Tibetan Mastiff – in danger?

     Tibetan Mastiff is one of the most  ancient breeds. For a long time it’s  integrity and purity of blood was maintained due to the geographical isolation of the region - an area of snow, high mountain and green valleys. Tibet covers the Northern slopes of Himalayas and is isolated from the other world by mountains in the South and a desert in the North. Since the XIII century Chinese merchants travelling through Tibet took defense dogs with them for protecting their lives, commodities and belongings. With centuries step by step Chinese and Tibetan dogs intercrossed with European dogs. Only those dogs  who lived high in the mountains conserved the purity of blood. They were very strong animals who could live in a severe climate. Since the Antic period they got a mystical halo. Aristotle, Marco Polo and many other authors and travellers marveled great physical force and intellect of these dogs. Even their barking was considered to have unique timbre.

    Today Tibetan Mastiff became a profitable commercial item with the average  price for a puppy  up to $ 750 000.  Go-getters travelled high in the mountains searching for new pure blood puppies. They do not care that many of them die. Borne in a unique Tibetan environment puppies are not able to adapt easily to a quite different weather, air, water and food. Above all – Tibetan Mastiff is not a dog to live in a city apartment and to be an expensive toy. A luxurious  fashion became rather dangerous for this ancient breed.