Tibetan Mastiff (detailed introduction)

The Tibetan Mastiff is known to people for its bravery and loyalty. In the eyes of many, the Tibetan Mastiff is fierce; they possess strong fighting ability and an unwavering loyal character. Indeed, the Tibetan Mastiff's fighting ability is strong, but this is just in comparison to other dogs. We have all heard myths like Tibetan Mastiffs being able to defeat tigers or one Tibetan Mastiff can simultaneously overcome several wolves. In fact, these are somewhat mythologized. We should view the Tibetan Mastiff correctly; even if we like it, we should not excessively mythologize it.

"People's Daily" once published a true news story: a golden leopard in the Tibetan region fought with eight Tibetan Mastiff livestock dogs, resulting in three Tibetan Mastiffs killed and five injured, while the leopard only retreated with injuries. This shows that no matter how formidable a Tibetan Mastiff is, it is ultimately a kind of dog, and there is a certain gap compared to wild beasts that have fought fiercely for years. Of course, stories like Tangut Tibetan Mastiffs climbing out of snow pits to catch snow leopards, or Tibetan Mastiff packs eating wild animals in the wild as if entering a restaurant, are actually unrealistic and can only be taken as casual conversation. However, many people still prefer to believe them, perhaps due to a personal admiration for the Tibetan Mastiff.

Many believe the Tibetan Mastiff's job is to fight local wolves and snow leopards, but fighting only happens occasionally. More often, they serve as guards for herds of sheep or yaks. After all, the plateau is desolate and harsh, with very few fierce beasts. Sometimes these beasts can't even be found, let alone killed. Furthermore, the Tibetan Mastiff is not the "only dog unafraid of fierce beasts." Many hunting and sheepdogs worldwide dare to fight wild beasts, such as the Dogo Argentino, which hunts wild boars and cougars; the Rhodesian Ridgeback in South Africa helps hunt lions; and in Russia, hunting the largest and most imposing feline—the Siberian tiger—also requires hunting dogs.

There is a saying that two mastiffs can fight one tiger, but this is not very reliable. Many people may not fully understand what a tiger is or how strong its fighting ability truly is. Firstly, tigers that live long in the wild naturally have formidable fighting skills and abundant hunting experience, which the Tibetan Mastiff cannot compare to. Moreover, their powerful tiger tail, claws, and strong bite force are all effective weapons. The Tibetan Mastiff has sharp teeth and fierce character, which is true compared to other canine species, but other wild beasts such as wolves, leopards, tigers, lions, and bears also possess these traits and often surpass the Tibetan Mastiff. Although the Tibetan Mastiff may really be fearless of wild beasts as people say, actual battles might not be as impressive as imagined.

Comparing with an ordinary golden leopard, in some muscle structures such as the forelimbs and neck muscles, the Tibetan Mastiff is far less developed than the leopard. The Tibetan Mastiff also has no advantage in skull structure, though it is indeed stronger than a wolf, it still cannot compare to a leopard. Judging by the attachment area for jaw and temporal muscles on the leopard’s skull, its bite force is much greater than that of the Tibetan Mastiff. Also, the leopard’s canine teeth are more developed than those of the Tibetan Mastiff. In fact, the Tibetan Mastiff's canine teeth, proportionally, are less developed even compared to a wolf's. Male leopards weigh on average 70-90 kilograms, with the Far Eastern leopard’s maximum recorded weight at 130 kilograms. As for hunting and fighting skills, the two are incomparable. I once witnessed a fight between a robust male military dog and a golden leopard. Before the fight, the dog's owner claimed his dog could easily snap a gray wolf’s neck and could hold a leopard without problem. However, once the fight began, the leopard slashed the military dog’s abdomen open with a single paw. As for the tiger, it is even less comparable.

Therefore, we need to view the Tibetan Mastiff with correct eyes. The Tibetan Mastiff is brave and loyal and is indeed loved by many people, but loving it does not mean we have to mythologize it and give others a wrong impression.