If you are considering buying a Neapolitan Mastiff or any other pure breed first do your research on the breed, all breeds have their faults.

Breeders may not tell you the truth so ask a few vets as well. (Although in Australia very few vets know enough about Neapolitans to give an opinion based on experience)

GET THIS STRAIGHT: because I intend to mince no words and tell the truth as I see it, do not get the idea that I am “bagging” Neapolitan Mastiffs.

The Neo is THE best breed I have encountered in my 50 odd years of life, his unique character makes him well worth considering if you are seeking a reliable home guard and a great companion, he cannot be compared to any other breed. His Old World instincts to protect remain as strong today as they were centuries ago.

This is not the case with other so called guard breeds, they have lost so much of their will to guard that only the exceptional dog among them is of any use at all as a guard.

Neapolitans are prone to bone problems these may be genetic in origin or may be caused by bad nutrition or environmental conditions. They are naturally loose jointed and this is often mistaken for dysplasia when in fact the dog is fine, if he is limping it is more often from sore ligaments or muscles than dysplasia, although I have seen a few with Un-united Anconeal Proses, which is usually a death warrant, and at times other elbow problems most outgrew these by two years of age, structual problems are, however, a problem in Neapolitans.

Sherilyn Allen states in her excellent book on Neapolitan Mastiffs that she has seen only five dogs with arthritis of the hips, or hip dysplasia and that all were extraordinarily sound, they had in fact all won championships in the show ring. S. Allen is a vet and a breeder of Neapolitans of long standing; her book is well worth buying. Her opinions on health matters are to be considered with respect although I do not agree with all of her views on other matters.

No Neapolitan Mastiff has tight fitting hip joints, and if it were possible to breed such a Neo he would not have the correct gait, his unusual bear-like walk depends on his loose joints.

Heart problems occur, sometimes genetic other times not.

Cherry eye is common but easy to fix, and once done the dog is fine. Dermoids are more serious but may also be fixed, and are not so often seen in the breed

.This cherry eye was fixed with a simple operation, cost $150. The dog now has a perfect looking eye and no ongoing problems

 This is the result of a vet insisting on sewing the gland back in due to fears of the dog getting dry eye if it was removed, you can still see the gland poking up in the corner of his left eye, Neos seldom ever get dry eye, and those who do can get it regardless of weather the gland is there or not, due to the laxness of the Neo's connective tissues the gland will almost always pop out again, even when a new process of making a pocket and tucking the gland well in is carried out.

If your Neo gets cherry eye, you are far better to run the very low risk of dry eye than to run the almost certain risk of needing further surgery when the gland pops out again, too many surgeries can leave the dog with permanent scarring.

Very “typy” Neapolitans such as the show breeder extols, are prone to low thyroid activity this is what gives the excessive wrinkle, shortened leg bones of massive proportion which is a form of dwarfism, these dogs also have a low immune system, this is a worry and in my opinion one of their major faults as it leaves them prone to all sorts of illnesses, very young puppies more so than the older dog.

So now you have an idea of the bad news, what to do? Find a breeder who has the courage to stop the rot and breed toward a healthier dog such as the Italians bred for many years before the “showies” wrecked their health by inbreeding generation after generation to produce what they see as a romantic resurrection of the original and ancient Molosser.

I do not have a problem with mating dogs who are related occasionally in order to strengthen a desired attribute, but to do so constantly generation after generation even to the extent of putting full brother over full sister, father over daughter ect. is no less than genetic cruelty and should be stopped.

I do not believe that breeders of old would have done this as they were much closer to nature than we are today and would have had an instinctive knowledge of animal husbandry which modern day man has lost. Stock which could not survive without artificial insemination, caesarean sections, hormone replacement and antibiotics would not have survived to pass on their weaknesses. All the above are essential tools to ensure the survival of many modern day pure breeds.

If the European Convention has it’s way almost 200 breeds will have to be modified or cease to be. The Neapolitan is one of those they mention, if this happens we will lose one of the best home guards in the world, I would far rather see a little less wrinkle and a taller more muscular, fitter Neo than none!

If you are thinking all species are prone to faults, even humans, who most certainly are not allowed to inbreed: True. Not every fault can be blamed on inbreeding but inbreeding does cause a far higher percentage of faults and if continued this percentage will continue to rise, consider the Royal Families of old who would not mix their “blue” blood with that of the “common” people, they inbred themselves into producing so many imbeciles that the penny eventually had to drop. Genetic diversity is essential for the survival of any species.

Our Trublue Bandogs are prone to most of the genetic faults which can affect the Neapolitan Mastiff, though they occur less frequently, The Bandog being a hybrid (to use the term loosely) is a longer lived dog and his general health is much improved.

