I'm really not sure. It was to my understanding that people now are breeding them to be even larger than ever for "bragging rights" and such which has caused a lot of health problems in the breed. Here is an interesting article I found discussing the history of the breed. Hopefully this helps to answer some of your questions;
Most people are at least vaguely aware of the ancient history of all Mastiffs. You will find many books on the subject, though how correct the information is, one often wonders, as there are frequently long gaps in the history or lineage of most breeds. Neapolitan Mastiffs are no exception. When you see things like; 'It is thought' or 'It is believed' or 'Most likely', you can be sure that in reality; It is not known.
What one author writes, many others will simply copy without a clue as to the facts. I have seen articles referring to Neos as 'Teddy Bears' or 'Gentle giants'. True a well reared dog is gentle toward his family and often even their guests. Regardless of this, he should NEVER be taken lightly, for that 'Teddy Bear' will turn in a second into a raging beast if his family or home is threatened.
It is CERTAIN that the Neapolitan Mastiff does belong to the family of dogs known of Old as the Molosser, and that these were dogs of war. It also stands as common sense that those dogs of Old were far fitter and tougher dogs than the romantic re-creation which is the Neapolitan of today.
We know roughly what those dogs of war looked like from artefacts, and paintings. These suggest that the larger of these dogs were left at home to guard, while the more active dogs were used to hunt or bring down large game, as well as march into battle.
We know that by the 1940's there were still a few dogs who bore more than a passing resemblance to the old Molosser as he used to be depicted. There were at that time no written records of lineage, nor were the dogs openly traded. They were bred and kept by both wealthy Italian landowners and poor farmers alike.
It was not until Piero Scanziani, a writer and journalist discovered them and brought them to the attention of the outside world, along with other fanciers of the breed, that the forerunners of the dogs we see today were promoted and records of lineage kept.
The dogs who were to be used in the reconstruction of this breed were gathered mainly from farms and estates around Naples.
Mario Queci was without doubt one of the most prolific and well known breeders from the early 1950s until he died in 1990. His kennel name, Di Ponzano, is in the pedigrees of most of the dogs we now have.
In this last 50 odd years the appearance of the Neapolitan Mastiff has been changed considerably from the large but still functional animals the Italians had kept to themselves for so long. He has been taken to the extremes we see today, through becoming 'fashionable' his health has suffered considerably, for the traits that have been bred for mean that he often suffers from low thyroid function. This gives the huge bones, thickened skin which give the masses of wrinkle, and often shorted leg bones which is a form of dwarfism. He has been likened to people and other animals which suffer from Ehlos-Danlos Syndrome. These recessive traits which have been bred in often lead to health problems such as low immune system, low energy, sparse hair growth, skin conditions, bone deformities, cartilage and ligament problems, and bad hearts.
If this trend for breeding overblown dogs which can barely trot around the show ring, let alone follow his master to war as the Molosser of old often did, continues, I fear the breed will soon be bred into extinction.
Photos show us just how much the appearance has been changed in less than 50 years of breeding by those more concerned with fashion than with preserving this ancient dog for his marvellous temperament, guarding abilities, and character, which is like that of no other dog.
For the Neapolitan Mastiff to march forward into the future as fearlessly as he once marched off to war, his health problems must be addressed. The usual tests and x rays for hips etc. mean little in selecting for health in this breed. Although he does have loose joints, these seldom bother him. It would be more appropriate to test for Ehlos-Danlos syndrome, or at least to select the less typy dogs for breeding and stop the push for ever larger and more grotesque looking dogs.
This will mean getting back to the type of dog he was before the followers of fashion took him and made him an unfit icon to what they see as a romantic resurrection of the Old Molosser; albeit minus that ancient dogs abilities.
It is not too late. Nature has a marvelous way of fighting back. If given the opportunity these dogs can continue as the mighty guards and companions that those old Italians so wisely kept from the outside world for so long.
We need to start selecting for dogs which are still functional in size, and for the less typy dogs with some, but not excessive wrinkle. Dogs which have legs of appropriate length for their bulk. In doing this we will also automatically be selecting for the dogs less likely to have the symptoms of Ehlos- Danlos Syndrome. Such dogs will then have far better health, yet keep their instincts for guarding their home and owner intact, as they have done for centuries. Unlike many of the Mastiff types, the Neo remains as good a guard as ever he was. His courage and loyalty to his family unswerving.
Last edited by Todd; 02-25-2010 at 05:52 PM.
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