Neapolitan Mastiff vs Beaglier - Breed Comparison

The Beaglier beginnings are set in Australia. Before around 30 years, breeders cross-breed the Beagle and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The result actually turned out great – new we have a small sized breed with a wonderful, soft coat, very likeable looks, the calm and gentle dog which is very active despite his relaxed nature. They can be found around the globe nowadays and they are very popular because of their sweet nature.

An ancient breed, the Neapolitan Mastiffs are massive dogs with a history of protecting their family and their property. The breed has deep rooted protective instincts and they are very frightening in appearance. The Neapolitan is of the Molosser group of dogs, all of whom probably came from the same line. It is known that all the mastiffs in Europe are descendants of the Tibetan Mastiff. The Tibetan Mastiff is considered the most ancient of all canines.

The Asian Mastiffs came from India to Greece around 300 BC with Alexander the Great. Then the breed was brought to the Romans by the Greeks and then introduced them in their circus in fights. Another possibility is that around 500 BC the mastiffs came to Britain from the Phoenicians. Either way the Roman Molossus is the ancestor of the Neapolitan Mastiff.

The Romans crossed the breed with the English Mastiff around 55 BC and developed a premiere war dog that was called a Mastini.

The breed eventually became extinct in Europe with the exception of Campania. The breed was recognized in 1946 with the standard accepted in 1949. However, it is believed that the Neapolitan Mastiff has been continuously present in Campania for over two thousand years. The breed was initially developed as war dogs and for the Roman coliseum spectacles.

In 1946 Dr. Piero Scanziani established a program to breed them in Italy. He wrote the breed standard in 1949.

Today the Neo is a farm dog, an army dog, a police dog and a guard dog. They were shown in Italy for the first time in 1946 but only in 2004 was the breed recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). It was 1973 when the Neapolitan Mastiff Club of America was born and 1996 when the standard was approved by the AKC. They are still a rare breed in the United States.

This small dog breed, called Beaglier and Beagler, has the look of his parents. Sometimes, they look more like the Spaniel, and sometimes they look more like the Beagle. This actually means that they are usually small, but can be, in some cases, even medium sized dog. They are usually tricoloured and in most cases, they have dark brown and cream hairs with white markings. They have longer ears, sometimes with more hairs if they look more like the Spaniel. They have large, dark brown eyes and usually dark nose. This breed is very loving and affectionate. They have a high need for a daily activity and they are the best choice for families with children.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a massive dog , so powerful and very intimidating in his looks. With an incredibly large head and hanging folds and wrinkles, the Neo is an impressive animal. His inner nobility and dignity is evident in his stance and the way he holds himself. He is relaxed, calm, quiet yet imposing none the less. His coat is dark whether black, tawny, gray or mahogany. He is muscular beyond imagination. The Neo is 10-15% longer than he is tall.

On his massive head his eyes are deep set and covered by his eye lids that droop. His eyes are blue as puppies then dark and coordinated with his coat. and his nose is large and the color of his coat. Ears are natural or can be cropped, and they carry their tail straight and curving back. The Neo has round paws and arched toes.

Children friendliness

If you decide to bring a Beaglier to your family, it will be the best that you wait for your children to grow up a little bit. They are great to play buddy, but they get carried with the game and they can be very careless during the play. They fit perfectly with the children above the age of 5. They will run, jump, and do whatever your kid is about to do. They are friendly towards children they don’t know but they don’t do well with other animals they don’t know.

Special talents

watchdog

Adaptability

One the main reasons why Beagliers are so much popular lay in their adaptability to any living conditions. They will fit in instantly in a family with children, but they will be happy as well if they live with just one person or even seniors. They can live indoors, houses and apartments without the yard. The Beaglier will enjoy the city parks, dog parks, beach, walking down the crowded streets. This breed is a not a quiet one – they will bark every time they notice something just to let you know. But, they are not aggressive type and they usually bark to communicate with people.

Trainability

Usually, they are trained very easy. They have a stubborn nature, and if you learn how to get over with this temperament, you will be able to train and raise the sweetest dog ever. They should be trained and socialized while they are still puppies. Since they like too much, the best advice is to use treats to teach them everything that they will need to know. But, be careful with the feeding after the treats – Beagliers get easily obese if they are overfed.

Children friendliness

Older children in their family. No toddlers or strangers.

Special talents

Protective yet quiet, calm, relaxed

Adaptability

No they won’t adapt well to apartment living or to strangers.

Learning ability

They are intelligent and trainable but must be socialized and know the human is the alpha or they will take over.

Ear Diseases

The Beaglier flap ears can be a very great place for the fungi, bacteria and dirt. You will have to clean their ears with an ear cleaning solution and a soft tissue once a week, especially if your pet is playing outside.

Eye diseases

Cherry eye: Starts as redness in the corner of the eye. Happens when the third eyelid gland slips out of its place and show up as a red blob in the corner of the eye. Sometimes, the gland gets back to its original place in a couple of days, but it will be the best if you can take your dog to the vet as soon as you notice any readiness in his eyes.

Glaucoma: Happens because of the high eye pressure. This affects the normal outflow of the eye fluids and can cause blindness if not treated. It is the best to for your beagle to regular eye checks since this condition is not easy to diagnose in the begging.

The Neapolitan Mastiff is prone to many of the same issues as any massive, extra large breed. The most common of these is Cherry Eye.

Other issues include:

• Hypothyroidism – treated with medication
• Elbow Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis
• Hip Dysplasia – can cause lameness or arthritis
• Cardiomyopathy – heart issues
• Bloat or Gastric Dilation Volvulus – can be fatal, needs immediate attention
• Sensitivity to Anesthetics

Diet tips

If you are not sure about the dog food you should give to your Beaglier considering the living environment and the lifestyle, it is always the best option to listen to the vet’s advice. They are prone to the obesity so you should keep a schedule that won’t be changed much. Feed them every day at the same time, no more than two meals per day once they get older than 6 months.

Points for Good Health

If you want your Beaglier to be happy, make sure you groom him daily. You will need about 5 minutes per day to brush him and keep him out of the tangles. Bathe then once in a month, that will be enough. Clip their nails regularly. Keep their ears cleaned.

They need a daily activity or they will get destructive. Be careful with the feeding since they get obese very quickly.

Games and Exercises

Since they are natural hunters, they will like to play chase. You can take them to the woods for a walk or for a run but make sure you train them to respond to your commands before you take them off the leash. They are very curious and they will easily wander off. They can be taught to play inside the house as well. They love to explore new areas so it will be great if you can take them with you for a holiday.

Feeding the puppy

Neapolitans grow fast and so don’t overfeed when they are young. Lower protein and higher fat content.

Feeding the adult

Don’t overfeed the adult as they can become obese.

Games and Exercises

This big hearty breed needs exercise but not too much. They overheat easily. The puppy will push himself, so you have to make sure he doesn’t over do it. No tug of war games. They need a long walk twice every day.