Tibetan mastiffs

Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
921
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
No fixed abode.
#1
Has anyone on/that was on Chaz ever owned one? What are they like?. Just out of pure curiosity - I saw one the other day and she was pretty, had a HUGE mane and looked very lionesque.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
6,405
Likes
0
Points
36
Location
Minnesota
#2
I don't have any experience with them, but man I am jealous of the variety of interesting breeds you run into in your city.
 

AdrianneIsabel

Glutton for Crazy
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
8,893
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Portland, Oregon
#3
I don't have any experience with them, but man I am jealous of the variety of interesting breeds you run into in your city.
Yeah, it must be a big city!

I grew up around 3. They were owned by a breed fancier who used them as LGD. They smelled because they were always outside, they were serious guards who seemed lazy until they sensed a real threat, from what I remember.

I have one as a client on and off now, he's a rescue from neglect, and he's downright dangerous.
 

Moth

Mild and Slightly Nutty
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
5,039
Likes
2
Points
38
Location
Madison, WI
#4
I don't own one...but I meet up with a pair of them and their owners at our dog park regularly.

They are so mellow and regal. Both the dogs are very sweet and it is fun to watch these two huge beasties play with one another.

If you watch them closely you can really tell that they pay attention to everything while seeming nonchalant. I am pretty sure the can go from mellow to action with no trouble at all.
 
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
921
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
No fixed abode.
#5
LOL I think it's because of the huge immigration rate to this place. It's mainly alot of Mainland China folk nowadays but they are flanked by steady numbers of Eastern European and Indian people too. Central Asians to a lesser extent. I guess they brought their furry friends with them....

There is a small faction of Tibetan Mastiff owners here. They are auspicious creatures in Chinese culture and believed to bring luck, prosperity, health, and all things good to those whom they reside with. They are also considered status symbols because of their lion like appearance, great expense to acquire, and even greater expense to maintain - they go through alot of food no doubt and owners feeding them abalone or Chinese delicacies aren't unheard of; and they are prone to a number of hip and gastric issues. Chows are considered good luck "charm" dogs too and are a more common sight than TM's locally.

All other breeds I've ran into are usually single specimens: The local CAS, Gisela the Fila, a Neo, a Anatolian, a Kangal, Irish Wolfhound, BRT, and of course my little Kuvasz.

Back to TM's though... They are bred quite plentifully in China and I've heard that the majority of them don't have the original, "primal" sort of spirit that they did have centuries ago. Most of them are very mushy cuddlebug like now apparently (not that there's anything wrong with that) but that the few that remain in Tibet/Central Asia that are from old working lines are really forces to be reckoned with - akin to the TM of old. Interesting... I wouldn't have one myself but they are indeed beautiful and their history is intriguing.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
159
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Northern Ontario
#6
.

Back to TM's though... They are bred quite plentifully in China and I've heard that the majority of them don't have the original, "primal" sort of spirit that they did have centuries ago. Most of them are very mushy cuddlebug like now apparently (not that there's anything wrong with that) but that the few that remain in Tibet/Central Asia that are from old working lines are really forces to be reckoned with - akin to the TM of old. Interesting... I wouldn't have one myself but they are indeed beautiful and their history is intriguing.
I just want to start off with you heard VERY incorrectly. I would never ever aspire to own an asian line TM after my past 5 years with American lines.

Here is what life with multiple TM's can really be like.
First off, good luck containing them, mine have a welded wire dog run, the same stuff used by rebar companies to put in cement for bridge work. Its not weak, its near impossible to bend by hand and is 1foot by 1 foot squares.
Their run looks like it could easily house a lion and quite frankly it may just be easier to do so.
Now, my 5 year old female has a hate on for the neighbours across the road, it is her goal in life to not only attack one of them but I don't doubt for a second she would go for the kill. Not the kind of thing you want playing in the back of your mind. VERY high liability breed.

