-Hound

Rafeiro do Alentejo

Cao de Fila da Terceira (Fila Terceirense, Rabo Torto)

CUBAN MASTIFF / CUBAN BLOODHOUND

GRAN MASTINO DE BORINQUEN

BANDOG (AMERICAN MASTIFF)

OLDE BRAZILIAN BANDOGGE

MASTIN ESPANOL (SPANISH MASTIFF)

CA DE BOU (PERRO DE PRESA MALLORQUIN)

ALANO ESPANOL

Perro de Toro Espanol (Spanish Bulldog)

PERRO DE PRESA CANARIO (CANARY DOG / DOGO CANARIO)

AKITA INU

TOSA INU

SUMMARY

PHOTOS

LITERATURE

HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF THE MOLOSSER BREEDS

Aristotle (384 – 322 B. C.) praises the Molossers:

“In Molossis also a dog breed, serving as protector of the herds, distinguishes by its size and tremendous courage towards wild beast and above all other dogs.”

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t is said, the name Molosser derives from the tribe of the Molossi (respectively Molosser), that lived in Epirus in the northwest of Greece. The antique Epirus bordered on Thessaly and Macedonia in the east and in the north it extended to the south of today’s Albania.

The Molossi kept guardian and war dogs, being famous for their courage and ferocity and became known as “Canis Molossis” (= dog of the Molossi). Generally it is supposed that these Molosser dogs were the early, ferocious forerunners of the Mastiff and direct descendants of the Tibetan Mastiffs.

What we know for sure is that dogs accompanied men on their tours and traders and warriors took them over the great routes, still having existed in prehistoric time. However, one doesn’t know the then routes of human migration precisely, the same being valid for the dogs. Some cynologists think that the ancestors of these dogs would to be found even farer in the east, in an area, where the ancestors of the Tibetan Mastiff have been found.

Generally Mesopotamia is kept for the cradle of civilization, where the Sumerians have lived 3000 B.C. The Sumerians have been great trading people. They even came to the Indus and further, also to the Nile on land and on ship. However, they bred sheep, goats and pigs too, for which they most likely needed guardian and herding dogs. They were huge, powerful dogs with pendulous ears, which were used as fighting dogs in martial fights and for amusement towards bears, lions and donkeys. About 1000 B. C. so called “Indian dogs” or Tibetan dogs appeared. Usually they were blends from original Tibetan and native big dog strains from the Middle East. They were regarded as very dangerous with and hardly to controlling fury and were used as war dogs. About 500 B. C. Sumerians, Assyrians and Persians improved this “Tibetan dog” with aggressive native dogs. From Mesopotamia dogs would have been taken west to Egypt, the Turkey, Libya, Greece, Rome, Syracuse, Carthage and Spain.

The Greeks were the first to write manuals about dogs; a practice which was continued by the Romans. Aristotle was the first to discuss anatomy and physiology of the dog. In 350 B. C. he listed the “most useful” breeds among them the Molossers.

It is said that the Phoenicians, traveling to Italy, Spain, France and even Cornwall, where they bought tin, would have taken these dogs with them, eventually to sell them together with sheep and goats to the herdsmen of those areas. Many, still today available sources refer to the early differentiation, which had developed, namely the white, long muzzled, slimmer “herding“ dog and the darker heavier dog, which was used for protection and for war. About 60 A.D. Columella, a Roman writer, describes in his work “De Re Rustica” two types of dogs, namely guard and herding dogs for the herds and their owner. The guard dog was big, strongly built, with broad jaws and often black. This color was more intimidating and blended in with the dark. However, the herding dog was less heavy built than the guard dog, as he had to be able to run fast enough to run the wolves off.  They used to be white, to make it distinguishable to the shepherd from a raiding wolf and to be better seen in the dark. These herding dogs guarded the herds; they were big, ferocious dogs, being big enough to keep away wolves, raiding dogs, big game and thieves.

As soon as these molossoid dogs had come to the Roman Empire, they already were bred for special purposes. One could say that this was the first step to the development of “breeds” within one species. The Romans developed a breed being very similar to today’s Sennenhund or Swiss Mountain Dog. In fact, there were no prehistoric Swiss Mastiffs or doggen prior to the last century B. C. The Romans took their mastiffs into then Gaul. Their mastiffs guarded the mountain passes where a few hundred years later the St. Bernard would be found.

These early breeds also contributed to French breeds like the Dogue de Bordeaux. Also to the south, in Italy, molossoid dogs developed which can be regarded as the ancestors of today’s Mastino Napoletano.

In Spain the Spanish Mastiff developed, to north, in Belgium, a tracker, the St. Hubert, developed from those fierce hunting dogs of prehistoric time, being the ancestor of today’s Bloodhound.

In the Alps, these early mastiffs are thought to have been adopted by the Germanic tribes and then to have traveled with the Angels and Saxons to Britain. These early mastiffs originally were guard dogs, but because of their courage and their ferocity towards predators they also were suited for hunting bear and wolf, which existed in Britain at the time of the Saxons. By the Middle Ages some mastiffs had become butcher’s dogs and then were bred for bull baiting and dog fighting. With each change in role, came physical changes to enable the dog to better perform in his new role.

