Tibetan Mastiff E-Book

Juliette Cunliffe

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Comprehensive Owner's Guide
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 260

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

One of the most ancient large breeds, the Tibetan Mastiff is a legendary flock guardian of impressive stature from "The Roof of the World." Hardy enough to withstand the weather extremes and unforgiving terrain of his native land, this is a protector beyond compare, staunchly defending his people, their property and their livestock. With his imposing build, regal expression and abundant coat, this also is a dog of natural beauty and distinction. With a temperament as unique as his background, the Tibetan Mastiff requires a special owner who understands him. While this is not the breed for everyone, the Tibetan Mastiff can be a very rewarding companion and will bond closely to his family with the right training and ownership. Written by Tibetan-breeds specialist Juliette Cunliffe from the UK with Canadian fancier Susan Elworthy, this Special Rare-Breed Edition gives you a detailed look into the Tibetan Mastiff's complex personality and the requirements of a suitable owner. With a special preface and section on US history by American breed authority Richard Eichhorn, this book offers a comprehensive international perspective. Filled with beautiful color photographs, Tibetan Mastiff also discusses the breed in its homeland and North America, the breed standard, puppy selection, general care, training and showing your dog. A look at preventive healthcare is provided by Dr. Lowell Ackerman, along with a discussion of breed-specific health issues. This one-of-a-kind volume is essential reading for fanciers of the Tibetan Mastiff.

Leseprobe

Physical Characteristics of the Tibetan Mastiff

(from the American Kennel Club breed standard)

© 2005 American Tibetan Mastiff Association

Skull: Broad and large, with strongly defined occiput.

Head: Broad, heavy and strong.

Expression: Noble, intelligent, watchful and aloof.

Eyes: Very expressive, medium size, any shade of brown.

Stop: Deep and well defined.

Muzzle: Broad, well filled and square when viewed from all sides.

Nose: Broad, well pigmented, with open nostrils.

Lips: Well developed, thick, with moderate flews and slightly pendulous lower lips.

Body: The chest is rather deep, of moderate breadth, with reasonable spring of rib. Underline with pronounced (but not exaggerated) tuck-up. The back is muscular with firmly muscled loin.

Forequarters:Shoulders: Well laid back, muscular, strongly boned, with moderate angulation to match the rear angulation. Legs: Straight, with substantial bone and muscle, well covered with short, coarse hair, feathering, and with strong pasterns that have a slight slope. Feet: Cat feet. Fairly large, strong, compact.

Ears: Medium size, V-shaped, pendant, set-on high, dropping forward and hanging close to head.

Neck: Well muscled, moderately arched and may have moderate dewlap.

Proportion: Slightly longer than tall.

Size: Dogs–minimum of 26 inches at the withers. Bitches–minimum of 24 inches at the withers.

Topline: Straight and level between withers and croup.

Tail: Medium to long, but not reaching below hock joint; well feathered. Set high on line with top of back.

Hindquarters: Powerful, muscular, with all parts being moderately angulated. The hocks are strong, well let down (approximately one-third the overall length of the leg) and perpendicular.

Coat: Double-coated, with fairly long, thick coarse guard hair, with heavy soft undercoat in cold weather which becomes rather sparse in warmer months. Hair is fine but hard, straight and stand-off.

Color: Black, brown and blue/grey, all with or without tan markings, and various shades of gold.

Contents

Preface By Richard W. Eichhorn

History of the Tibetan Mastiff

Venture beyond your imagination to “The Roof of the World” and meet Tibet’s giant Tibetan Mastiff, one of the world’s most ancient breeds. Learn about the earliest accounts of the breed by famous traveler Marco Polo and other explorers, and follow the breed’s spread to the West, where it has been regarded with awe for generations.

Characteristics of the Tibetan Mastiff

Discover what makes the Tibetan Mastiff the “king” of dogs, a breed whose temperament and instincts make him unique among dogs. Understanding the dog’s protective nature and intelligence opens a new owner’s eyes to the wonders of the Tibetan Mastiff. The chapter also includes some vital health concerns that potential owners need to know.

Breed Standard for the Tibetan Mastiff

Learn the requirements of a well-bred Tibetan Mastiff by studying the description of the breed set forth in the standards of the American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club. Both show dogs and pets must possess key characteristics as outlined in the breed standard.

