Neapolitan mastiff (personal experiences )

[stardog82901]

Hello,
I am new here but have a question to ask. My fiancee and I have been looking into getting a mastiff type dog eventually in the future but first I want to do A LOT of research on these dogs and find out everything I can prior to having even looking in to breeders/rescues.

So while my fiancee has his heart stuck on an English mastiff I would like to know more about the Neapolitan mastiff. Do they differ much from the English. As far as skin care goes how indepth is it for all those wrinkles?

Any personal experiences would be excellent?

 

[Sabrina]

Have you looked at the Cane Corso?

 

[Bentley]

From what I have been told, be careful about getting a Neapolitan, apparantly some lines are so wrinkly that they can have considerable skin and eye problems. This is second hand information however and therefore should be taken with that in mind.

 

[stardog82901]

I've been around the Cane Corso before they are very pretty animals and very good dogs. I just am looking for something a little different then what I've had Most coros look like over sized APBTS?

 

[Sabrina]

Check out some of my previous posts of my boy...he does NOT look like a pit bull

 

[Dino]

Stardog check out casadelsolcanecorso.com. Those dogs don't look anything like pits...

 

[Casa del Sol]

Ahhhhhhhhhh The Mastino Napoletano.....beautiful animal, at least they were until some breeders ruined them with all the excessive skin. I prefer the early Mastino Napoletanos over the modern extremely wrinkled version that is prancing around in today's show rings. Here are a few pics of what they used to look like.

I don't know much about them, as my breed is the Cane Corso, but I have seen some of them at shows during my time in Italy.
They definitely are a breed that will capture your attention. I don't know how active they are.
I guess it would depend on who is breeding them, and what they are breeding them for.
I am sure the Mastino world is just like the Cane Corso world, in that you have different people with different views on the breed, so you will have different looks.
I know in Italy, there are people who still have some Mastino's with the old look, just not very many, and not out at shows.
I would agree that with the modern Mastino, with so much excess skin, there are bound to be some skin related issues, especially around the eyes.

Sabrina - Thanks for the referral. Dino is definitely an interesting boy.....any girlfriends for him yet?

 

[Sabrina]

I actually cant take credit for that referral...thats someone else!! but i agree with it My Dino will not be used for breeding, though...He's happy just to snuggle up with Noe

 

[Casa del Sol]

My bad Sabrina....I saw the name Dino, and thought of your boy.
Well, thanks Dino. , I see now, it's you DJ. Thanks

 

[Dino]

Haha,no problem I'm just partial to Lus,Santana and of course Elly.I did come across a neo breeder a few years back that was breeding the old style almost no wrinkles and that was what I wanted but I lost his contact info..

 

[neomom2]

I have had neos for years and now have an English Mastiff. Both breeds are fantastic but the neo tends to have more health issues. Neos also tend to be more fiery than the English, can be dog aggressive and very protective. I usually don't recommend neos to be anyone's first giant dog...

McK

 

[finn]

My Neo looks quite a bit like that. Almost exactly .He is as sweet as can be...If he knows you. He doesn't like strangers, be it people or dogs. Neos are awesome dogs but if you want a dog that's more of a 'Gentle giant' type I'd say go for the English mastiff (not that some Neo's aren't).

---------- Post added at 03:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:11 AM ----------

...And that one, Wow. (don't mean to say he looks like mine just to make it clear. just that he looks awesome. )

 

[finn]

...

 

[Casa del Sol]

finn you have pics of your neo to share. i'd love to see him.

 

[finn]

at about a year and a half or so... He's still filling out

and at half a year old

 

[Cody]

It is unfortunate the amount of "types" in the Corso breed IMO
Although it seems the trend is now going back to the true type, away from the show Boxer/Bull Mastiff cross.
I would be curious to see some of the "rustic" mastino that you are speaking of Eddie as the similarity between the CC and the Neo as close as 40 years back is intriguing.
Personally I am a fan of the older more traditional lines

 

[Tailcreek]

I have had neos for years and now have an English Mastiff. Both breeds are fantastic but the neo tends to have more health issues. Neos also tend to be more fiery than the English, can be dog aggressive and very protective. I usually don't recommend neos to be anyone's first giant dog...

McK

This has been my experience as well...temperament issues and LOTS of health issues. Definately not the breed for a novice. This breed needs a strong leader with a big bank account lol!

Jennifer
www.tailcreekmastiffs.com

 

[acoz47]

As owner and lover of Cane Corso they look nothing like Terriers. I don't want to offend sorry if I did. As for the Neo's I love those dogs as well working breed that are from what I have read similar to the english mastiff as far as exercise needed to sustain good health ( Couch potatoes ) I would love to own but living in Phoenix Az. the breeders I had talked to advised against. My two Corso don't much like the summer heat either I have to take them on the morning walk before sunrise. Best of luck with whatever breed you choose.

I've been around the Cane Corso before they are very pretty animals and very good dogs. I just am looking for something a little different then what I've had Most coros look like over sized APBTS?

 

[eti]

Totally agree about the old look.And definitely all the excessive wrinkled ones DO have health issues. Not only with the skin and the eyes, but many types of dysplasia. My boy is now 60 Lbs and is only 4 and a half months old. The mother was imported from Hungary and has the total classical old view. About the English Mastiff-we had the same ''fight'' he was in love with them, but once when he saw the NEO there were no arguing about which is the breed Although its a personal opinion, I would go for the Neapolitan if you dont leave in a very hot climate zone Good luck!

 

[northernmastiff]

My friend has a Neo and she is a wonderful dog. I agree, I prefer the Neos that don't have a mushy look to them (which I find the wrinkled type do) but the breeder of my friend's dog imported dogs from Italy, which had the old look. In fact, the one female looked exactly like the first photo you put up Casa, only more feminine and tawny. As a dog, they are very good. She has 4 kids ranging from 8 to 15 and the dog is amazing with them. She is very protective but when she warms up to people, (usually very quickly) she is a dedicated leaner and large lapdog. They are active when you want them to be but also love to just sit around and relax. Actually, when the kids are up and playing with her, she is active but the minute they ignore her, she goes and lays down. She gets along well with other dogs and all in all she is a great dog. Since she doesn't have many wrinkles, she doesn't need a lot of daily grooming. They just wipe down her wrinkles a few times a week to keep her clean. Drooling can be extreme at times and she drools more than English Mastiffs that I have met but you should expect drooling with both breeds.

So Neos are gentle, affectionate and great protectors but every dog is different. My husband liked Neos and Dogue de Bordeaux, I love English Mastiffs and Dogue de Bordeaux and for a while, we were leaning towards a Neo, until my husband saw one with the excessive wrinkles and didn't like the look as much. Before you decide, I would recommend going to meet a few breeders so you can get a feel for temperament. As I said, my husband was sure he wanted a Dogue before I took him to meet a few English, which he hadn't had the experience before, and he fell in love with the breed. Good luck on finding the right dog for you.