MyDogBreeds
Seppala Siberian Sleddog is originated from Canada but Neapolitan Mastiff is originated from Italy. Seppala Siberian Sleddog may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Neapolitan Mastiff. Seppala Siberian Sleddog may weigh 56 kg / 123 pounds lesser than Neapolitan Mastiff. Seppala Siberian Sleddog may live 6 years more than Neapolitan Mastiff. Seppala Siberian Sleddog may have less litter size than Neapolitan Mastiff. Both Seppala Siberian Sleddog and Neapolitan Mastiff requires Moderate maintenance.
This is a rare working dog breed whose job it has been to pull sleds. The Seppala Siberian Sleddog hails from Canada and was regarded as the same dog breed as the Siberian Husky.There is the International Seppala Siberian Sleddog Club which works to preserve this amazing dog as a working breed.
It was during the 1990s that the breed was recognized as a new breed. In 2002 the Seppala Siberian Sleddog lines found their way to the USA .
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 Seppala Siberian Sleddog is a medium-sized dog that stands at between 56 to 58cm in height and weighs between 18 to 23kg.
It’s a beautiful wolf-like looking dog that used to be the same breed as the Siberian Husky, but it is now considered a separate breed.
The legs of this dog are longer, and they’re slightly more slender and lighter. The ears too, are taller and held very erect. The bushy tail is held high, curving over the back when alert.
The thick coat is medium length and there is also a thick undercoat. Coat colors vary and are wolf-like too - white, cream, grey, black and some reddish rusty colors. Eyes can be blue or brown or the dog can even have one brown eye and one blue.
Because this is an active working breed, he will need some robust exercise. Neglecting this side of him will result in a bored dog that howls a lot.
He is a high energy dog breed and won’t be content with a walk every day. When you go cycling or jogging, you can definitely count him in as he will like nothing more than to run beside you. If you are lucky to live near the beach, a tennis racquet to send the ball flying across the sand will please him no end.
He will need training and socialization of course, and you won’t have trouble training him as he is an intelligent dog. He isn’t the kind of dog that slots easily into life in the city, and will ideally suit a property with large grounds where he can run and play.
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.
The Seppala Siberian Sleddog has always been a working dog so he will need lots of varied forms of exercise. He makes a splendid family pet as he isn’t an aggressive dog.
He does however make a good watchdog and will bark and warn you of strangers approaching.These beautiful wolf-like dogs are guaranteed to make you a loving, loyal pet, and they love nothing more than to be close to all his human family.
Treat him as a member of the family and you’ll be rewarded by having his fantastic friendship.
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 Seppala Siberian Sleddog, just like most other dogs, can suffer from any one of the common dog ailments there are. These illnesses are cancer, hip dysplasia and eye disease.
You are more than likely not to see any of these illnesses with your pet, but it’s being a responsible dog owner to be aware of them and to get your pet to the vet if necessary.
Cataracts are an imperfection in the lens of the dog’s eye. The lens should be clear, but a cataract can start off small and then grow much larger, causing blindness in the dog. Cataracts happen when the cells are damaged, and diabetes can cause cataracts as can exposure to ultraviolet light. It is also an hereditary disease.
Most times dogs with cataracts can still see, but in the event of mature cataracts, your canine friend can undergo surgery to remove them.
This is another common dog disease. It can be painful for dogs, with either one or both hips being affected. Hip dysplasia can affect both young and old dogs. It can be sad seeing your active pet becoming reluctant to play. He may also have difficulty getting up from a lying down position.
There is treatment for hip dysplasia, and you will want to make sure your pet is as mobile and pain free as possible.
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.
The thick coat of the Seppala Siberian Sleddog will need to be brushed at least twice a week. The coat sheds heavily a couple of times a year and brushing may even be necessary once a day during this heavier shedding period.
Just like human beings, you can enhance your dog’s health and longevity by giving him the best food there is. Commercially manufactured dog foods, when carefully selected, can be a good, choice and they’re convenient too.
It is advised to try and go for the high quality ones known for their natural, quality ingredients. Always read the labels because you'll be surprised to see how some of the inferior dog brands pack their foods with toxic ingredients.
To provide your Seppala with just a bit of variety in his diet, give him some home-made food. It can be added into the dry kibble about twice a week as a treat. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach. Chop all this up and give it to your dog in small portions.
To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water
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.