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30-752: A mastiff is a large and powerful type of dog . Mastiffs are among the largest dogs, and typically have a short 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. European and Asian records dating back 3,000 years show dogs of the mastiff type. Mastiffs have historically been guard dogs , protecting homes and property, although throughout history they have been used as hunting dogs , war dogs and for blood sports , such as fighting each other and other animals, including bulls , bears and even lions . Historical and archaeological evidence suggests that mastiffs have long been distinct in both form and function from

60-402: A "type" fixes a name to a taxon . Dog fanciers use the term "breed type" in the sense of "qualities (as of bodily contour and carriage) that are felt to indicate excellence in members of a group". "Breed type" is specific to each dog breed's written standard . A dog that closely resembles the appearance laid out in the standard is said to be "typey". "Type" also is used to refer to "dogs of

90-662: A herding dog of Epirus which was white, large-headed, and slightly undershot, used to defend sheep and goats. One group of Alans arrived in what is now Albania in the 5th or 6th centuries BC. Molossis of Epirus is located in Southern Albania. It is most plausible the Alaunt gave rise to the fighting dogs of the Molossi, which were introduced to Britain by Roman invasion in 43 BC. The Alans provided cavalry for Rome, many of whom were deployed to Hadrian's Wall in

120-595: A distinctive conformation." Human manipulation was very indirect. In a very few cases emperors, monasteries, or wealthy hunters might maintain lines of special dogs, from which we have today's Pekingese , St. Bernards , and foxhounds . At the beginning of the 19th century, there were only a few dogs identified as breeds, but when dog fighting was outlawed in England in 1835, a new sport of dog showing began. Along with this sport came rules, written records, and closed stud books . Dog fanciers began refining breeds from

150-443: A modern purebred dog. In contrast, modern dog breeds strictly adhere to long-established breed standards , that began with documented foundation breeding stock sharing a common set of inheritable characteristics, developed by long-established, reputable kennel clubs that recognize the dog as a purebred. A "dog type" can be referred to broadly, as in gun dog , or more specifically, as in spaniel . Dogs raised and trained for

180-457: A specific breed. Through breeding with various scenthounds and sighthounds , some Alaunts became valued large game hunting dogs, existing in a variety of types dictated by regional preferences. In AD 1500, Spain was known for breeding the best Alaunts and used them to conquer the New World . In France, Alaunts were separated into three main categories, based on physical appearance and

210-488: A specific working ability rather than appearance may not closely resemble other dogs doing the same work, or any of the dogs of the analogous breed group of purebred dogs. The earliest books in the English language to mention numbers of dog types are from the "Cynegetica" (hunting literature), namely, The Art of Venery (1327) by Twiti (Twici), a treatise that describes hunting with the limer (a leashed bloodhound type);

240-416: A well established line", an identifiable style of dog within the "breed type", usually from a specific kennel. In 2011, a study found that herding dogs were more trainable than hounds , toy dogs, and non-sporting dogs. Sporting dogs were more trainable than non-sporting dogs. Terriers were bolder than hounds and herding dogs. Breeds with ancient Asian or African origin were less trainable than breeds in

270-409: Is a greyhound, a bastard, a mongrel , a mastiff, a limer, a spaniel, " raches " (small-to-medium-sized scenthounds), "kennets" (small hunting dogs), terriers , "butcher's hounds", dung-heap dogs, "trundel tails" ( lapdogs ?) and prick-eared curs , and small ladies puppies that bear away the fleas and diverse small sorts." Almost 100 years later, another book in English, De Canibus Britannicus , by

300-418: Is compared against the ideal of the written standard, and awards are based on how closely the dog resembles the standard. Their origin comes from the earliest European cynegetica: on a "sound hunting dog" see Xenophon , and the "correct type" of good sighthound, the vertragus , see Arrian . Note 2 : Many modern breeds of dogs still use the names of early types, although they may or may not resemble

330-472: Is wide in base, but short in length. While the preferred bite is reverse scissor, like the mastiff , and may have been a trait introduced by the Mongolian breeds at some remote time in history, skull type and bite type are separate subjects of genetic traits. The dolichocephalic skull is narrow at base yet long in length, so the Alaunt could be referred to as a modified dolichocephalic breed, as mesocephalic

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360-665: The Alano in Spain and Italy and were termed the original Bulldogs as they were used to control and defend herds of cattle. In Spain, the three categories were the Mastins, Alanos, and Lebrels, further separated as the ayuda (defense types) and the presa (offense types), such as the Perro de presa español . The long, broad, flat head of the Alaunt should never be confused with the modified brachycephalic breeds. The brachycephalic head type

390-488: The Belgian Mastiff , have the word "mastiff" in their name, but are not considered true mastiffs. Many older English sources refer to mastiffs as bandogs or bandogges, although technically the term "bandog" meant a dog that was tethered by a chain (or "bande") that would be released at night; the terms "mastiff" and "bandog" were often used interchangeably. One of the most famous "bandog" programs in England, led to

420-526: The Canis melitaeus of lapdogs descended from ancient Roman pet dogs to the even more ancient Canis molossus , the Molossan types, to the Canis saultor , the dancing mongrel of beggars. These types were uniform enough to appear to have been selectively bred, but as Raymond Coppinger wrote, "Natural processes can produce, could produce, and do produce populations of unusual and uniform dogs, that is, dogs with

450-609: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) alone. Dog types today are recognized in the names of Group or Section categories of dog breed registries . Named types of dogs that are not dog breeds are still being used where function or use is more important than appearance, especially for herding or hunting, as with the herding dog types of New Zealand that are described by their exact function (Heading Dog, Huntaway , Stopping Dog, etc.—functional terms, not necessarily breed names). For biologists,

