The Alangu Mastiff is a rare dog breed from Southern India, from the Thanjavur and Tiruchi districts.

History

The Persian Army used Indian Mastiffs, but just for guarding and were introduced into Greece by Xerxes the First when he marched towards this country in 486-465 B.C.. The Indian Mastiff originated in and around the desert area of Kachchh, the Rajasthan area and Bhawalpur area of Punjab. A part of the Kutch area in Rajasthan was under the Sindh District and so the other name of this breed is Sindh Mastiff. Alongside the Kumaon Mastiff, the Indian Mastiff were used for hunting large games. A sudden change in the hunting practises saw the Indian Royal families to use cheetahs for hunting instead. This changed the Indian Mastiffs job to guard dogs and dogs used for fighting instead. With time most people forgot the breeds and the Indian Mastiff became rare. The people who used the Indian Mastiffs to fight dropped its height a couple of inches for performance sake. Its height was originally, 30-34 inches (76,2 - 86,3 cm), but as 150 years has passed the height of the breed has dwindled to 29-30 inches (73,6 - 76,2 cm). The Indian Mastiff are used as fighting dogs in India and surrounding countries. The Indian Mastiff are excellent Fighting Dogs and also as one of the most dangerous guard dogs. 

Appearance and Size

This is a tall breed with a noble carriage and short coat. The dogs may be red, fawn or brindle, markings vary. The muzzle is black and the skin around their neck and mouth is loose. The brisket is deep, and the limbs are well muscled. The back is long with the tail tapering to a fine point. The ears are set high on the skull and pricked. It has a long and graceful stride. Their height varies between 73,6 to 76,2 cm. (29-30 inches).

Personality

These dogs are known to be aggressive and protective, having a strong guarding instinct.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Alangu Mastiff" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.