PetzloverAmerican Molossus is originated from United States but Sloughi is originated from Morocco. American Molossus may grow 6 cm / 2 inches shorter than Sloughi. American Molossus may weigh 20 kg / 45 pounds more than Sloughi. Both American Molossus and Sloughi has almost same life span. Both American Molossus and Sloughi has almost same litter size. American Molossus requires Moderate Maintenance. But Sloughi requires Low Maintenance
Based on the massive dog of Mesopotamia in 5000 BC, the American Molossus is the same dog recreated in the United States by and for the lovers of these giant dogs. The ancient Molossus was fierce to look at, massive in size, courageous and loyal. He was undaunted by any animal and stood up to any man attempting to hurt his master. When Rome fell the descendants of today’s Molossus were scattered and attempts to revive the breed have created carious large dogs. The American Molossus is the first true recreation that hits the mark.
The original Molossus was one of the most primitive of dogs, one of the earliest dogs that men domesticated. Their initials duties were the guarding of herds and homes against all enemies. They were incredibly loyal to their one master and stayed with him and protected him. These dogs also ate carrion and served the villages by eliminating animal carcasses. They could handle any other hunting animals such as wolves and large cats. This dog, although extinct was the ancestor of all the Mastiff-type dogs of today. The Molossus is said to be the ancestor of the St. Bernard, English Mastiff, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, Newfoundland, Great Dane, Great Pyrenees, Rottweiler, Rottweiler and the Neapolitan Mastiff. Now these breeds have become the ancestry of the American Molossus.
According to Marcus Curtis, the founder of the new Molossus, the nearest relative of the American Molossus is the Neapolitan Mastiff. The Hines Bulldog, German Rottweiler, American Bandogge, and South African Boerboel together with the Neapolitan Mastiff were used to form the American Molossus. The goal of the founder was to make a great family pet and protector. It was specifically bred to be courageous, loyal and protective.
The Sloughi is an ancient dog breed, dating back to the 13th century, and coming from Morocco, North Africa.
Much of its history isn’t well known. The dog is a member of the sighthound family. They were originally used for hunting purposes.
The world wars saw their numbers declining. The first Sloughi dog was introduced to the United States in 1973. It was in 1989 that the American Sloughi Association was founded. The dog was also recognized by the American Kennel Club as a Foundation Stock Service breed in 1997. The dog has also been recognized by FCI in the Sighthounds group.
They are rare in the United States and if you wanted to buy one of these dogs you would stand a better chance of looking for a breeder, and then there may be a waiting list.
This is a giant, massive dog in every way and this recently developed standard makes that very clear. The Molossus should be heavy bones, muscular with a lot of loose skin and wrinkles of all kinds, everywhere. He is an intimidating presence, with a massive square head, broad shoulders, height and mass. No, the American Molossus is not athletic, but he certainly is intimidating.
His head is massive in comparison to his body and it must be square. He has extensive wrinkles and pendulous lips and dewlap. The face is all folds of skin and wrinkles. Deep set eyes, drooping upper lids and lower lids as well as an intimidating expression. His brow is well developed with a marked frontal furrow. The nose is large, and the muzzle is about a third of the length of its head. It is short and broad. Everything about the head must be square. It’s neck and body are powerful and muscular. The chest is deep, wide and barrel like. The back is also powerful and muscular. The front legs are heavy and muscular while the hind legs are broad, strong, powerful and wide-stance. Do not remove the front dew claws. His tail is thick and wide then gradually tapers at the tip.
The Sloughi is a big dog, tall and slender. The head is also long and elegant. He stands between 61 and 72cm, both male and female, and he weighs in the region of 18 to 28kg.
Looking much like a large Greyhound, the leggy dog has a noble look about him. Known for his hunting skills, he is fast and agile. In fact he is nicknamed the ‘Arabian Greyhound’.
The short straight hair makes him always look well groomed and clean. He sheds moderately throughout the year. Colors of the coat can be a fawn color, sandy, reddish brown or brindle and some come with the black mask and others without. He has medium length floppy ears and a long tail
The Sloughi loves his human family but is essentially a one-person dog. He is affectionate and loyal but can be quite stubborn, Having him trained and socialized does wonders and makes him amicable and well mannered.
He is quiet and intelligent and would prefer to be in a family with older children, and particularly with children who have been taught how to be kind and respectful with animals.
The American Molossus is an intimidating massive giant bred for protection and guard duty. He is incredibly loyal to his family and courageous in his protection of them. They are guard dogs, not attack dogs. Their simple appearance is usually enough to frighten off anyone intending harm on their families. He is in reality a loving giant. He is intelligent and stable with a strong desire to please his owner. He is a calm yet vigilant presence in the home.
