Neapolitan Mastiff vs Rafeiro do Alentejo - Breed Comparison

Neapolitan Mastiff vs Rafeiro do Alentejo - Breed ComparisonRafeiro do Alentejo is originated from Portugal but Neapolitan Mastiff is originated from Italy. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Neapolitan Mastiff are having almost same height. Rafeiro do Alentejo may weigh 19 kg / 41 pounds lesser than Neapolitan Mastiff. Rafeiro do Alentejo may live 3 years more than Neapolitan Mastiff. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Neapolitan Mastiff has almost same litter size. Both Rafeiro do Alentejo and Neapolitan Mastiff requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Molosser dogs
undefined
Portugal
Italy
Height Male:
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Height Female:
64 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
61 - 79 kg
134 - 175 pounds
Weight Female:
45 - 60 kg
99 - 133 pounds
51 - 69 kg
112 - 153 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
7 - 9 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 10
6 - 12
Size:
Large
Giant
Other Names:
Portuguese Mastiff
Can'e presa • Italian Mastiff • Italian Molosso • Mastino • Mastino - Mastini plural • Mastino Napoletano • Neo
Colors Available:
Fawn, cream and black. , white, a wolf grey
black, mahogany and tawny, blue, chocolate, gray
Coat:
Short to medium length, dense
straight, dense, short
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Alert, Courageous, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Quiet, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
No
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

History

rafeiro do alentejoKnown also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

neapolitan mastiffAn ancient breed, the Neapolitan Mastiffs are massive dogs with a history of protecting their family and their property. The breed has deep rooted protective instincts and they are very frightening in appearance. The Neapolitan is of the Molosser group of dogs, all of whom probably came from the same line. It is known that all the mastiffs in Europe are descendants of the Tibetan Mastiff. The Tibetan Mastiff is considered the most ancient of all canines.

The Asian Mastiffs came from India to Greece around 300 BC with Alexander the Great. Then the breed was brought to the Romans by the Greeks and then introduced them in their circus in fights. Another possibility is that around 500 BC the mastiffs came to Britain from the Phoenicians. Either way the Roman Molossus is the ancestor of the Neapolitan Mastiff.

The Romans crossed the breed with the English Mastiff around 55 BC and developed a premiere war dog that was called a Mastini.

The breed eventually became extinct in Europe with the exception of Campania. The breed was recognized in 1946 with the standard accepted in 1949. However, it is believed that the Neapolitan Mastiff has been continuously present in Campania for over two thousand years. The breed was initially developed as war dogs and for the Roman coliseum spectacles.

In 1946 Dr. Piero Scanziani established a program to breed them in Italy. He wrote the breed standard in 1949.

Today the Neo is a farm dog, an army dog, a police dog and a guard dog. They were shown in Italy for the first time in 1946 but only in 2004 was the breed recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). It was 1973 when the Neapolitan Mastiff Club of America was born and 1996 when the standard was approved by the AKC. They are still a rare breed in the United States.

Description

rafeiro do alentejo puppy - descriptionThe Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

neapolitan mastiff puppy - descriptionThe Neapolitan Mastiff is a massive dog , so powerful and very intimidating in his looks. With an incredibly large head and hanging folds and wrinkles, the Neo is an impressive animal. His inner nobility and dignity is evident in his stance and the way he holds himself. He is relaxed, calm, quiet yet imposing none the less. His coat is dark whether black, tawny, gray or mahogany. He is muscular beyond imagination. The Neo is 10-15% longer than he is tall.

On his massive head his eyes are deep set and covered by his eye lids that droop. His eyes are blue as puppies then dark and coordinated with his coat. and his nose is large and the color of his coat. Ears are natural or can be cropped, and they carry their tail straight and curving back. The Neo has round paws and arched toes.

Characteristics

rafeiro do alentejo dog - characteristicsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

Children friendliness

neapolitan mastiff dog - characteristicsOlder children in their family. No toddlers or strangers.

Special talents

Protective yet quiet, calm, relaxed

Adaptability

No they won’t adapt well to apartment living or to strangers.

Learning ability

They are intelligent and trainable but must be socialized and know the human is the alpha or they will take over.

Health Problems

rafeiro do alentejo puppies - health problemsThe Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

neapolitan mastiff puppies - health problemsThe Neapolitan Mastiff is prone to many of the same issues as any massive, extra large breed. The most common of these is Cherry Eye.

Other issues include:

  • Hypothyroidism – treated with medication
  • Elbow Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis
  • Hip Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis
  • Cardiomyopathy – heart issues
  • Bloat or Gastric Dilation Volvulus – can be fatal, needs immediate attention
  • Sensitivity to Anesthetics

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

rafeiro do alentejo dogs - caringMake your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Feeding the puppy

neapolitan mastiff dogs - caringNeapolitans grow fast and so don’t overfeed when they are young. Lower protein and higher fat content.

Feeding the adult

Don’t overfeed the adult as they can become obese.

Games and Exercises

This big hearty breed needs exercise but not too much. They overheat easily. The puppy will push himself, so you have to make sure he doesn’t over do it. No tug of war games. They need a long walk twice every day.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Neapolitan Mastiff vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Neapolitan Mastiff vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Neapolitan Mastiff vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Neapolitan Mastiff vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Neapolitan Mastiff vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Neapolitan Mastiff vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison