Molosser

A Fila Brasileiro, showing the typical molosser build

Molosser is a category of solidly built, large dog breeds that all descend from the same common ancestor. The name derives from Molossia,^[1] an area of ancient Epirus,^[2] where the large shepherd dog was known as a Molossus.^[3]

Molossers typically have heavy bones, pendant ears, and a relatively short and well-muscled neck, with a short, broad muzzle.

Origins

Nineteenth-century army veterinarian and entomologist Jean Pierre Mégnin theorized the four basic canine races, based on his observation of their different skull structures, are: Lupoides (Spitz), Braccoides (scenthounds), Graioides (sighthounds), and Molossoides (mountain dogs, Mastiff breeds, and even Pugs).^[4] Although study of the canine genome is causing the revision of phenotype-based taxonomies such as Mégnin's, the four categories are still used in some traditional contexts.

Function

Molossers are used for a variety jobs that require strength and size. Some molosser types are used for search and rescue dogs, such as the Newfoundland and the Saint Bernard. Some are used as guard dogs to protect property from intruders. Livestock guardian dogs live alongside livestock and offer protection against large predators and poachers. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and the Newfoundland have been used as cart dogs.

Development

The oldest known record of a molosser-type dog is found in its name, which is the namesake of the people who first used these dogs: Molosser is an eponym of King Molossus, the grandchild of the mighty Achilles famed in the Trojan War, who ruled the ancient tribe of Molossians in Epirus. The people of Epirus were a seafaring people, and these dogs sailed with their masters to Asia, where selective breeding gave them multiple phenotypes that were better suited to their new climates and roles.

As these ancient Molosser dogs were exported to West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and North Africa, they soon adapted to their surroundings and interbred with local dogs resulting in offspring with shorter, differently colored coats but retained more anatomical morphology traits like height and massive heads with short muzzles.

The dogs were considered valuable in Babylon, and are mentioned in cuneiform in the 4th century BC. A large Mastiff-like dog is shown on the ancient terra cotta by Birs Nimrud. The dog is 90 centimetres (35 in) tall at the withers, has a stocky head and powerful hind quarters. The dogs were used for hunting. Molossers were also used for military purposes and for protection.

Jennings Dog, generally assumed to be a Molosser hound

The ancient Mastiffs would later be imported from Babylon to Egypt and Asia Minor. Xerxes I of Persia led predatory wars to enlarge the borders of his empire, taking with him large war dogs in his army. Mastiffs were used to fight in the Roman amphitheater against lions and may have been used in lion hunting. They are the root of many shepherd and mountain dog breeds.

The Alans kept Mastiff-like dogs taken from Eastern Europe which acted as retrievers, guard dogs, and fighting dogs. The name associated with these dogs is Alaunt, or in Spanish, Alano. The Mastiffs were used in unison with sighthounds to hunt wisent, aurochs, and bear. Groups of Alanian tribes came to Europe during the Migration Period, fighting on the territory of modern Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and North Africa, taking with them their dogs. The Alanian Mastiff then spread to the British Isles. The Mastiffs of the Alps, the Alpine Mastiff, was a progenitor of the St. Bernard and contributed to the modern English Mastiff.

The Newfoundland dog is the only Canadian Molosser-type dog breed. Portuguese fishermen have fished off the shores of Newfoundland for centuries, and the Newfoundland breed was the result of Portuguese Mastiffs breeding with St. John's water dog.

The Bulldog breeds split from the Molossers in Europe and spread to the New World with colonization. Though smaller, Bulldogs are still considered to be Molosser breeds.

In contemporary culture they are also known as Mastín (Spanish), Dogue or Dogo (Romance languages), and Dogge (Germanic).

Mastiff confusion

Breeds such as the Fila Brasileiro, Pyrenean Mastiff (Mastín del Pirineo), Spanish Mastiff, Tibetan Mastiff, Cane Corso, and many others that fall into the larger category of "molossers" are of Mastiff-type, but are not true Mastiffs. The term Mastiff, when used alone, refers specifically to the "English Mastiff" breed. Other true Mastiff breeds include the Dogue de Bordeaux, Neapolitan Mastiff, and Bullmastiff. Each is a separate and distinct breed. The Boxer breed is also included, as it is a creation from other molossers including the Old English Bulldog.

