Tibetan Dogs
The Tibetan Mastiff also known as do-khyi (variously translated as "home guard", "door guard", "dog which may be tied", "dog which may be kept"), reflects its use as a guardian of herds, flocks, tents, villages, monasteries, and palaces, much as the old English ban-dog (also meaning tied dog) was a dog tied outside the home as a guardian. However, in nomad camps and in villages, the do-khyi is traditionally allowed to run loose at night.
The name Tibetan mastiff is a misnomer; it is not a true mastiff. The term "mastiff" was used primarily because it meant "large dog". Early Western visitors to Tibet misnamed several of its breeds: The "Tibetan Terrier" is not a terrier and the "Tibetan Spaniel" is not a spaniel. A better name for the dog would be Tibetan mountain dog or, to encompass the landrace breed throughout its range, Himalayan mountain dog.
Appearance
Currently, some breeders
differentiate between two "types" of Tibetan Mastiff, the Do-khyi
and the Tsang-khyi. The Tsang-khyi (which, to a Tibetan, means
only "dog from Tsang") is also referred to as the
"monastery" type, described as generally taller, heavier, and more
heavily boned, with more facial wrinkling and haw than the Do-khyi or
"nomad" type. Both types are often produced in the same litter with
the larger, heavier pups being more rare.
Males can reach heights up to 32
inches (81.28 cm) at the withers, although the standard for the breed is typically in
the 25- to 28-inch (61- to 72-cm) range. Dogs bred in the West weigh between
105 lb (47.6272 kg) and 180 lb (82 kg)—although dogs in the
upper range are often overweight. The enormous dogs being produced in some
Western and some Chinese kennels would have "cost" too much to keep
fed to have been useful to nomads; and their questionable structure would have
made them less useful as livestock guardians.
The Tibetan Mastiff is considered a
primitive breed. It typically retains the hardiness which would be required for
it to survive in Tibet and the high-altitude Himalayan range, including the
northern part of Nepal, India and Bhutan. Instinctive behaviors including
canine pack behavior contributed to the survival of the breed in harsh
environments. It is one of the few primitive dog breeds that retains a single estrus per year
instead of two, even at much lower altitudes and in much more temperate
climates than its native climate. This characteristic is also found in wild
canids such as the wolf.
Since its estrus usually takes place during late fall, most Tibetan Mastiff
puppies are born between December and January.
Its double coat is long, subject to
climate, and found in a wide variety of colors, including solid black, black
and tan, various shades of "red" (from pale gold to deep red) and
bluish-gray (dilute black).
The coat of a Tibetan Mastiff lacks
the unpleasant "big-dog" smell that affects many large breeds. The
coat, whatever its length or color(s), should shed dirt and odors. Although the
dogs shed somewhat throughout the year, there is generally one great
"molt" in late winter or early spring and sometimes another, lesser
molt in the late summer or early fall. (Sterilization of the dog or bitch may
dramatically affect the coat as to texture, density, and shedding pattern.)
Tibetan Mastiffs are shown under one
standard in the West, but separated by the Indian breed standard into two
varieties.] Lion Head (smaller; exceptionally long hair from
forehead to withers, creating a ruff or mane) and Tiger Head (larger; shorter
hair).
Unlike most large breeds, its life
expectancy is long, some 10–14 years—at least in some lines. Other, more
closely inbred lines, produce short-lived, unhealthy dogs. The breed has fewer
genetic health problems than many breeds, but cases can be found of hypothyroidism,
entropion,
ectropion,
skin problems including allergies, autoimmune problems including demodex, missing
teeth,(overbite or
underbite),
cardiac problems, and
small ear canals with a tendency for infection. As with most large breeds, some
will suffer with elbow or hip dysplasia.Canine inherited demyelinative neuropathy (CIDN), an inherited condition, appeared in one of the prominent lines of Tibetan Mastiffs in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, known carriers were bred extensively and are behind many lines still being actively bred.
Hypothyroidism is fairly common in Tibetan Mastiffs, as it is in many large "northern" breeds. They should be tested periodically throughout their lives using a complete thyroid "panel". (Simple T2/T4 testing is virtually useless.) However, because the standard thyroid levels were established using domestic dog breeds, test results must be considered in the context of what is "normal" for the breed, not what is normal across all breeds. Many dogs of this breed will have "low" thyroid values but no clinical symptoms. Vets and owners differ on the relative merits of medicating dogs which test "low", but are completely asymptomatic. Some researchers think that asymptomatic hypothyroidism may have been adaptive in the regions of origin for many breeds, since less nutrition is required for the dog to stay in good condition. Therefore, attempts to eliminate "low thyroid" dogs from the Tibetan Mastiff gene pool may have unintended consequences for the breed.