Your Puppy Tibetan Mastiff

Find out about how to locate a well-bred Tibetan Mastiff puppy. Discover which questions to ask the breeder and what to expect when visiting the litter. Prepare for your puppy-accessory shopping spree. Also discussed are home safety, the first trip to the vet, socialization and solving basic puppy problems.

Proper Care of Your Tibetan Mastiff

Cover the specifics of taking care of your Tibetan Mastiff every day: feeding for the puppy, adult and senior dog; grooming, including coat care, nails, bathing and more; and exercise. Also discussed are identification, travel and boarding.

Training Your Tibetan Mastiff

Begin with the basics of training the puppy and adult dog. Learn the principles of housetraining, introduce your TM to his collar and leash and progress to the basic commands. Learn positive-reinforcement techniques and consider the TM’s unique temperament in your dog’s lesson plan.

Healthcare of Your Tibetan Mastiff

By Lowell Ackerman DVM, DACVD

Become your dog’s healthcare advocate and a well-educated canine keeper. Select a skilled and able veterinarian. Discuss pet insurance, vaccinations and infectious diseases, the neuter/spay decision and a sensible, effective plan for your TM’s parasite control, including fleas, ticks and worms.

Showing Your Tibetan Mastiff

Step into the center ring and find out about the world of showing pure-bred dogs. Here are the basics of conformation showing with the AKC, UKC and various rare-breed organizations, including how shows are organized and what’s required for your dog to become a champion. Also learn about AKC and UKC obedience trials.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®TIBETAN MASTIFF

ISBN 13: 978-1-59378-287-0

eISBN 13: 978-1-62187-019-7

Copyright © 2007 • Kennel Club Books® A Division of BowTie, Inc.

40 Broad Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 USA

Cover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 • Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cunliffe, Juliette.

   Tibetan mastiff / By Juliette Cunliffe.

        p. cm. -- (A comprehensive owner’s guide ; 351)

   ISBN 1-59378-287-X

 1. Tibetan mastiff. I. Title.

   SF429.T48C86 2007

   636.73--dc22

2006023018

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Photography by: Ashbey Photography by Dave McCurley, Paulette Braun, Juliette Cunliffe, Isabelle Français, Karen Giles, Stephen Hall, Carol Ann Johnson, Bill Jonas, Sanne Rutloh, Jay Singh, Christina Timbury, Michael Trafford and Alice van Kempen.

Illustrations by Patricia Peters.

Special acknowledgements to the following: Robyn Allwright, American Kennel Club, Urve Arik (Status Benevoles), Jarmila Bendova (Sundari), Canadian Kennel Club, Canadian Livestock Registration Corporation, David Chambers (Bytesizephoto.com), Mark C. Denk & Laurel Cain-Denk, DVM (FlashPoint), Richard W. Eichhorn (Drakyi), Susan Elworthy (Everest North), Brenda Flett (Dacksville), Sheila Frank (Legend), Ave Frischer (Ay-Yangadoo), Mr. Andreas Gerber, Carol Gordon (Kachar), Gabriele Gruenwald (Gongbo), Gail Harrison, Paul Hawa, Jeff & Judy Hite, Eric Holliday (Chorten’s), Laney Humphrey (Jumla), Ray & Linda Larsen (Drakyi), Audrey Lee (Aujudon), Wayne Scot Lukas, Eva Marton (Sengkhri), Barbara and Ian McLuskey (Red Dog), Florence Morris (Kodari), Steve & Linda Nash (Ausables), Dan Nechemias & Lois Claus (Dawa), Sabrina Novarra (Shanghai), Susan Ochsenbein (Himalaya), Jane Otterud (Durettos), J.R. and Betty Jo Parsons (Hardin Valley), Debbie Parsons (Dreamcatcher), Diane and Karri Phillips, Dr. Charles Radcliffe (Timberline), Ann Rohrer (Langtang), Michele Santorini, Irma Schreuder (Lafahhs), Jeff Sera & Corinne Foster, Blanka Slobodjan (Od Rumcajse a Manky), Martha Hamilton Snyder, Lei Song, Lyse Stormont (Stormnangels), Angela Tendermann (Chenporewa) and Efrain Valle (Drakyi).