This is what Mario Zacchi (his book ‘The Neapolitan Mastiff’ is one of the best available if you can get it) had to say about the dangers of inbreeding:

Besides, even if there is no deather of contrary opinions, an excessive insistence on homozygosis carried out by means of incest seems likely to weaken the products, reduce their skeleton and increase a predisposition to certain diseases or malformations.

While we are on the subject, Borgioli (an author on
general animal genetics) reminds us that, in the long run, diminishing vigour is noticed through the practice of in-breeding, less fertility and even the extinction of some lines although others may well resist.

In conclusion let us say homozygosis allows for the fixing of certain
traits, while heterozygosis is the strengthening power of others. both should be adroitly distributed." (p63&62).

Mario Zacchi 'The Neapolitan Mastiff' English version Published by La Moye Distributors Jersey. 1987. translated by Tania Szabo.

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I am putting a few true stories below of things which have happened to some dogs, some from our kennel, others not, if you wish to take the time to read them it may be of help to some.

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Bella, this dog is the only confirmed case of HD in Tru Blue dogs, she is on treatment and responding to it, her owners have opted to do what can be done short of surgery, she will most likely have a shorter life span that should have been the case, her owners keep in touch so I will update this as time goes by. (Bella has sadly been put down, her condition had become too painfull for her )

I have been sent x rays of her hips, one side is quite bad.

Update, Bella was put down when her problem became to much for her, her saddened owners sent me this poem, they will later be getting another pup .

If it should be that I get frail and weak
and pain should keep me from my sleep
then you must do what must be done
for this, tough battle, cant be won

you will be sad I understand
dont let your grief then stay your hand
for this day more than the rest
your love and friendship stand the test

dont grieve it should be you
who decides this thing to do
youd not want me to suffer
so when the time comes ,please let me go

I know in time you will see
it is kindness you do to me
Although my tail, its last has waved
from pain and suffering Ive been saved

smile for we walked together for a while


"GOOD FRIENDS LIVE IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER"

 The only other Bandog (below) I have heard of with problems has not been x rayed and has been taken to a dog  Chiropractor, at last I heard she was doing well and improving, she is exceptionally large for a bandog at 65 kgs and this may be partly why she was lame, if her problem was HD I would doubt a Chiropractor could have done much for her, lameness can have have many causes, most often it is pulled muscles or ligaments and will come right given rest and time.

OCD

After surgery on left shoulder at 8 months.

Surgery has been successful, he is doing well, had one set back when stitches were removed too early and the wound opened up again, had go back and have it sewn up again, but all else has gone well, and he is now fine.

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This pup had Unuited Anconeal Process An elbow condition, we have had several cases of this, the pups which had it were all put down. It is a genetic condition and not easy to breed out, I have culled the parents which produced the faulty pups, but it is a known fault with Neos, so may rear it's head again at some stage. Though, touch wood, there have been no new cases for several years.  

At the moment I am watching closely a bitch with skin problems which the owner thinks stemmed from a cortisone needle given for what was thought to be a bite, and which was in fact an abcess!

(Prior to this, the dog had perfect skin)

As we have never had a dog with skin problems I tend to agree with the owner that the cortisone had something to do with the dogs problem, the owner has been told by a specialist that cortisone can mask infections to the extent that they cannot be picked up even with tests, and as Neos do not have good immune systems to start with, this dog may well be suffering because her immune system has been messed up from the cortisone, theory only, but would advise strongly against cortisone.  

I have also had one pup who had to make 3 stops to get to his destination by plane, this dog although fearless when confronted by man is afraid of loud noises, we think it is because of trauma through being sent on such a long journey whilst still in a 'fear' stage at 8 weeks of age, (imagine the noise around a busy airport) I will no longer send any young pup on such a journey, and always test all pups for any sign of undue fear of loud noise, some fear is natural, but should be soon overcome by exposure to loud noise as a young puppy, any pup which does not pass this test is culled, ditto breeding stock of course.

Pups which have gone by direct flight have never suffered this problem, even when they have gone overseas on long flights as long as it is airport to air port and no overnight stops. Some pups are uneasy at first in their new home, that is natural and not at all the same as an ongoing fear which lasts into adulthood.

This tollerance to noise puts our dogs way in front of most dogs of most breeds worldwide, 98% of even trained PP dogs of any breed will run from loud noise.

IN OTHER WORDS FEAR OF NOISE CAN BE BRED OUT OF A LINE OF DOGS, PROVIDING THERE IS NO ENVIRONMENTAL REASON FOR IT IN INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS.

An update on genetic problems and my thoughts about same follows.

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