Do you want to know if Tibetan Mastiffs are good guard dogs?
Yes, Tibetan Mastiffs are a good guard dog who can protect you and your family should the situation arise. Read below to find out if you should get a Tibetan Mastiff to protect you, your family, livestock and property.
Do you want a large, loving dog to protect your home from intruders? Are you looking for a dog that’s large enough to stop a burglar but not so big that it will scare away friends and family?
Do you want a dog that naturally looks fearsome without needing expensive training or constant work maintaining its appearance?
Do you want a dog that won’t be overwhelmed by the commotion of your home but will alert you if something is amiss?
If so, the Tibetan Mastiff may be the perfect fit for your household. With their imposing size and thick, shaggy coat, Tibetan mastiffs make excellent guard dogs.
They are also known for being fiercely loyal companions who are gentle with children and other smaller animals.
Here’s everything you need to know about this striking breed if you are thinking to bring one home as a guard dog.
Table of Contents
What Makes Good Guard Dogs?
When looking at the qualities of a good guard dog you want to look for a few things.
Size: First, you want to make sure that the dog is on the larger side. You don’t want something that is not going to scare an intruder away. You want to make sure the dog can take on a human if the situation arises.
Strength: A guard dog needs to have some strength and confidence so that it can stand its ground against an intruder and scare them off.
If the dog is too cowering in fear the intruder will just push them out of the way and get what they are after.
You also want to consider if the dog is naturally aggressive. Although aggression can be trained out of a dog, it is easier to adopt one that already has a little aggression built-in.
An aggressive guard dog will deter most burglars from trying to enter your home, and if they don’t they will be prepared to fight back.
Confident: A good guard dog should be confident and should not back down from a fight. They should know they are strong and they should be confident that they can take on a challenge when needed.
Appearance: A good dog should look fierce and should look intimidating. A person should be intimidated just by looking at their face and size.
Are Tibetan Mastiffs Good Guard Dogs?
Yes, the Tibetan Mastiff is a great guard dog. This breed is known to bark frequently and fiercely defend their home, family, and property.
They are especially aggressive towards strangers who try to enter the home uninvited. Because they are naturally aggressive and territorial, you don’t have to train a Tibetan Mastiff to be a good guard dog.
However, you do need to make sure that your dog is always under supervision when they are outside.
A Tibetan Mastiff is large enough to kill smaller animals, such as squirrels and birds. They may also try to attack smaller dogs.
If your dog is outside, make sure that they are behind a fence. If they are in a fenced-in yard, make sure there are no holes large enough for smaller animals or birds to escape.
Reasons Why Tibetan Mastiff Make Good Guard Dogs?
Appearance – Tibetan Mastiffs are large and intimidating. They look aggressive to stranders hence they have an excellent guard and watchdog.
They are a large breed of dog that weighs between 100 and 150 lbs when fully grown. They have a large, shaggy coat that comes in a variety of colors, including black, brown, red, yellow and blue.
Most Tibetan mastiffs have a short, thick coat that requires little grooming. However, they are not recommended for people with allergies because they are a shed-heavy breed, and their fur can stick to clothing and furniture.
Strong – Tibetan mastiffs have the strength to knock an intruder to the ground, pin them and keep them there until help arrives.
Despite their muscular build, Tibetan mastiffs are surprisingly agile and light on their feet. They can easily climb stairs and jump over obstacles, even when fully grown.
Tibetan mastiffs also have high pain tolerance, and they rarely show pain or discomfort even if they are severely injured.
This breed has a strong immune system, and they rarely get sick. However, they do have a high chance of developing bloat, a medical emergency that can be fatal if not treated immediately.
Tibetan mastiffs are also very intelligent dogs, and they can be trained to perform a variety of tasks.
They are more likely to scare off an attacker than to start a fight. Cane Corsos are large and strong dogs who are capable of defending their families if necessary. Their strength makes them excellent guard dogs.
Size – Despite their large size, Tibetan mastiffs are not naturally aggressive dogs. They are gentle with both adults and children and are not inclined to attack.
However, these dogs are strong enough to pin an adult to the ground and hold them there until help arrives. These dogs can also be trained to use their size as a deterrent, keeping intruders from even entering a home.
Confident – Tibetan Mastiff puppies and adult dogs are confident and sure of themselves. This makes them excellent guard dogs because they don’t back down from confrontation.
Territorial – Tibetan Mastiff dogs are extremely territorial and will defend their property from anyone who intrudes on their space.
Alert – Tibetan Mastiff puppies let their owners know when someone is near their home by barking. This makes them great watchdogs and excellent guard dogs.
Protective – Cane Corsos are protective dogs that will defend their human family from intruders. However, they prefer not to let strangers get too close.
Intelligent – Cane Corso dogs are smart and quick learners. This makes them easy to train and makes them excellent guard dogs for many different settings.
Things To Remember When Using A Tibetan Mastiff As A Guard Dog
Give attention – don’t forget to give your Tibetan Mastiff plenty of attention. While they are excellent guard dogs, they are also very affectionate and loving.
They thrive on attention from their human family members. This is how you show them that they are doing a good job. And it will also keep your Tibetan Mastiff happy and healthy.
Treat them nicely – remember that your Tibetan Mastiff is a living thing. They rely on you for everything from shelter to food.
If you forget to feed them or give them water, they will weaken and eventually die. This goes double for their medical needs.