Preface

With the success of the favorably received first edition of Juliette Cunliffe’s Tibetan Mastiff, and when the opportunity arose to review and contribute to this revised and expanded second edition, I was happy to accept the invitation. My 30 years of involvement researching breed history, developing the signature Drakyi mastiff type and owning, judging and exhibiting Tibetan Mastiffs from the widest variety of international bloodlines has given me a significant and comprehensive perspective on the development of the breed in the US and abroad, central to the thriving profile in the world today. I am thankful for the opportunity to feature some outstanding examples of the breed in this book from my personal photo archives, and also thankful for the breeders from around the world who have so generously offered photos of their own dogs, with every effort made to give credit where credit is due. Thank you!

Rick Eichhorn with Drakyi Shanghai (“Shang”), a large mastiffy bitch.

Multi-Ch. Formosa-Drakyi Simba (“Simba”) is foundational and the archetype for Drakyi Tibetan Mastiffs.

Drakyi Leeloo (“Leeloo”) is a typey mature TM female.

This enhanced 2007 edition of Tibetan Mastiff marks the breed’s debut in the American Kennel Club’s Working Group. This book provides a look into the breed’s origins, the breeders and bloodlines behind US and Canadian TMs, the TM’s characteristics and the official standards for the breed, and also provides guidelines for the proper care and training of a Tibetan Mastiff puppy. For those interested in conformation showing and obedience competition, advice is offered on how to prepare your TM for these events.

Timberline Barni Drakyi (“Barnes”) is a golden Simba grandson who represents generations of quality from his pedigree.

Juliette Cunliffe is well known for her experience and expertise with Tibetan breeds, her many travels to their native lands and from her volumes of insightful publications devoted to the breeds from the “Roof of the World.” That perspective, along with my section on US history and contributions from co-author Susan Elworthy throughout the book, including a detailed look at the development of the breed in Canada, provides a volume that is an informative and substantive introduction to the breed for new fanciers, as well as a welcomed addition to any established Tibetan Mastiff library.

Drakyi Titus Lukas. A classic head study of a great dog, showing the fully developed mane, a breed characteristic.

The Tibetan Mastiff has made a powerful return to the world of pure-bred dogs after its near-demise a half-century ago in occupied Tibet, and the breeders and dogs featured in these pages are representative of the efforts of the international community of Tibetan Mastiff devotees working on the breed’s behalf.

Rick with World Ch. Drakyi Senge Sundari (“Senge”) in a celebratory moment after Senge’s Best of Breed win at the 2003 World Dog Show under breed-specialist judge Christofer Habig.

Richard W. Eichhorn Drakyi Tibetan Mastiffs www.tibetanmastiff.com

ORIGIN OF THE BREED

One could not talk about the Tibetan Mastiff, nor truly try to understand the Tibetan Mastiff, without knowing the general history of the breed. Respect for and understanding of this breed are crucial for successful ownership.

According to pictures, stone carvings, unearthed bones and writings, the Tibetan Mastiff is of ancient lineage (possibly as old as 3000 BC) and originates from Tibet. The physical geography of Tibet has made for a natural pure-bred landrace. The Tibetan Mastiff has played a part in the development of the Newfoundland, Bernese Mountain Dog, Komondor, St. Bernard, Neapolitan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux and Mastiff as well as many other large livestock-guardian breeds.

An ink and color on silk illustration from the Ch’ing Dynasty titled One of the Ten Prized Dogs, named Ts’ang-ni. This is the first color depiction of a TM ever done (brown and tan color). Circa 1750 by Giuseppe Castiglione in China.

The Tibetan Mastiff is a veritable “king” of dogs with an ancient background; indeed, it has been said by some that this is possibly the very oldest of all large dogs. The Tibetan Mastiff gained almost legendary status over the centuries, as few Westerners had ever seen the breed, but stories about them were told by early travelers to Tibet.

In 1271 the renowned traveler Marco Polo embarked on a journey that made history. It was from his account of his travels that we have the first documented evidence of the great dog of Tibet. He first encountered such dogs in China’s Szechuan province, where they accompanied Tibetan traders. He recounted that every man on a journey took a couple of these dogs with him, as they were so bold and fierce that two could attack a “lion.” Here, though, I should clarify that the “lions” that he mentioned were actually tigers.