In the meantime, throughout the mountainous regions and high plains stretching from Central Asia through Asia Minor, Eastern Europe to the Pyrenees, the shepherds continued to use their white herding dogs as the protectors of their herds as already described in the time before Christ. The descendants of these long haired, white dogs still exist today, like the Akbash in the Turkey, the Tatra of Poland, and the Kuvasz in Hungary or the Maremmano in Italy. The dark colored herding dogs you still will find in certain regions as for example the Illyrian Shepherd Dog on the Balkan, the Kangal in Eastern Turkey or the Middle Asian Ovcharka.

Mastiff blood with an introduction of the northern Spitz is thought to be the probable origin of the rough-coated Ovcharka in Russia. This northern “spitz” type dog is also considered to be the ancestor of many of the Oriental breeds, some of which were crossed with Mastiff breeds to create the Tosa Inu, the famous fighting dog of Japan, and the Dosa in Korea.

Also in South America own molossoid breeds developed from dogs, which the conquistadors had brought with them, as for example Spanish Mastiffs, dogs of bulldog type and Bandog type. One breed originating from these dogs for example is the Fila Brasileiro, a breed special suited for the South American ranches and plantations.

ILLYRIAN SHEPHERD (ILLYRIAN MASTIFF/SARPLANINAC)

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n the ancient world the Illyrians lived northwest from Greece, in the regions of Epirus, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina and South and Central Dalmatia.  Greek and Roman writers described these countries all together as Elyria. The Greek historian Herodotus used the term Illyrians for the first time. In 219 B. C. the region mainly came into Roman control and finally was integrated in the Empire under Caesar.

Illyrian Shepherd in the Demon Mountains, Kosovo (Kennel Deltari Illir)

The Illyrian Shepherd has been mentioned in the book “History of the Ottoman Empire”, at the beginning of 1900, as follows:

Outside the city walls dogs worked, of course. Like the Hungarian Komondor, or the huge Carpathian Sheepdog, the Macedonian shepherd dogs descended without any doubt from the monsters that killed Euripides at Pella. The Albanian dogs had their own law, seeming to obey the same harsh codes as their masters, which they protected with the absolute loyalty for which Albanians were notorious. 'I remembered first a serious bit of advice given to me by a British consul,' recalled J.F. Fraser, who was attacked by 'two brutes of goat-dogs' outside Ohrid in the early 1900s, 'never to shoot a dog belonging to an Albanian goatherd unless you are prepared immediately afterward to shoot its master before he has time to shoot you.’

Illyrian Shepherd Bellanica (Kennel Deltari Illir)

Before the Turkish conquest the shepherds of the Balkan were known as “Illyrian Mountain Dog”, being made only regional distinctions. In 1689 Valvasor officially mentioned the Illyrian Shepherd as a breed for the first time. In 1939 it was recognized by the FCI. This name has existed until 1957, and then was changed into Sarplaninac.

Illyrian Shepherd Pirro (Kennel Deltari Illir)

In the early 1990’s some of my Pit Bulls (pups and young dogs) had been stolen. Then I thought of taking a Sarplaninac as a guard dog. Because of the Pit Bulls I had some good connections to Serbia. One of my then friends there, having some dogs from me, had owned Sarplaninac for some years.

Sarplaninac (at Goran’s, near Belgrade)

Two Sarplaninac before the fight

He also gave me a tape showing wolf hunting with these dogs. According to the mountainous region and the people it might have been the area close to the Albanian border or the Kosovo. It shows the village people together with their dogs starting for the hunt, then the dogs hunting the wolf and pushing it into a kraal making it impossible to run away. One dog gets a hold on its throat and kills it, after that the dead wolf is carried triumphantly into the village.

I’ve got the following photo from my Serbian friend Goran as well. Then he told me that this was a certain type of Sarplaninac, with which is supposed that Turkish dogs took part. That seems quite possibly, as the Turks have ruled on the Balkan for a long time and certainly have taken their own dogs with them.

At one of my visits Goran wanted to show me one of these Sarplaninac, belonging to a friend of him. He told me that this dog always was tied during the day, as he was very ferocious and dangerous, however in the night he ran free to watch over the house. This happened in the time of the Yugoslavian War and several times a day power failures weren’t unusual. During the day his friend wasn’t at home and therefore we would have had gone to him in the evening. However, when in the evening there was again a power failure, everyone was secretly glad that the trip was cancelled for that reason.

Sarplaninac (Illyrian Shepherd?)

According to a Yugoslavian expert with an impact of Turkish Shepherd (?)

Today the Illyrian Shepherd wouldn’t be regarded as pure bred respectively equally good by many Sarplaninac breeders in Serbia and Montenegro. Vice versa many Albanians would state that the Illyrian Shepherd would be the only one that would have kept pure.

The Illyrian Shepherd (Sarplaninac) is reserved, stubborn and laid back, aggressiveness towards dogs and carefulness with strangers is normal. This breed is remarkable intelligent and loyal to his master and family. An interesting physical characteristic are the unusual long teeth. He has heavy bones and is well muscled. The coat has a dense undercoat, suited for a life outside. Most of the working strains in the mountainous regions tend to be a little bit smaller and to have a shorter coat.

KANGAL

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e had already heard a lot about the Turkish Shepherds, especially the Kangal which is regarded as the Turkish national breed. Years ago some specimens had been already imported in the USA to support the farmers in hunting and deterrence of the coyotes. In Namibia too, the farmers used them to keep away the wild cats from the herds. When we did our investigations for our book, we were looking for one to two good photos and were surprised which noble and powerful animals came out, that we hadn’t expected.

