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→History: Removed an irrelevant insertion. Plus, the section is more about history than biology. Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit |
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{{Short description|Type of dog}}
{{other uses}}
{{for|the English breed of dog|English Mastiff}}
[[File:The dog book - a popular history of the dog, with practical information as to care and management of house, kennel, and exhibition dogs; and descriptions of all the important breeds (1906) (20800295488).jpg|thumb|260px|''The Mastiff'' by [[Philip Reinagle]], 1805]]
A '''mastiff''' is a large and powerful [[Dog type|type]] of [[dog]].{{sfn|Oxford Dictionaries|2019}}{{sfn|Young|Bannasch|2007|p=49}} Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short [[Coat (dog)|coat]], a long low-set tail and large feet; the skull is large and bulky, the muzzle broad and short ([[brachycephalic]]) and the ears drooping and pendant-shaped.{{sfn|Oxford Dictionaries|2019}}{{sfn|Young|Bannasch|2007|p=49}} European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type.{{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2019}} Mastiffs have historically been [[guard dog]]s, protecting homes and property, although throughout history they have been used as [[hunting dog]]s, [[war dog]]s and for [[blood sport]]s, such as [[dog fighting|fighting each other]] and other animals, including [[bull]]s, [[bear]]s and even [[lion]]s.{{sfn|Young|Bannasch|2007|p=49}}{{sfn|Encyclopædia Britannica|2019}}
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Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that mastiffs have long been distinct in both form and function from the similarly large [[livestock guardian dog]]s from which they were most likely developed;{{sfn|Young|Bannasch|2007|p=48-49}} they also form separate [[genetic populations]].{{sfn|Parker|2012|p=45}} The [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]] and some [[kennel club]]s group the two types together as [[Molossus (dog)|molossoid]] dogs; some modern livestock guardian breeds, such as the [[Pyrenean Mastiff]], the [[Spanish Mastiff]] and the [[Tibetan Mastiff]], and an extinct [[draught dog]] called the [[Belgian Mastiff]], have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs.{{sfnp|Hancock|2001}}
==List of mastiff breeds==
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