Neapolitan Mastiff vs Pekingese - Breed Comparison

Neapolitan Mastiff vs Pekingese - Breed ComparisonPekingese is originated from China but Neapolitan Mastiff is originated from Italy. Pekingese may grow 25 cm / 9 inches shorter than Neapolitan Mastiff. Pekingese may weigh 72 kg / 158 pounds lesser than Neapolitan Mastiff. Pekingese may live 6 years more than Neapolitan Mastiff. Pekingese may have less litter size than Neapolitan Mastiff. Both Pekingese and Neapolitan Mastiff requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Molosser dogs
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China
Italy
Height Male:
30 - 45 cm
11 - 18 inches
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Height Female:
30 - 45 cm
11 - 18 inches
50 - 60 cm
19 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
61 - 79 kg
134 - 175 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
51 - 69 kg
112 - 153 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 15 Years
7 - 9 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 4
6 - 12
Size:
Toy
Giant
Other Names:
Peke, Lion Dog
Can'e presa • Italian Mastiff • Italian Molosso • Mastino • Mastino - Mastini plural • Mastino Napoletano • Neo
Colors Available:
apricot, or black , cream, Fawn, grey
black, mahogany and tawny, blue, chocolate, gray
Coat:
Long, silky, dense
straight, dense, short
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, 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

pekingeseThis is an ancient dog breed that originated in China. Known also as Lion Dogs, they are toy dogs that have always been a popular choice for Chinese royals.

DNA analysis tells us that these dogs are one of the oldest dog breeds there are and over the years, the dog has barely changed in looks.

The dogs found their way out of China, and as they started spreading to the USA and the UK, Pekingese clubs started emerging. A pekingese dog was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1906, and the Pekingese Club of America was formed in 1909.

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

pekingese puppy - descriptionThe Pekingese is a dog which stands at between 30 – 45 cm and weighs anything from 3 to 7kg.

His double coat can be fawn, cream, apricot, grey, or black or even a mix of some of these colors.

The Pekingese is known for its flat- or squashed face and his large, bulging type of eyes. His body is low to the ground and is somewhat longer than what it is tall. He has long, silky, feathery ears and his tail is plumed and essentially held over his back. The face usually has a black mask.

Temperament:

The Pekingese is a stubborn, independent, intelligent dog, but with his human family he is loving and loyal. People often look at the Pekingese and think that it is a delicate dog that just wants to sit on your lap and be cuddled. But this isn’t the case and the Pekingese is a dignified, robust, bold, confident dog. He is essentially an indoors dog though and will be content for a while to lie close to his human companion. He is calm and quiet indoors but is also game for some activity, being quite a playful dog.

The Pekingese is the kind of dog that will slot easily into city or country living. He gets on well with children but if he could choose, he would prefer to live with calm, consistent adults, as he doesn’t gel too well with raucous, undisciplined children.

He is a wilful dog and will require being trained and socialized to make him obedient and more amicable.

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

pekingese dog - characteristicsSometimes when his hair has grown long and he has a ribbon in it he may be looked upon as shallow, pathetic and nothing but lapdog. In reality his heart is brave, tough, dignified and confident.

All the Pekingese wants is to be a normal and loving pet for the right kind of person who appreciates all his strong characteristics.

He is capable of being quite lively and protective of his human family. Give him love and treat him kindly and firmly and you’ll find out why he is such a popular dog breed.

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

pekingese puppies - health problemsThe Pekingese can live to be between 10 – 15 years of age. One of the main medical problems with this dog is his squashed face which can be a source of breathing problems for him.

The large, bulging eyes can also cause quite a few problems such as glaucoma, cataracts and eye ulcers. With Entropion the eyelid of the eye rolls inward and irritates the eyeball.

Your Pekingese shouldn’t be left outside as with his breathing problems, he isn’t good with regulating body temperature and can overheat in hot weather.

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

Diet:

pekingese dogs - caringNothing is set in stone when it comes to the diet of your Pekingese or any other dog for that matter. How much a dog eats will depend on his breed, his age, his size and his activity levels.

Every dog is an individual and your Pekingese is too. Good food however dictates a lot on how healthy your pet will be so it will be to his benefit to give him the best quality commercially manufactured food there is.

He loves a bit of variety too so if you chop up some boiled chicken, brown rice and some wholesome vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potato and add this to his kibble occasionally he will be delighted. He doesn’t want anything unusual or spicy because he can’t bear to have an upset stomach.

He must never be without a continuous supply of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

The Pekingese doesn’t have serious exercise needs, and a little bit of running and exerting himself can have him snorting and grunting. A slowish walk outside will satisfy his exercise needs.

Grooming:

The coat of the Pekingese is long and thick and if you choose to keep it that way it will require brushing at least twice a week. Some people prefer to have the dog’s hair cut professionally as then it is easier to manage.

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
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  9. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Neapolitan Mastiff vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
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  26. Pekingese vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Pekingese vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Pekingese vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Pekingese vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Pekingese vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Pekingese vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Pekingese vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Pekingese vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Pekingese vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Pekingese vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Pekingese vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Pekingese vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Pekingese vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Pekingese vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Pekingese vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Pekingese vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Pekingese vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Pekingese vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Pekingese vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Pekingese vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Pekingese vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Pekingese vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Pekingese vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Pekingese vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Pekingese vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison