MyDogBreedsBoth North Country Beagle and English Mastiff are originated from United Kingdom. North Country Beagle may grow 31 cm / 12 inches shorter than English Mastiff. North Country Beagle may weigh 102 kg / 224 pounds lesser than English Mastiff. Both North Country Beagle and English Mastiff has almost same life span. North Country Beagle may have less litter size than English Mastiff. Both North Country Beagle and English Mastiff requires Low maintenance.
Known also as the Northern Hound or the Northern Beagle, the North Country Beagle hailed from Britain and is extinct.
It hailed more specifically from- and was native to the Yorkshire and Northumberland regions of England. As a scenthound it was known for its hunting skills.
There isn’t much known about the dog but it is one of England’s oldest hound breeds, with much of its ancestry been lost. There are many theories surrounding the origins of this dog. Also, the date at which the North Country Beagle was developed is also debatable but it has always been a good hunter.
Throughout most of history there have been images created by people of very large, sturdy dogs that they shared their space with. The English Mastiff can trace some part of her ancestry to these same dogs. This breed is thought to have come from the stock of ancient breeds such as the Alpine Mastiff, Pugnaces Britanniae and Alaunt. The Mastiff in general has then become a main descendent of many other breeds of dogs since the 1880’s. The images of these types of dogs goes back to the 5th and 6th century.
There is no genetic evidence linking these dogs to the modern Mastiffs and the English Mastiff, but the resemblance is obvious. There is anecdotal evidence that these Mastiff type dogs were exported from England – the English Mastiff – to Greece to hunt game but were also used as war dogs by the Celts. The Alaunt was probably used the Normans and bred by the Alans. Writings and images throughout these times depicted a dog that looked very much like today’s English Mastiff. Some speculate that the English Mastiff came to the United States of the Mayflower.
There was a decline in the English Mastiff in its homeland in the 1800’s following the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835 which prohibited owners and trainers from baiting animals. Then in the 19th century, prior to the first World War, systematic breeding programs began with J.W. Thompson. His first English Mastiff was a female named Dorah. Dorah’s ancestors included dogs from Thompson’s Grandfather. Captain John Garnier of the Royal Engineers also had dogs that contributed to the development of the English Mastiff.
During this time some breeders got away from pure type and began to breed for other factors. In the late 1800’s, Edgar Hanbury and Mark Hanbury Beaufoy began restoring the breed to its original soundness. One of their dogs was exported to the US were breeding to soundness continued until the First World War reduced the number of English Mastiffs around the world. By the time the war ended there were no English Mastiffs outside of England.
There was a dog in Canada named Beowulf and direct descendent of imports from Britain, who came to the States after the war and began to re-establish the breed on this continent and registered with the American Kennel Club. Yet as of 1945, the contribution from North
Breeding was stopped again for World War II and started again after the war. Many of these puppies died of distemper. Only one female had pups that were able to grow up into adults. North America sent dogs to England at this time and all of the Mastiffs from that time, could be traced back to Nydia and the 14 North American Mastiffs. Since then the breed has been restored slowly in Europe, North America and everywhere in the world.
The English Mastiff is known by his massive head with a black mask and comes in a wide variety of colors. He is also known as a gentle giant because of his personality and the love he has for his people.
The North Country Beagle seemed to vary quite a bit in size and because there isn’t much information on this extinct dog, we can assume he was much the same size of the Beagle we know today which is roughly 33 – 45cm in height and weighing between 9 and 11kg.
Not much is known about the dog’s appearance but it is believed that it looked much like the Southern Hound and English Foxhound. It was likely a medium sized dog with longish ears, thick bones but always agile and athletic.
There is very little known on what this dog’s temperament was like. He was strong willed and if you owned such a dog you would have had to have him trained and socialized. It was a dog that showed very little signs of aggression. It seemed the dog was friendly, social and loving to his human family.
The English Mastiff is a giant dog with a broad head and body. In terms of mass it is the worlds largest dog, just a little bigger that the Saint Bernard. The Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound are 6 inches taller but do not carry the weight and bulk of the Mastiff. Mostly square in his body and his head with a massive chest and wide set forelegs. The head is square and very large. No matter the color of the coat, the face should have a black mask like the St. Bernard. His eyes and nose are also dark.
The North Country Beagle was a social, energetic dog who loved spending time with his human family. They were intelligent too, so training and socialization were possibly easy for him.