Molosser breeds

List of extant breeds

Breed	Alternate name(s)	Country of origin	Use	Image
Abruzzese Mastiff	Pastore abruzzese & Cane da Pecora	Italy	Livestock guardian
Aidi	Aïdi, Atlas Mountain Dog, Atlas Shepherd Dog, Berber Dog, Chien de l'Atlas & Chien de Montagne de l'Atlas	Morocco	Livestock guardian
Akbash dog	Akbaş Çoban Köpeği	Turkey	Livestock guardian
Aksaray Malaklisi	Turkish mastiff & Central Anatolian shepherd	Turkey	Guard dog & livestock guardian
Alano Español	Spanish Alano & Spanish Bulldog	Spain	Bull baiting & big game hunting
American Bulldog	–	United States	Livestock guardian
American Mastiff	–	United States	Guard dog
Anatolian Shepherd	Karabaş, Anadolulu Karabaş & Kangal	Turkey	Livestock guardian
Appenzeller Sennenhund	Appenzeller, Appenzell Cattle Dog & Appenzeller Mountain Dog	Switzerland	Livestock guardian, herding dog & draft dog
Armenian Gampr	Gampr	Armenia	Livestock guardian
Ashayeri Dog	–	Iran	Livestock guardian	–
Azerbaijani Shepherd Dog	–	Azerbaijan	Livestock guardian	–
Bakharwal dog	–	India	Livestock guardian & guard dog	–
Bandog	–	–	–
Bernese Mountain Dog	Berner Sennenhund & Bernese Cattle Dog	Switzerland	Guard dog, herding dog & draft dog
Boerboel	South African Mastiff	South Africa	Guard dog
Boxer	German Boxer & Deutscher Boxer	Germany	Big game hunting
Broholmer	Danish Broholmer & Danish Mastiff	Denmark	Guard dog
Bucovina Shepherd	Bucovina Sheepdog & Southeastern European Shepherd	Romania & Serbia	Livestock guardian
Bulldog	British Bulldog & English Bulldog	England	Bull-baiting
Bulldog Campeiro	–	Brazil	–	–
Bullmastiff	–	England	Guard dog
Buryat-Mongolian Wolfhound	–	Russia	Livestock guardian	–
Ca de Bou	Perro de Presa Mallorquin, Majorca Mastiff, Mallorquin Mastiff, Mallorquin Bulldog, Perro Dogo, Presa Canario Mallorquin, Majorca Mastiff, Majorcan Bulldog & Silverback Mastiff	Spain	Bull baiting
Cane Corso	Italian Mastiff, Italian Corso Dog, Italian Corso & Cane Corso Italiano	Italy	Catch dog & guard dog
Cane da presa	–	Italy	–
Cane di Mannara	–	Italy	Livestock guardian	–
Cão de Castro Laboreiro	Dog of Castro Laboreiro, Portuguese Cattle Dog & Portuguese Watchdog	Portugal	Livestock guardian
Cão de Gado Transmontano	Transmontano Mastiff & Transmontano Cattle Dog	Portugal	Livestock guardian
Cão Fila de São Miguel	São Miguel Cattle Dog, Chien Fila de San Miguel, Saint Miguel Cattle Dog, Azores Cattle Dog & Azores Cow Dog	Portugal	Herding dog
Carpathian Shepherd Dog	Ciobănesc Românesc Carpatin, Romanian Shepherd, Romanian Carpathian Shepherd, Câine Ciobănesc Carpatin, Carpathian Sheepdog, Carpatin & Romanian Carpatin Herder	Romania	Livestock guardian
Caucasian Shepherd Dog	Caucasian Mountain Dog & Caucasian Ovcharka	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia & Russia	Livestock guardian
Central Asian Shepherd Dog	Alabai, Central Asian Ovtcharka & Aziat	Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan & Russia	Livestock guardian & dog fighting
Cimarrón Uruguayo	Cimarron, Uruguayan Cimarron, Cimarron Creole, Maroon Dog, Cerro Largo Dog, Perro Cimarron & Cimarron Dog	Uruguay	Guard dog
Dogo Argentino	Argentine Dogo & Argentine Mastiff	Argentina	Big game hunting & guard dog
Dogo Sardesco	–	Italy	Livestock guardian	–
Dogue de Bordeaux	Bordeaux Mastiff, French Mastiff & Bordeauxdog	France	Guard dog
English Mastiff	Mastiff Old English & Mastiff	England	Guard dog
Entlebucher Mountain Dog	Entelbuch Mountain Dog, Entelbucher Cattle Dog & Entlebucher	Switzerland	Guard dog, herding dog & draft dog
Estrela Mountain Dog	Portuguese Shepherd & Cão da Serra da Estrela	Portugal	Livestock guardian & guard dog
Fila Brasileiro	Brazilian Mastiff & Cão de fila brasileiro	Brazil	Guard dog, livestock guardian & tracking dog
Gaddi Kutta	Indian Leopardhound, Indian Panther Hound & Mahidant Mastiff	India	Big game hunting & livestock guardian	–
Georgian Shepherd	Georgian Mountain Dog & Nagazi	Georgia	Livestock guardian
Ghadrejani dog	–	Iran	Livestock guardian	–
