Spanish Mastiff

Rarely seen outside Spain,  the Spanish Mastiff (Mastin  de Extremadura or Mastin de  la Mancha) was taken to Spain  by Phoenician traders over  2,000 years ago to what was then  arid wasteland, but is today the wheat  belt. The Spanish Shepherd’s Association  records that this bulky breed, a great  saliva dribbler, has been protecting  livestock from wolves for at least 600 years.  Today, the majority of these dogs guard  homes rather than livestock and, although  males in particular can be aggressive with  other dogs, they make reasonable family  companions, and have surprisingly small  exercise demands. Descendants of Spanish  mastiffs exist throughout the regions of  the former Spanish Empire.

Extra-large dogs such as the Spanish Mastiff grow  enormously quickly, and this has led to myths about  their unique nutritional needs during puppyhood.  Contrary to what is sometimes advised, these dogs do  not need calcium supplements to grow healthy bones.  In fact, adding extra calcium to an already balanced diet  may actually cause developmental bone problems.