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The Fila Brasileiro (or Brazilian Mastiff) is a large working breed of dog developed in Brazil. The leg and spine joints of this breed of Mastiff demonstrate perfectly what made this dog such a great tracking dog. Interestingly, this Mastiff, at one point in the history of the breed and the country, was used to track and capture runaway slaves.
The Fila Brasileiro is believed to have been developed from a number of breeds, predominantly the Mastiff, the Bulldog, and the Bloodhound (the last contributing to breed's loose skin).
Not surprisingly, the ancestors of this dog included Bloodhounds, Mastiffs and Bulldogs of European origin. The result of this breeding is a dog that possesses the incredible scenting ability of the Bloodhound and the amazing fearless power of a mastiff. And like his cousins, the English Mastiff and others, he is a large dog. Their extremely powerful loose joints allowed them to change direction or stop on a dime in a fraction of a second.
The Brazilian Mastiff is by nature a ferocious guard dog, bred to actually distrust and dislike stranger. This combination made this dog suited to the defence of the cattle ranches of the Minas Gerais region.
The male Brazilian Mastiff is in the region of 30 inches tall and weigh between 160 and 230 pounds. Whereas the female weighs approximately 90 pounds, with a height that ranges between 24 to nearly 28 inches.
This breed of Mastiff can be prone to health problems, such as obesity, bone cancer, and hip dysphasia.
If the Brazilian Mastiff has won your heart and you are considering owning one. Then all I can say is beware. Because they are known for their self-assured, but fiery temperament and at times can be uncontrolable.
Brazilian Mastiffs are not suitable for city life or for busy homes and households where non-family members come and go frequently. These dogs are very courageous and require firm training in order to prevent excessive aggression and to promote calm and obedient behaviour.
This breed of Mastiff can be extremely loyal and affectionate with family members and instinctively (and ferociously) protects his family from all strangers. This makes them one of the top ten guard dogs of all time.
Also they are incredibly intelligent animal and at times they give you the impression that they have a docile temperament. They have a tendency to bark very infrequently, but surprisngly they are aware of everything going on around them.
You can get more comprehensive information on The Brazilian Mastiff in our book, The Noble Mastiff - Everything You Need to Know About Buying, Raising and Caring for a Mastiff. Read more about it here: http://www.thenoblemastiff.com
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