Getting to Know the Brazilian Mastiff Breed

Imagine a cross between a Mastiff and a Bloodhound. That's what a Brazilian Mastiff. Perhaps you know this dog by his other name, the Fila Brasileiro.

This large dog was bred originally to protect the plantations of Brazil. Not surprisingly, the ancestors of this dog included Bloodhounds, Mastiffs and bulldogs of European origin. The ancestors of this dog were brought to South America by the Conquistadors.

The consequence of this breeding is a dog with the incredible smell capabilities of the bloodhound along with the fearlessness, strength and power of a mastiff. This combination has made the mastiff well suited to defending the cattle ranches of the Minas Gerais region. In fact, the dog was not just able to keep cattle rustlers away, but also was able to keep cattle protected from wild jaguars.

In addition, though, the Brazilian mastiff also has a great history as a wonderful hunting dog. These dogs have been used to track, attack and hold prey until his owner arrives. In fact, the name "Fila" is from Portuguese verb, "To hold."

Another interesting fact is that the Brazilian mastiff was used to track and capture runaway slaves at one point in history.

The leg and spine joints of the Brazilian Mastiff demonstrate perfectly what made this dog such a great tracking dog. The joints are loose. This allows the dog to change his route extremely quickly - even if he's traveling at a full-blown gallop.

The dog has one unique characteristic for which it is particularly known. That is, it is probably the only breed purposely selected because it actually dislikes strangers. To this day, this characteristic is definitely obvious.

In fact, this is tested during championships as part of its temperament challenge. Among the tests performed are those that show the dog's ability to attack without instruction first, to remain self-confident while shots are fired, and to have the ability to overtly display suspicion and dislike for people they don't know.

Perhaps ironically, one of the tests for this breed during a dog show specifically says that the Brazilian mastiff should not "allow the judge to touch it." Because the judge is a stranger, this, of course, demonstrates that this particular temperament characteristic is fully present in the dog. Further, this task is specifically states that if the dog should attack the judge, this action is merely to be considered a confirmation of temperament and not a fault.

Even though Brazilian mastiffs can be absolutely fierce with strangers, they are gentle and tender with their own families. As with other mastiffs, they are affectionate with those they are charged to protect. Of course, members of this breed are also loyal to their owners.

As with the closely related English mastiff and other mastiff types, the Brazilian mastiff is large. He is 27 to 30 inches tall at the shoulder and doesn't weigh less than 100 pounds. Females are slightly smaller, but are still quite big. A female Brazilian mastiff will weigh approximately 90 pounds, and will have a height at the shoulder of between 24 and 28 inches approximately.

The Brazilian mastiff's coat is smooth and short. Its colors can include reddish tan, solid yellow, brindled or black colors. For a closer look at the Brazilian mastiff, do a search on the Internet; there are plenty of pictures available.

If you have fallen in love with a Brazilian mastiff and you want to own one, be careful. The mastiff in general is ferocious as a guard dog, but this particular type is actually bred to dislike and distrust strangers. This means that he will need more understanding and supervision than the average dog.

Is your mastiff dog getting the best care? Everything you wanted to know about raising & caring for your mastiff is revealed. Find out more about the brazilian mastiff today!