Kangal Yagiz, owner: Lutfullah Ayan, Ankara

Some regard the Kangal as a color variety of the Anatolian Shepherd in the west, however it’s a fact that the Kangal would be much older than most of the popular breeds in the Turkey. His name derives the Kangal from Kangala, a town in the province Sivas. Traditionally the best bloodlines are coming from the region Uzun Yayla. The popularity of the Kangal has increased in some European countries during the last years. However, with it dubious bloodlines and crosses with other breeds appeared too. Of course, you’ll find excellent representatives of pure Kangals also outside their native country, above all in Western Europe, where they are very appreciated because of their impressive size, their balanced temperament and their beautiful appearing.

Some believe that the Kangal like most of the Turkish and Middle Asian dogs originates from the old Armenian Gampr, whereas others would connect him with the old Indian, Assyrian, Persian and Sumerian dogs. Most likely the ancestors of the Kangal had been brought to Anatolia by nomadic, Turkmen tribes, through which a connection to the legendary Alabai would arise.

Emperor Boz, Boz Kennels, Istanbul

The breeder describes his male Emperor Boz as a game dog having never lost. On the following picture a fox might have been killed and put on a plug for picturing. Note power and strength expressed by the dog.

Yagmur (sister of Yagiz), owner Mehmet Yalcin, Ankara

Yagiz in action

Among the Turkish breeds, the Kangal is least of all aggressive and easy to train; he is an excellent family pet. He doesn’t get along well with other dogs. He is very territorial and protective to his family.

Herkul Boz, Boz Kennel, Istanbul

The Kangal is of a very large size and massive, with a strong neck, big head and a muscular body. The coat is dense, rough and short, preferred colors are reddish, beige and pale, always with a black mask. The average height is about 32 inches.

The Kangal runs very fast and elastic, he is an excellent wolf killer and a wonderful guard dog. In his native country he is often seen with cropped ears and his very big teeth distinguishes him from other dogs in the region, therefore the Kangal would be first choice of many Turkish shepherds for guarding their herds.

The wolves are only hunted by the Kangals, when they come too close to the herds, the houses or the owners; otherwise both parties go their own way. The Kangal isn’t an aggressive dog; he only would defend his property.

Even though he would see several wolves, he doesn’t run away, so that it often would end with his own dead. Therefore the Turkish owners are very proud of their Kangals, who are able to kill wolves. Only the best lines are strong and intelligent enough to be a match for wolves. Sometimes the dogs would chase the wolves after an attack in the mountains to kill them. They have an extreme hunting drive, but the shepherds prefer lines, which don’t leave the herds alone in the “ardor of action”, but would return to the herds after having chased away the wolves.

Following pictures we’ve got at our disposal by Ender Odaci. The pictured Kangals derives from the so called “Panterline”. This line has been bred by the family Cicek in Kangal/ Kargakale. It is one of the best and it is most important that the family has kept the line pure for decades, and even centuries.

Panter & Seytan with their owner Savas Cicek, Turkey

Old Panter with wolf - Panter is already dead, he was a true Kangal-King

Breeder: S. Cicek, owner: Onur Kanli, Turkey

Ashil, a son of Panter, looking for wolves

Kurdish Sighthound

The Kangal is also called Anatolian Mastiff, being especially visible with the yellow specimens with black mask. In fact, there exist some strains which not only distinguish in their external look from the usual herding dog, but also have an extreme hunting drive. They not only would protect and guard the herd and the home, but will try to make sight of the enemy (wolf, bear) from distance. Mostly they wouldn’t only confine to defend the herd when attacked, but would go to chase actively the predator. That’s often to the regret of the shepherds, as many are lost. It’s obvious that beside the mastiff-like shepherd dog, a sighthound might have played a significant role. In fact, always again the Kurdish Sighthound is mentioned. He is described as a courageous dog, which shall have influenced the Borzoi too. Unfortunately, there can’t be found any useful photos, except the one shown below. He is said to have a yellow or dirty white color, and to have been an excellent wolf hunter. Looking at this picture of the Kurdish Sighthound, a certain similarity of the shown Kangals of the Panterline could be noticed. This could be also an explanation for the Kangal’s kind of sight hunting and his fierce chase of the wolf.

In contrast to other herding dogs of his category, in spite of his enormous weight the Kangal looks higher and more extended, with a somewhat narrower chest, in all more sinewy and dryer. Real strong teeth and extreme muscles on the neck round the whole.

ARMENIAN SHEPHERD (GAMPR/GAMPYR)

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he Armenian Shepherd is said to be the eldest of all Molossers and probably of the mountain dog breeds too. Armenia has been one of the early cradles of civilization and the Gampr shall have existed in the Armenian highlands from the beginning. Already 3000 years ago two main strains developed – the long haired and the short haired strain. Most Armenians regard these dogs as the true Caucasian and Middle Asian Shepherds and as direct ancestors of the most Asian and Turkish breeds. This theory isn’t popular, however makes sense, regarding the historical facts. When the Turks have invaded Armenia in the 9th century and have met the Gampr dogs, they have been impressed in such a way that they have taken many of them to the Turkey. There exist even some reports, in which is stated that some of their Gampr dogs have been exported in a “monastery in the Suisse Alps” around 1665. There they shall have contributed to the development of the St. Bernard. The Soviets claimed for themselves the Gampr as a Russian breed, at which the Georgian strain has been preferred by Stalin, still today the consequences divide the fanciers of the Caucasian Ovcharka. The Turkish Cars Dog is of a special interest too, because Cars has been the capital of Armenia until the 10th century. Still today he is used and high esteemed by the shepherds in the northeast of the Turkey. Some also regard the Gampr as the ancestor of the legendary Alaunt.

