Mastiffs in one form or another have existed since before recorded history began. Sizes from the Babylonian palace of Ashurbanipal (these sculptures are exhibited in the British Museum) Show large mastiff-type dogs hunting lions in the desert near the Tigris River.

Mastiffs as war dogs

Phoenician traders introduced The Hound of ancient Britain in the 6th century BC. The ancient Celts began to be used as war dogs who accompanied their masters into battle. This was the beginning of a long history of hounds as combatants, soldiers, guards, and control. A popular story says that when Sir Peers Legh was wounded in the battle of Agincourt, his mastiff was upon him and protected him for many hours while the battle raged.

When the Romans invaded Britain around AD43, took Mastiffs back to Italy and used them to protect property and guard prisoners, in addition to fighting in the sand. The Mastiff is said to have been the favorite dog of Julius Caesar. Kubla Khan had a kennel of 5,000 Mastiffs used for hunting and war. When Hannibal crossed the Alps, which took several battalions of war mastiffs.

Mastiffs in Britain

Back in Britain in the 11th century, the Mastiff was one of the few breeds mentioned by name in the forest laws of King Canute, the first written laws of England. Mastiffs were recorded as being kept for protection, and fingers through his front legs had to be amputee so that dogs could not run fast enough to catch deer (which traditionally belonged to royalty).
British royals kept Mastiffs to protect their castles and estates, releasing at night to prevent intruders. Henry VIII is said to have presented Charles V of Spain with 400 Mastiffs to be used in battle.

From the 12th through the 19th century, Mastiffs were used to carry-baiting. This "sport" in which the dogs attacked a chained up bears, bulls and even tigers, was especially popular during Queen Elizabeth's time. These fights were often staged for the entertainment of the queen.

The size of the Mastiff and its need to eat nearly as much food per day as an adult male was a mastiff too costly for most common people, except for the butchers who had leftover meat enough to feed a Mastiff well. Therefore, the Mastiff was often called the dog "butchers".

Mastiffs in the United Kingdom States

The first Mastiff North America was brought from England on the Mayflower by the Pilgrims. The race did not become prominent in America until the 1800s, when Mastiffs are often found on plantations in the South as property guards.

During the World Wars, Mastiffs were commissioned to pull carts ammunition on the front lines. However, his popularity was declining, while partly due to its size: It was considered unpatriotic to have a dog who ate both in one day as a soldier. In the 1920s, Mastiffs were almost extinct in Britain, and at the end of the Second World War, Canada and the States United mastiffs were sent to Britain to save the race. Now the race is well established in both continents.

From war dogs pets family

How to go from hunting hounds and fierce war dogs for pets soft we know today? Part of the reason is that breeders have Mastiff reproduced the sweetness and have thus created an excellent companion. In addition Mastiffs are simply treated differently today. They're not used to rendered barbaric practices such as bear or lion fighting. As for the dogs of war, modern warfare has become obsolete as war dogs. Instead, mastiffs can kept as pets or use as watchmen, guards, police or military dogs, search and rescue dogs, or as weight Extractors.

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The History And Origin Of The Mastiff Dog Breed

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