MyDogBreeds
Neapolitan Mastiff is originated from Italy but Lhasa Apso is originated from China. Neapolitan Mastiff may grow 42 cm / 17 inches higher than Lhasa Apso. Neapolitan Mastiff may weigh 71 kg / 157 pounds more than Lhasa Apso. Neapolitan Mastiff may live 5 years less than Lhasa Apso. Neapolitan Mastiff may have more litter size than Lhasa Apso. Both Neapolitan Mastiff and Lhasa Apso requires Moderate maintenance.
An 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.
The Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog hailing from Tibet. He was a useful dog to the monks who would use him in the palaces as well as the monasteries to ward off intruders.
He actually takes his name from the holy city of Lhasa, with the history of the breed going back to 600BC.
Today he is a true companion dog, a family dog, known as as the Tibetan Apso, the Bearded Lion Dog, the Apso and Lhasa.
The dog has been recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1935, in the Non-Sporting Group category.
The 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.
Lhasa Apsos are small dogs which stand at between 25 to 28cm in height and weigh in the region of 6 to 8kg.
The body length of the dog is longer than the height of the dog. He has brown eyes, a black nose and medium length, floppy ears. The long tail is carried over the dog's back.
Many people get used to seeing a sheared or clipped Lhaso, so when they see a dog where the coat has been left uncut they can’t believe the long, straight, dense coat.
Because the dog hails from Tibet where the weather can be extremely cold, he has a double coat – an under- and outer coat. While the coat looks fairly silky, it isn’t really and is in fact quite course to the touch.
Colors of the coat can be gold, tan, cream, white, black and white. Regular brushing will be needed for the coat because this is a dog with continual shedding. These dogs are regarded as being hypoallergenic as they hardly shed.
Looks can be quite deceiving when it comes to the Lhasa Apso as he is a dog who looks as though butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth and that he is essentially just a cuddly lapdog.
This small little dog is tough, robust, strong-willed and in his heart he believes he is a huge Tiger.
He’ll make his human family a loyal and loving pet but he is wary with strangers, distrusting anyone he meets for the first time. He is a dog that will need to be trained and socialized as he may take over your home in his ‘Tiger’ role.
Smart and dominant, this training will turn him into an obedient dog to have around which is important as he can become bossy if left to go his own way.
Older children in their family. No toddlers or strangers.
Protective yet quiet, calm, relaxed
No they won’t adapt well to apartment living or to strangers.
They are intelligent and trainable but must be socialized and know the human is the alpha or they will take over.
The Lhasa Apso is a small dog full of surprises. That's because he can be manipulative, naughty and feisty one minute, and sweet and gentle the next. He happens to be a good watch dog too, and will alert you well in advance to intruders.
Because he is small and not a particularly energetic dog, he can slot into life in the city or the countryside with ease. However, exercise is good and necessary for every dog so be sure he joins you on your daily walks or you give him some games indoors.
The Lhasa can be a wonderful family companion and you’ll find that he can get on well with children who have been taught to treat animals with kindness and respect. He isn’t the kind of dog that you keep outdoors but is essentially an indoor dog, relishing the time he spends with his beloved human family and making a wonderful companion.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is prone to many of the same issues as any massive, extra large breed. The most common of these is Cherry Eye.
Every dog can develop genetic health problems, but it is highly unlikely that with good care, your Lhasa Apso is going to get sick.
He’s a healthy dog breed that can get to 14 years of age and even older. With Lhasas, health problems can include things like hip dysplasia, eye problems and intervertebral disc disease.
If you are buying a puppy, be careful from where you buy him from. You want careful breeders who screen their parent dogs for genetic diseases. Keeping your dog at the right weight and preventing obesity will also help to ensure he remains healthy.
Neapolitans grow fast and so don’t overfeed when they are young. Lower protein and higher fat content.
Don’t overfeed the adult as they can become obese.
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.
The Lhasa Apso is going to require regular brushing of his coat as it can get long and then it will matt and tangle easily.
There are owners of this dog breed who prefer to send their dog to their grooming parlor where the coat is trimmed short the way they prefer, minimizing the time spent grooming the dog. At the grooming parlour they also check the ears, the teeth of the dog and the nails, particularly if they don’t wear down naturally.
The Lhasa was bred to be a watchdog, so even though he is a small dog, he does his best to guard and protect you. He is no pushover, and training him and socializing him makes him even more adorable to be around.
As man’s best friend, he needs a high-quality, nutritious diet because this helps to protect him from disease. You can feed him the best commercially manufactured foods, but study the packaging details on what the ingredients are. You want to be avoiding corn and wheat, colorants and preservatives.
Your Lhasa has 4 – 6 puppies and as these get older and are weaned they will require 4 meals a day. Once your dog reaches one year of age, he can have 2 meals a day instead of one larger meal.
Every dog loves a little bit of home-made food as a treat, and your Lhasa will wag his tail when you add in some cooked chicken, brown rice and some raw or cooked vegetables into his kibble. Include some raw meat in the diet occasionally as well as this helps to avoid dog skin problems.
Folliculitis is a skin disease starting in the hair follicles of the dog and often occurs in conjunction with other skin disorders like mange. It is found mostly on the dog's abdomen, his armpits and groin and you’ll notice scaly rings with pus and scabs.
To avoid nasty skin diseases which can be very distressing for your pet, remember that your dog's dietary intake plays a huge role in the maintenance of a healthy skin and some raw meat is key to his wellbeing.