This Italian Mastiff, is characterised by the excessive loose skin and wrinkling on its head and face. Saved from oblivion by the Italian Piero Scanziani, it is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. But it is a large dog which needs plenty of food and early socialisation and training maybe necessary. It is also a drooler. The ears are cropped for cosmetic purposes only. It is an excellent guard of family and property. It does not demand heavy exercise.They may be grey, blue, tawny or black in colour. Brindling may also be present. It weighs 50-75 kgs and is 65-75 cms tall.
Sorry! I can't translate the kgs and cms into standard American measurements.
All European mastiffs are descended from the Tibetan Mastiff, the most ancient member of the canine species. The first Asian mastiffs were probably brought to Greece from India by Alexander the Great around 300 B.C. The Greeks introduced the dogs to the Romans, who adopted them enthusiastically and used them in circus combats.
The word "Mastiff" derives from the Latin word: masssivus, meaning massive. English experts, however, have another theory. They contend that the mastiff was brought to Britain by the Phoenicians in about 500 B.C. and spread from there to the rest of Europe. In any case the Neapolitan Mastiff is a direct descendant of the Roman Molossus.
While the breed became extinct throughout the rest of Europe, it continued to survive in Campania despite the perils of weather and war. One can therefore say that the Neapolitan Mastiff has existed in Campania for two thousand years, even though it was not officially recognized until 1946, and its standard was not set until 1949.
The Neapolitan Mastiff was bred for use in war and in bloody Roman arena spectacles. Today this powerful breed has a well-deserved reputation as a formidable guard dog. Neos have been used by the Italian police and army and by that country's farmers, business establishment, and estate owners to protect people and property. Though the Neapolitan Mastiff was first shown in Italy in 1946, the breed is still quite rare in the United States.
Height: Dogs 26-30 inches (65-75 cm.)
Bitches 24-28 inches (60-70 cm.)
Weight: Up to 165 pounds (74 kg.)
The largest male Neapolitans may be nearly 200 pounds (90 kg.)
That's gonna be a BIG dog.