In her recent attempts to cause serious harm to what she has perceived as intruders over the years she has chewn through said welded wire busting out all of the teeth on the left side of her face as well as shredded her own cheeks, sliced a good portion of her body once she got the holes big enough to squeeze through (keep in mind this occurred in less than half an hour) wiggled her way out and went across the road to hold the neighbours hostage in their own house, these are people she has been thoroughly introduced to, they come by regularly for fires, bbq's, visits and so on. She is fantastic with them if I am there, if I'm not though, she free thinks and tries anything in her power to get them away from here.
Now, she is tied in her run which has been double fenced so the holes are smaller, a 2 foot ground fence was laid all the way around, as well as a top and the inside has hot wire set up as well as a perimeter. The hot wire is run by the same fencer as the horse fencing which is an 8 joule box rated for 50 miles and only fencing in 5 acres and the dog run.
Sounds like she can't get out right? Nope... she will grab the hot wire with her mouth and pull it down while on, has chewed down 3 of the cedar poles that hold the pen up and tunneled under the 2 foot ground fencing and escaped after breaking the clasp on her chain inside the run.
So next step was, when ever I leave the house for even 5 minutes she was to be crated in the basement in a room with a door.
That will keep the neighbours safe???? Try again.
in 15 minutes one day she managed to completely destroy her wire crate, push the door through the frame enough to squeeze through, run upstairs and chew to the exterior insulation of the north wall and took out half the trim along the window in the process trying to get to them.
I return home from running errands and see a hole in the dry wall and window frame large enough for a toddler to walk through.

Sounds like this dog needed better socialization right?
Well she has been socialized out the wazoo, is a perfect angel with new people she meets as long as I am there.
Sounds like she needs more exercise right?
I don't know how much more she can get, she already is on the dog sled team with the rest of the dogs here and runs a solid 3k a day right now with this weather at an average of 9km/h non stop, in the winter it is easily 8 k a day if not more, goes on bush walks daily in our back field and runs with the other dogs for 3+hours a day and goes for 2 daily road walks.
That is more than the average dog gets in a day

So is that where my nightmare ends? No, not by far, I also have another 3 year old female and a 3 year old male Tsang khyi type. Also american lines but also can not be left unattended. So far he has chewed down a 7 inch diameter live maple tree, dug holes deep enough to bury himself in and he is 140lbs and the size of a young adult black bear, he too has the same desire to escape and is starting to display the same traits as Karma.

This year alone they have been responsible for over 30 of my chickens being killed after they had destroyed the coop, over 10 of our ducks and some of our turkeys. If given half a chance they would try to take out the horses too I know it.
So as long as I am around they are wonderful as you put it cuddly bears, but if I'm not they start to free think and make their own rules.
Lets not forget to mention they are nocturnal barkers, every night, no matter what is around, not overly willing to work with humans, can not even be trusted alone with my hubby who has been a part of their lives since they were puppies. If he goes near Karma she lunges at him, if he drives the lawn tractor near her she lunges at him, if she is loose in the living room with us she lays there staring at him, I won't even leave to go to the bathroom with out taking her with me.
If you don't mind living your life with no one ever coming to your house, never leaving your house with out getting custom made welded crates or pens, cement floored runs with iron fencing and roofing and can handle extreme free thinking independant breeds who could easily out power you and have no qualms about doing so when they see fit, then sure a perfect breed for you.
you can read all the information on the breed you want, much of which seems extreme when reading it but rest assured it is sugar coated, but until you spend any real time in the presence of one both with owner around and with owner not around its very hard to explain what life with a TM can be like.
 
Joined
May 19, 2012
Messages
921
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
No fixed abode.
#7
Wimble,

Thanks for sharing! I'm assuming your lines are working though - how are show dogs in your perspective? I know a pretty young, fairly shaded Tsang khyi (I believe) female (she looks like a lion sorta) and she's just really chill. But who knows? she might not even be properly bred or she might be watered down *shrugs*.

