Tibetan Mastiff

Considering how much hair the Tibetan Mastiff dog has, their grooming needs are surprisingly low compared to other dog breeds. Every spring, they blow their undercoats (where they shed chunks of hair, instead of individual strands) and will need to be worked over with an undercoat rake. The rest of the year, weekly brushing with a pin brush or slicker brush is enough to keep their moderate shedding under control and keep their fur from matting. Their coats are good at repelling dirt, and they don’t tend to have that “dog smell,” so they don’t need to be bathed more than once a month.

Weekly brushing is also a good time to check the ears for debris or signs of infection like redness, swelling or a strong odor. Wipe the inside and outside of the ears with a damp cloth, taking care to avoid the ear canal. Use a cotton ball and a veterinarian-recommended ear cleaning solution to clean the ears as needed—just be sure not to go any deeper inside the ear canal than the first digit of your finger. Nails will need to be trimmed once or twice a month. You’ll know it’s time for a trim when you hear them tapping on hard surfaces.

It’s generally recommended to brush your Tibetan Mastiff’s teeth a few times a week, although many vets recommend working up to daily brushing if you can. You’ll want to start brushing your Tibetan Mastiff’s teeth early on when they are a puppy, so you can help them get used to it faster. Your vet can give you pointers, and you can get a primer here. Regular brushing, combined with daily dental treats, can help prevent tooth and gum disease, which can negatively impact your pup’s overall health. It’s also important to see your vet once a year for a professional teeth cleaning.

The Tibetan Mastiff dog is one smart cookie, but they are far from eager to please. These dogs have their own ideas, and if they don’t agree with you, they’ll follow their own instincts. Training them to do what you want means you’ll have to earn their trust and respect. And that comes through hard work. They need an experienced and strong leader who can be patient, firm and consistent in rewarding desirable behavior with high-value treats or toys. They don’t always respond well to treats, so you may need to experiment to find a reward that will get them excited enough to pay attention to you. As you train, remember that you should never punish undesirable behavior; that does more to reinforce it than curb it.

You should begin socializing your Tibetan Mastiff puppy from the time you bring them home, exposing them to as many new people, children, animals and situations as possible. This helps keep them from becoming fearful or aggressive. Socialization will need to continue throughout your Tibetan’s entire life to keep them from becoming too introverted or set in their ways.

The Tibetan Mastiff typically does well on a high-quality commercial dog food. Be sure to factor in your dog’s age and choose a formula that fits their stage in life, whether puppy, adult or senior. Look on the packaging for a statement that says the food meets nutritional standards set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials to make sure you’re purchasing a complete and balanced product. There is no standard feeding chart, but your vet can help you determine the best food and diet, including serving size and feeding schedule, based on your dog’s age, weight and activity level.

Be sure to feed them a large-breed dog or puppy food, which is formulated to support the bones and joints of dogs their size. Supplements or treats containing glucosamine and chondroitin can also help protect their joint health as they age. Just be sure to factor treats into their overall diet to prevent overfeeding. This breed eats a surprisingly small amount for such a large dog, and they only eat when they’re actually hungry. Even so, making sure they don’t overdo the calories will keep them from putting on extra pounds that can hurt their joints. But again, consult your veterinarian, as they are in the best position to help you pick the right food for your dog based on their individual needs.

Tibetans have a moderate energy level and need 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise. Ideally, they’ll get this by doing their jobs and patrolling their territory a couple of times a day, in the morning and the late afternoon or early evening when they’re most active.

If you don’t have a lot of land for them to roam, they’ll need to be walked during these hours and allowed to rest in the middle of the day, especially during the warmer months. And you’ll need to switch up their walking route regularly to keep them from becoming territorial.

These strong-headed pups won’t always come when you call and can’t be relied on to get along well with other dogs, so taking them to a dog park or allowing them to go off-leash simply aren’t options. And while some are more playful than others, generally, they won’t respond well to structured play like a game of fetch.

The ideal home for this breed is a farm or ranch with lots of acreage to roam and livestock to watch over. If you don’t have that, then a large fenced yard is a must. They do great in colder climates and higher altitudes and may be less active in warmer climates, especially during the hottest parts of the day. These dogs tend to reserve their barking for the night hours, so you may need to bring in your pup at night, if your neighbors aren’t too far away.

They need an experienced pet parent who has both the time and energy for daily obedience training and socialization, which is necessary throughout the Tibetan Mastiff’s lifespan to avoid problematic behaviors like guarding resources and their territory.

With lots of socialization, Tibetan Mastiffs can be taught to get along well with kids and other pets, especially if they’re raised with them. But due to their sheer size and strength, they should always be supervised when playing with small children or other dogs. (Children who yell and scream may startle this breed and trigger their protective instincts.) And they’re not likely to be great playmates with toy dog breeds or cats.

This isn’t a dog you can just take to the park or expect to do well with having a lot of people over. A properly socialized Tibetan Mastiff will tolerate the presence of people and dogs whom they don’t know well, but they tend to be antisocial and aloof toward non-family members. These guard dogs are always alert for danger, which makes them wary of strangers and protective of their loved ones and the animals they’re in charge of guarding. That said, they don’t usually become aggressive unless they detect a genuine threat.