480-677: The mastiff -type dogs much like the present-day Dogo Argentino or like the Caucasian Shepherd Dog except with short hair and a mesocephalic head which made them excellent large-game hunters, the gentile was a large sighthound type. The Alaunt type may have been originally bred by the Alani tribes, the nomads of Indo-European Sarmatian ancestry who spoke an Iranian language. The Alans were known as superb warriors, herdsmen, and breeders of horses and dogs. The Alans bred their dogs for work and developed different strains within

510-476: The "bandog" breeds. In the twentieth century the term "bandog" was revived to describe some large fighting mastiff type dogs crossed with any bulldog in the United States. Dog type Dog types are broad categories of domestic dogs based on form, function, or style of work, lineage, or appearance. Some may be locally adapted dog types (or landraces ) that may have the visual characteristics of

540-491: The author/physician John Caius , translated (Fleming) from Latin in 1576, attempted the first systematic approach to defining different types of dogs in various categories, demonstrating an apparent increase in types and population. "English dogs": the gentle (i.e., well-bred) kind, serving game— harriers , terriers, bloodhounds , gazehounds , greyhounds, limers, tumblers, and stealers; "the homely kind"; "the currish kind", toys ; "Fowling dogs"— setters and spaniels; as well as

570-639: The breed for specific duties . The type was further developed in Spain , Portugal , France, Germany , England , and in Italy . The Molossus belonged to the tribe of the Molossians , from Epirus in northern Greece in about 1200 BC, coming from the north. However, their artifacts did not resemble the Mastiff prototype, as they had a long nose of a narrow type, and a long mane. Varro, however, described

600-640: The direct ancestors of the Balkan breeds, which in turn influenced all other white dogs in the Balkans. The Western Alans joined the Vandals on their raids through Europe , and by the 410s AD, their fierce dogs were influencing many breeds in France , Spain , Portugal , England , and other countries. This spread the use of the "Alaunt" name, which became synonymous with a type of a working dog rather than

630-443: The duties they performed. The lightest type was the alant gentil , a greyhound -like dog. The original mastiff variety, known as the alant de boucherie , may have contributed to the development of the fighting and baiting dogs of France. The French alants de boucherie were known as alauntz o bouchery in England, famously dramatised by Chaucer in his " Knight's Tale " as the mythical hounds of Lycurgus , King of Thrace , and

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660-525: The establishment of a recognized "bandog" breed known today as the Bull Mastiff . The least common "bandog" program in England was funded by Sir Nathanael Dieu-est-Mon'plaisir, the St. Louis Vincent Mastiff or South American Mastiff was named after Vincent Louis who reared plantation dogs originating from St. Louis and other parts of South America. This rare breed is the most expensive mastiff-type dog amongst

690-402: The herding/sighthound cluster and the hunting breeds. Breeds in the mastiff/terrier cluster were bolder than the ancient breeds, the breeds in the herding/sighthound cluster, and the hunting breeds. Note 1 : Every modern dog breed has a written "standard" that describes in detail aspects of its appearance. Modern breed standards are the basis of the sport of dog showing, as each dog

720-471: The original types. Alaunt This type of dog may have been developed by the Alans , and was renowned primarily for its quality as a large-game catch dog , and as a war dog and guard dog . In France , the Alaunt as a crossbreed had three distinct types: the alant veautre , alant boucherie and alant gentile . They all were large, short-coated dogs of varying head-types. The former two resembled

750-403: The pack of running hounds , which included barcelets and brachetz (both scent hounds ); and the sighthound and greyhound . More significant in recording the use and description of various dog types is The Master of Game (circa 1406) by Edward of York , a treatise that describes dogs and their work, such as the alaunt , greyhound, pack scent hounds, spaniel , and mastiff , used by

780-450: The pastoral or shepherd types, mastiffs or bandogs , and various village dogs. Subtypes describing the function of dogs in each group were also included. "It is important", reminded Anne Rogers Clark and Andrew Brace, "not to claim great age for breeds, though it is quite legitimate to claim considerable antiquity for types of dogs". Attempts to classify dogs into different 'species' show that dog types could be quite distinctive, from

810-473: The privileged and wealthy for hunting purposes. The Master of Game is a combination of the earlier Art of Venery and the French hunting treatise Livre de Chasse by Gaston Phoebus (circa 1387). The Book of Saint Albans , published in 1486, a "school" book about hawking , hunting, fishing, and heraldry , attributed to Juliana Berners (Barnes), lists dogs of the time mainly by function: "First there

840-576: The second century AD. In the 370s AD, Hun invasions divided the Alani into the Eastern and Western Alans. The Eastern Alani tribes merged with the Ossetians and other nations, introducing their dogs into the bloodlines of many Balkan breeds, such as the Šarplaninac , Metchkar, Qen Ghedje, Hellenikos Poimenikos and other livestock guardian dogs of the region. The white-coloured Alaunts may be

870-604: The similarly large livestock guardian dogs from which they were most likely developed; they also form separate genetic populations . The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and some kennel clubs group the two types together as 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

900-418: The various types of dogs in use. Some of the old types no longer needed for work (such as the wolfhound ) were remade and kept from extinction as show dogs, and other old types were refined into many new breeds. Sometimes, multiple new breeds might be born in the same litter of puppies. In 1873, only forty breeds and varieties were known; today, there are many hundreds of breeds, some 400 of them recognized by

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