Because the Molossus is so large, it is recommended that the puppy be socialized and trained professionally. It takes a strong owner to handle this breed. They need to know the rules and have the rules consistently applied. The owner must be the pack leader.
Sloughis are independent, strong willed dogs who will need a firm owner who is consistent, fair and firm.
They're tall, slender dogs, elegant to look at and low maintenance with their short coats.
They are calm and dignified and when you make one of them your friend, companion and pet, you’re going to enjoy years of devoted companionship and loyalty.
Like all Mastiffs the American Molossus faces a variety of potential illnesses, some brought on by its size, some not.
This could easily be a function of its massive size. It is a degenerative disease and can cause the dog to become lame. In many cases the vertebrae can fuse, or severe pain can result. This is mostly seen in older members of the breed.
Male Molossus can contract this inherited metabolic disease primarily. It can be life threatening and very serious as it affects the kidney and the bladder.
This is essentially Cervical Vertebral Instability (CVI) and is caused by the pressure of the nerves in the neck and cervical spinal cord. This compression can cause deformity, pain and abnormal stance/gait. IT has been attributed to the nutrition needs and rapid growth of the Mastiff breeds.
Like all giant Mastiff breeds the Molossus can have skin issues from the wrinkles, dysplasia in the joints which we will address below.
Only a few genetic conditions are found in this breed and these can be the likes of autoimmune disorders such as eye disease, Addison's disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
These dogs are also sensitive to anesthesia as well as some medications. Other illnesses to look out for with this large dog are cancer, bloat and diabetes.
Remembering that this is a very, very large dog you need to be careful about nutrition and how fast your puppy will grow. American Molossus puppies need four meals a day until 12 weeks old. Then until they are 6 months old feed then 3 times a day. Finally, from 6-month-old puppy to adult – feed them twice in 24 hours.
At one year either feed them once or two small meals.
Many people feed their Molossus eggs, vegetables, fruit, and cottage cheese as ten 5 of the total for the day but avoid other table foods. The Molossus can become very picky about what he eats if you feed him too many table scraps.
In addition to the health problems listed above, the American Molossus is also susceptible to: Ditichiasis – Eyelashes that are in the margin of the eyelids and can cause eye irritation. May require surgery to correct.
Could cause blindness if not removed. Ectropian/Entropion: Eversion and inversion of eyelids which cause ocular irritation.
This is a degenerative disease which causes the dog to go blind. It is a disease the affects the retinal visual cells, first causing night blindness then day blindness. A DNA test is available for detecting PRA in all Mastiff breeds.
Common in large breeds and especially in giant breeds like the Molossus. Multiple forms and causes but all can cause pain and lameness.
Do to wrinkles and loose skin – check often for moisture and infections.
The is a problem based on a variety of possible causes. It happens when the puppy is between 6-16 months of age. Lameness occurs over time in one limb or in all. It can be intermittent and might be caused by diet, genetics, stress, autoimmune or metabolic issues or infection.
This issue is developmental as the dog’s toes turn either inward or outward, then as the condition advances the dog suffers fever, pain in all joints, lethargy and the inability to stand. This happens when the dog consumes too many calories for his activity level in the development times.
The American Molossus is not a couch potato. He needs to be walked at least twice a day and loves to play fetch. He will be greatly benefited by obedience training. Do not overdo it with exercise but make sure they don’t just lay around.
The Sloughi's coat is short and smooth and he also doesn’t have an undercoat. He is looked upon as low maintenance as he just needs a good brush every now and then to rid the coat of loose hairs and to keep him nice and shiny.
The Sloughi dog can be fed dry kibble, but it should be a top quality one – one for large, athletic dogs. The dry kibble is useful in that it helps to keep his teeth clean.
To add some tasty variety to your pet’s diet feed him some home made food occasionally. All chopped up, boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your Sloughi and can be added to the dry kibble. Simple food like this keeps digestive problems at bay.
Try and include some raw meat into the diet as this can help in fighting off horrible skin diseases. Make sure he has constant access to fresh, cool water.
Sloughis love to be active and to have a good run. If you live near a park, allow him off the leash to have a chance to run. Alwys check first though, that it is safe to do so and that your loughi doesn’t try and fight with other dogs off the leashh or accidentally knock over a small child. If you’ve got a big garden, throw a frisbee or ball for him. It is important for him to get a good dose of exercise.