Maremma Sheepdog vs American Mastiff - Breed Comparison

The history of the American Mastiff is entirely tied to the old European Mastiffs but in particular the English Mastiff. The developers of the American Mastiff crossed the English Mastiff with the Anatolian Mastiff at the Ohio kennel, Flying W Farms. The founder of this breed is Fredricka Wagner. Because of this the English Mastiff and the American Mastiff look very much alike. The difference between the two is that the American Mastiff was bred to have less health concerns than the English Mastiff and without the drooling. In 2000 the CKC acknowledged that the American Mastiff and the English Mastiff were separate breeds.

Known also as the Cane de Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, the Maremma Sheepdog is often referred to as the Maremmano or the Abruzzese Sheepdog.

This is a working dog – a guardian of sheep and an indigenous dog to central Italy. The dog has been used for centuries already to guard sheep.

It was in 1924 that the first standard for the breed was published.

This crossing of the English Mastiff and the Anatolian Mastiff resulted in a Mastiff with a much drier, less drooling mouth than the other Mastiffs. This is a giant, massive dog – powerful and muscular. With a wide head that is rectangular rather than square. Their eyes are dark amber, and their ears are high on their head and rounded. With a medium size muzzle, black mask and heavy head, the American Mastiff is a handsome dog.

Their chest is broad, deep with ribs that extended backward. He has strong legs that are parallel and wide set. He also has a long tail. Puppies of the American Mastiff are born almost black and as they grow their coat color lightens. In addition, it is important that they have a wrinkled forehead as well and a scissors bite is preferred.

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large dog with a muscular build. Some people who have owned these distinctive-looking dogs say he is like a big bear. He stands at 65 to 73 cm in height, both male and female, and he weighs 35 to 45 kg.

The coat is long, thick and white with a dense undercoat. If you look you’ll see flashes of pale orange or apricot amid the white. There is thicker, longer hair around the neck area.

The nose is black, the eyes brown and the ears medium length and floppy. The long tail is set low and is thickly feathered. You can expect 6 – 10 puppies from these dogs.

Temperament:

The Maremma has always been used to guarding sheep, and today even though he is looked upon as a wonderful, friendly companion dog, he also makes an excellent watch dog, being brave and courageous. He isn’t the kind of dog that you think of as getting wildly excited over something, as he has a dignified aura about him.

He is an independent dog, so training and sociaization will be absolutely imperative as he is strong-willed and likes to do things his way. Once trained and socialized, it is amazing to see such a large dog obeying all your commands such as ‘lie down, come, sit an stay'. He is very intelligent and shouldn’t have any trouble learning these basic commands.

He is calm and gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home. With his role as guardian of sheep, he has learned to be loyal and patient and will make a loyal ad loving family pet he takes his role as guardian very seriously.

He loves hard work, and shepherds have always appreciated the splendid work he does guarding their flocks. As a companion you will also appreciate the many excellent qualities he possesses.

The Maremma Sheepdog isn’t recommended for life in the city where there is a tiny garden. He has always been accustomed to large open spaces and requires a large garden. He won’t tolerate heat well with that thick coat of his and will require a shady spot in your garden to retreat to.

A love of children and devotion to his pack (family) is bred into the American Mastiff. He is non-aggressive unless you threaten his family or his children. Then he becomes courageous, protective and defensive. This is a gentle giant most of the time, however due to size and the need for strong leadership, the American Mastiff should be socialized and trained early. If they are socialized and trained they will be calm, gentle dogs. They will remain protective and alert, but they will be friendly with strangers. They love to please their people and being highly intelligent they learn fast.

This is a beautiful dog, but large, so don’t make the mistake of wanting a large dog like this for his looks. He will be expensive to feed.

If you have the means to provide a good home for him, he is friendly and good natured, even though he is strong-willed and independent.

Provide him with a good home and you’ll have a most splendid pet and companion.

American Mastiffs seem to have fewer health issues than other larger giant breed dogs. However, they can experience allergies as many large, wrinkled dogs do. They also might have a tendency toward eye issues, hip dysplasia, cancer and heart disease. Bloat might be the most life-threatening issue many American Mastiffs experience.

This ancient dog breed is robust and can reach 11 to 13 years of age when cared for properly. Like any other dogs, he can be prone to certain health problems.

One of these is hip dysplasia. Preventing your dog from becoming overweight can work towards preventing these kinds of musculoskeletal issues. Hip dysplasia occurs when your dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly so that the hips partially dislocate.

It is painful for your dog and it can be debilitating, leading to arthritis too and making it difficult for your pet to get around and to get up from lying down. There are a number of treatment options offered by your vet.

Giant breeds like the American Mastiff are known for growing rapidly as a puppy and therefore proper feeding and nutrition is essential. The slower your American Mastiff grows, the better. Make sure your puppies get enough phosphorous and calcium in their high calorie diet. Free feeding is not recommended. Feed puppies up to 4 small meals per day and feed adults twice a day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned this breed is a fairly healthy one, There, are however, certain evaluations you should do with your American Mastiff puppy to be sure she is in good health. These tests would include an elbow and hip evaluation to check for dysplasia. He should have an ophthalmologist and cardiologist examine him as well. Most American Mastiffs will not have any problems, but these evaluations will help to prepare you if they do. The wrinkles in your dogs; face, around the eyes and muzzle must be kept clean as they can become infected if you don’t.

Exercise and games

Unlike the way he looks, the American Mastiff is not a couch potato, but neither are they a high energy, exercise machine. They do well living in apartments or homes, with or without a fenced in yard. They need a long walk every day. They need mental stimulation through exercise and games. Make sure they learn to love to play so that they don’t become lazy as they age.

Exercise:

As already suggested, this large dog will need space and he will need to be exercised. Apart from long walks in he countryside or in the park or your neighborhood, he will also need other activities that stimulate him mentally and physically.

Grooming:

The thick, all-weather coat of the Maremma will need a thorough bushing at least twice a week to get rid of all those loose hairs. When you are brushing him, look around for signs of ticks and fleas too and run your hands over him to feel for any unusual lumps.

Diet:

The Maremma is a large-breed dog, so before you get a big dog like this, decide whether you have the financial means to feed him and look after him properly. He is going to cost a lot to feed, so think it through first.

He will need to be fed a high-quality commercial dog food which has been specially formulated for a dog of his size. Keep the food of dogs simple. We’re all tempted to feed our dog treats like things such as chocolates, coffee, nuts, onions, grapes and raisins but these can cause havoc with your dog’s stomach.

Stick to simple, nutritious food. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as potatoes, spinach and carrots can do wonders for your pet when you sometimes mix this into his kibble.

Try and mix some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.