MyDogBreeds
Tibetan Mastiff is originated from China but Mioritic Sheepdog is originated from Romania. Tibetan Mastiff may grow 8 cm / 4 inches higher than Mioritic Sheepdog. Tibetan Mastiff may weigh 30 kg / 67 pounds more than Mioritic Sheepdog. Both Tibetan Mastiff and Mioritic Sheepdog has same life span. Tibetan Mastiff may have less litter size than Mioritic Sheepdog. Both Tibetan Mastiff and Mioritic Sheepdog requires Moderate maintenance.
The Tibetan Mastiff is still considered to be a primitive breed originating in Tibet centuries ago. The breed was developed to guard property and livestock. They still do this as well as being a much loved family dog and a show dog as well. There is very little history that is documented for the breed prior to the 19th century.
Believed to be centuries old with ancestors who are mastiff like dogs that developed into two different types of Tibetan Mastiffs. These types are the Tsang-Khyi and the Do-Khyi. The Tsang Khyi were guardians for Tibetan monks, while the Tsang-Khyi guarded flocks for nomadic shepherds and in villages.
The first Tibetan Mastiff was imported in 1847 to England and presented as a gift to Wueen Victoria, from India’s Viceroy. By 1873 there was an English Kennel Club and the breed was labeled a large dog from Tibet and entered into the EKC Stud Book.
The next year the future King Edward VII, brought another two Tibetan Mastiffs to the United Kingdom to show in 1875. The first breed club began in 1931. The world wars interfered and no new dogs were imported to England until 1976. Two dogs were given to the President of the United States in the late 1950’sbut were not bred and it wasn’t until 1970 that any more were imported. The US Tibetan Mastiff Club was not founded until 1974 and they were first entered in a National Specialty show in 1979.
In 2007 the AKC recognized the breed as a working dog since 2007. It’s hard to find a purebred Tibetan Mastiff in Tibet anymore.
This is a large dog coming from the Carpathian mountain area of Romania.
He has always been an excellent working dog, guarding and protecting sheep. Farmers always kept these dogs as working dogs, with no written records being kept about the development of the breed.
The breed is ancient, possibly dating back to ancient Roman times. It was in the 20th century that interest in the breed was ignited, and in 1981 the first official breed standard was recorded. The breed was also registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 2005.
Both types of Mastiffs can be present in the same litter, so that both larger and smaller pups are present. Both types are well-muscled and structured. Today’s dogs being developed in China and the West are much larger than the previous ones. These dogs would be less useful to the nomads and cost too much to feed. Today’s dog is very large with a large head and a long double coat. This coat can be black, brown, gold, and blue, with or without tan markings. There are now a few white Tibetan Mastiffs being bread.
The breed standard for the Mastiff is different in the West than in the East. In the East the breed is broken into two categories – the Lion Head and the Tiger head.
The Mioritic Sheepdog looks very much like the Old English Sheepdog with his huge body covered with long hair.
His head is also large with a black nose and smallish to medium length floppy ears. The color of the double coat is usually white, cream or pale gray, and sometimes you will find patches of these colors.
The tail has always been traditionally docked, otherwise the tail is left long with a slight curl at the end. The height of the dog is 65 to 75cm and he weighs roughly 50–60kg. Below the thick coat is a muscular dog with strong, straight legs which can help him become quite agile and speedy when needed. Allowed to breed, they can produce anything from 3 to 9 of the most adorable looking puppies.
The Mioritic Sheepdog is a balanced dog, loving to be with his owners but being wary of strangers. He is a brave dog, willing to guard his human family with his life.
He is also a strong-willed and dominant so it will be to his benefit to be trained and socialized so that he becomes obedient and easy to have around.Training won’t be difficult as he is an intelligent breed and already naturally obedient.
He is an energetic dog too so he will need to have regular exercise and games. He therefore gets on well with children in the home, loving to join in with all their games. He will need to be supervised around small children just because of his cumbersome, large size.
With extreme caution and only if raised together
Guard dog
Not good. No apartments and cant deal with heat
Highly intelligent very stubborn and independent
The Mioritic Shepherd has always been used to guard and protect livestock, but even though he has always taken this role seriously, he is calm and loving around his human family, making a splendid family pet.
He also plays the role of guardian and protector of his human family seriously. He is a big strong dog and training and socialization will become necessary as he can become aggressive with certain people who he doesn’t trust.
Inviting one of these dogs into your home will ensure having a constant and loving companion at your side.
Though considered a primitive dog and isolated for several centuries, so they should not have as many genetic or inherited conditions as other dogs with more cross and in-breeding. These are the potential health issues they might develop:
Elbow and Hip dysplasia – can lead to lameness and arthritis.
OCD Osteochondrois Dissecans – this is also an orthopedic condition when the soft tissue growth is abnormal in the joints. It is painful and the joint is stiff. Don’t breed a dog that has this condition.
Panosteitis – Canine growing pains. Inflammation of the long bones in large dogs as they grow. They will eventually out grow it. Pain can be managed through medication.
Autoimmune Hypothyroidism – Hormone deficiency leading to flaky skin, weight gain and lack of energy. Can be managed through medication.
Canine Inherited Demyelinative Neuropathy – If your Tibetan Mastiff is going to have this condition, they will have it by six weeks of age. Weakness in the hind legs leading to paralysis.
Bloat – deadly if not treated immediately and related to dietary habits.
The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is a truly hardy dog breed and with good care such as good food and exercise can reach 14 years of age.
There are always some common dog illnesses to look out for and because he is a large dog, hip dysplasia can be a problem.
This is a disease where there is abnormal growth of the hip joints. Smooth movement of the joint is hindered and this leads to inflammation and pain.
At first you may find your dog limping and then you may find that after lying down, he battles to get up again. The joint becomes thickened with less mobility and the dog is reluctant to play like he used to. He will certainly need to get to the vet for treatments to make him more comfortable.
Don’t feed the puppy too much protein as you want to prevent Panosteitis and growing too quickly. Do not overfeed. Feed 4-5 cups of high quality large breed puppy food in 3-4 meals day.
4 to 6 or more cups of a high-quality dog food daily, divided into two meals. To avoid bloat do not feed before or after vigorous exercise.
Calm and laid back when inside.
They need 20-30 minutes of vigorous exercise and play daily. They prefer to play with other large dogs.
The Mioritic Sheepdog’s long hair is coarse and will need to be regularly brushed to keep it free of tangles. It will certainly need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week, while some owners of this dog will prefer to have the coat professionally clipped. Because of the long hair, while brushing him it is an excellent time to check for ticks and fleas.
The food you give your pet plays such a critical role in his health and longevity. Always make sure that you’re giving your pet an uncomplicated diet to avoid stomach upsets.
Give him the best commercially manufactured kibble. To provide him with some variety, add in some boiled chicken, cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach to his kibble from time to time. He will also benefit greatly from having some raw meat added into the kibble occasionally.
Learn to know which human foods are totally toxic to him and avoid these. Make sure he is never without cool, fresh water.