There exists no standard, as these dogs are bred for work and not for their appearance until today. There is made no difference between the short haired and the long haired in Armenia. The Gampr has been bred on natural/accidental kind for centuries; all strains have been crossed so that the appearance, even in one litter, often differs. Ears and tail are traditionally cropped with the short haired strain; however that differs from place to place.

Therefore, the Gampr can be short and long haired, there are all varieties of colors and different sizes which ranges from 24 to 32 inches.

Armenian Gampr

CENTRAL ASIAN OVCHARKA

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he Central Asian Ovcharka (CAO) is supposed to be the ancestor of all breeds. You can dispute about it, but it seems almost probably that the Tibetan Mastiff would be a descendant of the CAO and not his ancestor, as often believed. However, the possibility is high these dogs are being the direct descendants of the legendary Armenian Gampr and the Sage Kooche Dog from Afghanistan, with which they are related without any doubt. There is some general misunderstanding that the CAO is said to be older than 4000 years, but he is a relatively new Russian creation. The breeds building his basis are indeed older and really ancient; however the modern Central Asian Ovcharka has been formed only in the 20th century. Before 1935, this breed was known by the name Turkish Shepherd and that because some Russians and western authors made no difference between Turkmenistan and the Turkey. As these dogs not only existed in one country, but could be found all over Eastern Europe and Asia, they officially were registered as Central Asian Ovcharka and from 1938 were shown on shows. Besides the Kavkaz Dog and the Youzhak the Central Asian Ovcharka is part of the famous troika, being recognized as Russian Shepherds.

Therefore the term “Central Asian Ovcharka” has been used for different shepherd breeds. However, the expression “Alabai” only applies to that breed being found in Turkmenistan and distinguishes from its other Asiatic relatives. Most of these breeds come from non-Russian regions of the former USSR. They are found in different types, varying sizes, coat, colors and character, always depending on their principal use in their native region. The Turkmen Alabai is the only one which already has an own standard and could be recognized as a breed in the future. Other countries, like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirghizia, Afghanistan or Pakistan don’t show any interest for that, as for thousands of years their dogs have been bred for work and not for the show. Since the 1950’s breeders have tried to breed a homogenous type of the CAO, however it’s rather difficult as there are great differences in the various strains. The bloodlines from Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are highest estimated, but even in these countries there only exists a rather small number of real pure bred dogs. Even if a dog has Turkmen or Uzbek ancestors in his pedigree, it doesn’t mean necessary that it really is an Alabai (Turkmenistan) or Sarkangik (Uzbekistan).

Alabai, owner Tasice, Ukraine (Photo Almaz Kennels, USA)

All CAO strains have a common appearance and quality of work. The Central Asian Volkodav (= wolf dog) is used for the fight and for guarding the cattle. Only those dogs acquiring a Champion title for fighting are used for breeding. The working dogs are tested in this way to secure that only those give the genes to the next generation, which have the necessary drive, stamina and power to face and kill a wolf. Depending on the bloodline and regional preferences there are only little differences in the appearance, but temperament and the potential of aggression can vary significantly. So called “native” dogs would differ totally from the show type, in the same way as the Russian military lines, being more aggressive than those CAO, being bred as companions for the family.

There exist minor differences of the head or in the size. This is the result from a selective breeding over centuries for special tasks in the respective region. And that’s the CAO – a working dog, be it they herd and guard the cattle, be it they hunt, coarse, fight or protect the property. These dogs are the ancestors of all working dogs, either directly, as for example with the Alaunt, or by their Greek and Roman descendants, which had been taken to the west by traders and had been used for creating many modern European breeds.

The Central Asian dogs are excellent watch dogs and good companions for people, living on farms. However, they are definitely not suited as a dog for an apartment. The Central Asian Ovcharka is not as protective and unfriendly to strangers as the Caucasian Ovcharka. Like his Caucasian cousin, he is a dog which thinks, calculates and does his work intuitively; he only acts as soon as he overlooks the situation.

Normally, ears and tail are cropped. The coat can vary from very short to longer. All colors are represented; most of the dogs either are white with darker markings or colored with white markings, of different size. In certain regions you can find black & tan, tricolor and even one-colored dogs, which are very estimated by some breed fanciers. The pure CAO wouldn’t have such high set ears and wouldn’t be so heavy built like the Caucasian Ovcharka. Good bones, muscular, with strong legs and a strong neck. The head is broad, with a moderate broad muzzle and a strong jaw. Dark pigmentation, the nose and the edge of the eyes has to be black. The CAO moves easily and is appreciated for his agility and speed. However, most of them are not very active, when they don’t work. Size and weight vary considerable, the height at the shoulders ranges from about 25 to 30, and even 34 inches.

