Country/Date of Origin: Tibet/900s
The Tibetan Mastiff is believed to be the originator of most of the European mastiff breeds. It has remained unchanged for centuries. A fierce guard dog, it was used by nomadic Tibetan people. Marco Polo reported seeing this dog during his travels but it remained relatively unknown outside of Tibet until the 1970s. At this time they were imported to the United States, Germany and Switzerland.
FCI Group: 2 (Working)