Yah, from your description they are for sure related to Caucasian Ovcharkas/Central Asian dogs lol.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
159
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Northern Ontario
#8
I have one Tsang khyi line ( half anyway) but everyone is considered Do khyi.
All are out of show lines, my male is grand son to Barnes the first TM to win breed at westminster the year they were entered in.
I got them because I wanted to show, too bad TM's generally hate the show ring. They don't love it, I don't love it so we didn't do it.
My female Karma the 5 year old Cujo like dog is also show bred, she and Marv share lineage, decent show lineage at that as well.
As I was hoping to show they have done obedience classes since they were pups, Karma is CD ready if I trusted her enough for me to be out of sight I'm sure she would have her CD title. To have a TM willing to do anything you ask them is a feat in itself, its hard to find that one thing that will motivate them no matter what. For Karma its Rollover. For Marv... it doesn't exist, possibly the reward of killing a duck but I won't test that.
I did breed Karma 3 years ago and kept back what was in my eyes the ideal TM, she was to be the dog to start the Khamala name. And she would with out a doubt. She is a show stopper, only one thing that holds me back from ever considering breeding to her is she has a slightly weak hock, it xrays out as good but I am NOT comfortable breeding that even though I could easily breed away from it. My dogs, my breeding program, my call in the end.
Tibby, the weak hocked girl has the disposition of a Golden more than anything. She is very puppyish and borderline airheaded, but... is still a youngin. Karma (her dam) did not start displaying this until she was around 4, Tibby is only coming on 3 in November. I hope to have her spayed in the coming months, but priority right now is having Karma spayed right after she is done this heat cycle she is in right now.
I'm hoping that will tone things down a bit, but I won't hold my breath.
I don't spay or neuter anything until 3 ideally so Tibby can wait a bit longer.
I hope Tibby stays complete air head the rest of her life, she is just a happy good dog, but I won't say that is who she is until she is atleast 4 ish.
Karma is a happy dog, but determined and set on a goal that she has set. Major liability possibility.
They are not "working" lines, I don't even think that exists with this breed, they are just true to the breed (with the exception of Tibby of course right now) the breed has not had man messing around in there for long so they are very primitive still, it is who they are.
Until the show world completely strips them down to a hollow shell like so many other breeds these dogs are not for the faint of heart or easily frazzled.
I admittedly have 2 deadly dogs I can barely contain despite many efforts and all I can do is step up my game as they step up theirs. I am looking to have crates custom welded from scratch, something that would be suitable for lion transport, to have affixed in the basement for when I have to leave the house. This is NOT the life for everyone, its hardly the life for me but it is what it is and my first priority is to keep people and my dogs safe.
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
159
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Northern Ontario
#10
In my opinion... really?
I live with these dogs, I'm pretty sure I know what they're like.
As I have said, fantastic when I'm around, if I'm not... its a whole new ball game
 
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
886
Likes
0
Points
0
#11
I think that's a spam bot Wimble.

So after all that, I have to ask your opinion on their GOOD points.

I've never met one, and I'm curious as to what drew you to them and what keeps you with the breed?
 
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
159
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Northern Ontario
#12
Good points...
For me was that they are a hard breed, at the time I was content with not overly active dogs that were protective by nature and of course just flat out gorgeous dogs.
Winter hardiness is also important to me, we do a LOT of outdoor stuff in the winter and I wanted a coated breed. My heart was torn between the Akita and the TM. After talking with Akita breeders I just couldn't. They were not very welcoming or approachable where as the TM world at the time was very welcoming. Now that popularity is slowly gaining on this breed and the American Parent club has changed the standard for AKC handicapping some of the big winners in the breed because one lady said so... everyone is a bit more on edge.
What keeps me in the breed is commitment to my dogs, I will never own another one, and I am no longer considering breeding, I love the ones I have even with all their faults and they will grow old here and pass away of what ever natural cause they pass on from and just enjoy life as dogs, Seriously confined dogs but dogs none the less.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top