The following pictures we’ve got from Almaz Kennels, USA:

Akelo, Ukraine

Kurazh, Almaz Kennels, USA

It’s difficult not to become enthusiastic about the three described breeds – Illyrian Shepherd, Kangal and Central Asian Ovcharka; therefore I would like to add some personal words:

We’ve chosen these three breeds as an example for working dogs, which have done their work for centuries and until now, have remained mainly in the hands of those, breeding and using them for that. Therefore these dogs remained largely genuine, healthy and robust, characteristics, which most of today only for show bred breeds largely are missing. However, I learned to know that from the three mentioned breeds the Central Asian Ovcharka already has gained certain popularity, especially in the East European countries. I would refer that to his great variety in size, length of coat and above all the color, which is very varying and makes him more colorful and distinguishes him from the others.

Though I notice a new trend the last time – the herding dogs are always more discovered by those who some years ago first had been occupied with the Molosser breeds and then with the Bull Terrier breeds. One could also say, after they had ruined these breeds, their health and look, they turn to something new now – the herding dogs. For there they still can let off steam! There you can select, but not for use or healthiness, but for size, color of coat, length of coat and so on. And they also have to be “civilized” for you can show them in the show ring that means only the dog, which puts up with all or almost all, then will get a chance. Sooner or later some incidents will happen with other dogs or people. The newspapers will have finally a “new fighting dog”, that will be the “Turkish fighting dog”. Again one will demand a character test, in which this dog will have to put up with some idiots pressing him, stumbling in front of him, putting up umbrellas and so on. If he reacts according to his natural character and what always has been demanded of him, that is to take it as a threat of his master, then he will be rated as dangerous. A ban of keeping might threaten and finally he might end up in an animal asylum. There he will be put to sleep or if he is “lucky”, he will be only castrated to make him calmer.

These valuable and proud dogs don’t deserve that. I hope this will be spared them, however fear that my hope will be in vain.

Former the wolf, now the mail carrier

At this point I would like to thank all those that supported me with information and pictures: Deltari Illir, Kosovo; Lutfullah Ayan and Mehmet Yalcin, Ankara; Boz Kennels, Istanbul; Almaz Kennels, USA.

MASTIFF

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hen the Romans conquered Britannia in 50 B. C. they met the so called “pugnaces” or war dogs, the early ancestors of the Mastiff and the Bulldog. The Romans sent a considerable number of these dogs to Rome to let them fight in their amphitheaters. Already then these dogs existed in two sizes, a taller and a smaller variant. The actual separation in Mastiff and Bulldog took place in the 17th century. However, these old Mastiffs might have looked like more the Bullmastiff in type and in size.

At the beginning of the 19th century the Mastiff more or less seemed to have extinct. At the end of the 18th and during the 19th century many Mastiff breeders imported mastiff like breeds and some breeders used these breeds, being i. a. described as Alpine Mastiffs, Spanish Bullmastiffs, in their breeding program.

A Mr. Thomson bred a bitch called Duchess, which had an unusual big head with a short and dull muzzle, and with whom he had been successful on the shows in the years 1863 – 1865. Many favored this head type, others again thought that the breeding for a shorter muzzle would be wrong and would ruin the breed. However, the breeding for a broader head and a shorter muzzle brought back in the breed the original head type.

Ch. Marcella, at the end of the 19th century (breeder: R. Leadbetter)

After World War I and II the number of the dogs decreased drastically in England, as not many people could effort the keeping of such a big dog. Many dogs were killed, some sent to America. There were only left a few mastiffs after World War II, in 1947 there could be found only seven (!) specimens in England. Also in the USA there were not much more to be found. Some more dogs still existed in Canada, so in 1949 a pair was sent to England. Because of the sacrificing work of the Old English Mastiff Club and his member the number of the Mastiffs increased again.

Mastiff 1755

The early Mastiffs showed a great variety of colors. Mastiffs with big white patches, often on the chest or across the muzzle weren’t rare. There even existed spotted dogs, also black Mastiffs weren’t unusual.

Today’s Mastiffs are brown, silver-brown, brown brindle, apricot brindle and black brindle in color. Still today Mastiffs with a longer coat are born sometimes, because of the crossing with the St. Bernard (Alpine Mastiff). Some even state that such crossing in certain lines goes back only 20 to 30 years.

Mastiff in Italy

BULLMASTIFF

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ulldog and Mastiff have the same origin, but developed in different ways. However, crossings of both breeds have always taken place. You also can suppose that the early British Molossers looked more like today’s Bullmastiff than today’s Mastiff in type and stature.

Bulldogge Jack & Mastiff Elder’s Maid

Bulldog of old type and Mastiff at the end of the 19th/beginning of the 20th century

Already in the 19th century there existed Mastiff/Bulldog breeds, which were called “Keeper’s Nightdog” or “Mastiff with a dash of Bull”. Therefore six dogs were shown in the “Yard or Keeper’s Nightdog Class” on the Crystal Palace Show in 1871.

Bullmastiffs 1893; painting by Wright Barker (1864 – 1941)

The term “Keeper’s Nightdog” or “Gamekeeper’s Nightdog” derived from the dog’s duties. They were used for personal protection against poachers by the gamekeepers. They should be able to pull a poacher to the ground, but not injure him, at which they preferred the brindle dog, as this color melted better with the darkness and the poacher couldn’t see the dog.

Generally Mr. S. E. Moseley is regarded as the creator of the modern Bullmastiff, using 60% Mastiff and 40% Bulldog. However, other breeders too, like Thorneywood Kennels, W. Burton, J. H. Barrowcliffe, J. H. Biggs, V. J. Smith only to mention a few, have been important for the breeding of the modern Bullmastiff. Finally, in 1924, the Bullmastiff has been recognized as a breed.