They weren't regarded as raucous kind of dogs and were fairly quiet. They were quite social and didn't like being left alone for too long. They were adaptable too, slotting quite easily into country- or city life.
Coolish with strangers, the North Country Beagle made a good pet and companion with a generally happy, contented disposition.
The English Mastiff is very happy to play with children. You willl need to be careful with small children as he does not know his size and is likely to sit on them.
This lovable giant is noble and loyal. He will protect his family and he will be courageous about it.
This is a big dog but he doesnt live outside. You need a big yard and perhaps a big house. He may not adapt to an apartment.
The English Mastiff is smart and certainly trainable. He can be independent and stubborn at times but he has the ability to learn.
The North Country Beagle had a lifespan of 12 to 15 years, and while he was a fairly healthy dog breed, there were some common health issues to look out for. Some of these were patellar luxation, epilepsy and glaucoma.
This is a condition where there is pressure in the eye and where there is inadequate fluid drainage as well. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent damage to the optic nerve which can lead to blindness.
It is fairly common in certain breeds. There is primary and secondary glaucoma and symptoms for instance with primary glaucoma can be this high pressure within the eye and also a cloudy appearance in front of the eye along with redness of the blood vessels and dilated pupils. There can also be headaches and loss of appetite.
Being a massive dog can take its toll on the body’s development and that is certainly true of the English Mastiff. A lot of running is not recommended in the early life of the dog – preferable for the first two years. This could damage the joint’s growth plates and cause him a lot of problems in later years. Too much exercise in this massive dog can hurt him but so can, not enough exercise.
Some of the health issues other than this that the English Mastiff is prone to include:
A large dog like the English Mastiff is always prone to pain from arthritic joints. See your vet about pain medication.
A spot under the skin that is swollen and filled with fluid. Can be treated. It is not an infection or contagious.
Can result in lameness and arthritis.
Your North Country Beagle was a social animal and he always had a whole lot of love and friendship to offer his human family.
Today, if you bring such a dog into your home, its your responsibility to care for him and provide him with love.
A puppy such as this would have been fed 4 times a day. As he got older he would have had his meals cut down to one or two a day. His owners would have chosen a dog food according to age and activity levels, but always made sure that the food was rich in vitamins and minerals.
Dry kibble has the advantage of keeping your dogs teeth clean. Home-made food was and is always a welcome treat and can occasionally be added to the dry kibble. Keep the food consistent and simple to avoid stomach upsets.
Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as carrots, sweet potato and spinach would have kept the Beagle happy and healthy and is an excellent diet today for modern dogs. Sometimes you can also give a little bit of raw meat. Never leave any dog without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.
Your North Country Beagle would have required lots of energy and will have required being exercised. His owners may have taken him for walks every day, and modern Beagles today would require ball games and games that also provide him with the chance to think and work things out.
If you bring a pet home such as what the North Country Beagle was like, as a puppy, you would have had to make a vet appointment to ensure he had his vaccinations to protect him from deadly diseases.
General grooming of your North Country Beagle would have required you brushing him twice a week, checking inside and outside his ears for infection. This is particularly of importance with floppy eared dogs like this. Check his eyes and teeth too. His nails couldn't be neglected either, as left long, they could have hooked onto objects, tearing and causing pain and bleeding.
This is an enormous dog that grows quickly. It is important to feed them properly as they grow. If he doesn’t get what he needs as a puppy you will not be able to make it up to him later on.
The English Mastiff puppy needs good nutrition for growing properly.
From 12-16 weeks of age feed him 3-4 cups a day of a high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 3-4 meals.
From 4 -6 months of age feed him 8-10 cups a day of a high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 2-3 meals.
From 6-18 months of age feed him 8-12 cups a day of a high protein, high quality, dry food. Break this up into 2-3 meals.
The English Mastiff is still growing from a year to 18 months. Starting at 18 months feed him 10-12 cups a day of high protein, high quality dry food. Break this up into 2 meals.
As your Mastiff ages, cut down on the protein and feed a dry food appropriate for his age.
The English Mastiff is a very large dog that should not be allowed to get obese since he is prone to dysplasia. He needs protein throughout puppyhood and until he is about 8-10.
This is a couch potato if you let him be. Make sure he gets at least one long walk per day or he will tend to gain weight. Play with them off leash about an hour every day.