While some Tibetan Mastiffs are fairly healthy and don’t require a lot of medical attention, all dogs can catch diseases.
Regular training – don’t forget to train your Tibetan Mastiff every day. While they are great guard dogs, they may not be able to protect your home if they aren’t trained.
Make sure to train them to come when you call and to sit or stay when you want them to stay put.
Socialise early – You should begin socializing with your Tibetan Mastiff puppy as soon as you bring them home.
Socializing them early will help them get used to new people, places, and things. You should take them to lots of different places and make sure to introduce them to as many different people as possible.
Crate Training – Tibetan Mastiff puppies should be kept in a crate until they’re 8 weeks old. This will prevent their muscles from growing too large and hinder their ability to hunt once they become adult dogs.
Crate training will also help prevent your Tibetan Mastiff puppy from chewing on your furniture and other valuables while they’re still growing.
Make sure to give them plenty of chew toys, both while they’re in the crate and after they’re fully grown.
Exercise – Tibetan Mastiff puppies require lots of exercise and stimulation. Investing in lots of different toys and taking them to the park on a regular basis will help them release their energy.
It will also help them get used to different people, places, and situations.
Will An Untrained Tibetan Mastiff Protect Their Owners?
Yes, we believe an untrained Tibetan Mastiff will protect their owner.
While Tibetan mastiffs are not aggressive by nature, they are large dogs that are able to knock intruders to the ground.
While they may not kill anyone, they can severely injure someone if they are provoked. Tibetan mastiffs also have a strong prey drive, meaning they will instinctively chase smaller animals like squirrels, rabbits and rodents.
Although Tibetan mastiffs are not aggressive by nature, they can be provoked into attacking other animals.
They are not a good choice for households with smaller pets or children who are in the habit of picking up animals.
Are Tibetan Mastiffs Territorial?
Yes, Tibetan Mastiffs are very territorial. This means that they will aggressively protect their territory from intruders and other animals that enter their space.
This means that they are excellent guard dogs. But it also means that they will aggressively bark at every squirrel, bird, and other small animals that enter their yard.
This can be a problem if you have a small child who likes to go outside and play. Because of their territorial nature, it is important that you train your Tibetan Mastiff to recognize the difference between the things they should bark at and the things they should ignore.
As with all dogs, you should always supervise a child who is playing with a Tibetan Mastiff.
Male vs Female Tibetan Mastiff: Which Is A Better Guard Dog?
Male and female Tibetan Mastiffs are equally capable of being good guard dogs. However, male Tibetan Mastiffs are often larger and more imposing.
This means that they are likely to scare away even more intruders. Female Tibetan Mastiffs are likely to be more gentle towards children and smaller animals.
Helpful Resources:
Cane Corso – A protection guard that you need
Are English Mastiffs Protective?
Are Great Danes good guard dogs?
Are Bullmastiffs good protection dogs?
Are Rottweilers good personal protection dogs?
Tibetan Mastiff History
Tibetan Mastiffs were originated in Tibet and bred by the nomads who traveled the Himalayan Mountains.
Some believe that the Tibetan Mastiff is related to the Chow Chow, Great Pyrenees, and the Russian Bear Dog.
Many believe the Tibetan Mastiff is a descendant of the Chinese Wolf dog, but DNA tests have proven this theory incorrect.
Whatever their true origins are, Tibetan Mastiffs have been a prized possession of the Tibetan people for thousands of years.
They were prized not only for their strength and beauty, but also for their ability to guard livestock and protect the nomads who shepherded the region.
In fact, the Tibetan Mastiff was once so prized that they were traded as currency. They were often given as gifts from kings to their allies and used in marriage negotiations.
Why Are Tibetan Mastiffs So Large?
This is a very common question surrounding the Tibetan Mastiff. The answer lies in their heritage.
While the modern Tibetan Mastiff is larger than its ancestors, it is still smaller than the Tibetan wolves that it was bred from.
The Tibetan Mastiff is a large and muscular dog, bred for guarding livestock in the Himalayan Mountains.
It is believed that Tibetan Mastiffs have Akbash, the Anatolian Shepherd, the Great Pyrenees, the Kuvasz, and Saint Bernard in them which makes them such a large breed.
All of these breeds are big and muscular, and they have a thick coat of fur that helps protect them from the cold weather conditions in Tibet.
Its size ensures that it is both effective in protecting its herd and able to survive in the harsh Tibetan climate.
The Tibetan Mastiff’s thick coat also helps it to withstand colder temperatures. While this dog comes in a variety of colors, most have brown or black coats.
Some also have white or grey markings on their chests and feet. While the Tibetan Mastiff is large and imposing, they are also known as gentle giants.
Their size and strength make them excellent guard dogs. But unlike some other large dogs, they do not need to be trained to be aggressive.
Their natural instinct is to protect their home and the people inside. They will instinctively bark at anyone who enters their territory and confront any who get too close.
Their sheer size alone is often enough to scare away most intruders. And if an intruder is foolish enough to try to confront a Tibetan Mastiff, they will quickly discover that this breed is not a lap dog.
Conclusion
Tibetan mastiffs are large and gentle dogs that make excellent guard dogs. They are not naturally aggressive dogs, but they are strong enough to subdue intruders and keep them under control until help arrives.
While Tibetan mastiffs are excellent guard dogs, they are also great companions for families with children and other smaller pets.