Bullmastiff Ch. Brum in the 1920’s

The reason to create the Bullmastiff was to combine the guarding capability of the Mastiff with the courage of the Bulldog, being faster and more agile than the Mastiff, although the Mastiff has been more agile in former times than today.

The Bullmastiff is a reliable watch dog, very affectionate to his family and can distinguish between friend and enemy. At work he shows great stamina.

The Bullmastiff belongs to the smaller Molossers, he is very muscular and more compact than the Mastiff. He is very powerful, has heavy bones, a wide and deep chest. The head shall be big and square, with not too much wrinkles. Level mouth, undershot permitted, but not preferred. The color is brown, red or brindle. The male’s weight ranges from 110 to 130 lbs., with females from 90 to 110 lbs.

Bullmastiff in the 1960’s

BULLENBEISSER

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ith the Germanic tribes and until the Middle Age in the area of today’s Belgium, Holland, Germany and Poland have already existed strong, broad muzzled dogs, being called depending on their use boar catchdogs, bull or bear biting dogs.

A powder-bottle with carved big bear biting dogs and small bull biting dogs (Bullenbeißer) hunting wild boar, second half of the 17th century

Three Bullenbeißer by Johan E. L. Riedinger (1698 – 1767)

Johan E. L. Riedinger (1698 – 1767) of Augsburg has been known for his portraits of the German Molosser. He also described them as follows:

“The main part of the old German hunting packs consisted of rough haired, large dogs with a shaggy tail and wolf-like heads. The farmers supplied with these dogs the Court in great numbers, because there were high losses with hunting. On the other hand the mastiffs and Bullenbeißer knew instinctively how to catch the game from behind and to hold, so that they wouldn’t be injured severely and the hunter could kill it. Therefore they were more valuable for hunting. They were high praised and bred carefully.”

H. F. von Fleming describes detailed in his work “The perfect German Hunter and Fisher” (Leipzig, 1719-24) the bear biting dogs and Bullenbeißer and their use:

“From this big type of English dogs exists a special sort of medium, but sometimes strong size, with a wide chest, with short and thick head, short raised nose, stiff, erected, cut ears, double bite, so that they can get fanged, and a wide forehead between the eyes. These dogs are corpulent, strong and don’t run agile. They catch furiously and with grim, so that they begin to tremble and can be hardly broken up. The same dogs you’ll find at the butcher’s in Danzig …

Still another type, also medium, but somewhat lower, but almost in all limbs similar to the previous, exists in Brabant, they are called Bullbeisser, they almost have the same condition as the before mentioned, only they are smaller, as told. Usually one uses to breed oneself for want of the previous mentioned type. They get secretly cropped ears and tail in their youth and are led on collars; in the beginning they are tried on moderate boars until they are used to the boars. Finally, they are put on small bears and taught to catch it on the ears. If they don’t succeed immediately and they could catch hard, you have to tickle them with a packing-stick or better with a strong, rugged quill or a small stick in the throat, so that they let loose. Now you can discipline them so that they take a better hold the next time, at which you talk friendly to them. Through that they will be more enthusiastic and pinch, frighten and bother the bear, so that it retires into a corner until the dogs got tired and the mastery gets weary of it.

Where the bears are rare, some mastery uses to course stares, oxen or bulls, but which is an exercise, more for the butchers than the hunters, and unknown to me, because I only want to write about wild animals. However, I’ve seen in Brabant, that the stare is bound to a long rope and coursed by such dogs, mostly attacking the nose or the throat, and because they have a strong bite, as already mentioned, they take a hold and stay there without any movement, until they let loose, when they got tired.

Otherwise these dogs are the most usual as good yard and chain dogs, because they are of bad manner, strong and have a rough barking. They are very watchful and attack all with fierce, what they notice, although they are smaller than the English dogs and their dwarfs.”

In Germany one distinguished two kinds of Bullenbeisser, that was the Great or Bullenbeisser of Danzig and the Small or Bullenbeisser of Brabant.

Great Bullenbeisser or Bullenbeisser of Danzig

Duke Berthold von Zähringen hunting bears, by an upper German master, around 1480

(Colored pen-and-ink drawing from a handwriting by Rudolf von Erlach)

The dogs got the name Bullenbeisser because of the work they did. So called Bärenbeisser (= bear biting dogs) were a little bit taller than the Bullenbeisser and were used for hunting and fighting with the bear.

Bear hunting by Karl Andreas Ruthard (1630 - 1703)

The Bullenbeisser of Brabant got his name from the province Brabant in northern Belgium and was described as a medium sized dog. He was used for hunting and coursing bears. The Bullenbeisser of Brabant is said to be the direct ancestor of the Boxer. During the French Revolution when the great Courts were dissolved and the hunts belonging to a master were over, also the importance of coursing dogs diminished. The Bullenbeisser of Danzig already wasn’t mentioned in dog books on and after 1783. However, Bullenbeisser still has been bred pure on the electoral Hessian Court until 1866. The pack was solid-colored yellow. In 1805, Georg Franz Dietrich of Winkell describes Bullenbeisser or Bärenbeisser as not too big, but strong and courageous, with broad short heads, “they catch all, on which they are coursed, but are heavy”. Still in 1885 there is an ad in the “Suisse Papers for Cynology”, N° 3, vol. 1, January 30: “A magnificent, shining black dog, Bullenbeisser, about 30 months old, 26’’ at the shoulders, suitable for a country seat.”              Tschopp-Spörr, Handlung, Sursee.

