MyDogBreeds
Himalayan Mastiff is originated from India but Irish Wolfhound is originated from Ireland. Himalayan Mastiff may grow 15 cm / 5 inches shorter than Irish Wolfhound. Himalayan Mastiff may weigh 24 kg / 53 pounds more than Irish Wolfhound. Himalayan Mastiff may live 5 years more than Irish Wolfhound. Himalayan Mastiff may have more litter size than Irish Wolfhound. Both Himalayan Mastiff and Irish Wolfhound requires Moderate maintenance.
The Himalayan Mastiff or Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient breed. Bred to be guardians of the flock, they could take care of leopards and wolves or anything else that tied to hurt the flock. The Himalaya Mastiff is found in the Himalayan area of Tibet. They are descendants of the Tibetan dogs that developed almost any Mastiff or Molosser on earth. They may have been in the mountains since the early 1100 BC. and have been fairly isolated. It was in this isolation that the Himalayan Mastiff developed.
Their function at that time was mostly to guard property. In some circumstances an entire village is guarded by one dog. It was also during this period that the breed was taught to be aggressive by tying them up as puppies. They guarded families while the men moved the village flock higher up in the mountains. They stayed in isolation until the mid-1800’s when the Queen of England was given a Himalayan Mastiff. For thousands of years, this dog was a nomad.
Soon the breed was being exported to England. A standard was developed, and the British began to breed them. Next, they were exported to Nepal, Afghanistan, India and the United States. They are rare in Tibet these days but more popular than ever in England and the United States. The first American Himalaya Tibetan Mastiff Association came into being in 1974 and in 2006 it was recognized by the AKC.
Today in the West, the Himalayan is a domesticated, family dog. It hardly fits in an apartment of course. These new western Himalayan Mastiffs are more easy- going than the Tibetan ones, but they are still wary of strangers and somewhat aloof. They are also still very protective and nocturnal. They are smart, independent and stubborn. They are not easy to train but socialization and obedience training is essential.
A study done in 2011 showed that it is very likely that many large breed dogs were descended from this Mastiff. This includes the St. Bernard, the Rottweiler, Bernese Mountain Dog and the Great Pyrenees. Later studies showed that the Mastiff’s ability to survive in the rare air of the Himalayans was due to interbreeding with Tibetan wolves in ancient, prehistoric times. Now they are competing in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
It is believed that the Irish Wolfhound is an ancient breed and that it was brought to Ireland as early as 7000 BC.
These dogs were bred as hunting dogs as well as guard dogs. There was a time when these huge canines were only allowed to be owned by the nobility. The breed died out somewhat, but Scotsman Captain George Augustus Graham made efforts to restore the breed’s numbers.
Captain Graham devoted his life to making sure the Irish Wolfhound’s numbers were built up, and the breeding program included Great Danes, Borzois, English Mastiffs and Scottish Deerhounds.
The Himalayan Mastiff is a giant, massive dog longer than it is tall. The breed has a heavy, broad head and square muzzle. They have black noses, a level bite and almond shaped, slanted, deep set eyes. They are brown, and the ears hang close to the head. They are heavy, muscular and sturdy. They have a feathered tail curving over their back. With a heavy, thick double coat and mane they resemble a lion at times. The coat can be brown, black, and gray-blue with gold or tan markings. These are impressive and noble dogs, athletic, with cat like feet. They are agile and light on their feet.
According to some breeders there are two different kinds or types of Himalayan Mastiff. These are the Tsang-khyi or the monastery mastiff type and the Do-khyi or the nomad mastiff type. The monastery is a heavier, taller dog who face is very wrinkled while the nomad is a leaner dog with less facial wrinkles. In any litter there can be both kinds. The kind of work that was given to each dog was dependent on their type. The Monastery kind is given stationary jobs and the nomad kind got the active jobs.
The tallest of the sighthounds, the Irish Wolfhound looks like a large Greyhound, only he has a rough, wiry type of coat.
He is also gracefully built and known as a gentle giant. The double coat which can be fawn, red, white, grey, black or brindle is straight to wavy.
He stands at about 81 to 86cm and weighs roughly 48 to 54kg. This is one of the few dog breeds that you can’t really call social. He loves his own human family, and becomes unhappy and ‘down-in-the-dumps’ when separated from his family members for too long. He is a quiet dog who tends to be somewhat introverted and reserved, while being highly intelligent.
He will require being trained and socialized to make him obedient as he is an independent dog. He takes his role as family protector seriously and even though he is quiet, he is ready to take on anyone who threatens his property.