Gran Mastín de Borínquen	Puerto Rican Mastiff, Mastín Borincano, Becerillo de Borinquen & Perro Barsino de Hacienda	Puerto Rico	Guard dog & hunting dog	–
Great Dane	Deutsche Dogge & German Mastiff	Germany	Big game hunting
Great Pyrenees	Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Patou, Montañés del Pirineo, Perro de Montaña de los Pirineos, Can de Montaña de os Perinés, Chien des Pyrénées & Chien de Montagne des Pyrénées	France & Spain	Livestock guardian
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	–	Switzerland	Guard dog, herding dog & draft dog
Greek Shepherd	–	Greece	Livestock guardian
Guatemalan Dogo	Dogo Guatemalteco, Guatemalan Bull Terrier & Bullterrier Guatemalteco	Guatemala	Guard dog	–
Himalayan Sheepdog	Himalayan Shepherd & Himalayan Shepherd Dog	China, India & Nepal	Livestock guardian
Hovawart	–	Germany	Guard dog
Kangal	Sivas Kangal & Turkish Kangal	Turkey	Livestock guardian
Karakachan	Karakachansko Kuche & Karakachanska Ovcharka	Bulgaria	Livestock guardian
Karst Shepherd	–	Slovenia	Livestock guardian
Komondor	Hungarian Komondor, Hungarian Sheepdog & Mop Dog	Hungary	Livestock guardian
Korean Mastiff	–	Korea	–	–
Koyun dog	Bayburt Kelpi	Turkey	Livestock guardian	–
Kuchi	Sage Kuchi, Sage Jangi, De Kochyano Spai, Jangi Spai & Afghan Shepherd	Afghanistan	Livestock guardian
Kumaon Mastiff	Sipro Kukur	India	Livestock guardian & guard dog	–
Kurdish Shepherd Dog	–	Iran, Iraq & Kurdistan	Livestock guardian	–
Kuvasz	Hungarian Kuvasz	Hungary	Livestock guardian
Landseer	–	Canada	Fishing dog
Leonberger	–	Germany	Town mascot
Maremma Sheepdog	Cane da Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, Pastore Abruzzese, Pastore Maremmano, Abruzzo Sheepdog & Abruzzese Sheepdog	Italy	Livestock guardian
Mazandrani dog	–	Iran	Livestock guardian	–
Mongolian banhar	–	Mongolia	Livestock guardian	–
Moscow Watchdog	Moskovskaya Storozhevaya Sobaka	Russia	Guard dog
Neapolitan Mastiff	Mastino, Mastino Napoletano, Italian Molosso & Can'e presa	Italy	Guard dog
Newfoundland	–	Canada	Fishing dog
Olde English Bulldogge	–	United States	Recreation of extinct Old English Bulldog
Perro de Presa Canario	Canary Mastiff, Canary Catch Dog, Canarian Molosser, Presa Canario & Dogo Canario	Canary Islands	Guard dog, catch dog & dog fighting
Persian Mastiff	–	Iran	Livestock guardian	–
Polish Tatra Sheepdog	Tatra Mountain Sheepdog, Owczarek Tatrzański, Owczarek Podhalański & Polski Owczarek	Poland	Livestock guardian
Pyrenean Mastiff	Mastín del Pirineo & Mostín d'o Pireneu	Spain	Livestock guardian
Rafeiro do Alentejo	Alentejo Mastiff, Portuguese Mastiff & Mutt of Alentejo	Portugal	Livestock guardian
Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog	–	Romania	Livestock guardian	–
Rottweiler	–	Germany	Guard dog, herding dog, draft dog & police dog
Saint Bernard	St Bernhardshund, Bernhardiner & Alpine Mastiff	Switzerland	Search and rescue dog
Šarplaninac	Yugoslavian Shepherd Dog	Macedonia & Serbia	Livestock guardian
Shar Pei	Cantonese Shar-Pei	China	Big game hunting dog fighting
Shirak Sheepdog	–	Iran	Livestock guardian	–
Slovak Cuvac	Slovak Chuvach, Tatransky Cuvac & Slovak tschuvatsch	Slovakia	Livestock guardian
Spanish Mastiff	Mastín español de campo y trabajo, Mastín ganadero, Mastín Leonés & Mastín Extremeño	Spain	Livestock guardian
Terceira Mastiff	Fila da Terceira & Cão de Fila da Terceira	Portugal	–
Tibetan kyi apso	Apso Do-Kyi	Tibet	Livestock guardian	–
Tibetan Mastiff	–	Tibet	Livestock guardian
Tobet	Kazakhstan mountain dog	Kazakhstan	Livestock guardian	–
Torkuz	Uzbekistan mountain dog & Sarkangik	Uzbekistan	Livestock guardian & dog fighting	–
Tornjak	Bosnian and Herzegovinian Shepherd Dog, Bosnian Shepherd Dog, Croatian Mountain Dog & Bosnian-Herzegovinian and Croatian Shepherd Dog	Bosnia and Herzegovina & Croatia	Livestock guardian
Tosa	Tosa Inu, Tosa Ken, Tosa Tōken, Japanese Fighting Dog, Japanese Mastiff, Tosa Fighting Dog & Japanese Tosa	Japan	Dog fighting
Vikhan Sheepdog	Chitral Watchdog & Pakistani Vikhan Dog	Pakistan	Livestock guardian	–