However, the smaller Bullenbeisser has been bred as a house dog in smaller stocks. When from 1830 the English Bulldog has been imported to Germany, it has been crossed with the Bullenbeisser of Brabant. Therefore, on the one side you got the type of Boxer, on the other side the white color too. In1860, the term “Boxer” has been used for these crossings for the first time.

It’s supposed the Great Bullenbeisser to be an ancestor of the Great Dane. Others again think that they are the result of a crossing of the English Mastiff with the Greyhound. Probably both versions are correct, for English Mastiffs and Mastiff crossings had been exported from England to the continent. In England the Mastiff had been crossed with the Greyhound and eventually with the Irish Wolfhound too to create a faster and more agile hunting dog. However, these dogs never got popular in England, but in Germany they found their fanciers. In the early German literature they were described as “English, Danish or Ulmer Dogges”. Together with the Bullenbeisser they might have been involved in the breeding of those dogs, which later got known as “Great Dane”.

Emperor Charles V with his Ulmer Dogge, ainting by J. Seisenegger, 1530

It’s a fact that there was hunted with Bullenbeisser like dogs in the Netherlands until the 1930’s, preferred badger and wild boar. Today this kind of hunting is banned there.

Successful boar hunting in Holland (before 1939)

So what seems more likely that Boers and German settlers took the Bullenbeisser with them to South Africa, where he was used as one of the breeds to develop the Boerboel and the Rhodesian Ridgeback.

GREAT DANE

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or thousands of years, large, sturdy, strong-jawed dogs had served as war dogs on the one hand and on the other hand had been used as hunting dogs because of their courage, stamina and bravery. During the Middle Ages, they had been used as guard dogs because of their courage and appearance too.

Now these large dogs started to split off in different “breeds” dependent on their required work. In England these dogs had been bred to the old Irish Greyhound, producing a dog of a little finer bone and taller on the leg. Possessing more speed than those dogs living on the Continent, it quickly found its way to Germany and the neighboring countries, covered with deep forests full of game. Royalty, noblemen and powerful landowners used them for hunting, where they did an invaluable job. Huge dog kennels were kept for just these events and these dogs showed a marked difference in most cases from the great hunting dogs popular up until then. With less bulk and longer legs, they could well keep up with the huntsman and his horse, and still be large enough to bring down quarry when working in large packs. In many countries, these dogs were “farmed out” to individual workers on the large estates to be raised and carefully trained. However, they had to be made available to the Master of the house to “join the hunt”. This “farming out” was actually required and for those who didn’t train and care for them most carefully, heavy penalties were incurred.

Irish Greyhound – J. Scott 1804

In many countries, boar hunting was “the” sport of the time and all who could afford to keep many of these sporting hounds, took great pride of their hunting abilities. However, much other game was hunting regularly including deer, bear, elk and small game like fox and hare. Appointed court officials traveled the world to acquire the best dogs available to their master’s kennel. Moreover, splendid indeed were some of the buildings used to house these prized packs of hunting dogs. Many estates employed a large staff purely for the care, training and feeding of the dogs. There is a report that Landgraf (= Earl) Philipp caught no less than 726 wild boars in the Habichtswald, Reinhardswald and Kaufunger Forest, only possible because of the incredible abilities of his Great Hounds. Philipp himself wrote to many friends and fellow huntsmen the world over. In 1559, he bragged of having caught 1120 boars in a season and in 1563, it is talked about 2572 boars in a season.

The most beautiful and most powerful dogs, called chamber’s dogs, wore golden collars and were allowed to lie next to their master’s bed. So called dogs in ordinary with silver collars laid in front of the bedroom’s door. The rest of the pack wore plain, iron stud collars. However, all of them were working dogs, kept for hunting and bringing down except of wild boar and bear, fast deer too. Dangerous game too then was hunted without a gun and only with the dogs and the bare weapon. The term “boar catching dog” and “chase dog” dates from this time. To their protection, the dogs wore armors consisting of thick lined stuff and strengthened with whalebone at the belly. The ears were cropped for prevention of injuries.

Boarhound

Compare this Boarhound with the Australian Boardogs, a mixture of Mastiff, Bullmastiff and sighthound, in the chapter Bull Lurcher. You cannot deny the resemblance, for all repeats again and again

Hauck describes the “boar dog” as follows: “Usually with cropped ears. Natural hanging ears of minor significance and in the most cases only half hanging. The strong and longish head with a flat forehead ends in a pointed muzzle. It has a wide chest and a sturdy and strong neck. A roached up body, well arched rips, broad back, “prominent loins and hips”. Somewhat larger and longer than the more stocky Bullenbeisser, long, strong legs, mostly coarse or rough-coated, wolf-grey, dark yellow, black or with patches. Thick tail, carried in a hanging half-arch (according to Adolf and Karl Müller).”

The Royal Courts and great houses of Germany soon boasted enormous kennels of these great hunting dogs. In the 17th and 18th centuries, breeding plans were instituted and there were fewer imports from other countries. Records were started to be kept and certain stud dogs gained fame. However, just as these breeding plans started to take shape, the numbers of wild game declined noticeably for which the dogs had been needed over the years. Therefore, entire kennels died out completely over the next few years. Fortunately, some small kennels survived. Some colors of the Great Dane still recognized today, already showed. Therefore, yellow and brindle dogs showed very soon.

