Is this a typical Tibetan Mastiff in China today?

[NYDDB]

Someone sent this to me as a "cute" photo. It is, but now that I have heard so much about how TMs are bred and treated in China today, I see the dark side as well...

Impressive looking, but I wonder how healthy (physically and temperament-wise) they are.

 

[raechiemay]

It seems like a lot of the TMs I've seen bred & raised in China look this way. Would be interested to see what you TM experts say!

 

[ruthcatrin]

It does match lot of the photos going around. Are ALL Chinese bred TMs like that? Donno, I don't think so. But they sure get the notice....

 

[ChangshaNotes]

No, they are not all like that at all. There are different lines of breeding. Most photos are of the lines of breeding for looks and size. The TM's in Tibet are quite different and not often photographed. Most TM's you see in China look closer to the older Tibetan style working guard dog rather than that dog in the photo.

I'm not a TM expert but I do live in China and TM's are common here for a large breed. They are the most common mastiff breed you will see here.

Like anywhere, there are quality breeders and byb, puppy mills etc. there are some breeders in Tibet that will not sell to non-Tibetans including Han Chinese.

 

[Mooshi's Mummy]

That looks like a Chow X to me an NOTHING like what a proper, working, TM looks like or should look like. I would go as far to say that that shouldn't even be called a TM.

 

[Doggyhelpplease]

When I was in China I did not see any of the super fur balls but more mixed like street dogs that look closer to a TM than that guy. On Google image all you see is the super fur dogs because people think they are cute I guess. Get him wet I don't think he could move cause he would be too heavy lol.