The Irish Wolfhound is a gentle, quiet, soft-natured, easy-going dog and even though it is such a large dog, it doesn’t throw it’s weight around but is calm and patient around the elderly and children in the home. It can tend to be aggressive with animals he isn’t familiar with.
He is an intelligent dog, but even so he may be quite resistant to training as he is strong-willed and determined to have his own way. These dogs need to be trained and socialized otherwise they just do their own thing.
yes, they are if properly socialized.
Their athletic ability
They cannot live in an apartment. They need a large yard.
They are intelligent, but difficult to train. They are stubborn and independent.
The most notable aspect of the Irish Wolfhound is his amazing height. The legs are long, the body narrow. He is gentle and easy-going but because he is a sighthound he loves to give chase after animals.
He is capable of living in the city or countryside, but your home will need to cater to his size. He isn’t particularly energetic, enjoying a quiet life but he will absolutely need to be exercised.
Provide your gentle giant with everything needed to make him content, and you’ll have a faithful, loving friend for about 10 years.
Being a large breed of canine, the Himalayan Mastiff has some of the typical health issues of large dogs. However, they also face a serious genetic disorder as well.
Canine Inherited Demyelinative Neuropathy (CIDN) – a fatal disorder seen in puppies by seven weeks of age. Puppies die before they are 5 months old.
One wonders why breeders seem so bent on breeding such large dogs when they have health issues and they don't live particularly long. Not only do they cost a fortune to feed, but large dogs like this are more prone to illnesses and won’t live as long as small dog breeds. This big dog can live up to 10 years of age or so.
For starters, just because he is a deep chested dog, bloat or gastric torsion can be a threat. Other illnesses to look out for are dilated cardiomyopathy and bone cancer.
This is a disease of the heart muscle where the enlarged heart won’t function properly. The upper- and lower chambers of the heart are enlarged and the heart isn’t able to pump blood out properly. When the heart’s ventricle doesn’t pump enough blood into the lungs, fluid accumulates in the lungs and this ultimately leads to congestive heart failure.
Older dogs battle more with this heart disease and it is also more common in some dog breeds of which the Irish Wolfhound is one. Your dog will have shortness of breath, coughing and abdominal distension. He will need to get to the vet for medical tests.
Bone cancer can strike any dog, but you’ll find in more commonly with larger dog breeds. It can spread quickly and the long term prognosis isn’t good. It’s not easy to pick the disease up and it can mean joint pain for your pet and even lameness.
Your dog will be tired too. Your vet will do X-rays and other tests, but unfortunately the prognosis isn’t usually good. Big-dog breeders should take this into consideration.
This breed will eat less than you think they should but don’t overfeed. Puppies need a solid dry food for large dogs. You can free feed 1 cup three times per day.
For dogs over a year old you can free feed anywhere from two to four cups of dry food per day. Unlike many other breeds, the Himalaya Mastiff will only eat when hungry and they may not eat more than once a day. They will not overeat. The males might not eat at all when females are in season if they are around them.
They have good strength and athletic ability.
The Himalayan Mastiff needs regular, routine walks. It is important during these walks that the human leads the way, or the dog heals. Do not overwork a young Himalayan Mastiff. They need work related jobs like structured play time, walking the boundary of their territory, playing frisbee or catch. They work and play in short bursts then rest.
This isn’t a particularly energetic dog and he can tend to become lazy. Don’t allow this as becoming unfit and overweight can be very bad for such large dog. Being so large already puts stress on the dog’s body, and the dog is already susceptible to cardiac and skeletal problems. Allowing him to become lazy and overweight will be a death sentence for this large dog. It is imperative to make sure you take him on walks and play games with him.
The coat of your dog is thick and medium length and he will require being brushed at least twice a week. You may want to also trim the longer hair you find around his face and legs.
When it comes to his ears, you can moisten some cotton wool and wipe the inside of his ears to remove dirt and excess wax. Remember not to probe too deeply to avoid damaging the ear. If you’re uncertain how to do this, your vet can explain to you how its done.
Check his teeth regularly as dental disease can affect other areas of the body too. Don’t allow his nails to get too long as they can cause paw problems and the nails can hook onto things and cause injury.
Because this is a giant breed, the puppy will grow for a long time. Speak to your vet about how to ensure you feed your puppy in such a way that he doesn’t grow too quickly.
If you feed your dog a commercially manufactured food, make sure its one of the top quality brands. Include home-made cooked food such as chicken, rice and vegetables into his kibble from time to time, and also try to feed him some raw meat occasionally.
Fresh, cool water must be available to your Irish Wolfhound around the clock.