Treeing Tennessee Brindle vs Tibetan Mastiff - Breed Comparison

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.

There doesn’t seem to be 100% clarity on how the dog came about but it originated in USA. It appears as though it was only since 1995 that records have been maintained through the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service Program.

A Reverend Earl Phillips, who was a writer for a hunting magazine became aware of a Brindle Cur with a brown coat and tiger stripes. In fact ‘treeing’ is a type of hunting, where the dog chases an animal into a tree to escape. He heard about the dog’s amazing hunting skills.

In the early 1960s, he later formed The Treeing Tennessee Brindle Breeders Association, designed to protect the breed. It was in 2013 that the dog got foundation stock status with the American Kennel Club, but isn’t registered with the American Kennel Club.

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 Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a medium sized, deep chested breed of Cur, descending from the Old Brindle Cur dog.

These strong dogs have a short, smooth brindle coat that is fairly soft to the touch. The coat's color is a mix of tan, black and a little bit of white.

He stands at between 41 and 61cm in height and weighs between 14 and 23kg both male and female. The Treeing Tennessee Brindle has a loud bark and it is best that this dog lives on a farm or in the suburbs as opposed to living in a small space in the city.

Temperament:

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a friendly, social dog and this is why he doesn’t make a particularly good watchdog.

He gets on well with children in the home as well as other dogs, not showing any aggression towards them.

They’re intelligent dogs and it will be a good idea to have them trained and socialized to make them well balanced and well behaved.

Children friendliness

With extreme caution and only if raised together

Special talents

Guard dog

Adaptability

Not good. No apartments and cant deal with heat

Learning ability

Highly intelligent very stubborn and independent

This brindle-colored cur dog is brave, intelligent and lively and his temperament allows him to be a good companion for his human family.

Even though they are friendly around strangers, they still make good watchdogs and will alert you to all kinds of visitors to your property. They do best in a home with large grounds and an active family where they can explore and sniff around. At the end of the day, they love to lie contentedly at your feet, a loyal, loving companion.

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 Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a robust, healthy breed. You’re not likely to battle with too many health issues with him.

Watch out for ear infections which are more common in floppy eared dogs. Other common dog diseases that you need to know about -

Canine Distemper:

This is a viral disease which is highly contagious and with no known cure. It’s why there is a vaccine against it. Coughing, lethargy, high temperature and loss of appetite with vomiting are symptoms of this disease.

Canine Influenza:

This is another highly contagious respiratory viral infection transmitted between dogs in close proximity to each other, like in kennels for instance.

Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, breathing difficulties, lethargy and loss of appetite. It’s important to get veterinary assistance as pneumonia could set in.

Feeding the puppy

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.

Feeding the adult

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.

Points for Good Health

Calm and laid back when inside.

Games and Exercises

They need 20-30 minutes of vigorous exercise and play daily. They prefer to play with other large dogs.

Grooming:

A brush once or twice a week will be sufficient for this dog. Look inside his ears for signs of redness which could indicate an ear infection. Make sure his eyes are still bright and not red and with a pus discharge. Trim his nails too.

Exercise:

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a high energy dog and he is going o want more than just a walk every day, although he will love that and rely on you for this daily outing.

He will also want ball games and hide and seek games.The breed needs an active owner who will take him on long walks and hikes.

Diet:

Whenever you opt to give a dog commercially manufactured dog food, you need to check that the dog food is made with high-quality ingredients which are mostly made up of protein or meat.

Certainly a puppy will need protein in his food for proper growth and he will require 4 bowls of food a day. An adult dog will require 2 bowls of food a day.

The type of commercial dog food you buy will depend on the age of your dog as well as his activity levels. If your dog has a known allergy or illness, there are dog foods manufactured with that in mind.

Try and in include some homemade food into his diet. Nothing spicey and exotic as this can cause stomach problems. A good guide is boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.