Neapolitan Mastiffs originally came from Naples in Italy. The ancestors of these dogs were used as pets and as warrior dogs during the times of the Roman Empire, which makes them a very old breed indeed. Although they almost became extinct, lovers of these physically impressive dogs have worked hard to prevent the breed disappearing altogether. This means that while the Neapolitan Mastiff as a breed has been saved, current dogs are all descended from a fairly small gene pool which may lead to an increased risk of genetic diseases.

It's quite common for the Neapolitan Mastiff to suffer from some degree of hip dysplasia. Another frequently occurring medical problem is "cherry eye" or prolapse of the gland in the third eyelid. Dogs that develop cherry eye may ultimately need surgery to remove the gland. Larger breeds of dogs tend to have a shorter lifespan and the Neapolitan Mastiff is no exception - their normal lifespan is around 8-9 years.

If you are thinking of welcoming a Neapolitan Mastiff into your family, be prepared to get wet! These dogs salivate and slobber over everything, and are very messy eaters. You may find yourself having to wipe up after your dog several times a day.

Anyone who sees a Neapolitan Mastiff can't help but be impressed. These are big dogs. Adults can weigh up to 90kg, and can be 80cm tall when measured at the shoulder. They have a massive head, with large droopy lips and wrinkling over their eyes. Their body is well muscled, and their loose skin is freely moveable over the tissue underneath. This means that if they are attacked by another dog, the skin will slide about to stop the muscle underneath getting bitten.

The droopy skin on the face of the Neapolitan Mastiff may give you the impression that they aren't very smart. This definitely isn't the case. They are watchful and intelligent, and very protective of their home.

These dogs are most commonly grey in colour, but that grey can range from a very dark charcoal shade, to a pale shade of blue. There are other colours including black and mahogany, but these are rare, and less likely to be seen. 

These dogs have always been natural guardians, and can be wary and suspicious of strangers. They would much rather stay close to their family where they can protect them from outsiders. They must be socialised and well trained right from puppyhood so they don't mind meeting new people and other dogs. If this isn't done properly, they may become aggressive towards those they don't know, purely because they are looking after their own. 

Give some thought to the training method you want to use with your Neapolitan Mastiff. Dominance training isn't likely to work if your dog is bigger than you! Use positive methods such as food rewards and clicker training and your dog will grow up to respect you.

Neapolitan Mastiffs don't need a job to do as such, because their job is guarding their family. They are not active and don't need a lot of exercise. 

Their coat is low maintenance but because they are wrinkly, they need regular cleaning in the skin folds to avoid infection.

This is not the breed for an inexperienced dog owner, because they need a confident, firm leader who understands how important it is to socialise and train their dog. Also, if you have young children, think carefully before you introduce a Neapolitan Mastiff into your home. Although they may not deliberately hurt a child, they could knock them over and accidentally cause injury just because they are so big.