It has perplexed many that Polo described these dogs as being “the size of donkeys.” It should be appreciated that donkeys in that region are much smaller than those we know in the West. However, the author has it on good authority that there are many Tibetan Mastiffs in Tibet that are much larger than those with which we are now familiar. Several different Tibetan people have described these dogs as standing about 36 inches (91.5 cms) high at the shoulder, some 10 inches (25.5 cms) taller than the minimum height required for a male according to the English Kennel Club’s breed standard.

Tibet is known fondly as “The Roof of the World,” a mystical country with a barren landscape. The country’s dogs, like its people, have to be able to deal with extremes of temperature, fiercely bright light and high altitude, the majority living between 10,500 and 16,400 feet (3,200 and 5,000 meters). All the dogs of this region have to be sufficiently hardy to survive in the inhospitable terrain. Certainly for the Tibetan Mastiff, living as it has done in isolated communities, it has been a matter of “survival of the fittest.” Weak dogs would simply not have been reared beyond puppyhood.

Historically, the Tibetan Mastiff’s work has been primarily to defend his people and territory. In Tibet, he defended pastoral nomads, villages (especially women and children), caravans and monasteries from thieves (and perceived strangers like foreigners). The TM has also had a place in livestock-predator control as well, protecting yaks (known as “the blacks”) and goats or sheep (known as “the whites”) from wolves and leopards. Occasionally, it is said that the Tibetan Mastiff was also used as a salt carrier.

This means “Tibetan Mastiff” in Tibetan.

As the centuries passed, the British sent missions to Tibet in the hope of establishing trade relations and in 1774 we have another vivid description of the breed. This came from George Bogle, who was sent to Tibet by Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of Bengal. The dogs he saw were large and “shagged like a lion,” and they were extremely fierce. Bogle also gave us an insight into the manner in which the Tibetan Mastiffs were kept: chained during the day and let loose at night, a tradition that is continued today. After all, the Tibetan Mastiff is a protector and it is sensible to allow him to roam free at night when the household is sleeping, and when both domestic livestock and humans need to be guarded from predators and human intruders.

NOT THE ONLY ONE

In the Himalayas, Tibetan Mastiffs are found in the more agile mountain type and the more mastiff-like monastery type, but are not the only large dogs found there. Others include the Bangara Mastiff and the Bhotia, sometimes also called the Himalayan Sheepdog. Yet another is the Kyi Apso (formerly Apso Do-Kyi), a large, shaggy guard dog from the area around Tibet’s Mount Kailash. The Shakhi (or Sha-Kyi), or Tibetan Hunting Dog, is another magnificent but rare breed, with a shorter coat.

A drawing from the early 19th century depicts an old-time Tibetan Mastiff, which was believed to be very ferocious.

A second British mission was dispatched to Tibet in 1783 and again from this we learn of the Tibetan Mastiff. On the border of Tibet and Bhutan, two large dogs protected a herd of around 300 yaks. The dogs were apparently huge and not only tremendously fierce but also strong and noisy. They were used as guardians of the home; however, these dogs were so aggressive that it was unsafe to approach them unless their keepers were nearby. The report of this mission is particularly absorbing, for in Bhutan a row of wooden cages is described, in each of which was a massive dog, very similar to those that had been seen in Tibet.

THE 19th CENTURY

During the 19th century there was an increasing flow of British people to Asia. Nepal had become a British dependency, and more than one zoologist or adventurer found their way into this magical country, from where they sent reports on the dogs they had seen. In 1845 Joseph Dalton Hooker, who also went into southern Tibet, wrote of his meeting with a noble-looking black Tibetan Mastiff. Its gloriously bushy tail was thrown over its back in a majestic sweep, and around its neck it wore a thick collar of scarlet wool. This is still a traditional ornament on various Tibetan mountain dogs and it helps to give them an even more majestic and imposing appearance.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT

It is believed that Marco Polo was the first Westerner to own a Tibetan Mastiff. So impressed was he by the breed that he had one of his own for protection on his journeys. This dog accompanied him on his homeward-bound journey, though it is not thought likely that the dog could ever have reached Polo’s eventual destination in Italy.

Increasing interest was shown in the breed in the Himalayan regions, and in 1847 Lord Hardinge, who was then Viceroy of India, sent a dog named Bout to Queen Victoria in England. Siring, a black-and-tan male, was brought back to England in 1874 by the prince who later became Edward VII. This magnificent dog became well known, in part because he was exhibited at shows, thereby attracting attention to the breed.

Those intrepid travelers of the 19th century were kind enough to recount their tales in detail, and from these it is easy to pick up various different snippets of information about the Tibetan Mastiff as well as some of its close relatives. We learn that the killing of a dog was a serious matter, resulting in a fine of 25 rupees. This fine could be waived, however, if the dog died as a result of blows on the head, as this was considered proof that the killing was in self defense.

These dogs were described as being enormous beasts; they had heads like those of bears. Several colors were described: black, black and tan or red. However, we should not overlook the fact that some reports referred to smaller mountain dogs of the Himalayas, and we should also remember today that there are not only Tibetan Mastiffs in that mountainous terrain. There are also other large dogs, of different kinds, most rather smaller in stature. Although the dividing line between various breeds in the Himalayan regions can be thin, we must continually take care not to confuse other dogs with the Tibetan Mastiff. Only by being aware of these differences can the Tibetan Mastiff that is preserved in the West be typical of the true breed in its homeland.

In one of the author’s excursions to Tibet, she met this nomad with his Tibetan Mastiff outside the Tashilhumpo Monastery.

THE EARLY 20th CENTURY

As the 19th century moved into the next, the British were increasingly concerned about the safety of their empire, and in 1903 and 1904 the Younghusband Expedition took place in Tibet. Again, interesting reports of the dogs were sent back, with the comment that often these dogs had a white patch on their chests, suggestive of that on a bear. There were also reports of lion-like heads and manes on certain specimens.

An engraving dated 1840 showing the Tibetan Mastiff.

The author has encountered many wonderfully helpful Tibetan nomads in her travels to Tibet. This lovely nomad woman posed with her Tibetan Mastiff puppy for the camera.

THE HOMELAND

The Tibetan Mastiff’s homeland, Tibet, is a high table land, the plains around Lhasa being about 2 miles (3.2 kms) above sea level. In size Tibet is equal to France, Germany and Great Britain combined, and temperatures vary considerably. Within the space of a day, temperatures may rise from below freezing to 100°F.

Major W. Dougall, who was involved with the Younghusband Expedition in Tibet, acquired the Tibetan Mastiff named Bhotean and brought him back to England. This dog was considered a fine specimen of his breed, the best then ever seen in Great Britain. Major Dougall, who incidentally later sold Bhotean for a high price, clearly had a great interest in the Tibetan Mastiff, and the author feels that his comments about the breed, though lengthy, are well worthy of quotation:

“These wonderfully handsome dogs are now yearly becoming more difficult to obtain…They are, generally speaking, black and bright red tan. They have almost all got a white star or patch on the chest. Bhotean in his own country was considered a particularly fine specimen, and there was nothing like him amongst the others which I saw, which were brought to India on the return of the Thibet Expedition in 1904. He was the long, low type, on very short legs, with great bone, and enormously powerful…His characteristics were many and various. He was essentially a one man’s dog. I could do anything with him, but he had an uncontrollable aversion to all strangers (male), but never attempted to attack any child or woman. He was, in consequence, always led at exercise, and, latterly, never allowed loose. At first I thought he had become quite domesticated, and allowed him to go loose, but with disastrous results. You could not cure him of his fault regarding strangers (men) as his personal enemies. He was an excellent guard, always awake at night and resting during the day. He had a great fondness for puppies and cats, and used invariably to have one or other in his box (loose).

“These dogs can stand any amount of cold, but they cannot endure wet and damp. Their own country being practically rainless, this is perhaps accounted for. The Bhutans, who use these dogs, are a copper-colored race; they set the same value on them as the Arab does upon his horse. They are used as guards and protectors only, and are in no sense a sheep dog. When the Bhutans come down to the plains to sell their produce the dogs are left behind as guard to their women and children. Also, during the short summer, they are taken to guard the flocks and herds, which travel long distances to forage.

MY COUSIN ST. BERNARD

The Tibetan Mastiff and the St. Bernard are both believed to have the same Stone Age progenitor. Indeed, these two mountain breeds, their homelands thousands of miles apart, share many similarities. Author Max Siber documents in 1897 in Der Tibethund that in both breeds, “The presence of the fifth and sixth toe should be observed—these are the so-called double wolf claws or double dewclaws.”