In the 19th century, these dogs already have been bred carefully in many countries and even had a “breed” name too. However, these dogs differed considerably from the Great Dane, as we know it today. In fact, these dogs were very large, had a broad skull and a fierce temperament. However, the dogs, which were known as the great boar hunters of their time all over Europe, probably were not higher than about 30 inches, being the majority certainly smaller. Of course, one reason for that might be that they were bred for hunting. Their fierce character combined with a powerful body and longer legs and of course the fact that they hunted in great packs, made them a real danger for every game and valuable for the huntsman.

Over the years, different terms have existed for the Great Dane. In the 16th century, they were called “English Dogges” mostly, probably for that reason that many of these old type mastiff dogs came from England to the Continent. The German term “Dogge” derives from the old English word “dogca”, in Germany it changed to “dock” primarily, later to “Dogge”. In England “dogca” turned to “dog” in the course of the time and this expression has been known in England since 1050. In the Netherlands and in France these dogs were called “dogue”. Red and blue ones often were called “Danish Dogs” and dogs, being somewhat smaller, were classed as “Ulmer Dogge”.

As there were kept precise records in Germany, one can follow the development of the Great Dane to present. In 1863, the first dog show was held in Hamburg. It was noted that “some very grave looking Doggen took part”. Of these “grave looking Doggen, eight were called Danish Doggen and seven Ulmer Doggen. The Czar of Russia acquired two of them. Even early one tried to sum up these different names to the term “Deutsche Dogge”, however only in 1880 the German name “Deutsche Dogge” was given officially at a meeting of breed fanciers. In France, it was known as “Grand Danois”, in England as “German Mastiff” and in Denmark as “Great Danish Dog”.

Ulmer Dogge, Bavarian National Museum, Munich

Concerning the Ulmer Dogge Hauck writes as following: “Prof. L. Hoffmann, 1901, shows the picture of an Ulmer dog from a painting, showing a doctor with products, horse and a mastiff like dog. This physician Dr. Johannes Palm was born on June 17, 1794. The fact that mastiffs had been imported to Germany during several centuries makes the use of the term English Dogge understandable for Mastiff mongrels and similar in shape Dogges of German origin. Later the term passed to the slim specimens.

In the 50’s of the 19th century, Hoffman has seen “Ulmer dogs” in different villages. He states following colors: pea-yellow, red-yellow, blue, black, white and brindle, spotted, namely: black-white, grey-white, fawn-white.”

Hauck notices concerning the name: “Probably Buffon has spread the term Danish Dogge. The English called and occasionally still call the German Dogge German boarhound that means Germanic (German) boar dog. Haller, 1757, gives following synonyms (synonymous terms): Great Danish Dog, Grand Danois, Canis familiaris danicus, Danish Carriage Dog, Danish Mongrel, Canis familiaris laniarius (= butcher dog) and German boarhound.”

In the 19th century, many great and capable breeders existed and competed among one other. Max Hartenstein, living in Württemberg, spared no expense to purchase the very best dogs for his breeding program and his dogs were famed all over the world. He had many famous black Great Danes like Cora, Sandor 11, Nigra and Peter. His most known brindles were Stella, Rex, Mustapha and Ilka 11, which was sold for 1500 Mark to England.  He also owned many famous harlequins in black/white and blue/white. His great dog Milo was a dark blue harlequin. However, he also had many good brown dogs.

In 1878, another famous breeder appeared, namely Mebter, who set up exact breeding aims and carefully kept the pedigrees. He often brought more than thirty (!) dogs to one show. Another great breeder of that time was B. Ulrich, who produced some excellent specimens between 1882 and 1887. His dog Hannibal was famed all over the world. Aichele in Berlin preferred the blue variant and bred many famous dogs. Dr. Bodinus, Dr. Caster, Prince of Solms and Burgern, Essig and Cohn were further known breeders. In 1888, the German Doggen Club was established.

Great Dane “Rolf”, winner 1882

This time one started to tackle seriously with the different color strains and some preferred colors got their way. Fawn – then called yellow, brindle, sometimes called Tiger or Wolf dogs, black and Harlequin. Many black dogs had a great share of white, which probably revealed their close Harlequin background. Then Harlequins were showed with blue or black patches. Today, both colors are allowed in England, and called either “blue Harlequins” or only “Harlequins”, for those exhibiting black patches. Some of the early known dogs were white with yellow and/or brown spots, but also this variation of color disappeared.

In the 1880’s to 1900, one was starting to pay more attention to pure color breeding. Poor quality animals were sorted out and character became more important than ever before. So, Harlequins were known that there existed some problems. In addition, size became more important, although it still was the size, we know today. The famous female Essig was 29” tall and considered very large and elegant in her day. It is said that the great Hannibal was 30” tall. Many of the standards set down in those days, still exist today.

Chancellor Otto von Bismarck was a great fancier of the Great Dane. He even appointed it to the National Breed. On many photos, he is shown together with his dogs.

Otto von Bismarck with his dogs

Emperor Wilhelm II, Otto von Bismarck and his Great Dane

Bismarck with his Great Dane Tyras

Great Dane Moritz with his owner the “Red Baron”

In the meantime, this dog, original bred for boar hunting, has become an impressive companion and watchdog. The fanciers of the Great Dane can be found all over the world.

Great Dane blue

Great Dane skull

BOXER

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