Mastín Español – Spanish Mastiff

The native of Spain, the Spanish Mastiff is the dog that has been attached with the pastures, the grazing animals and the herdsmen for centuries. An important source of wealth in Spain are the cattle, and during the seasonal change, thousands of flocks migrate to available grasslands, accompanied by none other than the Spanish Mastiff. Spain is still one of the very few places in Europe where packs of wolves traverse through the pastures, but the presence of Mastin Espanol deters them.

History:

The geographical location of Spain and Portugal (the Iberian Peninsula) in general has remained a territory subjected to conquests from external armies. Roman authors Apuleis, Virgil and Columella have all spoken highly of the courage, determination and strength of the dogs found there. In those days dogs were never bred for their looks but their work and diligence, and the Spanish cattlemen selected various strains to reach the breed they required. Different breeds of the Molossian family may have been used to bring in desired traits and it has remained a basis of argument that during the reign of Muslims that lasted for 500 years or so, Anatolian Shepherd Dog (Kangal/Karabash) was availed to advantage.

The very first inclusion of Mastin Espanol in Spanish Studbook was in the year 1912, when “Machaco” was registered. The breed made great strides in the decade of 1950s, as after the end of Spanish Civil War, the quality of dogs deteriorated and the number of wolves increased. This led to the intuition of selecting more massively constructed Mastin Espanol in order to respond to the threat. Luis Esquiro Bolanos embarked on the study of the bloodlines the herdsmen possessed and eventually in 1980, the ” Association Espanola del Perro Mastin Espanol” (AEPME) was formed.

Essential of the Breed:

The Mastin Espanol has no limits to the maximum height as long as substance and proportions are accordingly maintained. The minimum height for males is 77cm and bitches is 72cm but it is preferred that the male reaches 80cm and the female 75cm. The appearance of this huge dog is of strength and grandeur. Its head is of supreme importance. The body is rectangular never squared in construction and his hind legs possess the necessary strength to force him to drive at once, the threat is assessed. As far as colour is concerned traditionally the uniformed single blend colours are more appreciated such as yellow and black, but brindles have their own devotees.