A Tibetan Mastiff in a typical setting in Tibet, circa 1911. This was one of the early photos upon which familiarity with the breed in the West was based.

“These dogs have very often a great leather collar on with roughly beaten spikes on it, so that, in the event of a leopard or panther attacking them, they are protected from the fatal grip which these animals always try for on the throat. When the herds are stationary for any time, the natives hobble the dogs, by tying their forelegs together, crossed. As they have excellent noses, and are always on the “qui vive,” they soon speak at the approach of any wild animal or stranger, when they are set loose at once. The only food (flesh) they get is what they kill themselves. The bitches are very hard to get, and in my opinion unless you could breed them and train them from puppyhood in this country, they are not worth the trouble of importing, as you cannot alter the dog’s nature, and although perhaps for months he shows no sign of the aggression in him, it is assuredly there, and for no reason or provocation the old hatred of strangers will assert itself, more especially if he happens to be suddenly aroused or startled.”

Dougall goes on to describe Bhotean’s journey through India, a journey in which the dog had a railway carriage to himself and effectively cleared the platform at any station where the train stopped and he was exercised. Dougall felt that the breed took about 18 months to acclimatize to weather conditions in England. He also commented that in his opinion they would never live under the conditions at the Zoological Gardens, and how right he was. Sadly, the Tibetan Mastiffs kept there seemed not to have lasted long, such as one brought home by H. R. H. the Prince of Wales in 1906. This dog had his coat shorn while in transit and unfortunately only survived there a few weeks.

EARLY ROCK CARVINGS

In the Himalayan kingdom of Zanskar there are rock carvings that are believed to be at least 3,000 years old. This, in itself, is interesting, but more so is the fact that they depict dogs of Tibetan Mastiff type in the company of humans.

Those early imports to Britain created great astonishment and interest. The land of Tibet was mysterious, and the dogs of the country had a certain mystery about them, too. Encounters with Tibetan Mastiffs in their homeland are exceptionally well recorded. However, it is impossible to do justice to all the many anecdotal images within the confines of this book. Nevertheless, we cannot move forward without commenting on the Hon. Mrs. Irma Bailey’s contribution to the breed.

The famed and well-traveled Tibetan Mastiff Bhotean, who had such a great influence on the modern Tibetan Mastiff.

IRMA BAILEY’S OBSERVATIONS

Irma Bailey was the wife of Colonel Eric Bailey, who took part in the Younghusband Expedition. She was much enamored of the Tibetan breeds and later played an active part in their establishment in Britain. She wrote about the breeds in England’s Kennel Gazette, her articles subsequently appearing in America. She commented on the Tibetan Mastiff’s deep-voiced bark and talked of some entirely black ones, owned by the Tashi Lama. Tan markings, she said, were not unusual and “not infrequently red dogs are found in a litter.” This latter point is certainly worthy of note, for in Britain in recent decades the subject of color has caused much heated debate. The Hon. Mrs. Bailey, like the author, can confirm that red Tibetan Mastiffs do most certainly exist in their homeland, contrary to what some folk have led others to believe.

RARE BLUE HUE

Tibetan Mastiffs that are blue in color (a slate gray) have been little known until fairly recently in the West. However, Max Siber, writing in Switzerland in 1897, said that blue Tibetan Mastiffs with red markings occurred even then, albeit very rarely.

Tibetan Mastiff Shekyar Gyandru, owned by the Hon. Mrs. Eric Bailey, and her two-month-old puppy. This puppy, born in early 1931, was among the first of the breed to be born in Great Britain.

Mrs. Bailey also commented that Tibetan Mastiffs seemed quite impervious to the cold, electing to lie out on a patch of snow if one were available, in high winds and freezing temperatures. As she put it, so descriptively, “In Tibet they are not active dogs except when actively carrying out the military precept that attack is often the best form of defense.” She felt that the reason for their ferocity was that they were kept tied up from puppyhood, but noted that they were very affectionate and good-tempered with people they knew.

