History of the Mastiff

The Mastiff is acknowledged as one of the oldest breeds.  These heavy bodied, powerful dogs were a well-established breed in England by the time of the Roman invasion.  It is believed they originally arrived in Britain with the Phoenicians, who traded with Cornish tin miners. The Romans were so impressed by the Mastiff’s size, strength and courage that many were exported to Rome for spectacles in the amphitheatres. During Norman times Mastiffs in the forest had to be de-clawed to prevent them from hunting.  This suggests the breed was more athletic than it is today.  Down through the ages Mastiffs have served many purposes. Research indicates they originally served as war dogs, guardians of property or stock and as housedogs and pets.  Henry VII gave four Mastiffs to the King of France to be used as fighting dogs in battle and Henry VIII sent Charles V 400 Mastiffs as war dogs. Mastiff were also used for bull and bear baiting during the bloodthirsty Elizabethan times.  The decline in these terrible sports at the end of the 18th century resulted in the dramatic fall in the number of Mastiffs and their purity and type became much debated.  However, pure-bred animals could still be found and some were kept as guards of stately homes. The breed regained popularity by the late 1850’s when dog shows began.  By this stage more accurate records were kept as there was greater interest in pedigrees and a large number of owners, breeders and exhibitors.  Mastiffs were very much in vogue for the next 50 years and frequently attracted the interest of royalty.  In 1872 there were 82 Mastiff exhibits at the Crystal Palace Show.  However, this era was followed by a huge decline in popularity and numbers.  With the outbreak of WW1, hardly any breeding took place with only three registrations being recorded in 1918. With so few Mastiffs – there is no doubt that some cross breeding followed, mainly with unregistered Mastiffs or Mastiff types that carried Bullmastiff blood.  Numbers slowly began to increase although the differing head types were a cause of much debate. Tragedy struck again with the outbreak of World War II when some Mastiffs were exported to the USA but many were destroyed.  Breeding came to a halt at this time and the breed bordered on extinction between 1940 and 1950. About this time a thorough search revealed that there were only seven known Mastiff in Britain.  Fresh blood had to be obtained if the breed was to survive, so mastiff lovers rallied round to save the breed.  A small number of Mastiffs were imported from North America – some being descendants of the original English stock exported to the USA in the 1930’s. Obviously, a great deal of inbreeding followed, which did help to produce type but also compounded a lot of the unsoundness still evident today. (hence the importance of hip and elbow scoring) Due to the dedication of breed enthusiasts from the 1950’s this magnificent breed slowly increased in numbers.  We are sure the Mastiff breed is here to stay.