Mary Allen
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a huge dog with a terrifying and majestic look. But despite the external data, she has a non-conflict character, is devoted to one owner, and loves affection and attention. Such a pet, when brought up and trained, can become an excellent watchman for the house and property or a guard for his family, ready to protect a person at the cost of his life in case of serious danger.
Character and upbringing
The Neapolitan Mastiff has a balanced, calm character. He is very good-natured, friendly, and affectionate, rarely shows aggression towards a person. But when the matter of protecting the owner, members of his family, or property, one cannot count on indulgence, innate protective qualities will manifest themselves with the whole family. The dog gets along well with all family members and other animals, but leaving it with children unattended is still not worth it: it can inadvertently harm the child.
Mastiffs are distinguished by their boundless devotion to their master, who means a lot to them. In any situation, they will protect the owner, even at the cost of their own lives. However, such boundless devotion is fraught with jealousy, so it is better not to have a second large dog at home. It is not easy to lose this balanced, reasonable animal. And with proper education, the dog will become a real symbol of wisdom and calmness.
The mastiff is also quite lazy, so you need to provide him with maximum employment and activity. The dog is smart and quick-witted, well trained, but needs early socialization. Another distinctive feature of the animal is slovenliness. And you have to come to terms with this.
Maintenance and care
Neapolitan Mastiff has large dimensions and is not a lap dog. For its proper development and comfort, you need a lot of free space; it is advisable to keep it in a country house. In the summer, the dog will spend most of the time outside the enclosure, walking in the garden or yard, relaxing in the fresh air, and basking in the sun. You should not put the dog on a chain or in any other way restrict its freedom and physical activity. It is capable of disrupting the body, mental abnormalities, and stress.
With the onset of cold weather, the animal must be taken to a heated room, where it is allocated a personal corner with medium-hard bedding (for soft-bone deformation). There should always be plenty of freshwater near the place, a bowl (on a rug that is easy to clean), and large toys (small dogs can swallow and choke). To keep your pet from getting bored, you can play some not very active games with him, for example, ask him to bring a ball or a newspaper.
Walking the dog in the winter season must be carried out at least twice, but the duration of stay in the fresh air should be limited to half an hour, a maximum of 50 minutes. In a warm period, walk with your pet three times a day or more often for an average of one and a half hours. Give preference to measured and calm walks.
Pros
The Neapolitan Mastiff has a rather formidable appearance, but its intimidating appearance does not match well with its temperament. Most of the pros and cons of breeds can be traced through the prism of the character of the animal, they are related. Among the main positive qualities inherent in a four-legged, the following can be noted:
- good-naturedness and boundless devotion;
- seriousness and poise;
- calm and restrained disposition;
- courage;
- high level of intelligence.
Cons
The negative aspects of the character of the Neapolitan Mastiff include the following qualities:
- jealousy, selfishness;
- rare bouts of aggression;
- laziness;
- obsession;
- slovenliness, clumsiness;
- high need for socialization and education.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a dog with many virtues. Balanced friendly character, sharpness, and intelligence, excellent watch qualities. All this can smooth out such small flaws as sloppiness and laziness. Give your pet time and attention, and he will do everything so that you are not disappointed.