THE BREED NAME

The Tibetan Mastiff is known in FCI countries as Do Khyi. This means “dog you can tie up,” but is, in fact, used in Tibet for other breeds besides the Tibetan Mastiff. As it can also be translated as “gate dog,” one should appreciate that however endearing the name, “Do Khyi” might just as easily be used to describe any other large dog used for guarding purposes. In Taiwan the breed is called Ao-chen while in China it is known as Zang-ao.

Colonel and Mrs. Bailey brought some Tibetan Mastiffs back to England with them, along with Lhasa Apsos. Indeed, the couple was to become very influential in the division and clarification of the breed standards for the various Tibetan breeds during the early 1930s.

From historical archives: A Tibetan Mastiff with the collection of animals and birds presented to the Prince of Wales by the Maharaja of Nepal.

THE BREED IN THE UNITED STATES

by Richard W. Eichhorn

The first documented arrival of Tibetan Mastiffs into the United States was in 1958. A request was made in New Delhi at the American Embassy to send a pair of Tibetan Terriers to the US, but what was actually sent to President Eisenhower was a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs! The pair was then given to Senator Harry Darby, who bred them, but the whereabouts of most of the progeny, as well as the fate of the original pair, are unknown.

In 1969 a Tibetan Mastiff was imported into the United States from Nepal. This was a vision shared by and a cooperative effort between Don Messerschmidt (Emodus prefix), Ann Rohrer, Laney Humphrey and Ann Schneider-Olsen. Jumla’s Kalu of Jumla (1967–1981) is known as the Tibetan Mastiff foundation dog in the US. He was the first stud dog registered with The Tibetan Mastiff Club (TTMC, later becoming the American Tibetan Mastiff Association) as #001, and was owned by the breed’s founder in the US, Ann Rohrer of the Langtang kennel in Pearblossom, California.

Ann Rohrer and Linda Larsen (Dragonquest TMs), founders of the An-Lin strain of Tibetan Mastiff, wrote a short comprehensive study of the TM that was published in the US in 1981. In this they record that two more TMs arrived in the US: St. Mary’s Yullah of Langtang (a bitch from Nepal in 1973) and St. Mary’s Kipu of Langtang (a bitch from north of Katmandu, Nepal in 1975). Jumla’s Kalu of Jumla sired the first US-born litters out of Ausables Chang-du in November 1973, Jumla’s Michu in January and December 1975, St. Mary’s Yullah in February 1975 and St. Mary’s Kipu in January and December 1977.

EUROPE AND THE UK

During the 1970s a few imports arrived in Europe from the US, Nepal and India, among them Thandup, Rinki, Saheru, Mirage, Su-chen, Grey King, Rani Sadiya and the famous Tu-bo, bred by Mr. Jay Singh, president of the Nepal Kennel Club. On the Continent, although numbers were not high compared to those of other breeds, the TM was fortunate to have had some exceptionally dedicated breeders who strived to breed truly typical, outstanding dogs. Early influential European kennels included Van Desaal, Chattang, De la tour Chandos, Taiwinds, Gesar, Begero, Krekelberg, Soechavati, Zegse Heide and Yi-dam; in the UK, Rockanor, Qassaba and Farnemoor produced early litters.

Two TMs were imported to Britain in 1981, but sadly both died in quarantine. The next year, two bitches were imported from the US, both in whelp, producing 13 puppies, the dams subsequently returning to the US. Several other Tibetan Mastiffs have been imported to Britain from a number of countries, and though there are still relatively few Tibetan Mastiffs seen at shows in Britain, the breed has had its own classes at Crufts since 1991, with TMs from other countries eligible to compete in the UK via the Pet Passport system.

This photo from 1958 shows “two jet black Sherpa dogs, ordered by President Eisenhower’s special assistant, Thomas Stevens… This rare species of Tibetan Mastiffs are reported to be the first pair ever sent to the United States.” Having arrived from Nepal, the dogs were photographed outside a New Delhi, India hospital, where they received inoculations before being flown to the US.

The TM bitch Ausables Chang-du, owned by Ken Summers, became the foundation bitch for the Ausables kennel in New York, owned by Steven and Linda Nash. Puppies produced in her litters by Jumla’s Kalu of Jumla (in November 1973) and I Ching (in December 1974) became the foundation for all Ausables pedigrees, with subsequent influences from imports Beisler’s Kachook (in November 1976) and Angmo Rajkumri Chattang, known as “The Dutchman” (in December 1981).