List of extinct breeds

Breed	Alternate name(s)	Country or region of origin	Era	Use
Alaunt	Alaunt de Boucherie	Central Asia & Europe	Classical antiquity & Middle Ages	Hunting, guard dogs & dog fighting
Alpine Mastiff	—	Alps	Before 5th century BC to 19th century AD	Livestock guardian
Bullenbeisser	German Bulldog	Germany	Extinct by World War II	Bull baiting & bear baiting
Dalbo dog	Dalbohund	Sweden	Viking Age to around 1870	Livestock guardian
Dogo Cubano	Cuban Mastiff, Cuban Dogo, Cuban Dogge	Cuba	16th to late 19th century	Recapture of runaway slaves
Molossus	—	Southern Europe	Classical antiquity	War dogs, hunting, guard dogs & dog fighting
Moscow Water Dog	Moscow Diver, Moscow Retriever, Moskovsky Vodolaz	Soviet Union	20th century	Lifesaving dog
Old English Bulldog	—	Great Britain & Ireland	17th to 19th centuries	Bull baiting & dog fighting

Notes

References

↑ Dogue De Bordeaux: A Comprehensive Owner's Guide by Joseph Janish, ISBN 1-59378-215-2,2003, p. 10, "The Dogue de Bordeaux falls into a group of dogs classified as molossers, descendants of the Molossus, a dog that lived around the time of 700 BC."
↑ The Mini-Atlas of Dog Breeds by Andrew De Prisco, ISBN 0-86622-091-7,1990,page 136,"... Mastiff prototypes , such as the Molossus of Epirus and Babylonian Mastiff, were used as flock guards against wolves and other predators. ..."
↑ The molossid bats are named after this breed of dog: The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region by J. D. Skinner, ISBN 0-521-84418-5,2006, p. 277, "The name of the [free-tailed bats] family is derived from the Greek molossus, a kind of dog used by Greek shepherds in ancient times."
↑ Mastiffs, The Big Game Hunters, by David Hancock. pg. 24, 'Classification of canine types', 2000. ISBN 0-9527801-2-7

External links

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[1] Dogue De Bordeaux: A Comprehensive Owner's Guide by Joseph Janish, ISBN 1-59378-215-2,2003, p. 10, "The Dogue de Bordeaux falls into a group of dogs classified as molossers, descendants of the Molossus, a dog that lived around the time of 700 BC."

[2] The Mini-Atlas of Dog Breeds by Andrew De Prisco, ISBN 0-86622-091-7,1990,page 136,"... Mastiff prototypes , such as the Molossus of Epirus and Babylonian Mastiff, were used as flock guards against wolves and other predators. ..."

[3] The molossid bats are named after this breed of dog: The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region by J. D. Skinner, ISBN 0-521-84418-5,2006, p. 277, "The name of the [free-tailed bats] family is derived from the Greek molossus, a kind of dog used by Greek shepherds in ancient times."

[4] Mastiffs, The Big Game Hunters, by David Hancock. pg. 24, 'Classification of canine types', 2000. ISBN 0-9527801-2-7

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